First Time Going To Drag Strip Help

[CoyoteTX]

I have a 2015 GT non-pp with the MT82 transmission and 3.55 Gears. This will be my first time racing a car at the drag strip once it opens. The car has a Catback exhaust already and lowering springs on it already. It has
265/35r20 Toyo Proxes Sports on the rear and has no kind of weight reduction done.

Since it’s going to be my first time going, I would like any tips possible. I know I’ll learn from any mistakes I make but I definitely don’t want to break anything. About what RPM range do you launch at? Also do I use LineLock? I know I’ll skip the water box due to having a street tire, but how long of a burnout is necessary on about 36psi? And do I put it in normal mode, sport mode, or track mode?

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[dn1984]

bring a portable air compressor and a good tire gauge with you, and a helmet since you will probably need to wear it. ask the guy/gal at the gate where tech is, go there first. fill out your sheet. then make sure the tech inspector tells you where to go after that. air your tires down to around 25-26psi hot to start with. with the manual i would actually recommend normal mode since i believe the only thing the other modes do is make the throttle touchier which makes it trickier to launch. advancetrac and TC off, AC off. windows up when the guy waves you up to the lanes. drive around the water box and don't do a burnout on regular street tires. you could do a short tire scratch if you feel they're dirty, i almost never do this. inch up to the line slowly until both of the top yellow lights (pre-stage and then stage) are on and stop there, then put the parking brake on so you don't roll. no linelock (that's for burnouts). hold your RPMs at around 1400RPM to start i would say. breathe in and then out slowly to calm your nerves. don't pay attention to the car in the other lane or the spectators, you will get distracted. when the first amber light turns on, do nothing. when the second amber light turns on, take your parking brake off. when the third amber light turns on, start to release your clutch quickly but don't pop it and then roll into the throttle fairly quickly without just jamming the pedal all the way down immediately. then do your thing. i wouldn't recommend trying to abuse your shifter on your first pass. you want to focus on smooth but quick shifting. remember, you aren't trying to break any records (or your car) you are learning the strip.

after the first run, make adjustments. try to use the same lane if you have a choice so you have apples to apples. maybe you need to air down more. if you get worse traction on the second pass with all else remaining equal except lower psi, then you aired down too much (street tires don't like to be aired down a bunch). if you bog then you need to raise your launch RPM in 200-300RPM increments. remember as the night goes on and it cools down, traction will become more of an issue but you will pick up more trap speed as your car breathes better. everything is about balance. your goal is to find the right combination of stuff so you can launch and shift consistently and safely.

another tip, if there are traction issues outside of your control, like if you start to go sideways on your 1-2 shift or you just can't hook up at all get off the throttle until you're straight and it hooks up. i know this seems like common sense but i see guys do weird stuff at the drag strip all the time and have seen a few end up in the wall because they want to be a hero

edit: one more thing, leave your hood up between runs so the engine can cool off. some guys leave it up as they roll through the staging lanes and roll their car with the engine off too until they're at the front of the line. i don't go that crazy personally

 

[dn1984]

oh and get a window marker/grease pen so you don't have to go around borrowing one. and talk to people there, drag racing is about socializing and meeting new people as much as it is about racing your car. most important thing is to have fun. if you do some slow runs who cares

 

[CoyoteTX]

oh and get a window marker/grease pen so you don't have to go around borrowing one. and talk to people there, drag racing is about socializing and meeting new people as much as it is about racing your car. most important thing is to have fun. if you do some slow runs who cares

Thanks for the advice! Kinda nervous about going lol it’s been 3 weeks of owning the car but I’m ready to really have some fun with it.

 

[dn1984]

Thanks for the advice! Kinda nervous about going lol it’s been 3 weeks of owning the car but I’m ready to really have some fun with it.

you'll have fun. after your first couple trips to the drag strip it will just feel like a normal thing you do, like going to the grocery store

 

[GreenS550]

Best advice I can give: Use your track apps to do 0-30 and 0-60 MPH. This is where most of the gain/loss occurs. With a stick you need to practice, practice, practice. Go to a vacant blacktop and do this over and over again. You won't be speeding and your apps will tell you your 0-60 times. Once down, try taking your tires down 2 PSI at a time. The dragstrip mode will help you with your reaction time in the even you want to actually race another car at the strip (like bracket racing).

As you likely already know, too much RPM and you will spin, too little and you will bog.

Good luck and let us know your results!

 

[GreenS550]

Oh, and bias ply cheater slicks will help immensely. MT Street R are good.

 

[offroadkarter]

Oh, and bias ply cheater slicks will help immensely. MT Street R are good.

I don't know about that on stock axles with a stick car, I've read stories on this board of people with bolt on or even stock cars blowing axle shafts out at the track, especially with a real sticky tire.

 

[GreenS550]

I'm the 2018 and up manual transmission cars the driver side axle has been beefed up. I don't know of any failures on the manual cars 18 and up. Auto still have the weak axle as do the 17 and down

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