'14 GT Automatic - drag racing results from a few simple mods

[2011/5.0]

Damn phone

 

[Five Oh Brian]

The trick is to go on Wednesday's test n tunes... I was there this past Wednesday and got 6 runs from 5-9 purposely sitting out a few rounds to let the car cool down... And there were quite a few breaks that they had to stop and clean up. If I went for maximum runs I prolly could have gotten 10 or so.

The thing I didn't like about Bremerton is that they just line you up completely randomly against anybody, so I always got lined up against 3000db earth shattering dragsters... It's impossible to concentrate on my launch with something like that next to me, I have a manual to it take a bit more finesse to get it off the line quick than an auto, especially with street tires
But it's been a few years since I've been drag racing at Bremerton, so maybe that's changed... Also, is Bremerton NHRA certified? I know it starts going a little downhill near the end...

Yeah, 11's on street tires is a challenge... Not even sure if it's possible honestly, especially with a manual. Also, my suspension is more handling oriented, so I have that working against me too. I'll make a thread once I start making a bit more progress, prolly next year since drag racing season is almost over here in the NW.

And yes, I'm local, about 15 mins away from Pacific Raceways

Looks like we're neighbors.

I've done some Wednesday nights at Pacific Raceways, but I still don't like how they keep everyone in the pits and call out each lane one at a time. Bremerton does let anyone run against anyone during their TNT's, like you mentioned, but I don't mind lining up against loud/trailered race cars (I beat a fair number of them). I've been racing at Pacific since 1982, but only discovered Bremerton in 2008. Bremerton's track prep isn't as good as Pacific, but I love the extra runs I can get at Bremerton (sometimes 20-30 passes in one day).

 

[Five Oh Brian]

Ya brian i would agree the shaft is overpriced for the gain but once u get around 11.5 and under range N/A its nrssasary

Do the NHRA rules require a one piece d/s under 11.50? I know a 6-pt roll cage is required at that point, hence the reason I'm nearly done modding and only aiming for 11.5's to 11.6's.

 

[5.0 Probie]

I agree 100% that most of the magic in my car is the converter. How long until you call up Chris at Circle-D and get one for Pepper?

Plans are next spring as it is on the "Want" list vs. the "Need" list... I "need" a Riding lawn mower, a new Shed and some stumps removed first.

We just tinted the windows yesterday (Man Nick did a great job) and are in the middle of getting a rear camera setup rolling for the wife. So that is taking the last of the fun money for 2014. Because of course, if I am going to do it, I want to do it to last... So I purchased a factory 2014 GT wing/spoiler with the factory camera installed. Ordered an Alpine mono amp for the subs, and plan on getting a Kenwood DNX891HD to connect it all...

 

[2011/5.0]

Theres a safety loop rule at 12 iirc and a bar rule under 11.5 but i can run test n tune ,mm and fun days without safety rules i just cant run in a points race. We are now ihra in cedarfalls

 

[warmmilk]

Looks like we're neighbors.

I've done some Wednesday nights at Pacific Raceways, but I still don't like how they keep everyone in the pits and call out each lane one at a time. Bremerton does let anyone run against anyone during their TNT's, like you mentioned, but I don't mind lining up against loud/trailered race cars (I beat a fair number of them). I've been racing at Pacific since 1982, but only discovered Bremerton in 2008. Bremerton's track prep isn't as good as Pacific, but I love the extra runs I can get at Bremerton (sometimes 20-30 passes in one day).

they did the whole keep you in the pits thing when I went there on a weekend, but last wednesday (and everyother TNT I've been there when I had my 350Z a few years ago) they just let everyone line up in the staging lanes...

 

[Five Oh Brian]

Plans are next spring as it is on the "Want" list vs. the "Need" list... I "need" a Riding lawn mower, a new Shed and some stumps removed first.

We just tinted the windows yesterday (Man Nick did a great job) and are in the middle of getting a rear camera setup rolling for the wife. So that is taking the last of the fun money for 2014. Because of course, if I am going to do it, I want to do it to last... So I purchased a factory 2014 GT wing/spoiler with the factory camera installed. Ordered an Alpine mono amp for the subs, and plan on getting a Kenwood DNX891HD to connect it all...

Sounds like Pepper is getting a lot of attention! As for the riding mower, that's not really a "need," and you could buy a lot of mods for Pepper with that money! Just sayin'.....

You should come out racing with us a Bremerton sometime. When I went the day before yesterday, I was joined by two friends: Chris in his Grabber Blue '14 Brembo GT MT-82 (best run for him was a 12.33 @ 116+) and his uncle Bob with his White '12 GT automatic (Procharged and a best run of 11.28 @ 124+). I split the difference between them with a best of 11.80 @ 117+.

 

[Five Oh Brian]

they did the whole keep you in the pits thing when I went there on a weekend, but last wednesday (and everyother TNT I've been there when I had my 350Z a few years ago) they just let everyone line up in the staging lanes...

I might just have to make a trip to Pacific for a Wednesday TNT. They don't show any more TNT's for this year, though. Bremerton still has several of them in September.

 

[warmmilk]

I might just have to make a trip to Pacific for a Wednesday TNT. They don't show any more TNT's for this year, though. Bremerton still has several of them in September.

yeah, thats too bad... I'll prolly make it out to Bremerton 1 time this year and thats it... I'm ordering a Steeda intake and tune today so I wanna see how much it improves... if any...

 

[5.0 Probie]

Sounds like Pepper is getting a lot of attention! As for the riding mower, that's not really a "need," and you could buy a lot of mods for Pepper with that money! Just sayin'.....

You should come out racing with us a Bremerton sometime. When I went the day before yesterday, I was joined by two friends: Chris in his Grabber Blue '14 Brembo GT MT-82 (best run for him was a 12.33 @ 116+) and his uncle Bob with his White '12 GT automatic (Procharged and a best run of 11.28 @ 124+). I split the difference between them with a best of 11.80 @ 117+.

As for racing. We do want to give that a go. But not until I add the LCA and brackets. All I do is donuts if I hit the gas right now... lol

Now corner carving, this is one nice weekend warrior setup. Just the right amount of cutting ability... And once the LCA's are in place, I bet the tire lacking grip when under hard power will hook up and be scary fun.

You only want me out there so you folks have someone slower than all of you anyway

 

[Five Oh Brian]

yeah, thats too bad... I'll prolly make it out to Bremerton 1 time this year and thats it... I'm ordering a Steeda intake and tune today so I wanna see how much it improves... if any...

I did the Steeda intake & tune on my '11 Brembo GT. No improvement over the stock airbox & SCT canned tune. However, the Steeda CAI sure looks nice under the hood.

I hope you can make it out to Bremerton. September is just about it for this season. Lots of Coyotes have been running the local tracks this year. It's good to see us all whoopin' up on the Mopars, GM's, and imports.

 

[Five Oh Brian]

You only want me out there so you folks have someone slower than all of you anyway

Funny guy! We want to see all the 5.0L's get faster and faster!

 

[warmmilk]

I did the Steeda intake & tune on my '11 Brembo GT. No improvement over the stock airbox & SCT canned tune. However, the Steeda CAI sure looks nice under the hood.

I hope you can make it out to Bremerton. September is just about it for this season. Lots of Coyotes have been running the local tracks this year. It's good to see us all whoopin' up on the Mopars, GM's, and imports.

well thats a shame... anyway, the main reason I'm getting the steeda tune is for the higher redline and to get rid of the stock "soft" rev limiter, go for a more normal kinda rev limiter... I noticed the stock soft rev limiter will cut power into the next gear if I touch it, not good for drag racing or autocross... higher redline will also let me run out 4th at the end of the 1/4 instead of shifting into 5th

and the intake mostly for the noise... I guess I still have a little ricer in me

 

[Five Oh Brian]

well thats a shame... anyway, the main reason I'm getting the steeda tune is for the higher redline and to get rid of the stock "soft" rev limiter, go for a more normal kinda rev limiter... I noticed the stock soft rev limiter will cut power into the next gear if I touch it, not good for drag racing or autocross... higher redline will also let me run out 4th at the end of the 1/4 instead of shifting into 5th

and the intake mostly for the noise... I guess I still have a little ricer in me

There's nothing wrong with the Steeda CAI. It sounds/looks great. And you're correct that the tuning helps with the higher redline and such, but the same is true of most other tunes. Gus at Steeda writes decent tunes for the manual trans cars, so you should be happy with the results.

 

[foxxxtman]

You'll definitely see big gains from the torque converter - don't be afraid to go really big (4,000 rpm's or bigger). I don't think the intake/TB/CAI make any real power gains on our cars at near stock power levels as the factory pieces aren't airflow restrictions. Perhaps they help once you're well beyond factory power levels, though. Exhaust (off road mid-pipes, especially) would be a cost effective mod with noticeable performance gains.

I have the LP O/R-H and Mike Rousch tune, that's why I was looking possibly at the Intake/TB/CAI next. I would guess that putting the O/R pipe on there should have opened it up a little where I could get some more from the combo. Maybe not.... converter is definitely next though.

 

[Five Oh Brian]

I realized that posting up some timeslips might be useful. Here's my slips from 8.22.14 out at Bremerton Raceway. I'm car # 2061. The air was okay; temp was in the mid 70's and humidity was in the 60-70% range. Density altitude was 850-1000' feet above sea level, so that was costing me about a tenth in ET and 1 mph in trap speed (corrected to sea level, the car should have run in the 11.7's @ 118). Anyway, really happy with the 11.80 @ 117.7 run (leftmost slip) and the other runs were all in the 11.8's and 11.9's. Not bad for hotlapping the car. One of these days I'm going to let the car cool down a long time and try for a personal best ET.




Car is 100% factory stock, except for the following on the above race day: Mike Rousch Tune, O/R H-Pipe, GT500 mufflers, Circle-D 5000 rpm stall converter, 4.10 gears, M&H 28" tall drag radials. That's it! No other mods of any kind. 100% stock engine, stock airbox with factory paper filter, stock suspension, stock 18x8 wheels, stock 2-pc driveshaft, etc. Race weight was 3860 lbs with me in the car (half tank of gas).

 

[Five Oh Brian]

Here's a shot of my best slip from 8.22.14 (11.804 @ 117.70) so it's easier to read the short times. I'm car #2061 in the right lane....

 

[tigerhonaker]

Brian ^^^ way to go ...


Terry

 

[MachRan]

Really strong for hot lapping. You need to see what it will do cooled down.

 

[Five Oh Brian]

Really strong for hot lapping. You need to see what it will do cooled down.

You're absolutely right. I just get too pumped up to keep racing that it's hard to just park the car in the pits and wait for it to cool down. And, it's a 90 minute drive in stop'n'go traffic to get to my favorite local track, so the car is always piping hot when I get to the track. I'm not sure, but there could be a tenth or more improvement in ET if I had the patience to cool the car down.