Drag strip tips/techniques for launching the car please.....

[Gibbo]

Hi there


Shall be taking my car for its first drag race soon at the strip and well as I am normally into circuit racing and auto cross this will be a new black art to me.

As such a quick run down of my car:-
2005 Saleen SC281
JDM Tuned 480RWHP
Tokico D-specs
Steeda Upper and Lower control arms
Saleen watts linkage
18" wheels with 285/40/18 Toyo T1R tyres
5-Speed manual with Roush P51 clutch
3.55 gears


My questions are:-

1. Best launch RPM?
2. Slip clutch/ease out or just let it out?
3. Ideal rear tyre pressures?
4. Tokico D-Spec settings
5. Any other tips?

 

[duece05]

slicks or D/R's or it won't matter how you launch, as soon as you nail it, it's going to spin like crazy

 

[Gibbo]

slicks or D/R's or it won't matter how you launch, as soon as you nail it, it's going to spin like crazy

Hi there

Well dont have any of those sorry so am looking for tips from those who have experience as am sure you all dont have slicks or D/R's or at somepoint have done it on street tyres and manage to get the best out of them.

 

[chad05gt]

w/ that power, and not even dr's its really pointless.

 

[Steedman07]

Your going to waste your time with street's..Unless your just going for the hell of it, then launch softly then nail it..

 

[Gibbo]

Your going to waste your time with street's..Unless your just going for the hell of it, then launch softly then nail it..

Hi there

Thats pretty much the case, just looking for pointers as surely getting the rear pressures and tokico settings right it will at least help a bit.

I am going for the hell of it but at the same time would like to give myself and my car the best chance possible and would be nice to get sub 13s

 

[chad05gt]

not so much the launch the problem w/ safety, be careful, shifting into 4th at nearly 100mph and sliding all over is rather dangerous...

 

[kenneth]

I say launch easy
Also the Tokico should be set Full soft on front and full firm on rears.

 

[Gibbo]

not so much the launch the problem w/ safety, be careful, shifting into 4th at nearly 100mph and sliding all over is rather dangerous...

Hi there

My car never slides on 3rd-4th shift, infact it does not even slide on 2nd-3rd shift.

I can go WOT in 2nd at any point and it just hooks up, its only 1st gear where it wil break traction.

I might be on street tyres but they are a sticky compound summer tyre and my suspension mods gave the car much better traction.

 

[Gibbo]

I say launch easy
Also the Tokico should be set Full soft on front and full firm on rears.

Hi there

I agree with the front set to full soft, but surely setting the rear to full hard is not wise as surely I want the rear to squat down which means the rear needs to be set to soft as well, just not as soft as the front?

I was thinking 6.5 turns from hard in the front and 5 turns from hard in the rear?

For the street I run 2.5 turns from hard in the front and 2 turns from hard in the rear.

 

[chad05gt]

Hi there...

Track pavement/set up is different than that of street... I will be VERY surprised if your traciton is any where close to what it its on your paved highways/interstate.

Just hold back a little on the first run, hopefully I am wrong, and you run 12.5 on street tires... but, I do not want you or anyone else hurt... nor equipment; LOL.

Keep us updated!

 

[cruisin]

Every run, firm up that rear, you will notice the difference, not so loose in the rear or you will be bouncing around