[JQmile]

Digging up an old thread per recent news:

I'll let Mike tell it himself:

Friday: It rained last night and the ground and parking lot are wet. We pump 12 gallons of Hyperfuels, Inc. “Bio/Synthetic fuel” into the GT’s tank. This stuff is like magic, with tons of BTU’s and no ugly smoke. We calculate the fuel mileage and get 45.4 MPG, the new Hyperfuels BioBlend should push us over the 50 MPG mark on the return trip, we expect great things in the future using this blend. The GT starts and happily purrs down the last stretch of highway on its way to the famous Texas Mile.

We get in the gate and search for the registration tent so we can get started. They direct us to the driver’s meeting that is already underway. We get all of the instructions and get to make a drive through so we will be familiar with the course.

I make a last minute inspection of the car before I blast off on the first run. Unfortunately I smell differential grease when checking the air pressure in the right rear tire. The bearing seal is leaking, AGAIN! (see my blog from Hot Rod Drag Week) Greg and I quickly remove the wheel and take the axle out, the bearing is good but the seal is leaking like crazy. Instead of trying to replace the bearing I decide a liberal dose of ugly orange silicone will have to do.

Greg hooks up the laptop to the NX Boost Reference Nitrous Controller and checks the tune-up. He programs in a little more nitrous at the launch and a nice smooth ramp as the boost increases.

I check out my safety gear and get ready to head for staging. There is a strong tail wind blowing and the temperature is cool but I am still sweating inside this fire suit. I have never held a drag car at WOT for a whole mile, even though I have gone 199.90 MPH in a dragster before somehow it feels more dangerous to do this in my street legal DuraMax GT. The track official motions me forward and I am getting ready to test the GT and me!

Greg activates the video cameras (sort of, he gets 1 of three turned on) and I move forward toward the official starter. No burn out here, just pull up and let it rip. I hit the throttle and start banging the B&M ratchet shifter; one, twice, three times, now the lock-up converter switch, and finally the Gear Vendors Overdrive unit. The car is pulling like crazy and I see the ¼ mile marker whiz by, then the ½ mile marker disappears. This thing is flying! Then that instant sinking feeling, what happened, no power, the engine just quit!!!!!!! Now I’m just coasting as I see the ¾ mile marker streak by out of the corner of my right eye, then the finish line. I pull the chute out of instinct and wait for it to hit, it seems like forever and I can see the turnoff cones coming up fast, bam it finally blossoms and I hit the brakes. The turn off is easy but I am distracted by what has happened to the engine and the car starts to buck violently, I forgot to unlock the converter, DUH! Then it occurs to me that the Gear Vendors is still engaged as well, hit the button, QUICK! Finally I have all the buttons and switches in their proper positions and the car coasts to a smooth stop. I get out, grab the chute and stuff it in the passenger seat. Now for the moment of truth, will the GT start and run? I hit the Painless wiring starter switch and to my surprise the engine lights and idles without protest, I drop it in gear and head for the timing deck to see how fast I went, coasting the last ¼ mile. The slip is handed through the rolled down window and to my amazement it reads 175.230!

Back to me (JQmile) now:

Yup, 175.23mph in the mile coasting, and 45.4 mpg!