so i'm planning on going to Quaker City Raceway in Salem Ohio for the first time to try out the cobalt. I used to take my cav. every wedensday, but that was an automatic so that was really easy. Can i please get some tips on how to race. What rpm do i launch? shifting rpms, and anything that will help me get really good times. I am stock with an AEM cai. I really don't wanna run 15's, i've seen some stock cobalts run 14.5's but i've also seen them run 15.5's so help me stay far away from the 15's lol.

oh and please no one tell me to power shift, i think thats really not a smart thing at all considering the car is not made to be power shifted...

 

ok, I'm assuming you have the ss s/c. I don't own one so I can't give you an exact rpm to launch at, but I can give you helpful tips. You want to quick slip your clutch which letting it out very fast but not just dropping it. the goal is to get minimal wheel spin and hop but still taking off quickly. if you don't want to powershift, then you aren't going to get the most out of shifting. So just "granny" shift as fast as you can. And since you are stock with just a CAI I would go past redline as I have read that it isn't necessary cause you aren't making anymore power.

 

Only problem with going past redline is that the fuel cutoff is right at the redline. Otherwise I'm still working on my technique, so I can't really offer any good advice otherwise. Let us know how you do though!

 

I used to go there on Fri nights went a few times with my redline. I ran a lot of 15.0's @ 96. There track prep sukcs get ready for some bad 60' times no matter how you launch. I used to live in Campbell, Oh.

 

i have a 2.2 LS and i launched at 3000RPMs and shifted at 6300 rpms only ran twice and best time was a 17.1 at a mile above sea level

 

I ran stock at 14.5 what i did was two things you can try to see which is better for you
1. Rev at the line to 2600 rpm and slip the clutch out quickly (no dumping)
2. rev at the line to about 1800 rpms and dump the clutch (I Drop or add 100 rpm if to much or no spin for precise launch)
I have seen some guys dump it and pull a 2.2 60 and I have slipped it out w/o powershifting and ran 2.3 60 14.5 at 99mph.
Last thing is to practice and practice makes PERFECT! Also drop your tire pressure in the front two tires to around 20-23 psi and raise the back tire pressure by 10 psi from whatever you have it at now as to help eliminate "squat".
Good luck let us know what happens.
One more thing if you have a supercharged cobalt shift 1st gear at 6000 rpms the rev limiter approaches way to quickly b/c the tach is slow otherwise shift at 6300 rpms for rest of 2nd and you should not have to go into 4th to finish the run.

 

i forgot to tell you guys that i do have a SS/SC but you guys figured it out. thanks for the input and i will let you know how i did on sat.!