redrocket

YES, I ran my SS in the Street Wars at Pittsburgh Raceway last night.
Care to know how I did?????

First of all I didn't attach a pic of a slip cause I don't think it matters, YET !!!
I'll explain:
My background (quickly) - I raced a 550HP 67 Chevelle (auto) every weekend for 4 years,
and yes I did very well, so I know how to race, (but it was 15 Yrs ago) enough said.
Air Temp: 65F at start, 52 at end.
Car: All stock, even tire pressure. I did absolutely nothing to the car.
Gas: 93 octane
Me: Extremely nervous, have not raced on a pro tree in 15 years.
Compition: More than 60 PA inspected street legal cars of all types.
Class: Sport Subcompact - all 4 cylinders / Auto and stick.

What Happened:
Basicly because of 3 blown engines and a scattered transmission I was only able to get 2 time trials before eliminations, and 2 elimination runs before losing. It was a bad night and everyone was having traction problems, even the pros running test and tune.
1st TT - Broke the beam and stalled the car! Yes I stalled the car, most embarrassing
Spun the tires as never before, through 2nd gear. Hit rev limiter twice. Thought I might have hurt the car.
TIME - 60@5.823 - 1/4@20.159 - MPH@89.62
2nd TT - Again spun like hell in 1st, tried backing off throttle a little but not enough. 2nd gear at about 5000 RPM tires broke loose again, started hopping, backed off and floored it again. Hit limiter briefly.
TIME - 60@2.517 - 1/4@15.595 - MPH@94.49

Eliminations and Dial In (This is all IHRA bracket racing, no deep staging)
Purse > Free entry to next SWs event for driver and 1 crew.
Most running here are here for the fun and all that applies.
For an additional 20 bucks, if you win you get 1000 back!!!
So some take this very seriously.
I dialed in at 15.20, thinking if I can get hooked up I can improve my time. best so far 15.5.

1st Elim - Again I can't control the wheel spin, not as bad this time but hopped a good bit.
TIME - 60@2.472 - 1/4@15.207 - MPH@98.67 (dial 15.20) Winner!!
2nd Elim - Spun about the same as last run, felt pretty good and THEN !!!! Missed 3rd gear.
I couldn't believe it, absolutely pissed at myself.
TIME - 60@2.774 - 1/4@15.778 - MPH@94.83 (dial 15.0) Lost.
OUT

I'm going back and will post again.
My problem I think is that I was trying to get good reaction times, old habits.
In doing so and also being nervous I definitly over powered the wheels. I think I would have done better just launching as if in traffic - granny style.

Sorry so long.

redrocket

Threw a few pics in the album.
Also, before someone askes, the car has just over 1000 miles on it.
In fact I broke 1000 at the track.

stic5

Sounds like you had a great time! I noticed from your pics that you raced an Evo. My friend has one of those, so I'm curious to hear how you fared in that particular race. I'm sure his 4wd helped since you were having traction problems, but were you able to stay fairly even after the launch?

redrocket

NO, this was the run that the tires broke loose in the middle of 2nd gear. Ha didn't just walk away but there was no way I was going to gain on him wheel hopping at 50 MPH.
I spoke with him about launching his car. He said he uses the clutch to regulate his launch, not the throttle. He also said he burns up a clutch every summer.
The all wheel drive cars definitly had the advantage this night but even they were upset about the track.
Honostly I have better launches on the public street, I never spun the tires so much since I've had the car. And yes, I had a blast.

mchat

Bracket racing... good fun. I've still yet to make it pass the first round It's very difficult to be consistant when you're modulating throttle and/or clutch through 1st & 2nd trying to get it to hook up.

Lower your tire pressure to around 25 will help (I've found below that on true street tires, doesn't help on the launch and actually hurts on the top end; your mileage may vary.) Also you may try launching just off idle (2000rpm) and rolling into the throttle gently. I was able to cut 2.0 60's using that method; and track prep here is usually pretty questionable.

redrocket

Ya the thought of dropping pressure crossed my mind but my goal was and is to try and see just what this car can do right out the showroom door.
I'm so used to going for the reaction time that it was really hard for me to not launch hard. Like I said in my post, a granny launch would more than likely put me in the 14's.
If you look at the MPH, the speeds for 14's are there, I just need to get off the line without toasting the tires. I easily lost .5 secs due to my inability to back off enough, it is a fine line
and as I said I'm going back.
I know this car will run low 14's, it's not the car, it was me.

Also, I have a reservation at a local road course, 1.6 mile track, 65 Feet wide and grass on both sides instead of a guard rail. Morning in the classroom and the afternoon on the track.
There is one nice straight away that I am hoping to do over 140 MPH on, answering another question I've seen in these forums. Will post top speed when I do this.
I'm also registered at another road course for Aug, 2.6 mile track. So if I can't get 140 on the 1.6 I should get it on the 2.6.
I believe I will also be able to shed light on the LSD issue.

DanM

Sounds like you can't drive for ****. Nah j/k, I'm certainly not a pro driver, and I actually found the SS to be a pretty tough car to get a handle on. First time I got in it I nearly stalled it because I wasn't expecting the clutch to be that grabby. And it is really tricky to launch this thing decently for sure... I certainly haven't mastered it.

Still, impressive. 15.2 with tons of slip, and 15.7 missing a gear... that's pretty solid performance from the car.

rm25x

Sounds like a fun night. I am also still learning what it takes to get a good launch for different conditions. I raced my buddy in his S-10 SS and lost every race but one, because I couldn't control the tire spin. I got lucky once, got a great launch, and shifted at just the right times and he couldn't touch me then. So its more me then the car's fault at this point.

raff

Wow.. that sounds like a ton of fun.. we have a drag strip here in PEI and I've never done it before, but my gf's brother hangs out there all the time.. he's got a 5.0 mustang from the 80's he absolutely loves.. and I'd absolutely love to blow by him.. ha ha ha.. he posted a 14.3 time not so long ago, so he's pretty good in driving, specially with me not having any experience.. hmm.. perhaps my old man's stock car driving blood could be runnin through my veins tho eh? ha ha ha.. I'll post as soon as I do it, still too early as I've only got 1000km's on it.

codyss

With those MPH with only 1000miles on the clock SRT-4 definately aren't going to walk any Cobalt SS's.

If someone could snag a 2.1 or better 60 ft high 13's really low 14's would be easy.

I haven't driven a powerful FWD for about 4 years so I am still trying to figure out a perfect launch techniqe.

redrocket

I agree !!!

The speed is there, it is me, not the car

Will post next adventure, raining today - Track closed.

brianfcp

Can anyone post timeslips for the Cobalt 2.2L Manual Tranny?

dnbguy86

Coupe is 15.9, sedan is 16.4

nikeair042

The race is won on reaction time. if you catch a .200 light, and he has a .400 light, at the end of the quarter mile, you should win by 2 car lengths. I race at raceway park all the time with my camaro, and my dad has been racing for 25 years. every race is won by the R/T, unless you screw up during your run lol. So, if you can catch a good light, and you don't breakout, you will be hard to beat. The tree is oh so important. If you dial in at 15.00, and your opponent is 15.00, if you catch a better light, you should win..shifting isnt the hard part, catching consitent, good lights is... gj though..

redrocket

Raction time matters more only if you can make a consistant run.
Yes if both cars dial the same and run the same, the reaction time is where the race is won.
However, if your not consistant, the reaction time is less effective, and I can lie to the tree.
Example: Say I'm running 14.0 to 14.4. I can dial a 14.5 knowing that I'll have the power to make up for a bad launch, reaction time. I won many races by under dialing the car and then backing off the throttle after my bumper just passes the other cars. The risk is over running your dial.
I've won $$$ and Trophies racing like this. It also helps to know what your running against, some cars I just couldn't get away with this. (They were consistant)

You have to be consistant first, then work on the reaction time, then your un-beatable!!

chevytech329

Ive raced my Cav Z-24 5 speed several times at the local track. I always lower my front tire pressures to 20 psi, drive around the water trap (water stays in the groves and makes it spin more) and do a couple dry burn out hops. Launch at 2000 rpm and feather the gas. I'll have to dig out my time slips but always had great 60 ft times.

My .02

Jeff
1998 cav z-24
2002 s-10
1971 chevy custom truck
sold the plane!

Red SS/SC still ordered (4 months now)

raff

Well.. I told you I'd post after I raced the track, and I just got back

Man.. what a blast! I figured out something tho.. I'm the worst driver ever! ha ha ha ha.

My first run ever.. spun like a madman.. ran in 15.33, 2.550 60 ft, 95.18 mph.. I wasn't happy as I spun like crazy.. but it got worse!

Next run, I spun again, tried to compensate and fucked it up completely, then missed 3rd.. I was in high 16's.. whoops!!

Next run was pretty much the same.. what a rookie!

Last run I made I reverted to my first technique and spun crazy.. but posted 15.9 or so, again I missed 3rd a bit.. christ.. it doesn't flip into 3rd like my old Acura that's fer sure..

So on my final run, I decided to let my gf's bro try it out.. he still spun crazy, but got a good launch and finished at 15.068 @ 96.29 mph... I was pretty impressed.. both with him beating me never driving my car before, but also the fact that he left the 14's for me to reach first in my car! HA HA HA HA.

Anyhow.. I had an absolute blast.. and I know that if I can get the launch down (I may also try a damn granny launch next time), that it will give him and his 14.28 '87 mustang a run!

If anyone has any suggestions for launching.. let me know

Cheers all!

tiny

no way, did you do that??
i did a 16.6 in my coupe, but it was my first time at the track with a manual car

Ylojrsy

Show the time slip!!!!!!!!!!! I'll be posting mine after SuperChevy in April 2006! Pomona, CA! See ya'll there!

Adirondack_Cobalt

Last time I raced was at Napierville Dragway, Napierville Quebec.
Bone stock 98 Cavalier 2.2L OHV/5speed, 215/60/14 tires, 35psi f/40psi r

best run was 16.9@79.3mph
best reaction was .005, basically about as close to redlighting as you can get.

I want to run the Cobalt before the season ends. I want bragging rights over my friends 04 Cavalier.
Other than that, it has no bearing on anything else in the world.

Scott

tiny

the best time i saw a new style cavy run was a 17 flat

Chevy4Life85

I hate when people dont post slips... why not just do ti and back yourself up, this makes me think you didnt even break into 15's at all

tiny

i threw all mine out, but my best was a 16.6 at 85mph, with a 2.5 60'

Adirondack_Cobalt

mine are in my photoalbum... i don't have a scanner.
Out of four runs, that was my best time. The rest were 17.1, 17.3... well hell... I'll post them out of the album verbatim.

Run #1:
Reaction: .211
I1: 2.374
I2: .000
I3: 10.792
ET: 16.967
MPH: 79.311

Run #2:
Reaction: .003
I1: 2.615
I2: .000
I3: 11.080
ET: 17.206
MPH: 80.230

Run #3
Reaction: .092
I1: 2.541
I2: 10.955
I3: .000
ET: 17.162
MPH: 78.577

Run #4
Reaction: .195
I1: 2.550
I2: .000
I3: 11.034
ET: 17.176
MPH: 79.975

That was all I ran before the bracket racing started.

Scott

raff

Do you mean me? Cuz I can put them in for sure if you want.. I just didn't think that the times were that good

But if you want me to post em.. I sure will.. but I hope to break into the 14's this week when I take it and granny launch.. muu ha ha