I know posting two threads about the same subject is teh ghey, but I wanted to know if anyone local to me would be willing to meet up at a track and give me some drag launch lessons. I'll even pay you if I get something out of it. I'm in pensacola, in the NW corner of FL. I'm willing to drive a few hours to a track.

Here is my setup in a nutshell....
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...14#post5308114

 

I will be at EC in two weeks (8/18) and would be more than willing to help you. I have a Black 01 WS6 with Hoosiers on Weld Pro Stars and I am usually parked at the end of the stands on the tower side. My name is Patrick.

 

I'm still pretty new to the area. EC is where?

 

Pm'ed ya.

 

step on the gas faster

 

It is East on I-10 from Pensacola, exit 45. when you get of the exit make a left(north); go to the end of that road and make a left(west) on Highway 90; go down about 2-3miles to Garner Landing Rd. make a left(south). Track entrance is on your left. There are signs posted when you get off the interstate. It is the closest track to Pensacola.

Here is a quick rundown of tracks near the P-cola area.

Emerald Coast Dragway-1/8th - NHRA - Very good track prep, but often there is large crowds and alot of time can be spent waiting to run. on average I get about 6 runs on T&T. they are Open every other weekend. Located in Holt, FL.
www.emeraldcoastdragway.com

Atmore Dragway - 1/8th - IHRA - Poor Track prep, T&T's are held on Sundays (check website for dates), usually a small crowd so you can basically run as many times as you want. Located in Atmore, AL which is just across the FL border in the NW corner. Depending on where you live in P-cola may be closer than EC. Personally I won't go there unless they have a race in which I could win more than 1,000 bucks.
www.atmoredragway.com

Mobile Dragway- >1/8th - NHRA - Great Track Prep, Is 60 feet short of an 1/8th. average crowd for T&T. easy to get 10 runs in a night. T&T every Friday 8-12. Located just off I-10, Exit 10B in Alabama. I enjoy going to this track and will be going there this saturday for a 2,000 dollar bracket race.
www.mobiledragway.com

Breakaway Dragway - 1/8th - so-so track prep, T&T is on Sundays, run as much as you want. Located in just north of Panama City, 15 mins south from I-10 on hwy 231. about 2 1/2 hours from P-cola. Nice facilities and Personnel, track is needs to be resurfaced though.
www.breakawaydragway.com

Gulfport Dragway - 1/4 - Haven't been to this track but from what I have heard the track prep isn't very good. Its Located in Gulfport, MS about 2 -2 1/2 hours away from P-cola.
www.gulfportdragway.com

Montgomery Motorsports Park -1/4 - good track prep but I have heard on T&T nights they don't prep the track. Located in Montgomery, AL off of I-65, about 3 1/2 hours from P-cola.
www.mmpdragracing.com

 

I'm thinking SGMP and Gainesville Raceway should not be more than 2-3 hours from P-cola area as well??

Derek

 

It is about 4 hours to SGMP and 4 1/2 to G'ville. Both of those tracks are superior ot any of the tracks listed above. If I were looking to get good 1/4 mile times I would go to one of these tracks or possibly Belle Rose in LA as I have heard this is a track that hooks so hard you'll probably break something.

How ya doing so far this year Derek?
You going to go to the 100 grander footbrake race at MMP?

 

here's all you need to know...

slicks (dont worry about going a little over board)
th400
transbrake
4500 stall
dont lift. (the walls will point you in the right direction)

 

My year has definately had its ups and downs. This past weekend was more up thankfully, but I'm nowhere near the points I had last year. Still, 3 wins, 2 r/u and a wally still qualifies as a great year in my book, despite the 7 1st round losses.

Doubt I'll make the big footbrake race, as it is opposite 2 races near home I want to run, one being the NMCA opener in Bradenton.

How's your year going?

Derek

 

Can you catch first in points and try to defend your Race of Champions title?

I have been having a great year so far. I have won a race 6 weekends in a row. 11 on the year, 7 runner ups , 5 semis. I won a 2,000 to win race at Mobile, (my biggest payday yet). I have raced alot this year. I run two classes every other weekend, Sportsman and Pro, Plus up here they have alot of heads up index racing. I've won 2, RU 1, on a 7.50 index(street cars only); won 1, ru 1, on 8.00 index(any type of car); plus I won a pro tree bracket race. I'm first in Sportsman points and 5th in Pro points. I just hope I can keep it up. Its just been on of those years where I have been good when I need to be good and lucky when I needed to be lucky.

 

^^^^
what you said

$$$$$$$
^^^^^^
what I heard

Plus, my little ol' 10 bolt would explode instantly if I had that setup. My budget for this car has been exhausted. It is justa v6, ya know.

Holeshotz, thanks for that list. The only tracks I knew of in the area were Emerald coast and Gulfport. I think I'll be trying Atmore and Mobile to get started, and then stepping up to the better track a short while later. The most important thing for me now is to get a LOT of seat time, and a lot of launches under my belt.

SPeed unlimited has some MT ET streets that are screaming my name. They are 245/50/16, which is perfect for an Fbod wheel. (I have 5 16x8.5's in my garage.)

 

Not likely, and can't make it anyways, as work conflicts this year on those dates. Will be my first missed ET Finals since 2000 (not counting Montgomery in '02 when I didn't want to make the drive but made points)

I'm 5th in 1/8-mile points in Pro, but a lousy 30-something in 1/4 (where all my 1st round losses are). I'm in 3rd in Open Comp points, which I'm having the most fun in (index racing with a 5 tenths pro tree).

Glad to hear you're having a great year it seems, good luck riding the wave all the way to the ET Finals!

Derek

 

Why do they split your points like that? Congrats on your R/U last weekend.

 

The MT's ET Drag Radials are the best drag radial but worst for daily diving. THey aren't bad but I prefer the MT ET streets or Hoosier QTP's. You going to come out to EC on the 18th?

 

I'll be there on the 18th.

I always swap tires at the track, so I don't care about streetability. I also don't want a drag tire that is 24" wide or anything crazy like that, because I have to try and store them in my trunk.

 

Just something they tried this year, as a few close tracks that were 1/8-mile closed down last year, and they had requests to run 1/8-mile, but they still focus on 1/4-mile more since it is a 1/4-mile track. They figure this will make the 1/8-mile people happy and give them another place to race if they don't want to change their set-ups for 1/4-mile action.

Derek

 

Do any of the above mentioned 1/8 mile tracks require a helmet to race?

I know all the 1/4's do, but my old 1/8 in VA required no safety equip at all. You could race naked in a tube chassis car with no body panels.

 

Hell you could do that at OSW and its a 1/4 mile track!!

I want to make a roll cage out of pool noodles and see if i get through tech. Im sure I would

 

EC requires a helmet if you go faster than 8.50. I'm pretty sure most of the other tracks also require it but whether they enforce it or not is another question. At EC the have helmets you can borrow but they require you leave your drivers license with them. I have my own which you can borrow if need be.