Racing Strategies for Newbies

thebean311 · 03-02-2001, 02:21 AM

Hello everyone!

I'm a newbie to this board, and to fast cars as well. I have a stock 2000GT that I use as my daily driver, and have yet to do any real racing. I've raced some rice posers in the past, which were so pathetic that even my lack of skills didn't matter.

I was wondering if you guys could give me and the other newbies out there some pointers for racing. What are your guys' techniques for launch, what are your techiniques for shifting (what rpm do you hit, do you powershift, etc). What exactly is powershifting? What are the possible ways to damage your car by launching/shifting in a particular way? Any other pointers that you could give would be very much appreciated!

Ben

fastang · 03-02-2001, 02:42 AM

OK ,your car makes its power at higher RPM than a 5.0 so shift it close to 6 grand. Powershifing is shiting fast without taking your foot off the gas, if your quick enough you should be able to do this before you hit the rev limiter. Try doing it in second for a while until you get used to it. 3rd is hard so hold the clutch down a little longer than usual and dont be afraid of breaking something, when you worry about breaking something you end up releasing the clutch before its totaly in gear and blowing your trans. Powershifting helps keep you in your powerband, for instance when you shift from 1-2 without powershifting your rpms might drop to 2800, if you powershift it might stay at 3800 which keeps you in your powerband, get it? Good luck and practice constantly.

------------------
95GT B303 cam, 1.7 rockers, 65mm TB, 73mm MAF, milled heads, 355's K&N, off road pipes, pulleys, msd coil, 9mm wires, Tremec 3550, Pro5.0 shifter,10.5 Motorsport clutch, FMS aluminum driveshaft, weld in subframe connectors

Mean50 · 03-02-2001, 11:48 AM

Well fastang gave good advice. As far as launching, well different roads will get different amounts of traction. Before each run, heat the tires to clean the dirt off. Most of the time you will be able to launch close to 2500 rpm. You will just have to get used to your car. After the launch don't romp into the throttle all of a sudden, but get in it as hard as you can without letting the tires go up in smoke.

------------------
89 LX Coupe
306, 10:1 compression, Holley Heads, Intake, and Cam package, 70 mm Throttle body and Mass Air, 30 lb injectors, 255 lph fuel pump, 1 5/8" full length headers, Flowmaster 2 1/2" American Thunder Cat back system, Centerforce dual friction clutch, 4.10 gears
50-175 hp Nitrous Works kit, 5" Auto Meter Shift Light

thebean311 · 03-02-2001, 02:59 PM

First off, thanks for the tips guys.

fastang, I thought that powershifting was when you kept on the gas, like you said, but just rammed the shifter through the gates as hard as you could without touching the clutch. Well, this is what my friend told me anyway, was he mistaken?

mean50, when you say to launch at 2500, do you mean dump the clutch or feather it out while giving more and more gas?

fastang · 03-02-2001, 04:31 PM

If you keep trying to shift you car without pushing in the clutch at all your going to be posting about how to pick the chunks of cluster gear out of your trans pan. Just floor the car till about 2 or 3 hundred rpm before your redline, push in the clutch as fast as you can while still holding the gas down and complete your shift.

------------------
95GT B303 cam, 1.7 rockers, 65mm TB, 73mm MAF, milled heads, 355's K&N, off road pipes, pulleys, msd coil, 9mm wires, Tremec 3550, Pro5.0 shifter,10.5 Motorsport clutch, FMS aluminum driveshaft, weld in subframe connectors

Blue Streak · 03-07-2001, 04:29 PM

Any of you veterans have any tips for launching with a C4? I sit and spin almost every time I run. I guess the stock 2.80
peg-leg has got to go!!!

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

------------------
Blue Streak:
Blue 65 Mustang Coupe,
351 Windsor, mostly stock (for the moment), white pony interior, new paint, gears, and exhaust on the way!

Lizard King · 03-07-2001, 06:32 PM

On my 2000GT, I launch from virtually nothing... 1500rpm tops... or else I loose to much on wheel spin, and I shift at 5500rpm on every gears. Going to 6000rpm didn't bring good results for me.

If you look at the last video in my sig, that is a typical launch, I could of launched at 500rpm more to prevent the slight bog. You will notice I powershift all my gears (fullthrottle, shift with the clutch).

You should also heat up your tires for better sticking on startup. Simply spin the wheel on the water spot (right before the burnout platform) to get the them wet and the get the gunk off of them ... then burnout... drop the clutch at high rpm, keep your rpm in the 5000rpm+ as you press the brakes lightly, so your car does not move.

I will sometimes even burnout in second gear... but that's hard to do and can burn the clutch a bit.

------------------
Lizard King, Bone Stock; 13.69 at 101MPH
• http://members.mustangworks.com/liza...meburnout2.mpg
•http://members.mustangworks.com/liza...stangVSLS1.mpg
• <A HREF="http://members.mustangworks.com/lizardking/quartermile.mpg" TARGET=_blank>http://members.mustangworks.com/lizardking/q

03-02-2001, 02:21 AM	#1
thebean311 Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 18	Racing Strategies for Newbies Hello everyone! I'm a newbie to this board, and to fast cars as well. I have a stock 2000GT that I use as my daily driver, and have yet to do any real racing. I've raced some rice posers in the past, which were so pathetic that even my lack of skills didn't matter. I was wondering if you guys could give me and the other newbies out there some pointers for racing. What are your guys' techniques for launch, what are your techiniques for shifting (what rpm do you hit, do you powershift, etc). What exactly is powershifting? What are the possible ways to damage your car by launching/shifting in a particular way? Any other pointers that you could give would be very much appreciated! Ben

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03-02-2001, 02:42 AM	#2
fastang Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: santa ana ca Posts: 1,349	OK ,your car makes its power at higher RPM than a 5.0 so shift it close to 6 grand. Powershifing is shiting fast without taking your foot off the gas, if your quick enough you should be able to do this before you hit the rev limiter. Try doing it in second for a while until you get used to it. 3rd is hard so hold the clutch down a little longer than usual and dont be afraid of breaking something, when you worry about breaking something you end up releasing the clutch before its totaly in gear and blowing your trans. Powershifting helps keep you in your powerband, for instance when you shift from 1-2 without powershifting your rpms might drop to 2800, if you powershift it might stay at 3800 which keeps you in your powerband, get it? Good luck and practice constantly. ------------------ 95GT B303 cam, 1.7 rockers, 65mm TB, 73mm MAF, milled heads, 355's K&N, off road pipes, pulleys, msd coil, 9mm wires, Tremec 3550, Pro5.0 shifter,10.5 Motorsport clutch, FMS aluminum driveshaft, weld in subframe connectors

03-02-2001, 11:48 AM	#3
Mean50 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Virginia Posts: 118	Well fastang gave good advice. As far as launching, well different roads will get different amounts of traction. Before each run, heat the tires to clean the dirt off. Most of the time you will be able to launch close to 2500 rpm. You will just have to get used to your car. After the launch don't romp into the throttle all of a sudden, but get in it as hard as you can without letting the tires go up in smoke. ------------------ 89 LX Coupe 306, 10:1 compression, Holley Heads, Intake, and Cam package, 70 mm Throttle body and Mass Air, 30 lb injectors, 255 lph fuel pump, 1 5/8" full length headers, Flowmaster 2 1/2" American Thunder Cat back system, Centerforce dual friction clutch, 4.10 gears 50-175 hp Nitrous Works kit, 5" Auto Meter Shift Light

03-02-2001, 02:59 PM	#4
thebean311 Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 18	First off, thanks for the tips guys. fastang, I thought that powershifting was when you kept on the gas, like you said, but just rammed the shifter through the gates as hard as you could without touching the clutch. Well, this is what my friend told me anyway, was he mistaken? mean50, when you say to launch at 2500, do you mean dump the clutch or feather it out while giving more and more gas?

03-02-2001, 04:31 PM	#5
fastang Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: santa ana ca Posts: 1,349	If you keep trying to shift you car without pushing in the clutch at all your going to be posting about how to pick the chunks of cluster gear out of your trans pan. Just floor the car till about 2 or 3 hundred rpm before your redline, push in the clutch as fast as you can while still holding the gas down and complete your shift. ------------------ 95GT B303 cam, 1.7 rockers, 65mm TB, 73mm MAF, milled heads, 355's K&N, off road pipes, pulleys, msd coil, 9mm wires, Tremec 3550, Pro5.0 shifter,10.5 Motorsport clutch, FMS aluminum driveshaft, weld in subframe connectors

03-07-2001, 04:29 PM	#6
Blue Streak Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Seattle, Wa, USA Posts: 1	Any of you veterans have any tips for launching with a C4? I sit and spin almost every time I run. I guess the stock 2.80 peg-leg has got to go!!! Any advice is appreciated. Thanks. ------------------ Blue Streak: Blue 65 Mustang Coupe, 351 Windsor, mostly stock (for the moment), white pony interior, new paint, gears, and exhaust on the way!

03-07-2001, 06:32 PM	#7
Lizard King midnightruns.com Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 584	On my 2000GT, I launch from virtually nothing... 1500rpm tops... or else I loose to much on wheel spin, and I shift at 5500rpm on every gears. Going to 6000rpm didn't bring good results for me. If you look at the last video in my sig, that is a typical launch, I could of launched at 500rpm more to prevent the slight bog. You will notice I powershift all my gears (fullthrottle, shift with the clutch). You should also heat up your tires for better sticking on startup. Simply spin the wheel on the water spot (right before the burnout platform) to get the them wet and the get the gunk off of them ... then burnout... drop the clutch at high rpm, keep your rpm in the 5000rpm+ as you press the brakes lightly, so your car does not move. I will sometimes even burnout in second gear... but that's hard to do and can burn the clutch a bit. ------------------ Lizard King, Bone Stock; 13.69 at 101MPH • http://members.mustangworks.com/liza...meburnout2.mpg •http://members.mustangworks.com/liza...stangVSLS1.mpg • <A HREF="http://members.mustangworks.com/lizardking/quartermile.mpg" TARGET=_blank>http://members.mustangworks.com/lizardking/q