Newbie looking for some tips!

[Jakester]

Hey guys!

So some of you may know, I'm fairly new to the Mustang Community, but a long time fan. I got my Mustang in April of this year and have been trying tirelessly to find good groups locally, but no luck yet. I haven't been able to find a track either unfortunately, where I can just go track my car.

Though...I did find a Drag Event near me coming up and was considering attending it! I've never been to a drag strip before so I was wondering if you guys could give some tips for me for when I'm going! I would sure appreciate it!

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[hlfbkd420]

Standard or auto?

 

[Jakester]

Standard or auto?

10 Speed Auto with Performance Package.

 

[hlfbkd420]

Watch a few runs first.
Avoid the water box if you’re on street tires.
Use drag mode.
Do a small burnout.
Go on the third yellow.
Floor it.

 

[Jakester]

Watch a few runs first.
Avoid the water box if you’re on street tires.
Use drag mode.
Do a small burnout.
Go on the third yellow.
Floor it.

Thanks for the tips!
Will for sure use Drag Mode. And I know you said to avoid the water box, should I back into it for the burnout or just completely avoid it with my street tires? I could just use Line Lock mode for the burnout, right?

Go on third yellow, got it...!

As far as flooring it, should I be brake boosting at all? If so, how much? When I tried a few practice launches (just on a street), I launched around 2-3k I believe.

 

[CORNYOTE]

you want to avoid the water altogether on street tires, water will get picked up in the tread and that'll make traction worse. you want to just do a very small burnout just to clean the tires, too much heat will make street tires slick.

I would hold left foot on brake as hard as possible and bring rpm up until you feel it start to surge against the brake a little. But without Drag Radials, you'll likely spin. Your best bet will be to go easy the first run or two to get a feel for what the car will do and adjust accordingly. Maybe practice on a deserted road before you head to the track as you may get limited runs.

Also, remove anything you don't need. spare tire, air compressor, trunk mat, rear seat, etc etc. get as light as possible for best results. leave everything if you're just looking to have fun.

Read up on the rules for the track you're attending. Make sure you have the right gear. most require a helmet and or long pants, closed toed shoes, some need long sleeves, etc.

Turn off your Air Conditioner. The other folks appreciate there not being water down the track from the condensate. Especially the fast guys.

take an air gauge, air down the rears, pump up the fronts. lower air in the rear gives a better contact patch, higher air in the fronts makes for less rolling resistance.

Take notes. Write down every pass, what your air pressures are at, what the temp is, how long your burnout was, what lane, etc any information you can think of. This will help you see what changes you made and how they may have directly affected your time.

Make sure you have a plan for getting home in case you break something. buddy with a trailer, etc

If you don't know, ask someone. Most racers are more than willing to help and share their knowledge and insight.



Oh, and stay in your lane lol

 

[Jakester]

you want to avoid the water altogether on street tires, water will get picked up in the tread and that'll make traction worse. you want to just do a very small burnout just to clean the tires, too much heat will make street tires slick.

I would hold left foot on brake as hard as possible and bring rpm up until you feel it start to surge against the brake a little. But without Drag Radials, you'll likely spin. Your best bet will be to go easy the first run or two to get a feel for what the car will do and adjust accordingly. Maybe practice on a deserted road before you head to the track as you may get limited runs.

Also, remove anything you don't need. spare tire, air compressor, trunk mat, rear seat, etc etc. get as light as possible for best results. leave everything if you're just looking to have fun.

Read up on the rules for the track you're attending. Make sure you have the right gear. most require a helmet and or long pants, closed toed shoes, some need long sleeves, etc.

Turn off your Air Conditioner. The other folks appreciate there not being water down the track from the condensate. Especially the fast guys.

take an air gauge, air down the rears, pump up the fronts. lower air in the rear gives a better contact patch, higher air in the fronts makes for less rolling resistance.

Take notes. Write down every pass, what your air pressures are at, what the temp is, how long your burnout was, what lane, etc any information you can think of. This will help you see what changes you made and how they may have directly affected your time.

Make sure you have a plan for getting home in case you break something. buddy with a trailer, etc

If you don't know, ask someone. Most racers are more than willing to help and share their knowledge and insight.



Oh, and stay in your lane lol

Thank you so much! Lots of great info! I appreciate it.

 

[CORNYOTE]

No problem! let us know how it goes and share your first experience!

 

[Rover]

I read this AM California helmet requirements have been updated recently so make sure you have the latest helmet rating.

 

[Jakester]

I read this AM California helmet requirements have been updated recently so make sure you have the latest helmet rating.

Thank you for telling me about this. I've actually looked on their website and it says "Required in all vehicles 13.99 seconds and quicker. Helmet must meet NHRA approved SNELL rating and must have required label on the inside of the helmet. SNELL 2010 good until 1-1-2022. SNELL 2015 good until 2027. D.O.T. ONLY HELMETS ARE NOT LEGAL."

So I'm going to assume that I'm not going to be faster than 13.99 and won't need one.

 

[hlfbkd420]

You need a helmet..

13.99 should be easy.

 

[Jakester]

You need a helmet..

13.99 should be easy.

Dang, do you really think so?
I might not be able to go then, depending on how much helmets are. Do you know of an online retailer that you recommend, where I could search for helmets?

 

[Rover]

Cheapest helmet I found with current SNELL rating was a bit over $100. Not sure I want to be wearing the cheapest helmet I can find if I'm trying to preserve my brain in a catastrophic event.
You should read something like this here > https://www.typhoonhelmets.com/articles/drag-racing-helmets-guide/

 

[Ruiner46]

The track I go to rents helmets for $5

 

[jmeiers]

The track I go to rents helmets for $5

Eww! You know how much sweat is in your helmet, while its on your head, waiting in the staging lanes, on a 90+ degree day?

OP, just buy your own. You will love the track and will be going back more than once for sure.

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