question on bracket racing with a manual tranny
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 548
Likes: 0
From: hamilton, Ohio
question on bracket racing with a manual tranny I have several friends that are going to the track now on a regular basis. I have a gsxr bike that I plan on playing with some. My question though is can I bracket race my car or is the fact that its a manual going to be too hard to be consistent with. I have no idea I am a newby to the drag strip.
12 Second Club
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 320
Likes: 0
From: ohio
If you put 100% into it you can.Get to know your car and be very consistent with everthing you do launchs,stageing .Heres some Folks that put on a real good show and just for the manual tranny guys check them out. They hold races close to you through out the year http://www.umtrnorth.com/. Just my 2 cents
its definately harder. depending on your mods you need to figure out where to launch and whats the best rpm to shift at. also a good short throw will help when getting into gears.
If your racing for money then it will be hard enough to win with an auto. If your racing for throphies you might win one every now and then if you get pretty good, but other than that I don't think you would have much a chance agaist someone you is decent in an auto and no chance at all agaist someone who is good in an auto.
If you get it set up right and lots of practice you can be almost as consistent as the auto guys. You need good tires, atleast some 4.10's, a good clutch, and most important, a shift light. I've bracket raced m6 cars since 95 and I've won/ru'ed several times over the years. Just to show you how consistent you can get a 6 speed car I copied this from our local board. This is 2 weekends ago in my 99 m6 car
http://efiracing.proboards92.com/ind...play&thread=68
I went tonight for some shakedown runs with the new tires and it turned out ok. It didn't quite run as good as I thought it would but it was with in a .10 of what I was shooting for.
den. alt. was between +665 and +315ft. A very good night considering it is mid May. If I were bracket racing tonight I'd have killed em!
Pass 1 low rpm launch and pass to get the feel.
-.038rt, 11.674@116.38
Pass 2
.053 rt, 11.476@120.40
Pass 3
.028rt, 11.475@120.43
Pass 4
.035rt, 11.453@119.98
Pass 5
.074rt, 11.464@120.47
like i said, it was slower than it should have been for the weather conditions but it was on it's game for consistency.
and you EFI bracket racers, check out those RT's
http://efiracing.proboards92.com/ind...play&thread=68
I went tonight for some shakedown runs with the new tires and it turned out ok. It didn't quite run as good as I thought it would but it was with in a .10 of what I was shooting for.
den. alt. was between +665 and +315ft. A very good night considering it is mid May. If I were bracket racing tonight I'd have killed em!
Pass 1 low rpm launch and pass to get the feel.
-.038rt, 11.674@116.38
Pass 2
.053 rt, 11.476@120.40
Pass 3
.028rt, 11.475@120.43
Pass 4
.035rt, 11.453@119.98
Pass 5
.074rt, 11.464@120.47
like i said, it was slower than it should have been for the weather conditions but it was on it's game for consistency.
and you EFI bracket racers, check out those RT's 
11 Second Club
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 655
Likes: 0
From: In a van down by the river, Missouri
A tire that hooks everytime.
Shift light so you shift as close as possible to the same rpm everytime.
Two-step so you launch at the same rpm everytime.
Lots of practice, the more you know the car and track the better you'll get.
And the biggest thing most people forget is making adjustments as the night goes on. You may be a few tenths off in either direction as the night goes on. This is why you'll see the guys serious about bracket racing constantly checking track temps, tire temps, tire pressure, weather, watching how others are running/hooking and so on.
Shift light so you shift as close as possible to the same rpm everytime.
Two-step so you launch at the same rpm everytime.
Lots of practice, the more you know the car and track the better you'll get.
And the biggest thing most people forget is making adjustments as the night goes on. You may be a few tenths off in either direction as the night goes on. This is why you'll see the guys serious about bracket racing constantly checking track temps, tire temps, tire pressure, weather, watching how others are running/hooking and so on.
Trending Topics
7 Second Club
iTrader: (5)
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 8,834
Likes: 1
From: Gainesville, Florida # of drag strips runs: ?!?!?
As mentioned above, manuals can win as well but it can be a bit harder than doing it with a slushbox. Do your homework before attempting it and you'll have good success if you can drive right. Check your local rules for 2 steps as some tracks won't allow them except in the electronics classes (and that means also running against cars equipped with transbrakes and delay boxes). But as a few have mentioned, stick cars can win. Kevin Helms is a 3 time NHRA stock eliminator champ and he runs a low 10 second 69 Camaro with a big block 4 speed car on a 9 inch max tire.
Derek
Derek
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
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
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die
Verdad Gallardo
a 2 step is the key to figureing out your launch rpm and launching the same everytime.Everything else is going to take some practice but it can be done if you stick to a routine.a 2 step is a stick guy's best friend
LS1Tech Sponsor
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: Finksburg,Md
You shouldnt have a problem i use to run in the ford events at a local track with my 5 speed mustang and actually use to be consistent as hell with it 14.20's- 14.50's 1.8 60fts and cut .500 -.550 lights allday on drag radials!i won quite a few events with it.The key is to know your car when to get on the brakes if you have to..I do a few test and tune passes first find your fastest et and go from there always go .3 under that and you should be golden!!!
