I haven't been to the drag strip in about 5 years. I used to do it religiously with my previous cars but was out of the scene for about that time without a performance vehicle. Anyways this was what I was thinking...let me know if I'm forgetting anything (or anyone has any pointers)...

I am removing a few things that are extra weight (aftermarket trunk storage box for one).

I'm making sure I'm at 1/4 tank or less by the time I get to the track

I'm wearing jeans and bringing a SNELL approved helmet.

I was going to drop the tire pressure in the rear a little, but how much?

I practiced launching on the street with a couple of 0-40mph punches. I'm on street tires Michelin Super Sports (285 stock dimensions in rear). It seems best launch is a semi-quick dump of the clutch from 2200rpms or so. Is this about right for most people?

Thanks and wish me luck!!!

 

Other than you'll have to determine tire pressure and launch RPM based on track conditions, I think you have it covered. I'd suggest keeping the pressure above 26 for stability and adjusting RPM for traction.

Don't forget to only turn TC off and leave the other nannies on for safety.

Have fun.

 

Depends on what you were racing before. If it was a real race car you will be bored to death, if not then just go have fun with it. I used to race alcohol dragsters so the thought of taking my Callaway to the drag strip would be about as exciting as going for groceries.....

 

In fact, I don't even lower my tire pressure when I go to the Orlando Speedway, I'm not wanting to forget and not pump it up when leaving.

 

You taking any video?

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Tom I have always found more stability with TC&AH off

 

2010's have launch control so use that a couple times and see if you can beat that time

 

Since this was his first time in 5 years and new car, the AH can save his butt if it gets out of line. He's also on street tires and it's a M6, which splits his concentration between steering and shifting. I was more concerned for his safety than performance. The AH saved my butt on my 4th time out with the Vette, when I hit a coolant spill from the previous car shortly before the finish line. Unexpectedly getting kinda sideways well over 100 is pretty scary in the dark.

 

forgot about the launch control...ambient temperatures were a bit too cold to hook (43-50 degrees). I definitely noticed a problem getting traction later at night. Anyways, here's the times...I had to back out of it a couple times (I had the car going into a harmonic wobble almost at triple digits on some of my runs very weird. The car just body rolled side to side violently as the speeds increased as I got into it in 3rd. I may have to check my tires). Those runs I backed out of it and only ran 12.23 @ 118 and 12.38 @ 114.6 since I coasted part of it.

Here's the times for the ones I kept in it despite the wobbling...(and I gotta get better at launching the street tires in cold weather).

Very first run ever in this car...

60' - 2.26
1/8th 8.375 @ 92.94 mph
1/4mi 12.520 @ 119.80 mph

...then I got a little more comfortable with the launch. Wheel hopped a bit.

60' 2.15
1/8th 8.18 @ 93.7 mph
1/4mi 12.30 @ 120.53 mph

...little bit better launch...

60' 2.075
1/8th 8.024 @ 94.67 mph
1/4mi 12.11 @ 120.56 mph

...with a little more sticking with street tires and a bit less wheel hop I'm sure the car can do 11s easily.

 

Good trap speed. Better launch and you'll be in the 11s for sure.

 

thats why i turn both off, i had that happen so violent i thought i had shaking baby syndrome , as i was correcting faster then the AH and it was correcting back fighting my correcting, i let off throttle 100% and it almost let the *** end into cement barrier, then i punched it and it straighten it out, I never ran with it again and been straight as an arrow

 

so that's the active handling??? I checked on the way driving home from the track even accelerating "slowly" the car still wobbles when I go over 90mph+ You think it's the AH and not necessarily the tires?

EDIT:

Here's the 12.1 run...cell phone camera = cannot zoom lol

 

no its probably the tires are they new. it never did it before until you raced or where they just put on

 

they are Michelin Super Sports stock tire dimensions (285 rear 245 front I believe). They were fine when new then all of a sudden they're recently started doing it. Nothing was changed on the car.

 

just for the heck off it turn both off and drive it to 90, could be a wheel weight of or bent rim from pot hole, but what you described at track sounds like AH

 

okay I'll try it later. Any reason why it NEVER did this before when I first got the tires? I took it once up to 140mph with these tires without a problem late at night a while back.

I'm going to be adding real soon JOC Stage 1 suspension and hopefully that fixes things up a bit but what concerns me is that this just randomly reared it's head up.

Could cold weather do it to the tires? I started noticing it happen more with the colder weather.

 

yes the cold could flat spots from sitting, a broken steel belt in the tire

 

Stupid question...how do I go about checking for these things? What kind of recourse do I have with Michelin regarding this in your opinion???

 

hopefully you can see it or feel a soft spot in the sidewall, my wife's solstice would shimmy the steering wheel would to on cold days and even in the summer the first couple miles until the tire got hot then would go away, it had flat spots from sitting in the garage, you can jack it up and check for a bent rim check the run out