I have an 05 A4 with mods that give me 392rwhp. I have the 3.15 performance axle. Recently I took on a brand new 427 Roush mustang at a track. I had the traction control off and active handling on. I left the car in D and stomped on the throttle. I was ahead until the tranny shifted into second. At that point the wheels spun and the car started to fish tail. I backed off the throttle and, of course, lost to the mustang. I am embarrassed on one hand; but I am not a racer. Should I have had the traction control on? Where did I go wrong?

 

Get slicks...

Probably bad track prep or something. Should have raced them again..

 

Never run the quarter mile in Drive. Car should have been in 3 if it was an A4. Competitive mode.

Are you on runflats or drag radials with that kind of power?

 

The stock run flats do not offer much traction at all when cold, not not even very good when warm, so dont beat yourself up too much.

You just need to learn your car a little better. Many guys that get bad run timees or races due to situations like you describe is because they need to learn the characteristics of their particular car. A Corvette is a great car, but that doesnt mean you can just get in, pound the throttle and hold on...especially with all that extra power you are running. You have to practice launching, shifting braking etc on different road surfaces so you know what the car will do and when you push it to the limit. Once you get the feel of when the tires will break loose, when the car has its best pull etc, then you know how to run it.

I dont have a Auto, but I had to relearn throttle feathering with my MN6, especially after the mods I did. I can light the tires in 1-4 way too easily, so I had to learn just the right amount of the throttle to keep accelerating instead of spinning. Once I toast these tires, Ill probably add the widebody kit and wider non run flats to help hook a little better.

Dont fret it....You did good...You did the smart thing and didnt push it. You might have wrecked the car or yourself. Learn your car and it's new power a little more, get ready and go back and kick his tail. It'll feel twice as good!

 

You're assuming he really was at a track

 

 

Wink wink

 

Aw, come on guys. But thanks for the tips. Yes, I am running on stock runflats with 17k miles on them. I discovered the right rear was running at 24lbs the next day when the sensor came on. So I need to always check the tire pressure when I'm at the "track". Oops. Geez, I hate losing to a mustang - even a good one!

 

Less air would prolly give you better traction, not worse.

 

Thats how you learn, by doing.

 

17k miles on the tires may not have helped if they are getting worn. Lower tire pressure is typically a better thing for the track.

 

If I were going to drag race it, I'd put a tire on it. Especially with nearly 400 rear wheel horsepower.

Do yourself a favor and invest in a set of drag radials if you intend to drag race it. There are several advantages:

1. Better launches/60ft times, well heated less chance for them breaking loose on the 1-2 shift, which BTW could have resulted in you ending up into the wall. I have seen it happen to a bone stock C5 on runflats making considerable less power than you are.

2. Less wear on your street tires.

3. More consistent results.

4. Easier to heat up. Softer compound.

And many others.

I'll go one step further and speaking after nearly putting my own C5 into the wall at Quaker City trying to race it on street runflats while it was making around 330 at the rear wheels with 3.42 gears, KOOKS headers, and a torque converter.

If you are a beginner and have that kind of power, I wouldn't even attempt to drag race that car on those runflats. If you are a beginner and those runflats break loose on you and the rear end starts acting up, and you lift, you could very easily end up having a bad day.