Drag race procedure
12-04-2005, 12:54 AM
#1
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Drag race procedure For us newbies that haven't raced much yet, what would be a basic drag race procedure to race. I want to know:
1. What RPM to rev the engine, on take off without breaking anything in the drivetrain,
2. How hard to accelerate, on take-off and shifting,
3. What RPM to shift, with the crappy factory tach,
4. What components to upgrade to make racing easier, raced a friend and he almost beat me beacuse I missed 3rd gear definately buying a new stick.
And 5. Tips, tips from you guys with more expirience on how to win street drag races and street races. I know to practice every chance I get.
1. What RPM to rev the engine, on take off without breaking anything in the drivetrain,
2. How hard to accelerate, on take-off and shifting,
3. What RPM to shift, with the crappy factory tach,
4. What components to upgrade to make racing easier, raced a friend and he almost beat me beacuse I missed 3rd gear definately buying a new stick.
And 5. Tips, tips from you guys with more expirience on how to win street drag races and street races. I know to practice every chance I get.
12-05-2005, 03:57 PM
#4
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Probably the best advice anyone here can give is:
Go to the track and observe. Note where the staging lanes are, which lane you should be in (listen to the announcer, ask other racers), watch people stage, burnout, where the staging beams are. Watch where people line up and what tires they're using. Courteous street cars should be lining up in a different spot than cars with drag radials or slicks.
Watch the staff and remember to pay attention to their directions should they need to wave you back off the line or something.
When on the track, look for "the groove" where all the thick rubber is laid down. If you're a slower car on regular street tires, try to stay to the side of it so you don't tear it up for everyone else and **** them off. If you're on a sticky tire, stay dead in it for best traction. If you're "out of the groove" you'll have less available traction, but on a radial street tire there isn't much difference being in or out, so save the rubber for those who can make use of it. Slower cars obviously don't have as much problem getting out of shape being out of the groove either (from lack of traction).
If you're spinning, get out of the gas and abort the pass -- just drive quickly but calmly down the track and try again. You'll be laughed at if you spin the whole way down the track
Well, laughed at or cussed at depending on if you're tearing up the rubber on the track with street tires.
Note where the return roads are, where the timeslip booth is, the scales, etc. You'd look pretty silly sitting down at the big end by the sand traps not knowing where the turn offs are
Practice, practice and more practice.
On your first couple passes, take it easy and don't try to get the best ET's you can. Basically just drive up, stage, and drive quickly but calmly down the track. Feel the car out, feel the track out, and most importantly RELAX. Being tense is the biggest way to screw up. If you start slow, you'll get faster naturally without fighting to get there. If you start out all anxious and nervous, not only will your times suck but its MUCH harder to get faster.
Go to the track and observe. Note where the staging lanes are, which lane you should be in (listen to the announcer, ask other racers), watch people stage, burnout, where the staging beams are. Watch where people line up and what tires they're using. Courteous street cars should be lining up in a different spot than cars with drag radials or slicks.
Watch the staff and remember to pay attention to their directions should they need to wave you back off the line or something.
When on the track, look for "the groove" where all the thick rubber is laid down. If you're a slower car on regular street tires, try to stay to the side of it so you don't tear it up for everyone else and **** them off. If you're on a sticky tire, stay dead in it for best traction. If you're "out of the groove" you'll have less available traction, but on a radial street tire there isn't much difference being in or out, so save the rubber for those who can make use of it. Slower cars obviously don't have as much problem getting out of shape being out of the groove either (from lack of traction).
If you're spinning, get out of the gas and abort the pass -- just drive quickly but calmly down the track and try again. You'll be laughed at if you spin the whole way down the track
Well, laughed at or cussed at depending on if you're tearing up the rubber on the track with street tires.Note where the return roads are, where the timeslip booth is, the scales, etc. You'd look pretty silly sitting down at the big end by the sand traps not knowing where the turn offs are
Practice, practice and more practice.
On your first couple passes, take it easy and don't try to get the best ET's you can. Basically just drive up, stage, and drive quickly but calmly down the track. Feel the car out, feel the track out, and most importantly RELAX. Being tense is the biggest way to screw up. If you start slow, you'll get faster naturally without fighting to get there. If you start out all anxious and nervous, not only will your times suck but its MUCH harder to get faster.
