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Old 06-26-2009 | 08:30 AM
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Default Drag Racing Tips

Thinking about going to the track tonight for my first time.

Tips are VERY welcome, I have never drag raced before on the track, just street runs.

Thanks,

Pete
Old 06-26-2009 | 10:53 AM
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Originally Posted by --Z06--
Thinking about going to the track tonight for my first time.

Tips are VERY welcome, I have never drag raced before on the track, just street runs.

Thanks,

Pete
do not let the car wheel hop.....and if running a st tire go around the water box then back up to it and do a small turn out....
Old 06-26-2009 | 12:48 PM
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I guess you have a zo6 from your name right?

driving a 6 speed is diff than an auto...

read this and see if it helps any...

I have only been to the track once so far with my c5 6 speed on street tires...

http://www.rangeracceleration.com/Launch_Tips.html
Old 06-26-2009 | 01:58 PM
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I've made over a hundred passes in my Z06, and I'll share what I've learned.

I'm assuming you're stock, so lower your rear tire pressure to about 20 psi, but no lower and raise your front tp to 45. You can experiment with rear tp up or down, depending on track conditions but don't go below 20 or you won't have all of the tire contacting the pavement.

Put the car in COMP mode. (don't forget this or you will kill the engine trying to do a burnout, and you look pretty stupid while sitting there re-starting the engine. Ask me how I know this) Personally I turn both T/C and A/H off, but I would recommend leaving A/H on until you get a bunch of passes under your belt and know how the car is going to react. Comp mode will allow you do do a burnout but might save your **** if you get sideways.

Drive around the water box, then back in and heat the tires for 3 to 5 seconds. You do that by bringing the RPM's up to about 3K and dumping the clutch. When the tires start spinning, bring the RPM up to about 5000 to 5500 and hold the R's there during the burnout. Use your left foot to tap the brakes lightly, just enough to hold yourself in position during the burnout. Don't ride the brake or you'll heat the clutch fluid up too much and the pedal will go soft on the run, just tap the brake enough to hold you in place as much as you can.

I like to watch the mirror and when I see a good amount of smoke rolling, I end the burnout. Sometimes 2 to 3 seconds, sometimes it takes a bit longer.

(If the car just wants to move forward and you can't hold it there during the burnout, you probably started your burnout too far outside of the water box. That is way hard on your clutch and I watched a friend smoke his clutch by do a burnout too far outside the box. I've had the best burnouts when I started my burnout while still in the water box and let the car creep out).

To end the burnout, take your foot off the throttle and listen and feel for the tires to slow down, then push the clutch in before they stop spinning. A little practice will give you good results.

When you are staged, bring the RPM up to about 2800 to 3200 and leave when you see the 3rd yellow. Don't wait for the green.

DON'T dump the clutch! This will give you wheel hop and you run the risk of destroying your Diff. Holding the throttle position where it was, at 2800 to 3200, slip the clutch a little just like you would when you leave a stop light... only leave quicker. Don't mash the gas to the floor. You will spin. Feed in throttle as you start to accelerate and DON'T spin the tires as this will slow you down. If you're spinnin, you ain't winnin. Just drive like you're leaving from a stop light, only try and leave as quickly as possible, but DON'T SPIN THE TIRES. I can't emphasize that enough.

If your 60 ft times are slower than 1.8x, you are probably spinning, so ease up on the throttle when launching. Keep it steady until you are rolling and then feed in more throttle. Think about leaving quickly and then think about "squeezing" the pedal. Don't just jam it to the floor. Again, practice will give you good results.

Take the car through the gears shifting as close to the rev limiter as you can but don't bump the limiter. When you shift, let off the gas just a little but not all the way and don't slip the clutch when shifting. Let the clutch out before feeding throttle back in otherwise you will spin on your shifts. That will cost you time also.

While that all takes place rather quickly, with practice you can get a good launch and quicker shifts down.

CAUTION: If at any time the car gets sideways on you, let off the gas and coast to the finish line. The race is over. You're not going to get a good time. Don't try and save the run, you might just end up hitting the wall. Trust me, this is probably the most important thing to remember. Getting back into it is just plain STUPID.

So go practice, practice, practice.

Good luck, play safe, have fun.

Last edited by UVETTYA; 06-26-2009 at 02:04 PM.
Old 06-26-2009 | 02:38 PM
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Originally Posted by UVETTYA
I've made over a hundred passes in my Z06, and I'll share what I've learned.

I'm assuming you're stock, so lower your rear tire pressure to about 20 psi, but no lower and raise your front tp to 45. You can experiment with rear tp up or down, depending on track conditions but don't go below 20 or you won't have all of the tire contacting the pavement.

Put the car in COMP mode. (don't forget this or you will kill the engine trying to do a burnout, and you look pretty stupid while sitting there re-starting the engine. Ask me how I know this) Personally I turn both T/C and A/H off, but I would recommend leaving A/H on until you get a bunch of passes under your belt and know how the car is going to react. Comp mode will allow you do do a burnout but might save your **** if you get sideways.

Drive around the water box, then back in and heat the tires for 3 to 5 seconds. You do that by bringing the RPM's up to about 3K and dumping the clutch. When the tires start spinning, bring the RPM up to about 5000 to 5500 and hold the R's there during the burnout. Use your left foot to tap the brakes lightly, just enough to hold yourself in position during the burnout. Don't ride the brake or you'll heat the clutch fluid up too much and the pedal will go soft on the run, just tap the brake enough to hold you in place as much as you can.

I like to watch the mirror and when I see a good amount of smoke rolling, I end the burnout. Sometimes 2 to 3 seconds, sometimes it takes a bit longer.

(If the car just wants to move forward and you can't hold it there during the burnout, you probably started your burnout too far outside of the water box. That is way hard on your clutch and I watched a friend smoke his clutch by do a burnout too far outside the box. I've had the best burnouts when I started my burnout while still in the water box and let the car creep out).

To end the burnout, take your foot off the throttle and listen and feel for the tires to slow down, then push the clutch in before they stop spinning. A little practice will give you good results.

When you are staged, bring the RPM up to about 2800 to 3200 and leave when you see the 3rd yellow. Don't wait for the green.

DON'T dump the clutch! This will give you wheel hop and you run the risk of destroying your Diff. Holding the throttle position where it was, at 2800 to 3200, slip the clutch a little just like you would when you leave a stop light... only leave quicker. Don't mash the gas to the floor. You will spin. Feed in throttle as you start to accelerate and DON'T spin the tires as this will slow you down. If you're spinnin, you ain't winnin. Just drive like you're leaving from a stop light, only try and leave as quickly as possible, but DON'T SPIN THE TIRES. I can't emphasize that enough.

If your 60 ft times are slower than 1.8x, you are probably spinning, so ease up on the throttle when launching. Keep it steady until you are rolling and then feed in more throttle. Think about leaving quickly and then think about "squeezing" the pedal. Don't just jam it to the floor. Again, practice will give you good results.

Take the car through the gears shifting as close to the rev limiter as you can but don't bump the limiter. When you shift, let off the gas just a little but not all the way and don't slip the clutch when shifting. Let the clutch out before feeding throttle back in otherwise you will spin on your shifts. That will cost you time also.

While that all takes place rather quickly, with practice you can get a good launch and quicker shifts down.

CAUTION: If at any time the car gets sideways on you, let off the gas and coast to the finish line. The race is over. You're not going to get a good time. Don't try and save the run, you might just end up hitting the wall. Trust me, this is probably the most important thing to remember. Getting back into it is just plain STUPID.

So go practice, practice, practice.

Good luck, play safe, have fun.




best advice you can get right there.
Old 06-26-2009 | 04:40 PM
  #6  
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Wow that's one helluva write up! Thanks!

I think now I have to wait until next week, but I will read this a few more times in between now and then. I'll practice quick acceleration off the line as well. Thanks.

Pete

Originally Posted by UVETTYA
I've made over a hundred passes in my Z06, and I'll share what I've learned.

I'm assuming you're stock, so lower your rear tire pressure to about 20 psi, but no lower and raise your front tp to 45. You can experiment with rear tp up or down, depending on track conditions but don't go below 20 or you won't have all of the tire contacting the pavement.

Put the car in COMP mode. (don't forget this or you will kill the engine trying to do a burnout, and you look pretty stupid while sitting there re-starting the engine. Ask me how I know this) Personally I turn both T/C and A/H off, but I would recommend leaving A/H on until you get a bunch of passes under your belt and know how the car is going to react. Comp mode will allow you do do a burnout but might save your **** if you get sideways.

Drive around the water box, then back in and heat the tires for 3 to 5 seconds. You do that by bringing the RPM's up to about 3K and dumping the clutch. When the tires start spinning, bring the RPM up to about 5000 to 5500 and hold the R's there during the burnout. Use your left foot to tap the brakes lightly, just enough to hold yourself in position during the burnout. Don't ride the brake or you'll heat the clutch fluid up too much and the pedal will go soft on the run, just tap the brake enough to hold you in place as much as you can.

I like to watch the mirror and when I see a good amount of smoke rolling, I end the burnout. Sometimes 2 to 3 seconds, sometimes it takes a bit longer.

(If the car just wants to move forward and you can't hold it there during the burnout, you probably started your burnout too far outside of the water box. That is way hard on your clutch and I watched a friend smoke his clutch by do a burnout too far outside the box. I've had the best burnouts when I started my burnout while still in the water box and let the car creep out).

To end the burnout, take your foot off the throttle and listen and feel for the tires to slow down, then push the clutch in before they stop spinning. A little practice will give you good results.

When you are staged, bring the RPM up to about 2800 to 3200 and leave when you see the 3rd yellow. Don't wait for the green.

DON'T dump the clutch! This will give you wheel hop and you run the risk of destroying your Diff. Holding the throttle position where it was, at 2800 to 3200, slip the clutch a little just like you would when you leave a stop light... only leave quicker. Don't mash the gas to the floor. You will spin. Feed in throttle as you start to accelerate and DON'T spin the tires as this will slow you down. If you're spinnin, you ain't winnin. Just drive like you're leaving from a stop light, only try and leave as quickly as possible, but DON'T SPIN THE TIRES. I can't emphasize that enough.

If your 60 ft times are slower than 1.8x, you are probably spinning, so ease up on the throttle when launching. Keep it steady until you are rolling and then feed in more throttle. Think about leaving quickly and then think about "squeezing" the pedal. Don't just jam it to the floor. Again, practice will give you good results.

Take the car through the gears shifting as close to the rev limiter as you can but don't bump the limiter. When you shift, let off the gas just a little but not all the way and don't slip the clutch when shifting. Let the clutch out before feeding throttle back in otherwise you will spin on your shifts. That will cost you time also.

While that all takes place rather quickly, with practice you can get a good launch and quicker shifts down.

CAUTION: If at any time the car gets sideways on you, let off the gas and coast to the finish line. The race is over. You're not going to get a good time. Don't try and save the run, you might just end up hitting the wall. Trust me, this is probably the most important thing to remember. Getting back into it is just plain STUPID.

So go practice, practice, practice.

Good luck, play safe, have fun.
Old 06-28-2009 | 02:25 AM
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Nice write up.. That almost gives me the courage to try and run my at the track. But after seeming my brother blow his rear end in his 99 vet. I am a little scared.
Old 06-28-2009 | 04:41 PM
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Great writeup, I can see why I'm slow the dragstrip with a manual. I'll bet I'm losing .5 or more with slow shifts and bad launch. Someone should sticky this post.

littles
Old 06-29-2009 | 03:09 PM
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Very nice write up. That should probably be sticky! It may save some asses!
Old 06-29-2009 | 06:28 PM
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BEST ADVICE RIGHT HERE!!!
DONT DO IT!!!!
Very addictive
Costs more then the best hookers in VEGAS if you went every weekend!!!! in the long run!
Get a GF that wants you for money only and just use and abuse that. Drive the car and enjoy LOL!

Just have fun!!!! Dont take it too seriously.... practice practice practice and make sure you're taking all factors into consideration when comparing to the results of others and the results you want/expect.
HAVE FUN!
Old 07-01-2009 | 09:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Zturd
BEST ADVICE RIGHT HERE!!!
DONT DO IT!!!!
Very addictive
Costs more then the best hookers in VEGAS if you went every weekend!!!! in the long run!
Get a GF that wants you for money only and just use and abuse that. Drive the car and enjoy LOL!

Just have fun!!!! Dont take it too seriously.... practice practice practice and make sure you're taking all factors into consideration when comparing to the results of others and the results you want/expect.
HAVE FUN!
i wish i would have seen this before i started drag racing .....i hate it. but i can't stop lol
Old 07-01-2009 | 11:03 PM
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that you for all the advise great write up. I am going to take my z to the track for the first time soon and this is my first v8 so Im glad you posted all that
Old 07-02-2009 | 01:57 PM
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I guess I forgot to mention that things tend to break when you start drag racing. Stuff like clutches and syncros and ring and pinion gears. If you're just going to do it once or twice you're probably ok if you don't spank it too much, but if you do it regularly then I would suggest staying ahead of the curve and beefing things up a little before you get too carried away. Even after-market parts are going to break after so many passes.
Old 07-07-2009 | 10:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Zturd
BEST ADVICE RIGHT HERE!!!
DONT DO IT!!!!
Very addictive
Costs more then the best hookers in VEGAS if you went every weekend!!!! in the long run!
Get a GF that wants you for money only and just use and abuse that. Drive the car and enjoy LOL!

Just have fun!!!! Dont take it too seriously.... practice practice practice and make sure you're taking all factors into consideration when comparing to the results of others and the results you want/expect.
HAVE FUN!
its worse when the girlfriend like to race to haha.
the stock rears in the z06 pretty strong it take it




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