speedo

iTrader: (15)

There is a local NASCAR sanctioned track in my area and every Month they have an event night and they run a segment called the spectator drags. Basically line two up at a time on the start finish and then the first one back around wins. and goes to the next round. Pretty cool in front of a sell out crowd and under the lights. Plus it would be pretty cool to have Drag Trophys and a Circle Trophy with the same car..

I just want an opinion on how my car would handle around the curves. The stuff I have seen win there in the past isn't to great....Fox Body Mustang, Some Saturn car, Talon, and I think once a pickup. They only run 26 cars so the comp shouldn't be to stiff. I just don't want to loose it in a corner.

What air pressure should I run at, and is there any tricks I can do with car set up.

Mods are in sig. I think I run someplace around an 11 sec 1/4, will find out for sure May 15th. I run a 17 tire with 275/40 nittos on the back.

roy

Your sig says nothing about your suspension setup.

rushman

Sounds like fun. If your car is that fast in a straight line, I say you hang just behind the other car and stay on the high side, exiting the last turn, accelerate early, and blow him away down the straight. This way you minimize the time you are next to the other car (so you don't suffer from their mistakes), and you don't have to push yourself, just hang close till the end.

WS.

Sounds pretty stock to me...

blkZ28spt

That would be my strategy. Drag racing is one thing, but putting yourself and your car in a position to be taken out by some other dumb*** on a circle track is a little bit of a liability.

Then again, I just entered the road racing section because I was bored.

rushman

you could raise the right side tire pressure a bit, and lower the left a bit to give yourself some extra cornering ability assuming you are make left hand turns. If you are going with the kill'em in the straights strategy, just raise the pressure of your front right tire to somewhere in the hight 30's to help prevent the car from pushing, and leave the rear at street pressure, or a little softer if you are worried about breaking them loose.

speedo

iTrader: (15)

Yes Stock springs, sway bars, everything..

BillS

iTrader: (13)

i would not do it. They do those races here and they frequently have major dammage done to the cars. I have a friend who was the man to beat in his Solo II modded talon who won ever event untill some redneck intenionally rammed him into the wall. they guy then gets out of the wreck and his response was " rubbin is racing" lawsuits followed, both cars totaled, the talon owner lost out on a chance to trophy at the SoloII national championships.
Still sound like fun? this is a game for someone who drives a sh&t box .

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

With stock suspension, your car will NOT be loose.

It will most likely push like a pig ...

A 3/8 mile track is a LOT of turn and tiny bit of straight. Definitely not a HP track. I can see a Saturn or Neon being pretty tough to beat.

If it were me, I would put those Nitto drags on the front, run them up to 38psi, and keep the car on a fairly high line.

Remember, SLOW in, fast out.

Builder

When you go around a corner hard, you should be able to feel if the rear or front is leaning more. It's probably going to be the front, so that's where you want some extra air in the right tires. 38 psi is probably about right for the front...35 for the back. If you get more than one lap, congratulations, you won the first lap. If you can, check your pressure before the next lap. You psi will probably be up 3-4 lbs. and should probably drop some out.

If you have a choice, start on the outside, unless you think you are slower to the first corner. Either way, take the lead off the line with the hole-shot and attack the apex. Don't let them by on the inside. Remember, with a high corner exit speed, you should pull away on the back straight...enough to hold through the next corner. Nothing but checkered flag ahead. If fenders are close, bail. No point in doing any rubbing with a street car...unless you just don't care.

00RedWs6

i wouldnt do this.that just me.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

I take exception to that ...

In street trim, the car is gonna push BIGTIME.
If he goes in hot, he will push out to the edge of the track and leave the inside wide open.

Slow in, turn late, on the gas early and late apex ...

Builder

I agree, sort of. I didn't say go hot into the corner...just get the hole-shot and take the apex. In a one-lap race, there might not be an opportunity to pass. Even if the other guy is faster through the corner, they might not be able to pass on the outside. Burn up the back straight an pull away. Slow for the corner, if needed.

It's kind of crazy to try and guess without seeing/driving the car, the track, and the competition.

Good luck, though, and let us know what happens...

ss rally red

iTrader: (8)

We had this same thing at BIR(Birmingham "International" Raceway)LOL, in the late 70-'s early 80's and I ran my 78 Z28, 19-20 years old then, several times.... Won 5 out of six and never had a problem,almost all of the cars I ran against over braked so much going in to turn one it was all over,5/8ths mile track. I was road racing motorcylces at that time also so I was used to racing a lot in close conditions. My car was just headers and intake manifold,maybe 190 hp at the wheels.... I lost to 70 AMX that was set up for road courses.... I say go for it, it was a lot of fun,just remember you aren't racing for a living and if in dought back out of it,there is always next weekend.

NataSS Inc

iTrader: (9)

Go for it and get video.

I have done a couple of "spectator drags" at a 1/4 mile oval in idaho. Big fun! I am planning on taking my car back again one day. Last time I was there, there was a Micron exec that had a RX7 and then a Dakota with a Viper motor in it. He trounced everyone pretty good. Sad part is he usually had everyone beat by T1 and then milked it the rest of the way. But then again the competition was weak. If I can ever get the car there, he is in for a BIG wake up call.

dont know what the rules are like there but at this track you arent allowed to change "lanes". So it left the outside guy at a bit of a disadvantage.

PA Z06

Wow thats bad man

kp

iTrader: (34)

They used to do that at a couple small oval tracks in Wisconsin, it was more of a demolition derby then a drag race IMO. The one track chamipon had a stock 71-72 chevelle 350 2bbl with some huge stock car tires and a oval track alignment + well used push bars front and rear. I seen a lot of nice cars get crunched, couldnt see any reason why someone would take a nice car out there