Didn't think it was gonna happen with my work schedule, but it looks like I should be able to make the Fall track rental day at Lebanon next Friday! Instead of bringing the SS for its maiden voyage down the track, I wanna take the Z again. I ran it 11 times in one day last May, and it was the only time I've ever been to the track. My best was a 13.96 @ 100.8, on my very first run. My remaining runs ranged from a 14.2 to a 15.1 (almost 3 second 60 foot because I bogged horribly off the line trying to avoid wheelspin)...with several in the 14.2-14.3 range. My only mods are an SLP CAI and 2OTL...but I also have weight adders like a full, big-*** stereo and sub, as well as bolt on SLP SFCs and an STB.

I'm running the car full-weight again, but now instead of 11 year old 245 GSCs, I have fresh 275 Continental ExtremeContact 3 season tires that appear very sticky. My goal is to shave .2 off my best run from before and run at least a couple 13.7s, and be more consistent.

Question is, for my car, what's the best launch technique? I tried easing out...I tried 2500 RPM near-clutch-pops. I tried everything in between. I know the car has it in it. Any advice on launches is really appreciated. Also, as I learned on here, I assume it is safe to shift at 6000? I won't hit a rev limiter? I wanna say I had to shift to 4th before the line last time...it would be great to be able to hold 3rd...

I want a few strong runs out of it now, then the plan is to bring it back in May once my h/c/lts are done and see how much I picked up...

 

You should ditch the stereo. If you want to get good times, running it with a sub/box in it weighing it down doesnt help. Unfortunaly your tires probably still wont make that much of a difference as well.

Do you let the car cool down?

It sounded like that from the other thread recently that the best way to launch is a controlled dump. Not slipping it, but not just a full blown dump. I have an automatic so I have no clue, just going off what was already said in another thread recently. If your bogging then you need to do something different. Go around the burnout box, do a small burnout if you wish to clean em off, or just dont do one. Get up to the line and start thinking about what your doing. Be aware of what your about to do with the clutch and the throttle and do it. If you bog then launch higher rpm. Always write down on top of the slip how you launched.

Another thing some people cant grasp is that the time doesnt start when the light turns green. It startes when your out of the staging beams, reaction time means nothing at a test and tune so dont even worry about getting the jump on the car next to you, your racing the clock anyways. Take your time to remember how you want to launch and then do it. If you care to sit there for 5 seconds getting your rpms right you can...just dont roll forward!

Another thing that may upset you is DA. You car isnt going to run magazine/forum times if your in high DA. One thing ive learned living where I live is that you can expect to be .3-.5 slower then you expect lol. According to dragtimes, lebanon valley dragway sits 603ft above sea level. To run magazine times, you need to be at 0 ft or even in NEGATIVE DA lol. Just plugging in some weather data from today the track would run like its at 1000ft. Not sure if its normally that type of weather or not but if its anything like ours, expect anywhere from 1000-2000ft. My car ran about the same as yours 14.0-14.4 with a cutout and not much else. I also only went 13.6 with a stall, cutout, ls1 lid, and 555r's.

 

As was said, a controlled release is best, not a dump and not a slip. I was able to get a 1.9 on sumitomos, on your nice tires you should do equally or better if you can master your foot and keep your heart rate in check. I did best with a 2000 rpm controlled release, taking about a half second to from the floor to released (that's a guess with me moving my foot at my desk right now). It's almost a controlled easy bog, your letting your torque pull you out. My brother came to the track with me once in his 00 Ta and he couldn't get below a 2.3 60'. We traded cars and on my only try I got a 1.9. If the water box has any puddling or standing water, go around it because the grooves in your tires will pick up water and cone with you to the line. If it is just wet, like it is supposed to be, just go through it, your front tires will dry by the time you get to the line. Do a quick BAAAP at the end of the box to spin the tires once to get sand and gravel off them. Then roll forward 2 feet to where it is dry, and do a 2-3 second 1st gear burnout. I say 1st where many will say 2nd because you are NOT trying to heat up the tires, just trying to pick up some of the sticky rubber from others. If they get hot they get greasy. Then go to the line, do NOT test them like some other retards do, just go to the line, bring it to 2000 and launch, trying to not let it bog below 1700 bit not slipping the clutch.

On the street practice powershifting. First Backing your foot off to 1/4 throttle during a shift, then 1/2, then 3/4, then shifting at WOT 6000 rpm. You should be doing it so fast your rpms don't have time to jump between shifts, just don't miss the gear you are aiming for. If you are doing it right, your nose will not fall through any of your 3 shifts.