First time at the track...ever! Any more pointers?
First time at the track...ever! Any more pointers? Hey all,
I did a search and have been talking with others. Going tonight to the Memphis track for the first time ever, so it should be interesting / a learning experience.
I want to baseline myself and the car, so just mods in sig and street tires (Eagle F1 GS-D3). How is this for a list?
1. Take anything out of the car you don't need, lose the weight and go with about 1/4 to 1/8th a tank of fuel
2. Do a few practice runs at about 80% throttle, get a feel for the track, learn what is going on etc. before going for best possible time.
3. Street tires, short burnout to get rid of loose stuff on tires, and avoid water box.
4. Will try half throttle launch and then rolling in to it, as well as let go and floor it.
5. Keep it in D, do not use the OD.
Anything else, open to suggestions. I am hoping I can get her in the mid to low 13's, but I know it depends on conditions/track/car and driver/magnetic alignment/planets lining up etc. Will post best timeslip tomorrow. Most of all, looking to have fun and learn, not set records. (Still want to get as good times as I can!)
I did a search and have been talking with others. Going tonight to the Memphis track for the first time ever, so it should be interesting / a learning experience.
I want to baseline myself and the car, so just mods in sig and street tires (Eagle F1 GS-D3). How is this for a list?
1. Take anything out of the car you don't need, lose the weight and go with about 1/4 to 1/8th a tank of fuel
2. Do a few practice runs at about 80% throttle, get a feel for the track, learn what is going on etc. before going for best possible time.
3. Street tires, short burnout to get rid of loose stuff on tires, and avoid water box.
4. Will try half throttle launch and then rolling in to it, as well as let go and floor it.
5. Keep it in D, do not use the OD.
Anything else, open to suggestions. I am hoping I can get her in the mid to low 13's, but I know it depends on conditions/track/car and driver/magnetic alignment/planets lining up etc. Will post best timeslip tomorrow. Most of all, looking to have fun and learn, not set records. (Still want to get as good times as I can!)
pay close attention to the tree. at the drop of the third yellow (unless they are using a protree where its yellow then green), hit the gas and enjoy the ride. your times will be mostly dictated by your 60' time. the lower the 60' and reaction time, the better your ET will be.
1. Don't forget to turn the traction control off (if you have it) before doing a burnout or you will look like a ********.
2. Don't forget to toy around with you're tire pressure to get a good launch.
3. Try stalling it up a little bit on the launch if you can get traction
Have fun!!
2. Don't forget to toy around with you're tire pressure to get a good launch.
3. Try stalling it up a little bit on the launch if you can get traction
Have fun!!
Originally Posted by 98NBMZ
the lower the 60' and reaction time, the better your ET will be.
Besides getting your car to run a good time,take the time to watch a couple of passes before you jump into it.At my local track one of the officials changes his hand signals constantly and then gets all pissy if you pull into the wrong lane.So just watch a couple of the more experienced racers make a couple of passes and watch the officials hand signals.Oh and don't line up right next to the tree(happened twice last week),watch the prestage bulbs 
Originally Posted by ls1muscle
Your reaction time has nothing to do with your ET. Just stall it up as high as you can go before your tires break loose and go, that's pretty much all you have to do with an A4.
in a round about way it does.....slower the reaction time, the slower your 60' will be thus you will have a slower ET
Originally Posted by 98NBMZ
in a round about way it does.....slower the reaction time, the slower your 60' will be thus you will have a slower ET
Trending Topics
Originally Posted by ls1muscle
Your reaction time has nothing to do with your ET. Just stall it up as high as you can go before your tires break loose and go, that's pretty much all you have to do with an A4.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
Well, I hit the track last night, starting a new thread on that. I did watch a few runs first, saw how things were going.
I did try and go around the water box (street tires) but they wanted you to go through it, so that was that.
It was definitly a blast running down the track. A bit disappointed in the times though:
My best run all night (8 runs, fastest 1/4):
R/T: .608
60: 2.131
330: 5.819
1/8: 8.805
MPH: 83.10
1000: 11.373
1/4: 13.557
MPH: 103.11
R/T times got better, but, here is the messed up part. That first run was with the air temp was about 85, and that was my best 1/4.
After it cooled off to about 72, she was doing consistent 13.7!
Traction was fine, wasn't spinning and it hooked well off the line it seemed. Messed up part was I tried keeping it in D (3rd), 1st gear...shifted, and when it was in second, you could feel it pull up the powerband, then it seemed to reach the peak............then shift. It wasn't shifting when it felt like it should be, kind of like it was pausing and then deciding to shift. I was running with a guy who I was staying well with, but when it hit that point, you could notice him pulling away a bit. Then it shifted and climbed back through the powerband again.
So I put it in OD (4th). Same thing. 1st to second..great. 2nd to D (3rd).......pause then shift. The guy I ran with on a few of those noticed, he asked if I was missing a shift or something.
Any ideas? It was fun, but I still think she could get to low 13's. I know I need to change the plugs and wires. I know drag radials would help, it is the tranny I am wondering about. Feels like I got cheated a bit cause of that pausing.
Dave K
I did try and go around the water box (street tires) but they wanted you to go through it, so that was that.
It was definitly a blast running down the track. A bit disappointed in the times though:
My best run all night (8 runs, fastest 1/4):
R/T: .608
60: 2.131
330: 5.819
1/8: 8.805
MPH: 83.10
1000: 11.373
1/4: 13.557
MPH: 103.11
R/T times got better, but, here is the messed up part. That first run was with the air temp was about 85, and that was my best 1/4.
After it cooled off to about 72, she was doing consistent 13.7!
Traction was fine, wasn't spinning and it hooked well off the line it seemed. Messed up part was I tried keeping it in D (3rd), 1st gear...shifted, and when it was in second, you could feel it pull up the powerband, then it seemed to reach the peak............then shift. It wasn't shifting when it felt like it should be, kind of like it was pausing and then deciding to shift. I was running with a guy who I was staying well with, but when it hit that point, you could notice him pulling away a bit. Then it shifted and climbed back through the powerband again. So I put it in OD (4th). Same thing. 1st to second..great. 2nd to D (3rd).......pause then shift. The guy I ran with on a few of those noticed, he asked if I was missing a shift or something.
Any ideas? It was fun, but I still think she could get to low 13's. I know I need to change the plugs and wires. I know drag radials would help, it is the tranny I am wondering about. Feels like I got cheated a bit cause of that pausing.
Dave K
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 12,829
Likes: 30
From: Central Indiana Honors: 4th grade spelling bee contestant
Originally Posted by dave5514
My best run all night (8 runs, fastest 1/4):
R/T: .608
60: 2.131
330: 5.819
1/8: 8.805
MPH: 83.10
1000: 11.373
1/4: 13.557
MPH: 103.11
R/T: .608
60: 2.131
330: 5.819
1/8: 8.805
MPH: 83.10
1000: 11.373
1/4: 13.557
MPH: 103.11
As far as OD, I've always raced in OD without any issues. That pause you mention is kind of strange though...
Thanks y2k-ta, yeah I am happy especially being first time ever. Just feel like it got short changed that tranny behavior.
Posting it in the Auto trans forum see if anyone has a clue, maybe it is normal or I am "feeling" it wrong, but it just seems out of place.
Posting it in the Auto trans forum see if anyone has a clue, maybe it is normal or I am "feeling" it wrong, but it just seems out of place.