Question about take off
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Instructor
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: San Luis Obispo CA
Question about take off
when at the track what should i hold my rpm's to at take off?
By the way i have an A4 with 2:73's and a corsa system
I would also like to know if anyone here who doeant have to many mods (maybe just like a catback and intake) has ran there car at an 1/8 of a mile?? if so what did you run?
Thanks for any and all input,
SeaBass
By the way i have an A4 with 2:73's and a corsa system
I would also like to know if anyone here who doeant have to many mods (maybe just like a catback and intake) has ran there car at an 1/8 of a mile?? if so what did you run?
Thanks for any and all input,
SeaBass
Last edited by SeaBass2001; Oct 30, 2006 at 02:14 AM.
Race Director
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For both of you, read this post, very, very carefully, and memorize it.
The gentleman is one of the best C5 drag racers out there:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=759802
The gentleman is one of the best C5 drag racers out there:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=759802
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,179
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From: Wesley Chapel, FL Las Vegas, NV
Originally Posted by EHS
For both of you, read this post, very, very carefully, and memorize it.
The gentleman is one of the best C5 drag racers out there:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=759802
The gentleman is one of the best C5 drag racers out there:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=759802
Race Director
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 14,542
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Originally Posted by Vega$Vette
So HOW does this post help a guy with an A4?
_______________________
"If you are running stock tires, keep your launch below 2500 RPM regardless of transmission type. If you are running a drag radial, make sure you sufficiently heat them with a burnout before staging. Either way make sure your stage shallow.
The following is a description of staging shallow: The are 2 yellow lights which indicate the staging area. They are separated by 7 inches. When the track worker waves you up you approach the lights and as your car rolls you will turn on the top light first (pre-stage). As soon as the first light goes on, stop. Then slowly nudge your car forward until the second light goes on (staged). Stop immediately! When you launch your car, the clock does not start until you break the beam of both the pre-stage and stage lights (the starting line).
As soon as both lanes are staged (The staged light in each lane is lit), the first of three large yellow lights will light. On the third yellow light begin your launch. With a shallow stage. your car will have a few inches to begin rolling before the stage lights are triggered indicating you official start....
First an optimum launch rpm must be established which is a function of ambient temperature, sun load, track surface, tire temperature, vehicle loading .... An optimum launch will allow enough wheel spin so that when the tires "hook up" to the pavement there is not a loss in vehicle acceleration."...
Here is what I do. No claim it's the best way.
Competition mode. AC and audio system off. Windows up. Tire pressure 44-48 psi (front); 24-28 psi (rear)....
What you are after is developing the launch "touch" combining input from all yours senses. I can feel the tires spin in the steering wheel and seat of the pant. Sight and sound help too. But the F1SC tires don't make much of a squeal when they spin.
I use Competition mode rather than "AH/TC off" because I want AH to intervene should the rear get substantially out of line. Just some insurance to limits "the worst that can happen."
Two last things you probably already know. Be sure your oil is above 155 degrees (preferably above 170) before you do launch practice. Also choose your spot wisely.
Why I ALWAYS Run in "Competitive Driving" Mode
I posted this in Feb 2002
I've alway run in COMPETITIVE DRIVING mode at the drags. Do it on principle...It has no effect whatsoever on my times unless my rear end gets seriously out of line, at which point active handling will be invoked, thereby saving my a $ $. In such a moment, my ET would be the last thing on my mind.
Today I narrowly averted a disaster that was not of my making. AH saved my butt and vindicated my practice of running with it turned on.
I made eight passes at Capitol Raceway in Crofton Maryland. On the fourth pass, I was next in line behind a highly modified car that spewed tranny fluid on the track just after the 60_ mark. Unfortunately, no one, including me, noticed the spill as it occurred. AND, I was next.... I had my best launch of the day (1.82) and hit 2d gear hard amidst his tranny fluid...whereupon my rear end moved violently right...toward the wall. Fortunately, Active Handling engaged and queued me to back out of the throttle immediately upon recognizing my predicament...but not before I had come within just a foot or so of the wall.
Had I turned AH off (as many people do), I surely would have hit the wall HARD. Wouldn_t have been my fault; but certainly would have spoiled the day. When that occurred, the last thing on my mind was my ET...which was a 12.81...in a day of 12.04 and a bunch of 12.1Xs, plus one trap of 118.1...all in COMPETITVE DRIVING mode.
Another post about my "wall incident":
The "queue" from AH means that within fractions of a second (literally) (1) my rear end moved violently right toward the wall and (2) AH immediately invoked counterveiling action. Both produced sensory inputs that deviated from the norm and I backed out of the throttle. The car came straight again nearly against the wall. It had moved right about 12 feet. Total time of the event was around half a second.
I also made some steering correction, but AH played two roles (1) its pulsing actions queued my senses and (2) it took psoitive counterveiling action to correct the out-of-line condition. Given that AH makes corrective adjustments many times in a tenth of a second, it certainly was the dominant factor in my staying off the wall. True, I backed off the throttle, but not until the accumulating sensory inputs caused me to recognize my predicament; but in those crucial tenths of a second AH had already been in action.
Lota folks can recover from just "loose." But few (without AH ON) can recover successfully from "violently loose." You may be one who can, I'm not.
Burn-out of BFG Drag-radials without a line-lock
Here is what I'm doing; no claim it's the best way.
Back into the waterbox if possible and immediately spin the tires just enough to get a full rotation of them, but NOT enough to throw (much) water up into the wheel wells.
Roll forward out of the water few feet; but do NOT roll so far as to put the rear wheels onto the rubber/VHT prepped area.
Make sure you're in COMPETITIVE DRIVING mode.
Launch on BFG Drag Radials...."
_______________________
And, by the way, the second gentleman, Dans97, has a MN6, so the thread should help him as well.
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Competitive Mode On - 3rd Gear - Point it Straight - Push the Gas Pedal to the Floor.
Race Director
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Originally Posted by Vega$Vette
OK, Big long post but NO info on launch technique (RPM) with an Automatic.
Here you go.
Originally Posted by Ranger
"If you are running stock tires, keep your launch below 2500 RPM regardless of transmission type.
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Originally Posted by Vega$Vette
FYI He's talking M6 or M12 NOT Auto.
I responded to both gentlemen in this thread (posts 1 and 2). That's why I started my post with "For both of you..."
Dans97 has a manual transmission car, in other words, something called an MN6. That makes Ranger's post completely relevant in all respects (well, except maybe the Active Handling part -- Option JL4 in that year (AH was optional in that year, you know), and I don't know if his car has it.
The other gentleman (SeaBass2001) has an A4 (that's an automatic transmission), but many of the items in Ranger's post remain applicable to him as well (like how to launch the car, tire pressures, TC/AH, etc.
You see?
Race Director
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From: Wesley Chapel, FL Las Vegas, NV
let me type this slowly, so that it's more clear
99% of rangers post has nothing to offer with regard to lauching a Stock A4 with 2:73s
Competitive Mode On - 3rd Gear - Point it Straight - Push the Gas Pedal to the Floor.
Race Director
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From: Wesley Chapel, FL Las Vegas, NV
Originally Posted by EHS
Could you also give me some help on tire pressure maybe?
30 psi cold all around sound OK?
30 psi cold all around sound OK?
You can also run the fronts at a higher pressure if you want maybe up to 40 lbs (less drag with higher pressure).
The best thing to do is hit it they way it sits out of the box and then make slight adjustments to improve your times.
Have Fun
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From: Simi Valley CA
Originally Posted by SeaBass2001
when at the track what should i hold my rpm's to at take off?
By the way i have an A4 with 2:73's and a corsa system
I would also like to know if anyone here who doeant have to many mods (maybe just like a catback and intake) has ran there car at an 1/8 of a mile?? if so what did you run?
Thanks for any and all input,
SeaBass
By the way i have an A4 with 2:73's and a corsa system
I would also like to know if anyone here who doeant have to many mods (maybe just like a catback and intake) has ran there car at an 1/8 of a mile?? if so what did you run?
Thanks for any and all input,
SeaBass
oh, forgot.. it's more of a 'dance' with the "floor it" thing. Don't pound it down. Just get it there at a reasonably fast pace.