drag racing tips

[Coolmanfoo]

Just found out there is a drag racing strip not too far from my house today that hosts a casual Wednesday night drag for anyone with a drivers license.

I wont be competing or anything but it would be cool to see how good of a time i can get so I have a few questions as ive never actually done a straight line drag race before

I have a 16 GT auto with 3.15 gears. Also I'm running those stock AS Pirellis (super good for drag racing, I KNOW!) So how am I going to get the best time? mash the accelerator and hold it steady until the wheels hook up? Ease into the accelerator and eventually take it to the floor?

Also will the auto trans in sport or paddle shifters give me a better time? If paddle shifters at what rpm should I shift? I know peak torque is around 4kish so I'm guessing shift around 6 or redline?

any and all tips appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

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[jdoug]

Either power brake (press brake and gas together) or use the line lock feature. I would put it in Sport (or track mode if you have it) and let the trans shift by itself.

 

[wildcatgoal]

Guy in my club got a 13 even with your engine and gear ratio by hitting the gas but shifting almost immediately after with the paddle shifter, then going to redline after that. He said he shifted from first to second at like 2K rpm or maybe it was 2.5K. Like real fast...

 

[SolarFlare]

Guy in my club got a 13 even with your engine and gear ratio by hitting the gas but shifting almost immediately after with the paddle shifter, then going to redline after that. He said he shifted from first to second at like 2K rpm or maybe it was 2.5K. Like real fast...

So he slowed himself down on purpose?:headbonk:

 

[robertwsimpson]

I started drag racing a long time ago. I haven't ever had SUPER fast cars, but I've had quite a few, and I do know that they all drive differently. The closest I've had on the strip to a mustang was my 350Z, which was a manual transmission.

My tip would be to be scientific about it. Each time you run, make notes on the time slip about what you did. How did you launch? What were your shift points? Did the back tires break loose or did they stick? Look at your 60' time very closely. With a normal street car, about 95% of your final ET is determined by your 60' time. After you've perfected your launch, start looking at the rest of the intervals. There is a reason they give you more than just the ET and trap speed. It's to help you get faster.

If you're going just to have fun, then have fun and see how fast your car is. If you're going to try and turn the best ET possible, then study your numbers and see what works for your car.

I'd get a pour in octane booster on the way. I don't know if it makes a huge difference, but with computer controlled timing and 91 octane fuel in Ca, it cant hurt. You can also probably get 100 octane at the track or I think at sunoco.

A lot of people air down the rear tires. There is conflicting opinions on if/how much this helps. With IRS, it might at the very least help with wheel hop. I've personally never aired my tires down, because I never had a way to pump them back up for the drive home.

If you want to get really crazy, leave your car off and push it through the staging line. This will keep your engine cool, and a cooler engine will turn a better ET.

my best advice: meet people, be polite, ask others what they are doing. People have always been super helpful to me when I was learning (and I still am), and they're all there doing exactly what you're doing.

oh, also, make sure that you turn your AC off and don't run it while you are there. I know in CA it's not so critical, but in South Florida, where I came from, the newbies would always leave puddles of AC water at the start line, and then they had to shut the track down while they dry it.

Good luck! make sure to let us know how you did when you get back!

 

[6G]

Air down the rear tires to about 26psi.
Spin the tires just a little bit to clean them off (don't overheat them)
Leave it in "D" for the best results.
Stage shallow.
Launch from 1500-1800 rpm. Anything more will cause you too spin too much.
And most importantly, have fun.

 

[6G]

my best advice: meet people, be polite, ask others what they are doing. People have always been super helpful to me when I was learning (and I still am), and they're all there doing exactly what you're doing

This. :cheers:

 

[robertwsimpson]

Where's a good place around here anyway? Are you in NorCal?

 

[bluestang50]

No A/C running and given that you are not on slicks and skinnies do not drive through the water box. Go around it.

 

[jdoug]

Leave it in "D" for the best results.

I haven't taken this car to the track yet, but I'd think "S" would be better, no?

 

[6G]

I haven't taken this car to the track yet, but I'd think "S" would be better, no?

From what I could gather in the past few months, most users (including muself) have been getting faster times in "D" than in "S" on the stock tires. I'll link those threads when i get home.

 

[2015Etrac]

I have the same set up. There is an article on this site about them taking a brand new 2016 with 3:15 auto and 300 miles on the odometer to the track and running a 12.86. It also had 20in wheels. I'd try running it in S and D more, however I would not paddle shift, I'd let the transmission do the work.

 

[2015 Silver GT]

I ran a 12.1 with nothing more than a drag radial by leaving it in drive and launching right off idle.

 

[Coolmanfoo]

Where's a good place around here anyway? Are you in NorCal?

Yeah I'm in San Francisco. Sonoma raceway is where I'm headed. They do drag racing every Wednesday from 330 to 11

 

[Coolmanfoo]

Thanks for all the responses. You have all got me very excited dl

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