Help/tips for new drag racer
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From: easton pa
Help/tips for new drag racer
First time at the drags,need help! 06,z51,m6. My goodyears are 15000 miles old...figured a good time to try at the track since they won`t pass another inspection. Well 9 runs,best was 13.4...seeems my 60 ft times was the culprit. all were consistant arround 2.4 to 2.6. Could not stop the tires from spinning no matter what I tried which consisted of lower tire pressure(20),traction control off or on,trying to slip the clutch(which was recommended by a fellow vette participant)...all ended with same tire slippage. So either I really suck or I need different tires!!! input??( temp at the track was high 80`s and sunny,I did not attempt a burn-out,skipped the water area)
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Joined: Mar 2007
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From: Missouri City Texas
You need to heat the tires up a bit even if you're using the runflats.
No big burnout is needed, but you should spin them over for 2-3 seconds hard to clean them off.
What you need is practice to get down to 1.9-2.0 60's and you'd be running nearly mid 12s
No big burnout is needed, but you should spin them over for 2-3 seconds hard to clean them off.
What you need is practice to get down to 1.9-2.0 60's and you'd be running nearly mid 12s
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Southampton NJ
you have to do the burnout, 24lbs hot works great with the runflats, you really need drag radials, the runflats get to hard when worn with that many miles, just take off like your at a stop sign and once clutch is released roll the rest of the way into throttle
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St. Jude Donor '08
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From: easton pa
Thanks for all the information...I learned a lot. I was guilty of the death grip shift and missed third twice(into 5th which was better than first)trying to be sure not to engage first by accident. On my next try I will allow the shifter to center itself as you reccomended. Easing out the clutch and applying the power gradually will be what I will concentrate on next time arround.Thanks again for your informitive reply,if you were nearby I would let you take my car down the track to see just how in-experienced I really am...lol. thanks again.gator
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St. Jude Donor '08
Drag radials are softer sidewalls and absorb the shock better and don't wheel hop.
Plus they grip so much better. Trust me. A 1.6 feels a world away from a 2.6. It's like hitting one down the middle 290 yards vs. shanking one into the woods. Proper shoes are the key the drag racing. You could play ice hockey in sneakers...but it wouldn't be much fun once you tried skates. Same principal here. Try some drag radials. You can buy them used with rims for cheap.
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From: easton pa
Please think real hard before racing on street tires...if you wheel hop (likely), chances are you will go home on a wrecker with a blown rear. I've seen half a dozen do that at the track, all but one on street tires.
Drag radials are softer sidewalls and absorb the shock better and don't wheel hop.
Plus they grip so much better. Trust me. A 1.6 feels a world away from a 2.6. It's like hitting one down the middle 290 yards vs. shanking one into the woods. Proper shoes are the key the drag racing. You could play ice hockey in sneakers...but it wouldn't be much fun once you tried skates. Same principal here. Try some drag radials. You can buy them used with rims for cheap.
Drag radials are softer sidewalls and absorb the shock better and don't wheel hop.
Plus they grip so much better. Trust me. A 1.6 feels a world away from a 2.6. It's like hitting one down the middle 290 yards vs. shanking one into the woods. Proper shoes are the key the drag racing. You could play ice hockey in sneakers...but it wouldn't be much fun once you tried skates. Same principal here. Try some drag radials. You can buy them used with rims for cheap.
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St. Jude Donor '08
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St. Jude Donor '08
For reference, I'm a manual guy, and it took me over 100 runs to get down to a 1.6. It's arguable that I'm just a slow learner...but it's not so easy to "get it" but once you get it you get it. Listening to a friend do it was the key. You have to not be afraid to hold the revs at 4500 or so, then walk the clutch out slowly enough to not spin the tires or bog, but quickly enough to not smoke the clutch, and mat it once you feel you've hooked up. The key to a 1.6 is to not bog it and I end up letting out the clutch too fast pretty often and then I bog and I get a 1.9. With my stock cam it was actually easier to launch. This cam is peakier and harder to keep "on the cam" in the launch. Kind of like keeping a two stroke dirt bike "on the pipe".
It is addicting though! You might post up in the drag racing section there are a lot of experts there.
It is addicting though! You might post up in the drag racing section there are a lot of experts there.
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Joined: Dec 2006
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From: easton pa
For reference, I'm a manual guy, and it took me over 100 runs to get down to a 1.6. It's arguable that I'm just a slow learner...but it's not so easy to "get it" but once you get it you get it. Listening to a friend do it was the key. You have to not be afraid to hold the revs at 4500 or so, then walk the clutch out slowly enough to not spin the tires or bog, but quickly enough to not smoke the clutch, and mat it once you feel you've hooked up. The key to a 1.6 is to not bog it and I end up letting out the clutch too fast pretty often and then I bog and I get a 1.9. With my stock cam it was actually easier to launch. This cam is peakier and harder to keep "on the cam" in the launch. Kind of like keeping a two stroke dirt bike "on the pipe".
It is addicting though! You might post up in the drag racing section there are a lot of experts there.
It is addicting though! You might post up in the drag racing section there are a lot of experts there.
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From: salem OR
with the throttle made the sixty slower with street tires.
