April 15, 2016: Watkins Glen Green Grand Prix

[elhigh]

Redneck, they should have given you an award just for having the cojones to show up in that battlewagon with your hypermiling hat on.

"Yeah, I'm driving for economy. What the heck."

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by redneck

.

I had a great time at the GGP and enjoyed meeting everyone.

I was however slightly surprised with my results.

I figured a last place finish was likely since I was driving a whale.

I was wrong...

I was denied that title by a modded 2005 V-6 gas Ford Ranger that posted 22.43 mpg for the track event.

The Dodge truck I was driving weighed 5000 pounds more than the Ford Ranger, yet it somehow achieved 22.67 mpg at the event.

A scant .24 mpg better...

So much for the coveted last place finish.

As Maxwell Smart would say "Missed it by that much".


The other surprising thing was that they presented me with an award for "Best in class".

Why was I surprised...???

Could it have been the vehicle...???

Driving skill...???

MPG...???

Or for some other merit...???

Well, no...


It"s because I was the only one in that class... Lol...



However, getting something is always better than nothing...

Besides, it will look good hanging in the shop.




If your thinking of attending the next GGP .

Just do it.

You won't regret it...




>

Bahahahahaha, I assume everyone will infer you got that award for the Metro...nope!!!!

[gumby79]

Congratulations to all good job !
Can someone, better at math than me, convert the results to Ton Miles Per Gallon? So that we can compare car to trucks, and on a level playing field.CSX Railroad was advertising 400+tmpg in a freight train. Wish I had made the 2109mi oneway drive, maybe next year after the dust settles from buying my new house.

[brucepick]

Originally Posted by redneck

...

The other surprising thing was that they presented me with an award for "Best in class".

Why was I surprised...???

Could it have been the vehicle...???

Driving skill...???

MPG...???

Or for some other merit...???

Well, no...


It"s because I was the only one in that class... Lol...


However, getting something is always better than nothing...

Besides, it will look good hanging in the shop.




If your thinking of attending the next GGP.

Just do it.

You won't regret it...




>

redneck/Dave, you are indeed in a class by yourself!
(As was I on that same day)

[brucepick]

Originally Posted by gumby79

Congratulations to all good job !
Can someone, better at math than me, convert the results to Ton Miles Per Gallon? So that we can compare car to trucks, and on a level playing field.CSX Railroad was advertising 400+tmpg in a freight train. Wish I had made the 2109mi oneway drive, maybe next year after the dust settles from buying my new house.

gumby79,

We'd LOVE to have you with us next year, if you're up to it!

I'm pretty sure those CSX ton-miles are all about payload, aka cargo. If you don't carry anything I think the ton miles would be zero.

I try to toss all my cargo before the event. But you can't toss the navigator. Best you can do is find a lightweight one.

[changzuki]

Originally Posted by redneck

.

I had a great time at the GGP and enjoyed meeting everyone.

I was however slightly surprised with my results.

I figured a last place finish was likely since I was driving a whale.

I was wrong...

I was denied that title by a modded 2005 V-6 gas Ford Ranger that posted 22.43 mpg for the track event.

The Dodge truck I was driving weighed 5000 pounds more than the Ford Ranger, yet it somehow achieved 22.67 mpg at the event.

A scant .24 mpg better...

So much for the coveted last place finish.

As Maxwell Smart would say "Missed it by that much".


The other surprising thing was that they presented me with an award for "Best in class".

Why was I surprised...???

Could it have been the vehicle...???

Driving skill...???

MPG...???

Or for some other merit...???

Well, no...


It"s because I was the only one in that class... Lol...



However, getting something is always better than nothing...

Besides, it will look good hanging in the shop.




If your thinking of attending the next GGP .

Just do it.

You won't regret it...




>

Don't short change yourself Redneck! You did a great piece of driving. Several times I looked at you coming round corner one thinking your front tires might possibly make some usable ruts in the new asphalt! In the overall scheme of the event, the ecomodders covered all the bases; the smallest, biggest, lightest, heaviest, cool, odd, obscure, on & on..
On a side note, we all had some great exchanges of ideas, and, mloveland78's boattail and the foam aeromods you did with UltArc certainly captured the spirit and determination of who we all are. Couldn't think of a better group of psychos to spend a couple of days with!!!
~CrazyJerry

[gumby79]

Originally Posted by brucepick

I'm pretty sure those CSX ton-miles are all about payload, aka cargo. If you don't carry anything I think the ton miles would be zero.

No the rail road duse not count freight only. They count evrything that is not a engine(power ' unit).
06-09 I worked for Union Pacific. My training was on Cascade Summit .Eugene, Oregon to Klamath Falls, or 197mi 2.2% grade 40+ mi continues. Not as tall as Donner but much worse @2.3 the FRA (federal Railroad Administration) would close the route as un safe for freight citing "to long and steep continuous grade to maintain speed going down".
Fraight standerd cuppler weight limmit 6,800t on this grade reduced from 10,000T on account of gravity.

Power requirements 23EPA (equvlant Powered Axle ) 5x AC-45/DC-70 .@4000HP EA. =20,000HP 2.8HP / ton @2.6HP/ton you stall in tunnle #7 . 1/2 mi long(had to be certified to carry compressed breathing air.) Over 2.9HP/T and you rip the train in hafe.
Consist ( power arrangement) was 3 on the head (front) and 2 DP ( Distributed Power, rear helpers). As a comparison the daily Grain Train out of Reno is 13'000T (100cars @30Tcar+100T of grain ea.) Requires 5 units(20'000HP) on the head, and 4DP (16'000HP)(cut in. 1/3 frome the rear) =36,000Hp for 13,000T if 1 unit gose down the hole train stalls or brakes in hafe.(front unit failure =stall/rear unit failure = broken " Knuckle".) I dont know the fuel figures off thetop of my head for Donner.

Fuel 500ga each unit.x 5 =2500ga

Don't know if I m doing the math right
Ga÷T. 2500ga ÷6800t==.368 Ga /T
-------- ----------------------- ------------------ =535.326TMPG
Mi. ______ 197mi. =========197
If I got all the right values in the right places,then a train can move a 2000lbs car@ 500+mi up the hill on 1 gal
Ran
G÷M
-------=AND GOT 72 TMPG
T
Don't know witch formula is right 72 seems right it is a hill
------
My first RC (remote control) was a 300'000 lbs pair of yard switchers. Requires a fredral license.

[redneck]

.

Just in case anybody thought that driving around Watkins Glenn International Speedway was like a leisurely Sunday afternoon drive in the park.

Guess again...






That's not dirt...

It's tire rubber...


Turn #1 is a slight down hill 90 plus degree right .

Followed by a short down hill straight, then a right, up a hill and thru the Esses.

My average speed entering turn #1 was between 40-47mph.

Throwing the weight of the truck into that turn at those speeds produced a under steer condition (also called pushing) where the front wheels have a difficult time griping the track surface.

It was necessary to carry as much speed thru turn #1, then accelerate on the short downhill as much as possible.

When and "if" I hit it right, I could coast up the 1/8 mile 80' hill and thru Esses, gaining .2 mpg per lap.

It only took me 16 laps to figure it out...

The GGP is more challenging than it looks...

>

[rustygirl]

Hi all,
I posted a bunch of pictures of racers on the track and during take offs and pits.
20160415_162358 - NortheastWheelsEvents.com - Car Show Calendar
A link to the album is under this picture of the Lovelandmobile and below. there's one of the redneck truck too:-)

Green Grand Prix 2016 - NortheastWheelsEvents.com - Car Show Calendar

[changzuki]

Originally Posted by rustygirl

Hi all,
I posted a bunch of pictures of racers on the track and during take offs and pits.
20160415_162358 - NortheastWheelsEvents.com - Car Show Calendar
A link to the album is under this picture of the Lovelandmobile and below. there's one of the redneck truck too:-)

Green Grand Prix 2016 - NortheastWheelsEvents.com - Car Show Calendar

Thanks rustygirl! I've referenced some of your photos and I'll add the link to your album as well. Great pics btw - thanks!!!
-
~CrazyJerry