I'm thinking of heading up to the track this week and was looking for any launching technique tips for the GP. I can launch my Firebird fine but front wheel drive is a bit tricky. I'm on street tires (Hankook). My car is all stock except for the muffler delete.

What psi do you guys recomend for front and rear for best traction?

TapShift or just leave it in drive? If you use TapShift, what is the best RPM to shift at. I still haven't gotten to know the sweet spot on this car as I haven't really gotten on it at all.

I drove another GXP a few years ago that I almost bought and when I held the brakes and pushed the throttle on it to about 2k RPM's before launching the brakes started squealing and sounded horrible afterwards. What is recommended to launch without destroying my brakes or freezing calipers?

 

Sounds like a brake problem with that other car. Never had that problem with my car. I like to leave the car in drive for the 1-2 shift, Then put it in tap shift mode to hold the gear. If you let the car STAY in drive they shift about 10 MPH EARLY! I lowered my psi about 5. Try a 1300rpm stall with half ish throttle and roll into it.

 

^^ i do the same thing. and i ran a 13.8 with just a shift kit.

 

Thanks guys! I'll try it tonight and let ya know how I do. It's only an 1/8 mile track so I think I'm aiming for around 8 secs.

I'll tell ya what though I love this car, especially with the mufflers off. I was at a car show last night and people just look at it like "hows that sound coming from a grand prix?" I actually had a guy at a stoplight ask me what I'd done to it cuz his 08 GXP sounds nothing like mine.

 

Just got back from the track. I beat two different Mustangs. First pass was against an 02 Mustang GT with a CAI, the second pass was against an unknown Mustang GT with at least an intake and catback from what I could tell. I only talked to the first Mustang owner. Last pass wasn't against anyone, there was a newer Civic SI in the lane next to me and he backed up to race a VW instead of me.

I was in the left lane everytime.

Pass1 - Left it in drive


Pass2 - TapShift


Pass3 - Drive then TapShift but I held 2nd too long.

 

Guessing my times are not too impressive, lol. My reaction time needs work but at least the stang didn't beat me It was my first time at the track.

....Now I'm kinda regretting running it there. Maybe it's in my head but my transmission seems different now...It did get up to 210 degrees. Would three 1/8 mile passes really mess up the transmission? I've only got 36k miles on it and I baby it on the road, this was the first time I really got on the car.

It seems like it revs up a little bit before shifting now. Also on cruise at 55mph it seems like it slips because it revs a couple hundred rpms randomly. I've felt it jerk twice while using cruise control at 55mph on the thruway but can't pinpoint it to DOD or a bump in the road that I didn't see.

 

Dont worry about reaction time, the clock starts when you leave. So you could sit at the line for 5sec if wanted at it wont affect your time. Those 60ft times are horrible tho, looks like you need a little less throttle off the line. Did you drive thru.or.around the water?

 

I drove around the water everytime but I did spin the tires everytime off the line. The first run I got nervous and just floored it but the other two I tried easing into the throttle. Odd how the run where I floored it was the fastest run.

 

Why did I know you were going to say that!