Hey guys, trying to get my 99 C5 6 speed down to the Atco one more time before they close this year. Only had it down 3 times total. Car is mostly stock except vararam intake and a Zex nitrous shot. So Far before intake and juice best I got was a 13.08 with Nitto 555 tires. After intake was a 12.89 at 110mph with a 1.98 sixty foot. Had it down to a 12.16 at 120mph with a 2.09 sixty foot on a 125 shot using a Nitrous outlet controller. With that set at 3500 to 5800 window for the juice.

So my 60' times are my biggest struggle. Doing a 3 to 5 second burn out in second gear and on the brakes. Then about 2500 rom for launch and trying to not just dump the clutch but slip it slightly and ease into the gass. Most runs I'm bogging down and rpms drops right glass. So feel like it's hooking up pretty well. That's what I don't like, feels like it bogs down to 1500 and um waiting for it to build power. Feel like with a better 60' and on the juice I can seek an 11 second pass. That is my goal here. I still have more ET playing with the window switch for the juice.

Any tips and lauching? Should i be more aggresive with throttle and RPM and slip the clutch more?

 

http:/

 

 

I'm no expert, but I think a set of 3.90 gears would be a big improvement to get her moving out of the hole.

 

Well I do agree with gears, think 4.10s are more my taste. But looking to improve my launch the way the car is now. Need a driver mod

 

I'm going to make a suggestion that does not require any cost (except for gas and track time and you're already there).
I understand wanting to get your 60' times down; that helps translate into a better ET and will ultimately help you win races - whether you are racing an opponent or just racing against yourself as a measurement of your improvement.
Instead of focusing on your time; focus on what goes right and what goes wrong. It helps if you can have someone video tape launch after launch after launch. If you have two way communications, let the other person know how things felt and went (too fast releasing the clutch, bogged down, shifted at the wrong RPM, etc). If you can't immediately communicate, make notes as soon as you are back in the pits and can safely do so. You also want to develop a staging technique that is consistent and includes trying to always put your car in the same spot relative to the pre-stage/stage light beam.
When your 60’ times are reasonably consistent, then you work on your reaction time to the Tree. (Remember, your 60’ time is measured from when you leave the starting line, not when the Tree goes green. It doesn’t matter if you cut a 000 tree or sit for 30 seconds and then go; breaking the beams is what starts the 60, 330, etc., times).
So - your 60’ times are consistent; time to start working on your reaction times. The same principles that applied to your 60’ times, apply to reaction times. However, there will be one major difference. Now, you have to experiment on when to leave. Be willing to accept some red lights while you determine when to leave the starting line. Different people have different reaction times – do you let the clutch out as soon as the last yellow comes on; ¼ of a second after the last yellow comes on, etc. Some drivers develop a cadence they use for every race to try to support their consistency. The old adage still generally holds true: If you see the green, you lose! Meaning, in a perfect world, you are breaking the lights at the exact same time the light turns green, but you’re already smiling about your great launch and don’t see the green.
If you do these things, in a relatively short period of time, you'll see consistency in your reaction time, your 60' time and your ET/speed. Then you go wild with rear end ratios, power adders, etc. Don’t do it too quickly. It’s harder to effectively launch a high horsepower car than it is to effectively launch a lower horsepower car.
Or just save up lots of $$$, buy a Super Pro class car and let the delay box take care of it. (To me, that takes some of the challenge out of it, though).

 

Route99 thanks, think I will start writing my experience down after each run. Gonna need some more seat time with launching a stick car. Not even worried about reaction time yet, just getting a good launch. My old 86 camaro which a lady now races down Atco was easy to cut a good light with. Plus was getting 1.68 sixty foot times. It's hard to be quick and at the same time feather gas and clutch. If I could just dump it then no problem! Gonna try and get my buddy to videotape my launches.

 

It could be useful to find some articles from the time when the car was new. The magazines probably flogged the heck out of it on the 1/4 mile to see what they could get out of it. That might be helpful to know what the car is capable of in "new" condition and with a professional driver.

 

Some very good info here. https://www.rangeracceleration.com/Launch_Tips.html
Scroll through the topics on the left side too.

 

MSD makes a pretty decent launch control thats plug n play for our cars, adjustable RPM too

 

Are you squeezing the throttle or going WOT?

 

Think I'm going WOT. Weather looks like the track will be open Sunday. I'm stoked to get some seat time and work this out.

 

Well got out to the track on Sunday but they were only running 1/8 mile because of high winds. So only ran a couple passes but got 60 foot practice in. First pass out tried leaving at 2500 and let the clutch out real slow and laid into gas. Felt like I glazed the clutch or something. It definitely was slipping all the way threw first gear and slipped into second so I scrapped the run. Weird part is when I get to the return lane I pop it into first and grabs hard. I punched it enough to spin the tires and the clutch was fine. This ever happen to anyone? Don't think the tires were spinning but the rpm was just at 5000 or so but not climbing really. Had me nervous and I could smell it. Decide to go again but not to slip the clutch thinking maybe thats what made it slip or heat up or something.

2nd pass 2500 and drop the clutch it bogged hard and and rpms dropped down to 1000. Sixty foot was 2.17 and went 8.21 at 93 in the 1/8th. Felt horrible but no slippage.

3rd pass got aggressive. 3500 rpm and basically dumped the clutch and stabbed the gas. Left hard and got a 1.81 sixty. This felt the best. Tires seem to have little spin at 25psi. Missed 3rd gear in this pass and just put in 4th. But I think this is the formula for me. Maybe I'm being to ginger? Been worried about breaking things. My buddy happened to be down so got a video of a run.

 

yes its pretty easy to glaze the clutch if you were giving it more throttle when it wasn't all the way engaged.

 

 

 

Sorry but video quality was from an email

 

Sorry - tried listening to your runs several times, but the purple people eater next to you nearly drowned out the audio of your runs. I could hear the initial bog on round 2, but it sounded like you either bogged a little or slightly backed off the gas very briefly on round 3.
It's tough to try and race on a budget. You want to really run good, but as you said, you have to preserve your parts.
At least you are now paying attention to your staging, launch rpm, car reaction and shifting. Learning to pay attention is a great key to getting better.
Best wishes with your ongoing drag racing experience. Remember us little people when you're at the US Nationals.

 

anyway, thought I would update. ECS did a great tune! Just the fan kicking on around 198 is a nice improvement.

 

Congratulations! You've come a long way!
It appears you are really learning to dissect your runs which allows you to continuously improve.