FIRST 2017 FORD GT OWNER TO OFFICIALLY DRIVE 200+MPH at RUNWAY RACING MOJAVE CA
- Thread starter skyrex
- Start date
GKW05GT
GT Owner
FikseGTS
GT Owner
good info, thanks! what did the GT TT or 4.0L whipple cars do in the 1/2 mile?
There is no apples to apples comparison when doing old to new. We had 3 other GT's there ranging from my TT at 237, mitty's new TTGT which went 222.9MPH (new personal best for him....BIG CONGRATS MIKE :thumbsup:thumbsup) and new 200MPH club member Steve Connorarty who did low 200's with his SC car but I cant remember exactly and I would need to look at the results when I get them next week for an exact speed. Maybe he can chime in if he sees this.
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PL510*Jeff
Well-known member
It was a great time. Like Barry, we were running in the mid- to high-190's all morning. When the cross-winds died down (and maxing out the PSI in the tires!) I was able to hit 203 on a pulley & tune car.
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Surprisingly, the GT is still good for over 200 mph with the wing up. Knew that from testing.
Congratulations Barry.
Congratulations Barry.
partssmann
GT Owner
You the man Barry! Although Chip was having fun at Laguna I bet you had a bigger smile on your face.
Vince H
GT Owner
So awesome Barry! Congrats!
It's experiences like these the make me believe why FMC gave Forum members strong consideration for ownership.
Vince H
It's experiences like these the make me believe why FMC gave Forum members strong consideration for ownership.
Vince H
w. mitty
GT Owner
- Sep 1, 2005
- 704
Guys, it was truly awesome to see Steve and Barry join the club. There were only a few people running, so it seemed like family. We laughed, we cried, we cheered like mad people when the magic numbers came up. It took a ton of work for both of them, but it finally happened. I was there with my wife and my best buddy and his wife. Along with Tom and Bill, we became the de facto cheerleaders. Great day.
I was super happy with the 222.9. It felt...fast! Prior best in my Whipple car was 210.
I saw my best speed in 5th knocking on redline. I was running a modest 18 pounds of boost, so if I up the boost and pull 6th gear, that number will get bigger. The question is, do I want a bigger number? I always wanted to max out the GT's speedo (220) and I finally did. The Heffner TT was still pulling like a frieght train at 222. Simply awesome to be a part of it all. Tom was a wealth of information and really helped us all out.
This is a perfect event for us GT guys, and I would encourage you to attend one of these private events. It was stupendous.
I was super happy with the 222.9. It felt...fast! Prior best in my Whipple car was 210.
I saw my best speed in 5th knocking on redline. I was running a modest 18 pounds of boost, so if I up the boost and pull 6th gear, that number will get bigger. The question is, do I want a bigger number? I always wanted to max out the GT's speedo (220) and I finally did. The Heffner TT was still pulling like a frieght train at 222. Simply awesome to be a part of it all. Tom was a wealth of information and really helped us all out.
This is a perfect event for us GT guys, and I would encourage you to attend one of these private events. It was stupendous.
spartan
GT Owner
Love this. Congrats on being the first!!! Also love to hear that you did run and run with the car with no issues it seems.
GTJack
GT Owner
Ford in all its wisdom chose folks to get the new FGT who would showcase the car and be a great spokesman for Ford. Obviously Barry has done that!!! In Spades!! So many still waiting on theirs, and Barry is out there making multiple high speed runs. Way to go!
Stef
GT Owner
I agree whole heartedly. There is nothing better than looking at your 220MPH speedometer and know that you have buried the needle. :biggrin:thumbsup
When Barry contacted me about coming with his new GT all of us involved with the event were crazy excited to see the car in person and find out how it would do. In corresponding with him I mentioned that I was looking forward to a passenger ride. He intimated that I would get an opportunity far grander than that. To say I was ecstatic would be an understatement!!!
When Barry asked me if I was ready to take a pass there might have been a millisecond that passed before I replied "YES!!" Having a 05-06 GT doesn't mean much when you get into the cockpit of the NFGT. To use a movie quote from Die Hard I felt like an analog guy in a new digital world. Like our older cars, first you need a lesson on how to get into the car. :lol I deferred to Barry's expertise in this area and used his method. Climb in head first towards the center of the car and adjust the rest of your body accordingly. First he took me on a passenger ride. It was surreal. We were still talking about the car when we got the wave that the course was clear. I didn't notice this and I was in mid sentence when we rocketed off the line, snapping my head back into the seat. The car pulls like a freight train through the first three gears with incredibly smooth shifts. Before I knew it the run was over and we were back in the paddock switching positions.
Once seated it was sensory overload. The tech in this car is amazing and overwhelming from the minute you sit down. So many different modes, displays and buttons assault you. I felt this a bit before when I first drove my 458 but it was 1,000% more daunting because it wasn't my car. Barry nursed me through getting a comfortable driving position. I watched the pedals telescope away from me, got to where they felt right and pulled down that fantastically cool door. The first thing I noticed when we fired up the car was the mileage. 5,600 even. My man Barry does not disappoint. You buy a car like this you should drive it. Like Merlin he whisked his hands over dials, pulled up displays and put the car into Vmax mode which created an audible thump. I looked over in horror at the noise and he assured me that was normal. We moved the dial to drive and off we went. Bottom line there is just too much going on in such a short period of time to take it all in and before I knew it we were at the start line. Barry set up launch control and gave me a brief explanation. I have used it a couple of times in other vehicles of mine and honestly it is not something I am completely comfortable with especially when the car is not mine. Here comes the wave from the starter. Course clear.....time to GO!!
So I don't rev it properly or work the pedals right and naturally botch the launch. That's okay because the GT is in auto mode and is more than willing to think for me and rocket us down the runway. Again I am on a runaway freight train ride through the first three gears marveling at the smooth shifts and quick acceleration. Like a virgin on prom night getting a little lucky after the dance the experience ended way too soon with an enormous grin on my face.
Did I get to 200? Hell no!! But it was the greatest 187MPH run of my life that I will remember forever. I have owned GT's since 2008 and met the most amazing people and made incredible friendships over the years that no other car ownership experience has come close to matching. I am forever grateful and indebted to Barry for sharing a little bit of his NFGT magic with me. I know I said it a lot on Saturday but thank you again Barry for allowing me an incredibly rare car driving experience. It was truly unforgettable. :cheers
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