First time going to the track..Need some advice!

[Grey Ghost]

Okay, let me start this off by saying I did use the search to see if there were other threads that could answer my questions and didn't have much luck finding all the info. So here goes...I'm pretty much a noob when it comes to drag racing at a track. I've never done it before, but I plan on going the local track tomorrow night to run my pretty close to stock GT (93 Brenspeed Tune w/JLT CAI) on my 19" street tires (sorry no slicks this time around) to see what it will run. However, since I haven't done it before, I don't know really how to go about it.

I need some basic schooling and advice in the way of amateur drag racing. I have lots of questions, so help a noob out .

What are all the things I need to do to prepare for the race?

What are all the safety requirements needed for me to race my car? Helmet? Certain kind of clothing? etc.?

What PSI should I reduce my tires too for better traction?

If I'm racing on my street tires, do I need to go through the water box and do a burn out?

Biggest noob question here...How are you supposed to do the burn out to clean off your tires in a 5-speed? It seems easy to me in an Auto because don't you hold on the brake, while stepping on the accelerator at the same time?

How does the staging process work (I know..another dumb question)?

How do I read the Christmas tree?

What RPMs do I need to launch my car at for the most power?

What RPMs do I need to shift at to maximize power?

Should I be worried about ruining my car drag racing it? For example, I drive my car pretty hard as a daily driver and I street race other people occasionally, so would drag racing it be any different in regards to the abuse on my car? I mean do I need to worry about having a mechanical failure of some sort? I would think not, since the only thing changing is I'm going from the street environment to the track environment. I've heard all sorts of horror stories, so let me know.

Any other tip, tricks, advice that I am not asking and should probably know about before I go?


Thanks for your patience guys!

 

[DraggnRoush]

http://www.musclecarclub.com/library/race/drag-racing-tips.shtml


you're welcome!

 

[/\/\@TT]

Drag Racing 101
http://www.mustangcollective.com/showthread.php?t=63

Drag Racing 102
http://www.mustangcollective.com/showthread.php?t=126

 

[Grey Ghost]

Thanks guys! Those are helpful links.

I only have a few extra questions. Do I really need a driveshaft loop for my first time drag racing? I see that the first link says if you run a 13.99 or better, it is required. Well what if I end up doing terrible and run like a 14.2 or something then technically I don't need a driveshaft loop, right?

Also, I see that it varies on what RPMs to launch and then shift our cars, but does anyone have any insight on if there is certain RPM range on a S197 5-speed to launch and then to shift gears?

Lastly, I see that it also varies on lowering the tire pressure on the rear tires for better traction, but what would be a safe PSI level example on street tires?

 

[DraggnRoush]

The D/S loop rule will be ignored for your first time out.

All the other questions will be answered ONLY by YOU and YOUR car at the dragstrip - that is where the answers lie - get out there & experiment.

 

[TexasBlownV8]

First time out, don't worry about what time you run. Just go through the motions and get familiar with the various steps and things you do, before and at the line, and while driving. It takes many passes to get the right feel of things and the right settings for you and your car.
Keep notes of your settings, what you did, what you tried, what you were thinking, etc; this will help you get things adjusted over time, and will help you identify any other questions you have.

If you're not sure about what to do at the light, etc., ask the track officials. And watch what other people do, in detail.

My first time at the tree, I didnt know how to stage, and was watching the guy next to me, who also didnt know and was watching me, so we both crept up into staging and past the start and kept going forward more and more!

FWIW, the 2 links posted by MATT helped answer a lot of questions.

The MOST IMPORTANT suggestion: HAVE FUN!!!! You will..unless you take way it too seriously

 

[06silverbullet]

dont be like an idiot and stage with your rear tires, although it does make for some good laughs when people do stage with the rear tires.

 

[GrnBullitt08]

dont be like an idiot and stage with your rear tires, although it does make for some good laughs when people do stage with the rear tires.

hahaha I had some asshole do that to me...

 

[06silverbullet]

hahaha I had some asshole do that to me...

around where i'm from socal, the majority of persons staging with their rear tires are either some rich guy who bought a new bmw/mercedes or some ricer who is used to only street racing.

 

[GrnBullitt08]

around where i'm from socal, the majority of persons staging with their rear tires are either some rich guy who bought a new bmw/mercedes or some ricer who is used to only street racing.

It was a black Challenger SRT-8 that did it to me.....he still lost.

 

[Agent Jones]

Wtf why on earth would you stage your rear tires?

Sent from my HTC Evo 4g using Tapatalk

 

[06silverbullet]

Wtf why on earth would you stage your rear tires?

because people are dumb.

 

[GrnBullitt08]

Wtf why on earth would you stage your rear tires?

Sent from my HTC Evo 4g using Tapatalk

I dont know....didnt get the chance to ask him. Im gonna go with no expierence and being a dumbass.

 

[06silverbullet]

I dont know....didnt get the chance to ask him. Im gonna go with no expierence and being a dumbass.

atleast you beat em, course its not hard when those things weigh over 2 tons lo l

 

[KungFuHamster]

because people are dumb.

X2
and its almost always imports that do it.

 

[808muscle]

At the end of the track look for the other car before you turn off the track in case you have to cross his lane to exit. You dont want some car doing 100 mph slamming into the side of you........I have seen this almost happen.....very scary.

 

[Liberty911]

If you track is anything like mine, be prepared for the workers at the track to provide a plethora of information on where to go to pay, tech, stage, and what landmarks there are to document where the 1230 mark ends, etc. Yes, that's sarcasm.

Most of all have fun! I think my first time at teh track was figuring out how the track operated, not the car.

 

[Grey Ghost]

dont be like an idiot and stage with your rear tires, although it does make for some good laughs when people do stage with the rear tires.

So I'm going to ask another noob question, but what do you mean by stagging your rear tires? Are we talking about burning out to clean off your tires?

 

[808muscle]

So I'm going to ask another noob question, but what do you mean by stagging your rear tires? Are we talking about burning out to clean off your tires?

No, burnout is just the burnout.

Staging the rear tires is something I have never seen in the ten years I have been going.

 

[06silverbullet]

So I'm going to ask another noob question, but what do you mean by stagging your rear tires? Are we talking about burning out to clean off your tires?

staging is when you pull your car up to the tree with the yellow lights and what not. basically when staging there are to eyelets that look for your front tires when you cross the first one on set of lights will light up 2 small yellow lights pull a hair forward and a second set below that will light up. you are now staged. there are a few more things to note but for now thats all you'll need to know.

and please dont be the guy that does a john force burnout with street tires to "heat" them up you only do more harmt hen good on street tires getting them that hot. also you don't need to do a burnout if you can go around the water box. ...the water box is the place where you will see guys with either drag radials or drag slicks burnout in order to heat the tires up and get them stickier.