Backdraft beats SHELBY Cobra in Vegas at FFR Western Roundup

[moneymanager]

Just thought some of you might like to know that I just returned from the FFR Western Roundup in Las Vegas where my #13 Backdraft out ran the Factory sponsored Shelby Cobra driven by the notable race driver Gary Patterson (also a Shelby employee there in Vegas on his home track.)

So for those of you who want to know HOW well a Backdraft runs and handles, well I can tell you from experience that my car
out ran and out handled EVERY other Cobra on the track Saturday. Including a few other Vette's and etc.

The handling of my Backdraft FAR exceeded my wildest expectations, especially with the new 17" Hoosiers and 3:93 gears I was running.

Everyone else complained of how hard and technical the Vegas track was except me. My car kept running up everyone's rear end in all the turns. I'd have passed a lot more of them, sooner, if passing hadn't been restricted on most of the track. It even handled the inverse radius turns like they didn't even exist.

I hit 130 mph on the front straights and 120 mph on the shorter back straights. 3rd and 4th gear now really pulls much harder. I kept hitting the Rev limiter (which I had set at 6,000 on my new motor). Now that it's getting broken in a little more I may raise it another 500 rpm so I don't the limiter so quick.

Here's a photo of my car #001 in the pits after the 1st run.
http://jmichael.info/lasvegas1.htm

I missed the 2nd run due to a broken bolt in water pump that holds the alternator adjustment rod in place. After Gordon Levy's crew was kind enough to remove the water pump and replace the bolt and refill it with water - I was back on the track for the 3rd run. THANKS to Levy Racing (Phoenix).

I also want to Thank my long time friend, fellow racer "Dick Smith" for signing my Cobra. See the details here if you like: SCCA's A/P National Champion Dick Smith, World record holder @ 198 mph in his 65 Cobra.
http://jmichael.info/dicksmith.htm

For those who want to go racing, I can't speak high enough about my new Hoosiers. They really worked well in the 17". I ran 35 lbs in the fronts and 34 lbs in the rears and it loved it. Held the corners extremely well. Good enough I was lifting the opposite front tire off the ground in the harder turns. They hold the corners well!

Needless to say, I am extremely pleased with my Backdraft. It did everything I was hoping it would do and more. As for the 392 stroker I am running. It's the best! THANKS Reg (at Classic Cars- Backdraft in Florida for installing me a WINNER!)

My thanks also goes to Spencer Sharp for driving my car and letting me see just how well it can handle. Thanks Spencer. You're one hell of a driver.

I also must apologize to anyone who was on the track with me and Spencer - sorry if we made you a little nervous when we blew by you. We were just feeling out the car.

"Doc" the moneymanager

[mr bruce]

Well there you go,THE answer to the age old question:" which Cobra replica is the best?"

[427Aggie]

First question was Gary driving the yellow series 7000 car with the stock 302 in it? If so then lets step back and compare apples to apples. Doesn't mean crap if the cars aren't running the same powerplant...hell I know a van that will kick most of our asses in the quarter!..

There is always someone faster than you!

Matt

[moneymanager]

Yes Gary was driving the Yellow Cobra with the 302 in it, which had blown everyone ELSE off the track.

It should be pointed out that it being a short track also has a lot to do with it. He is a tremendous driver and often WHALES on most higher powered cars. It is a full blown $200,000 original Shelby Cobra race car, not a $45,000 daily driver like mine.

It takes a hell of a car to outrun an original slab slide small block Cobra, as history has proven. I take nothing away from his car or his skills, both of which are exceptional. I merely wanted to let everyone know that a stock Backdraft car can hold it's own against some of the best.

Doc

[Gary Morris]

Yeah....what Matt said. The yellow car has abone stock 302 in it. It's just for playing and reliability at major events. Swap cars with Gary and see how it goes.....I have ridden in a Supercharged Series One with Gary so I know what he is capable of.......But I would still rub it in and will tell him so the next time I speak with him.

Gary

[Gatorac]

Good job. Remember, it takes a good driver too. All the horsepower in the world don't mean crap if you can't drive or the car won't handle.

[moneymanager]

I was hesitant to say anything at all about my cars performance this last weekend on this forum or any others- for fear that people might take things wrong. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or say anything bad about anyone's car. That wasn;t the point of my posting OK.

Don't lets get too anal here guys. I was merely trying to make a point of how well the Backdraft handles. OK Take it with a grain of salt and in good fun and let's get on with having fun OK.

I purposely didn't mention all the FFR's and other makes so as NOT to cause any fights. OK.

Doc

[427Aggie]

Not to take anything away from your accomplishments this weekend. Just that the car you were speaking about was not a racer just a demo car. The yellow one is a 7000 with just a straight 302 in it not one of the original 2000 cars that raced at LeMans or won...trust me I have heard a comp motor..it sounds alot different.

And I will too give Gary a load of ****.

Matt

[clayfoushee]

Doc,

I took your post for what it was, and I enjoyed hearing about your experience. I have a traditional Cobra set up, but having a lot of familiarity and admiration for the BMW suspension set-up, I'm not surprised that it's so competitive on the track.

Technology has come a long way since the 1960's, and I don't know why people would view this as an indictment of what Shelby and team did then. We all know there's plenty of stuff (even mid- to lower-end) today that will out-run the, then, world-class Cobras.

Ain't modern technology amazing....but I still appreciate the old stuff.

I appreciated your post.

[moneymanager]

Thanks all. I appreciate your input.

The main thing was that we all had a lot of fun and came home without skent knees. It was a blast!

Doc

[LURK]

Backdraft sucks!

okokok.. FINE... you're my daddy. Happy now?

-John

[RACER X #99]

MM,
Club Cobra is a good place to brag about track dominance over other Cobras. All the guys here are good guys and everybody enjoys reading how one Cobra beats up on another Cobra. Guys here especially like to hear about small block Cobras beating up on Big Block cars.

Let's hear more.

RD

[Jamo]

MM

Congrats on having a great time and showing your rear to some good machinery. Smitty's one of the great guys in our fine madness, and Gary's not the type to make excuses.

[clayfoushee]

I'm just amazed that Dick Smith is still alive after 198mph (or 201 according to the Ford guys in the pits).

[Excaliber]

...I'm so depressed.

So what kind of trans were you running and how tall are the tires? That 3.93 gear is really LOW, especially for running 130 mph. I figure you were using 5th over drive at speed.

Not like Dick Smith, real men do it with a four speed and a big block! Arrrrrr ARrrrrrr



26" tall tire with a 3.93 rear ratio and a one to one (direct drive like 4th in a top loader) = 118 mph at 6000 rpm

Typical Goodyear BIAS ply BIG letter tires (like Dick might have run) are 26.5" tall.

The BMW M3 trans (5 speed) is still one to one ratio (direct drive) in 5th gear.

[Jamo]

Actually, he ran Firestones at Daytona that day.

[Excaliber]

I understand the tires he was runnng were REALLY TALL ones and it seems to me the rear gear was not all "that high". I did some calcs on that "awhile back" and mathmatically the 198 mph DOES work out when all things are factored in!

...but now I forget the tire size and ratio!

[Turk]

This will help Backdraft alot.
Great publicity.
I can only assume, there will be very Yellow Shelby Cobras sold for some time to come.

Good job.

TURK

[jdog]

Yellow!
WHEW! I'm sure glad I didn't order mine in yellow!
I am starting to re-think the whole big block thing, how much is a stock 302?


jdog

P.S. Well, I guess theres always room 'under the porch'.

[clayfoushee]

Dick Smith was running a BB