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LAKEVILLE,
IN (February 5) --Sunny Florida provided the perfect setting for the
first Hoosier Drag Racing Test of 2003. Hoosier's product development
team joined championship racers Mitch Stott (Pro-Mod), David Rampy
(Comp), and Antron Brown (Pro-Stock Bike) for three days of intense
product testing at Bradenton Motorsports Park. In the end, several
firsts were made including an unofficial world record.
The
track was in perfect shape on Tuesday as Stott and Brown took to the
track for shake down runs. The runs not only helped establish a proper
setup for the conditions, they also set a baseline for current
production tires. From there, each driver bolted on several sets of
experimental tires.
The
first member of the Hoosier test team to break the starting line beams
was Pro-Stock Bike favorite Antron Brown. Brown brought his Suzuki
GSXR1100 and bolted on Hoosier rubber for the first time in class
history. Although Hoosier has long produced a 26x10-15 tire suitable
in size for the class, a special compound and construction combination
had to be developed. In all, 10 runs were made and plenty of valuable
information was gained.
"We
were not expecting magic numbers in our first attempt." Said
Hoosier Product Manager Faron Lubbers. "We hoped to draw on
Antron and Crew Chief Mark Peiser's experience to gain a better
understanding of the bike's needs in a tire. From that standpoint, it
was a resounding success. We are even more prepared to build the best
Pro-Stock Bike tire in the near future."
The
second driver on the Hoosier test card for Tuesday was IHRA
Pro-Modified Champion Mitch Stott. Despite dominating the Pro-Mod
class for much of the 2002 season, Hoosier and Stott felt that more
testing was necessary to maintain their winning combination.
"Mitch
is the perfect test driver." Said Lubbers. "His car is
always meticulously prepped, and he understands what our goals are for
the test. With Jimmy Rector turning the wrenches, we could not have
asked for a better combination to continue our development."
Stott
brought his winning 1963 Corvette to Bradenton. After setting a
baseline with Hoosier's current production, the Mill Spring, North
Carolina driver completed tests on several different sets of tires. In
the end, the current 34.5x17-16 C2000 production tire reigned supreme.
However, one of the test sets may appear later this summer.
"After
Mitch completed his run on the second test set, he told us that,
although the tires were wrong for a blown car, they felt perfect for
the nitrous-injected car he used to run." Recalled Product
Manager Steve Hudspeth. "We will definitely be exploring this
possibility in the near future."
David
Rampy, a 45-time national event winner, missed Tuesday's test session
as he and Crew Chief Barry Davis were working feverishly in their
Piedmont, Alabama shop to install a new engine. Following an all-night
drive to Bradenton, the Winnebago team hit the track first on
Wednesday in search of the perfect setup for Hoosier's new Competition
Eliminator tire. On the final run, Rampy found the right combination
and powered his Bantam Roadster to the quickest A/EA run in history, a
7.28 second blast.
"Our
focus was making suspension changes to optimize Hoosier’s new
33x12-15 Comp Tire.” Stated Rampy. “We kept getting closer, then
on the final run, we adjusted the four-link and changed the air
pressure, and the car came to life. It launched hard, but the run was
so smooth, I didn’t expect those kind of numbers."
The
7.28 second pass is believed to be the first ever A/EA pass in the
20’s. Based on the 8.03 index for the class, Rampy's unofficial
national record run was .743 seconds under. Hoosier Product Manager
Faron Lubbers believes the test is a step in the right direction for
the new season.
"We
really want to attack Competition Eliminator this year." Said
Lubbers. "We asked David to join our test here and the results
were incredible. Although it took a few passes to find the proper
suspension combination, the numbers show real potential. We could not
have made this much progress without David, Crew Chief Barry Davis,
and engine builder Alan Patterson. They are an integral part of our
Hoosier team."
Rampy
hopes to turn his new testing combination into a Comp win at the first
NHRA National Event in Pomona, California, February 6th
–9th.
Overall,
the first test of Hoosier's new products for 2003 was a resounding
success. With another step completed in the development of a
Competition Eliminator tire, and a better understanding of the needs
of a Pro-Stock Bike, look for Hoosier Racing Tire to continue to
expand it's success in the New Year.
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