The more different methods the better. I have been trying to master this for quite awhile now and am really struggling. My best 60 foot to date is 2.28 and its absolutely killing my 1/4 mile times. I know buying sticky tires is the best solution but it seems like cutting consistant 2.0 - 2.1's should be possible on street tires. Everybody else seems to be doing it. I really want to master launching on street tires before buying new ones.

 

I'm not a pro, nor is my time awesome, but managed a 2.176 by doing a qiuck, rolling burnout to the beams(no churning smoke at the water box -avoid the water box), then holding rpms at 2200 and feathering the clutch out for the launch. Kept tire pressure at 32. Tried once with lower pressure but got no traction. These tires (the F1's) behave better with more pressure -have had to explain a few times why I'm putting air IN the tires to the ol' timers. Good luck! As for me, just a tick away from the 12's!!!

 

Trying to launch on street tires, you are just wasting your time. Passenger car street tires are not engineered for what you are trying to do. Concerns like wet traction, gas mileage, tread life etc. are all more important to the manufacturers than how the 1% of the population that goes to the track are going to like them.

I know I'm not really answering your question, other than to tell you to quit wasting your time, so here's at least one constructive comment:
Southfl.02.SS is right. Modern radial tires need air to have a good contact patch. They are not be confused with "old school" bias ply slicks. However, that said, they do not have a flexible side wall and other engineering traits that are conducive to all-out straight line traction.

Get an extra pair of rims (stock ones in my case to be sneaky) and a pair of Drag Radials. You can drive them anywhere, even in the rain for a while until they wear down, and your straight line traction will be greatly enhanced. The BFG's feel just about like a normal tire, not at all you would expect if you've ever drove around on real slicks. I've heard the Nittos are not quite as good for preserving that "normal tire" feeling of handling, but have never used them. I've gone through 3 pairs of BFG's however, and am on my fourth.

 

what's up dolfanz28? i guess i am the exception? i have an '02 z28 m6 and i see no need to use drag radials or slicks yet. i am running the same tires that came with the car when i bought it. the goodyear gsa's. not the optional tires mind you. i heat them up real well for about 5-10 sec.. and i launch at 5 grand without a chirp. im serious, no spin at all. check out the 60' time below. i couldnt believe it myself. i run about 22 psi in them. i have done it dozens of times. needless to say, its time for new tires! i owe alot of that to the track that i race at also. it is really sticky. at Red River Raceway in Gilam, LA. best track iv'e been on yet. anyhow, good luck on your quest for a better launch.

 

I guess your stock clutch must be slipping like crazy...

Launching at 5k without a chirp on stock tires... Something is not right...

Tommy

 

Sorry dude, but Eagle F1's aint no way in hell hookin' up at 5 grand. Not even 4 grand. I don't care if its HRP. If you actually hooked up at 5 grand then your sixty foot should be 1.6. And then based on your current ET and mph, then that would drop you to about a 12.2 @ 113, which is what a car with ALL the bolt-ons AND a 12-bolt should run WITH slicks and skinnies. And you have none of the above, not even headers.
Either you're not mentioning something about your setup, or....

 

z28fiend is right about churning the tires for a few seconds. A guy with A4 Z28 I raced a few weeks ago pulled 2.04 on some cheapo tires, and did better than 2.1 for a few passes, but he churns those tires like mad. Smokes them for a few seconds. Drawback is that he claims to go through tires every 2 months. He buys the cheapest street tires he can find. Not a routine that appeals to me.
Another guy with Nittos was in the mid-upper 1's all night.
That's the way to go.

 

You should be cutting 1.9x-2.0x 60's all day on street tires. There's no need to cook the **** out of them either. Just clean them off a bit. You have to learn your car. That's the bottom line.

 

z28fiend you have some nice numbers. I am just a poor college kid and I haven't had the money to get Nitto's yet. So I have put probably 20 passes at the track on my F1's. Take the air out of them. I have played with this alot and mine work great with about 24psi. I stay away from the water box, rev it and dump the clutch just to clean my tires off and then I launch at about 1800. It has worked well for me. The track were I race at is not all that nice. I pulled a 2.1 every pass last time I was there. That is not great but its not bad on F1's. All 7 passes I was in the 12's with very few mods. So it is possible,it just takes some practice.

 

U think that is bad....

13.0 at 114 mph with a 2.45 sixty footer here

i think it gets tougher to launch when u have more power..i have head + cam

 

114? That's mph for high 11's with a 1.6 60' or so. I'm in the same boat. I'm trapping 118mph and only cutting low 12's. Tires would cure that...