Cobra on SPEED TV
 

The 2009 Optima Ultimate Street Car Challenge will be shown
again this Friday 10/22/2010 for those of you who might have missed it last year. It will be on Speed TV at 9:00 PM EDT and 6:00 PM PDT. This showing is an effort to create interest in this years Optima, scheduled to be run at Spring Mountain Motor sports Park on Saturday the 6th of November.

This years Challenge has some very specific changes to the rules:
- The Cobra will not be allowed to compete unless it runs exhibition
- No ringer drivers will be allowed
- Those wonderfully sticky Hoosier A6's are no longer legal

I will be driving my Ford GT this year; it will be tough because I am better behind a wrench than behind the wheel. The GT also weighs 1000 lbs more than the Cobra and has 150 less horsepower.

The GT has the following modifications to improve its performance.
- Pulley and Tune (about all these tires can handle)
- 7200 rpm limit
- Ford Racing Short Shifter
- Penske shocks
- Higher rate springs
- 91/2x19 F and 12x19 R wheels
- 265x35x19 and 345x30x19 Michelin PS2s
- modified front splitter, new adjustable rear spoiler
- modified suspension geometry to eliminate roll under steer
- increased static camber
- lowered 2" with a .75" rake angle
- side skirts to develop more down force
- increased static camber

I hope things go well because there are only a few Ford powered entries.
On a positive note I checked my GT from 0-100-0 and it did it in 11.2 in less than 1000 feet. The increased down force has really helped reduce braking distance.

I thought one of the rules was that the winner from the previous year was invited back.

Banning the Cobra sucks.:(

It's just like 1965 but fast forward 45 years, they know they're going to get beat. Just like pulling up to a stop light back in the day with ANY 427 Cobra in the other lane, it made no difference what you're driving you know your going to get your ass handed to you. They know if the Cobra comes back fewer people will want to participate, sort of like who's the first loser.

Good luck 3170

#3170
It sounds like you are ready to kick a whole lot of butt again, just with a different car.

Give em hell

Craig

You are going to get in trouble again
 

Cobra #3170 Between you and Jerry as a coach you are going to have to build ANOTHER car next year. I can see this all ready. An all wheel drive car is about the only thing that can run with you. You should get a lawyer for the question about PRO? I though Jerry was in the over the hill gang or Gray Ghost Gessiers? You are not paying thim. In my eyes that makes him a driver in training. Any one who has been on that track has the edge. I believe that Jerry went out cold and ran well. No worries, They guys with 500+ cube motors can't get all the power to the racetrack, so it's again about drivers ability to adjust and being smooth. If you being Jerry, don't forget the pom-poms.:rolleyes::LOL::D Best of luckl Rick L. O'BOY is this going to be GREAT AGAIN.:D

GT at Optima Challenge
 

Thanks Rick,

I'll do my best, actually Jim is going to ride with me in the autox and coach me on the fly. They don't allow passengers this year on the road course but he will radio my times to me on each lap so I can kick it up a notch (that is if I am close) other wise I'll take my beating like a man. We are down on power and up on weight to some of the competitors but the mid engine lay out plus the down force may even things out a little. As far as Jimmy being a professional he paid his own way out to Vegas and has never been paid to race. He is just flat too good and as a result got everybody else banned too, just so they could keep him out. We are going out there to have a good time and do as well as possible with the rules as they are. I am pretty happy with the GT's upgrades, if Jimmy were driving I don't think they would have a chance against him. Here is a 0-100-0 video, notice there is no drama it just gets it done, the Cobra is a whole lot quicker but a whole lot harder to keep straight both going up and coming down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeWxrBtlw9o

There is more too it.
 

Threw the parts venders grape vine ;the real embarrassment to the attendees was not only did a 40 plus year old car win; but that so many of the best built ,with the best parts available ,cars failed . They had to endure standing by and witness this fact. They asked that the Cobra not come back next year.

It's a damn shame they banned the cobra. I hope you show them all up in the GT.

Re: the Cobra: I think they got caught with their pants down. They couldn't have predicted that such a vehicle could be constructed and would clean the competitors clocks. Too bad it wasn't more beautiful :)

Re the FGT: Here Here! We want to see what tricks you've got up your sleeve that will make this vehicle wup a**. If so the larger FGT community will be knocking on your door. As someone who is actively looking for a FGT I'm in that set.

I wish I could be there but I've got to watch my v-days.

+1
Doesn't feel like an "ultimate" street car challenge when the organizers start drawing lines, doesn't it? I would be hard pressed to just find another event to conquer instead of competing against a bunch of whiners. Good luck in the FGT and show them up (again).

Why didn't you put on a bigger power adder, supercharger/turbo set-up?

They are requiring a minimum tread wear rating of 200 this year, my Hoosiers from last year had a rating of 40. I designed all the changes around the Michelin PS2's with a 220 TW rating. My shock valving, spring rates and engine are set up for these tires. It has 607 rwhp now, a bigger Whipple would be about 750 which would make it really difficult to drive in the autox. Turbo's make lots more power but don't have low end torque or HP so they wouldn't be as good in the autox either. You have to compromise your set up so that it will work on all three events and be easy to modulate and drive, especially critical on these street tires. Under hard acceleration it is either slightly spinning or just hooked up now. I just wish I could get about 400 pounds out but that would only be possible if I dumped the blower/intercooler and associated hardware and went with an aluminum big inch small block and got rid of the radio, air bags, power windows, glass rear window and fire wall window (not in the cards) .

I just finished watching the rerun for the second time. It's just plain good entertainment to see that Cobra open up a can of Whup ass on the other competitors.
Bruce, you're a class act. I wish you the best for this upcoming event. You know all of us here are rooting for you.
GO Get'em. :D

Hersh:)

Watched the YouTube Videos earlier this year and the re-broadcast tonight and that was awesome! Like how they sort of kept your Cobra in the dark in the first part of the show and then unleashed the beast to wipe the competition away. Watching your car tonight just makes me more driven to get my next one done soon. 496 FE going in Tuesday. Good luck with your Ford GT this year.

Great show for some other guys
 

Cobra #3170 I thought the winner gets the spoils and most TV time. Little shot here and there. Looking at faces that was a pissed bunch of guys. It was funny about that one other car to run statements. The guy was looking for the door. Great Job, Now we know what the CRAZY PROFESSOR looks like and to stay clear of that nasty sounding car. Too bad they gave you so little time but worth the 1 hour watch over the baseball game. One guy was a pip, Big motor, BIG HP. lite weight car, Bet your car comes in at about 2,800 lbs. That's not light by any means. I like the no Pros thing. 1 woman and 5-6 guys, some I have even heard of on the east coast. Any way, It was good to see you rewarded with the hard work and time spent on building that car. Hoping the GT-40 will hold it's own this year. You know there is a 200WT tire in a 335/30 r18 or 19. Becareful with the heat cycles to get he best out of the tires. I know you already knew that. Go get them. Rick L.

I was on the phone with a friend last night as we watched the show on Speed. As was mentioned earlier, they didn't show as much Cobra on the track time as I would have liked. But aside from the 0-60-0 run, there was very little drama in watching the Cobra. When it went out for the road course, there were no smoking tires or twitchy corners. It looked smooth and almost slow on camera. It was when the times were announced that the old saw - smooth is fast -became apparent.

weight and tires
 

Thanks Rick,
Actually the car weighs 2370 with 10 gallons of fuel. It weighed 2180 before I sleeved the frame and added the dry sump. So it is still pretty light considering the HP and torque. The Michelin tires I put on the GT are 220 TW but they are dual compound with a fairly soft outer half of the tread so I believe they are superior to a straight 200 TW or even some 180's. Tires are not brand new (4) autox and 1/2 track day but should be ok because the tread blocks are not as thick now and shaved or treated tires are not allowed. What ever I loose in compound I should gain back in a less squirmy contact patch. I am not sure if Ryan Mathews is the same guy who races NASCAR trucks or not but if it is, he would probably be considered a pro.
Those guys (Detroit Speed) rented the Pahrump track the week before and tuned their car for that track. I can only imagine what Jimmy's time would have been if he had more than 4 laps on that track and I had a chance to get the car right for him, I would bet high 1:30's.

Watched your Cobra kick some xxxx last night, very cool. Good luck with the FGT. Let us know how it went.
Gota go and get back to my project.

I missed it . Any chace it might be on again?

Really wanted to see this but was away from home.Maybe it will be run again.