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First time at track for me
Well, it was definitely an awakening experience.
I went to Sacramento Raceway last night. It was my first time at the track. I get there, no one tells me how to stage, or what to do or anything, so I wait in the lanes till I get up to the line. The lady tells me, "Left lane, right now." So I pull up, driving straight through the Water box. The guy yelled at me, so I told him it was my first time out. I then notice I'm lined up against a car that looks pretty damn fast. It was like a 50's bel air, I think, tubbed, loud as hell, etc etc. I stage, then the guy tells me to pull up a little more, so I do, and then I do some more, setting the red light off. The bel air takes off, I sit there like an idiot, and the guy just yells, "go, man!" So I take off, and end up running an 18.65 @ 97.19. I sat at the line for about 4 seconds. My 60' was 6.42!! By the way, the bel air ran a 10.06 @ 133.07! I ran one more time, even though the crowd was laughing at me the first time. This time, I staged right, didnt redlight, but my reaction time was 1.32. I ran a 14.52 @ 96.56. The old school camaro I faced that time ran a 12.69 @ 109. All in all, I know the car is capable of low 14's, but I just made the 80 mile trip up when I made the 2 passes, so the car was really hot. Also, I made the runs in the afternoon, when It was still in the mid 80 degree range. There were a lot of really old, crappy looking cars there that were running 10's and 11's, but most of the new camaro's and mustangs and such were turning high 13's to mid 14's. There was a Z06 there that ran a 12.4!! Basically, I never realized just how much driver skill means as far as running good times. Thanks for reading. ------------------ Black 2000 GT Bassani X-pipe, Magnaflow Mufflers, Steeda Pulleys, K&N Filter. Steeda Weld in Subframes, Strut Tower brace, Sport Springs, Caster/Camber Plates. Red 1994 Mustang Cobra #4343 Pulleys, Shorty Headers, K&N filter, short throw shifter. |
Now that you know the basics SW, you'll do better every time. When you see the second yellow light, stand on it. That'll probably get you a decent RT without redlighting. If yours is a standrd shift, then stage at around 2000 and ease out the clutch when you see the second yellow. If it's auto, then hold the brake with your left foot at 1000 RPM and stand on the throttle with the right foot and let off the brake when you see the second yellow.
Don't pay any attention to the other car at all. Focus intently on your own technique. Just pretend that you're their by yourself. Be sure to shift at the right RPM and don't miss the shift. You may need to experiment with the launch, but you will soon find the optimum technique for your car. If anyone laughs, just ignore them. Everone started somewhere. Real competitors never laugh. They've been in that situation many times. When John Force smokes his tires on a launch (rarely), does anyone laugh? Everyone makes mistakes from time to time. Rev ------------------ '66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph 1/4 mi. |
Thanks for the advice, Rev. Most of the guys there were Chevy guys, so they were just waiting for the stangs to do poorly, which, unfortunately, most did. My GT (which I was driving last night) is an auto. The Cobra, is, of course, a stick. Also, this may sound really dumb, but how do I do a burnout. Do I just put the car in 1 and floor the brake, while giving it gas? Thanks again.
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There will be many who will disagree with me on this. In my opinion, with street tires, there's no need for a burn out. It's only a waste of rubber.
Slicks definitely need to be heated up to get maximumum traction. ET Streets or Drag Radials may gain some from heating up. Pure street radials actually may lose traction from getting hot. As I said, some will disagree with me on this. I run BFG radials and I just drive around the water box. Rev ------------------ '66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph 1/4 mi. |
hey i alos really don't know how to do a burnout
i never have tried i spin em but never try burnouts do u just rev it up and drop the clutch????? ------------------ Black 1990 gt cobra bonestock not for long |
Hey rev I kind of disagree but not totally.
I think it helps sometimes to just spin them a little but not stand on the break and just enough to clean the tires off but not really to smoke them. Just my opinion! I also think it helps to drive around the water box with street tires and never do a burn out in the water box because you can through water all over the fender wells and carry it to the staging line. ------------------ James Cox nochevy@hotmail.com 1991 Mustang LX No times with 347 stroker yet. |
James, to me we're really not in much disagreement. A burn out to me is a hairy, smokey one. For that one needs a line lock. Not appropriate for street tires.
If someone goes around the water box and just spins a little on dry pavement to clean the tires, it can't hurt any. I was thinking about backing into to the water, setting a line lock and doing a John Force thing. I'm still not convinced that any even minimal spinning actually helps at all with street tires. To each his own though. Rev ------------------ '66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph 1/4 mi. [This message has been edited by Rev (edited 09-09-2001).] |
Ok then we are in agreement, Sorry I misunderstood. Here in fl I think a very short spin helps a little becaust there have been a few times that I have pulled up to the starting line and had sand on the tires; at jax raceways they like you to spin em a little before you pull on the strip to get the sand and dirt off the tires but you would be supprised how much sand will stick even to a street tire.
------------------ James Cox nochevy@hotmail.com 1991 Mustang LX No times with 347 stroker yet. |
I know what you mean about stuff being on the track at the line. Once at HRP, I carefully drove around the water box and lined up against a brand new Supra twin turbo. When I left the line my car went completely sideways and was pointed directly at the Supra with my engine screaming at 6000 RPM. I let off and hit it again with the same sideways result. I just gave up and puttered on down the track.
What had happened was that Hondas ahead of me (it was dark) had driven directly into the water and done pathetic little burnouts dragging water all the way to the starting line. When I got there, it was just as if I had floored my car on a wet street. I just wish I could have had a decent run against the Supra. He probably would have still beat me, but who knows? He looked inexperienced at racing. I wonder what he thought when I was pointed directly at him with the Flows screaming at 6000 RPM? Rev ------------------ '66 Coupe, 306, 300 HP, C-4, 13.97 e.t., 100.3 mph 1/4 mi. [This message has been edited by Rev (edited 09-09-2001).] |
Everybody has to start somewhere.
I remember my first run down the track ever. My clutch foot was shaking like crazy. By the end of the day I was having a blast though! ------------------ 1988 Mustang GT 11.8 @ 123 (7/14/01) 1992 BadAzz Wrangler 1993 Explorer See my car at: www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?179 |
Hehe, A friend raced a truck with a 250 hp shot of nos and slicks and it broke an axel and pointed right at him sparks flying and all. My friend got lucky and the guy just missed him but scared the poop out of him. It was my friends first time racing at the track and his first run, it took him a little while to calm down and run it again.
My friend drives a v6 stang. ------------------ James Cox nochevy@hotmail.com 1991 Mustang LX No times with 347 stroker yet. |
i have never been to a track but on sept 23 there is high school drags. What is 'proper' procedure for real racing. What is all this stuff about water boxes and red lights. The last thing i want to do is to look stupid in my any thing but stupid ride. Thanks
------------------ 97 Mustang GT Convertible http://www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/...splay.cgi?1858 K&N filter No silencer Sidewinder 5000 Alarm Gotta love Rice cuase they always travel in groups so you can embaress them in front of their buds. |
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