I had a blast road racing against Lincoln LS & SHO

Doug Franklin

Registered User
As the only SC represented at the Motorsport Ranch Saturday 9-13 I believe I improved the SC reputation. I was never passed and I stayed out the full length of every session, and drove it home.

I took a pure-stock 90 AOD SC with 217K miles. Most of the LS and SHO cars had some mod. - better tires, exhaust, and/or suspension, and more. The LS is very balanced, quick, RWD, and has bigger brakes than an SC. 2 SHOs were very modified for a road track. We also had an '02 T-Bird, a G35, M3, & Mercury Marauder for the event, but they did not run in the "agressive" groupe, as I recall.

The LS drivers told me between 3rd and 4th sessions that the SC impressed them. Said they were talking about my T-Bird figuring it would be easy to pass because they have done this before at MSR against Cobras and GTs and passed them. That made me feel good!

4th session I was smoking the right rear tire, threw a left rear brake pad, and the AOD began to overheat. But I kept going and the cool down lap helped the AOD shut up. No way was I going to slow or come in against these guys. Drove it home fine.

(posts to organize the event and links to the track layout are in a thread under the Gulf States chapter SCCoA)

I guess I should say we were all passed by the owner of the track in his lowered better brakes 'Stang GT when he came out to play in the last session. He has about 7000 laps on this track. I should have tried to hold him off but pulled over and lifted to let him by. We only pass in straitways. Next time, and in a 95-5spd SC lowered with better brakes. He did tell me he had trouble passing the LS because it is so quick on straitways. I found I could only barely move in on one. I passed one SHO. Several bunched up and I was getting closer but ran out of time.

Myself and LSs went to Texas Motor Speedway for 3 laps on the banked "D". "Laps for Charity" night. I took the wife's Stang for this so she could have the top down.

Gosh I wish we could have an SC club day here, or more show up next time.........Doug
 
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The car I brung and the SHO of Don French who organised the event. Don posted this pic on fordbastards club he just started on yahoo.
 

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A pic from an LS club member in lead and follow session. Turn 8.
 

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I am the last red car with hood up waiting to go out for the fast sessions. The other 2 red SHO cars with hoods up had specail suspension, tires, etc, etc. I never cought them, and they never caught me. This event was a blast! There were those who wondered why they were there untill it started now they want to do this more than once a year. The SC does well. Hope we can do it when there is not so many drag races scheduled so maybe some of Y'all will come. We are looking into a track in Oklahoma that does the same thing.
 

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Sounds like a great time.. Thanks for sharing the experience. I wish I had more time to put into my car. I have the itch for racing, but it will have to be down the road yet.

Congratulations.
 
Thanks Mike. You know I did not even know what a Lincoln LS was. Shares same running gear and suspension I guess as the new 2 seat T-Bird. But the 4 door LS is 100 lbs lighter and very balanced. I was just as surprised at their cars, as they were with mine (performance wise).

It is a blast. One SHO man made a comment in the classroom about why they paid 100 bucks to drive a course like city streets. Owner of the track took him out in the Stang and drove at about 70% he said and changed his mind. Then we progressed with each session and they all want to do it again, soon. The SHO owners tear up their cars trying to drag race so they have concentrated on suspension and driving. It was so fun to get with them and do this. The people are good. I was told by one SHOman before our first session that his mother drives a T-Bird. So a little rivalry going on. I just let the SC on the track speak for me. But I better make some improvements to, or get one of the 5spd cars with improvements running for next time I fear. I read how these guys rip A/C and other things out to get the weight out of the front. Got a feeling this will get fun-er.

Doug
 
Now THAT's what I call FUN!

It wouldn't take that much to get pretty competitive with an SC AOD - Lentech VB, intake/exhaust, lowering springs, bigger wheels/tires & rear swaybar plus 13" brakes.... Ah, gee, I think I've got all that. :p

Wish we could do something like that @ CA Raceway or that I was a little closer to TX.

Where in OK are you looking for a potential site?

Lee
 
Tulsa area

http://www.hallettracing.com/

This is the link to Hallett Motor Racing Circuit. I want to do this and it looks like the TCCoA crowd is active up there as well. I know SCCoA had an OK meet once. So maybe we can give the SHO guys some competition.

Don French is looking into this as well as NASA Texas racing who is a member of MSR and will run events for us if we get enough cars. Now the NASA racing would be real racing with passing on corners unless agreed to do otherwise.

Here is the link to the Lone Star SHO club thread on MSR 9-13-03. You can see I bumed some of their pics. But there is more and more coming from the LS guys next week.
http://www.shoforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=000301
 
I'm registered on the SHOForum, don't get over there too often.

Looks like I need to pay a little closer attention. ;)

Thanks Doug.

Lee
 
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