I've started to see a lot of people asking how to improve their times at the track. I've managed to get some decent times both with slicks and street tires.

The most important thing you can do is to practice!!! It doesn’t matter how much advice you get, or who gives you tips. Without a lot of seat time and making a lot of passes, it is a hard thing to master. IMHO, I don’t think it matters how much power you have, a good time will be achieved by putting down a good 60 foot and 330 foot time. If you take a look at my timeslip posted below, compare my time to your timeslip in the first 330 feet. I’ll assume quite a few are in the mid 6 to low 7 second range. Get that number low!!! A rule of thumb is, “For every tenth of a second you shave in the 60 foot, you shave double of that in your quarter mile time.”



Now, if you look at the time difference between the 1000 ft mark and the end of the track, it took me 2.183 seconds to do the last 320 feet. Again, I’m going to make an assumption and guess that most are in the 2.200 to 2.400 range. Either way, for our types of cars, especially the supercharged ones, it is much easier to shave off time in the first 330 feet then the last 320 feet.

So, how do I launch? Basically, I hold the motor at about 2000–2500 rpm. I leave on the last yellow and start by just slipping the clutch a bit. At the same time as letting the clutch out, I ease into the gas a bit more. Once the clutch is all the way out, I have the gas pedal just about to the floor and I’m very close to the rev limiter. I shift out of first into second when my shift light goes off which is set 200 rpm below the rev limiter. The key here is to not do anything to suddenly. If you drop the clutch to fast, you’ll bog. If you hit the gas to quick, you’ll spin. The only thing you want to do quick is shift! Try to maintain as much traction as you can, just have the wheels slipping slightly and take it as close to the rev limiter as you dare. The benefit of taking it high up in the rpm range is that way you don’t bog the engine when you go into second. Myself, I’m shifting it out of first gear at about 45 km/h or so. (Practice, practice, practice...)

So, if you think you’ve got your technique down pat, what can you do to the car to get a better launch?

- For starters, get slicks. My best 60 ft is a 1.990 and I don’t have a hope in hell to do that on street tires. Next year, the first thing I buy will be slicks.

- Play with tire pressure. On street tires, I set them to about 18-20 psi in the front and about 48 psi in the rear. I also use cheap street tires that respond well to tire pressure changes. The fronts go all flat and wide and the rears get all hard to lower rolling resistance.

- I have air bags in my rear coil springs. This keeps the back end from snapping down to much while launching and between shifts. I don’t know how much that helps, but it certainly doesn’t hurt too much.

- Stop that motor from rocking!!! I’ve used a BWoody front motor mount but using an Ingall’s engine damper should work just as well or maybe better. By reducing the motor from rocking, you’ll limit the wheel hop. Another option is to use BWoody traction bars. I don’t have them, but I would definitely consider using them either by themsleves or in conjuction with other mods.

- I also have a B&M shifter. It has slightly shorter throws and it feels much better. Between a better shifter and a motor that doesn't rock as much, shifting feels a lot more precise.

Try different things and keep track of your timeslips. Don’t be afraid to write on the back of your timeslip what tire pressure you tried or what you launched at on that run. It will help you look back later to figure out what worked and what didn’t.

That’s what works for me. Hope it helps!

 

+ rep
Good stuff!

 

Awesome write up!!!

 

Nice write up man! I usually launch at 4000rpm on the DRs and my best 60' have been 2.03 iirc. This Saturday is the last race here so hope I can back into 1st lol. Pretty tight competision(SP?) Wish me luck.

Oh, do you guys think my 26" DRs are too tall and slowing me down more that it's worth?

 

I used Spaz's Hoosier QT Pro's to run my 1.990 60'. IIRC, they are a 26 x 9.5" tire.

 

consistent 1.9 60' times are being put down by the fastest RL on RLF. who launches at idle.

 

very nice writeup!!

 

Lol!!! I know you're talking about my_bd in Vancouver, right? I've never tried launching like that and I've only made 4 passes on the slicks. Next year when I get my own slicks, I'll have to try different things and see what works. Keep in mind, he also has a ton of suspension mods too.

Myself, on the slicks, I launched at about 3000-3500 rpm or so. To be honest, I was afraid of stalling or bogging off the line.

 

nice write it up, now watch all us go out and get wicked times next friday haha.

 

I can hardly wait to practice launches with my DRs and new mods. Nice write up...I hope to see 1.8 60" times with DRs. I was able to pull off 2.2s which is not to great.

 

Thanks for hte launching help. I might go practice this right now.
+rep

 

What kind of heat cycle did you go to with your DRs? I changed mine from 3 seconds to 6 and found a huge difference.

 

is the guy on the RLF on slicks cutting 1.9's?

 

I have found that 1.9's are pretty typical to get on the Hoosier slicks, I get 1.9's every time I go, they're not too exciting any more.
it's the 1.8's that are tuff, I have not had many of those.
I have stock clutch and axles still, and the stock clutch does not put up with hard launching.

 

thanks man.this is going to help alot.

 

*points at my_bd* dat b the guy!

 

Very Nice post...Same things I do. I would suggest staying out of the water (burnout) box & depending on the track conditions you could do everything right& not get as good 60'. I have done several 2.18& 2.19 on original tires but the track was 'hookin. Nothing will take the place of practice but this will help get someone new to launching the car on the right "track".

 

yes, on street tires is the 'burnout' really nessesary? i never do them just because i dont wanna ruin my street tires and i dont think the burnout really heats up street tires too much...any reliable info i could use? i run street tires and wont have DR for a while so telling me to get DR's isnt gonna help

 

Are any of you planning on spending the ENTIRE WEEKEND racing out at Race City?
I am.
This weeend is one of the last CDRA bracket races of the season.
http://www.calgarydragracing.ab.ca/
I dont really plan to win th whole thing or anything but get in as many runs as I can while gaining valuable experience launching and shifting (as Sidejam has indicated is SO important)
AND
Hopefully get the chance to refine my engine tune through extensive HPT logging while tripping up and down the ol' 1320 ALL WEEKEND!
(plus it's pretty cool to check out all the other great race cars an people in the daylight LOL)

Hope to see ya there
LB.

 

+ Rep

Thanks for a great write up I will be using this for practice definately. as you could see on the video of steve and I racing it was a very rough run that day.