Drag Racing How-To

[oldgixxer]

Originally Posted by MB_Forever I remember one time Juicee and I experimented with raising and lowering the car at the drag strip, but for some reason we kept getting different results than most of the people here on the forum. On our cars (CLS63 030 and E63 P30), everytime we raised the suspension, we got slower 60' times....... and everytime we left it lowered is when we achieved our best 60' times. Very puzzling to me, and have not yet figured out why I was getting these results More then likely has to do with the compression/rebound rates of the performance suspension you guys have.Performance oriented shocks have different rebound(the time it takes for the shock to return to normal height after compressing)and compression(time it takes for the shock to compress fully when hitting a bump) and are generally stiffer to offer better handling.It's kind of obvious for the track junkies but since this post is meant as an tutorial I just thought I'd throw my .02 in

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[TMC M5]

Great write up!!!! I have just one serious and egregious omission.... bring you own Swedish Bikini Team pit crew. Other than that... outstanding!!!

Tom

[MB_Forever]

Okay, I'm still a little confused on the whole street tire burn out issue

So, people with street tires are supposed to do a mini-burn out but not in the water? Or avoid the burn out all together?

[oldgixxer]

water issue first:
The tire treads can hold some water which *could* drip onto the starting line while your staged&present a traction issue when you launch when your rear tires accelerate over the water.It's mostly the fronts that will do this,as the water on the rears is flung off during the burnout.

This is a HUGE issue when I run my bikes,I ALWAYS back into the water to avoid this.
On the cars depending on which track your at you may not have room to simply drive around the water box(i.e. Atco)&back into it.When this situation arises what I will do is roll through the water&get the rears wet&then pull a few feet ahead&start my burnout. I then do whats called a "dry-hop" which is basically a practice launch before the staging line.This is a very good indicator of traction&for me determines how hard I can mash the gas off the line.The dry-hop also helps fling any water accumulation on the front tires.

warming tires next:

You have to find the right amount of time needed doing a burnout to get your tires up to temp(street tires not so much);my buddys use a laser pointed temp gauge&simply aim it at the tire to get a reading;it's also great to measure how hot the track surface is which plays an integral role in getting traction but that's a entirely different story.

If you get street tires too hot you basically lose traction as they get "greasy" and slippery.The reason I spin my street tires is to clean the debris off&make sure there's no "boogers" on them(tiny balls of rubber stuck to the track as a result of burnouts).These will KILL your launch in a instant if they are clinging to your tires.
Only practice will determine which heating method(if any) works best for each track/tire brand/weather conditions.

Contrary to popular myth,dragracing is much more then simply mashing the gas&going fast in a straight line.Some people who've never done it think there is no skilled involved when thats actually the furthest from the truth

[juicee63]

Originally Posted by oldgixxer

water issue first:
The tire treads can hold some water which *could* drip onto the starting line while your staged&present a traction issue when you launch when your rear tires accelerate over the water.It's mostly the fronts that will do this,as the water on the rears is flung off during the burnout.

This is a HUGE issue when I run my bikes,I ALWAYS back into the water to avoid this.
On the cars depending on which track your at you may not have room to simply drive around the water box(i.e. Atco)&back into it.When this situation arises what I will do is roll through the water&get the rears wet&then pull a few feet ahead&start my burnout. I then do whats called a "dry-hop" which is basically a practice launch before the staging line.This is a very good indicator of traction&for me determines how hard I can mash the gas off the line.The dry-hop also helps fling any water accumulation on the front tires.

warming tires next:

You have to find the right amount of time needed doing a burnout to get your tires up to temp(street tires not so much);my buddys use a laser pointed temp gauge&simply aim it at the tire to get a reading;it's also great to measure how hot the track surface is which plays an integral role in getting traction but that's a entirely different story.

If you get street tires too hot you basically lose traction as they get "greasy" and slippery.The reason I spin my street tires is to clean the debris off&make sure there's no "boogers" on them(tiny balls of rubber stuck to the track as a result of burnouts).These will KILL your launch in a instant if they are clinging to your tires.
Only practice will determine which heating method(if any) works best for each track/tire brand/weather conditions.

Contrary to popular myth,dragracing is much more then simply mashing the gas&going fast in a straight line.Some people who've never done it think there is no skilled involved when thats actually the furthest from the truth

hmmm

sounds like someones been sandbagging on skill level

Great info here

[Rock]

Chicago, I'm impressed!!! that was a killer write-up.

Okay, why not the Enzom method? No preload....... roll off the brake and into the throttle.

If I don't break into 11.5 or under this spring, I'll need to call you out.

Thanks for the informative post.

[MB_Forever]

Originally Posted by oldgixxer

When this situation arises what I will do is roll through the water&get the rears wet&then pull a few feet ahead&start my burnout. I then do whats called a "dry-hop" which is basically a practice launch before the staging line.This is a very good indicator of traction&for me determines how hard I can mash the gas off the line.The dry-hop also helps fling any water accumulation on the front tires.

So after you roll through the water box, you do the burnout in a dry area, and then you do a "dry-hop" after that?

Hmmm...... very interesting, I'll try that next time

[ChicagoX]

Originally Posted by Rock

....Okay, why not the Enzom method? No preload....... roll off the brake and into the throttle....

For the absolute best ET, that method works very well. For racing head-to-head, not as much.

Anything much above 1200 RPM and the computer freaks out and limits power.

Consistent 1.6 60' times are one torque limiting software "feature" away, IMO.

[oldgixxer]

Originally Posted by juicee63

hmmm

sounds like someones been sandbagging on skill level

Great info here

Who me? What?Hmmm...

I thought I told you I have an 7sec NHRA License?

[Bullet Tooth]

This is really good stuff. Thank you guys for sharing your knowledge on the subject. I don't want to be "that" guy at the track. I am still hoping to go on Friday, but it isn't looking good.

I have 2 more stupid questions:

1. How much fuel do you guys try to have in the car when you run? It seems that too much fuel would cause you to be overweight. Not enough may cause you to lose traction. What do you guys do?

2. The helmet issue. I certainly respect that you guys absolutely recommend using a helmet. But, here's the deal for me. I may get to do this once or twice in my life. With all that I have going on in my life, I don't see this being a hobby for me. I really don't want to purchase a helmet for just a few times down the track. I know I'm cheap. What are my options here? I guess since I am in Oklahoma, I could get a piece of crap OU football helmet and wear that. All the rednecks here would love it.

[ChicagoX]

Originally Posted by Bullet Tooth

I have 2 more stupid questions:

1. How much fuel do you guys try to have in the car when you run? It seems that too much fuel would cause you to be overweight. Not enough may cause you to lose traction. What do you guys do?

2. The helmet issue. I certainly respect that you guys absolutely recommend using a helmet. But, here's the deal for me. I may get to do this once or twice in my life. With all that I have going on in my life, I don't see this being a hobby for me. I really don't want to purchase a helmet for just a few times down the track. I know I'm cheap. What are my options here? I guess since I am in Oklahoma, I could get a piece of crap OU football helmet and wear that. All the rednecks here would love it.

1) About 1/4 tank

2) Get a helmet. Borrow one, steal one, go on Craigslist and trade "favors" for one....do what ya gotta do.

[jrcart]

Originally Posted by Bullet Tooth

This is really good stuff. Thank you guys for sharing your knowledge on the subject. I don't want to be "that" guy at the track. I am still hoping to go on Friday, but it isn't looking good.

2. The helmet issue. I certainly respect that you guys absolutely recommend using a helmet. But, here's the deal for me. I may get to do this once or twice in my life. With all that I have going on in my life, I don't see this being a hobby for me. I really don't want to purchase a helmet for just a few times down the track. I know I'm cheap. What are my options here? I guess since I am in Oklahoma, I could get a piece of crap OU football helmet and wear that. All the rednecks here would love it.

Dude, you own a $65,000 automobile, go out an spend a couple hundred on a decent NEW helmet, that fits properly. Also, helmet fit is VERY important, so spend some time trying on several. Don't just buy the cheapest one on the rack! I don't buy cheap helmets, When I raced motorcycles I bought helmets that approached $1000.00, and that was 10 years ago. This is not an area you want to cut corners on. You know what they say, Cheap Helmet, Cheap Head! I would have to assume you can get a good helmet with the proper approvals and ratings for $150-$200, maybe less. I would also recomend a neck roll, they are $20.00.

[jrcart]

Go to www.summitracing.com

I just browsed their site and they have approved full-face helmets starting at $149.00, neck roll/braces starting at $29.00, nomax (fire retardant) gloves starting at $29.00 and fire retardant jackets starting at $46.00. For $250 bucks you can show up at the track and look like you know what you are doing and more importantly be safe and ready for whatever may happen. Safety equipment is like insurance, you hope you never have to rely on it, but if you do, it's nice to know you have it.

I have a roll cage and 4-point racing harnesses in my car (driver and passenger), I think that shows my level of dedication and awareness to safety.

[Vic55]

Stick time.

[Bullet Tooth]

Originally Posted by jrcart

Go to www.summitracing.com

I just browsed their site and they have approved full-face helmets starting at $149.00, neck roll/braces starting at $29.00, nomax (fire retardant) gloves starting at $29.00 and fire retardant jackets starting at $46.00. For $250 bucks you can show up at the track and look like you know what you are doing and more importantly be safe and ready for whatever may happen. Safety equipment is like insurance, you hope you never have to rely on it, but if you do, it's nice to know you have it.

I have a roll cage and 4-point racing harnesses in my car (driver and passenger), I think that shows my level of dedication and awareness to safety.

Alright. I give in and I will get a helmet. It looks like I will have to dream up a story to my wife about how the helmet was thrown in when I bought the car. My rat hole of cash keeps getting smaller since I bought this car.

Thank you for the link.

[jrcart]

Originally Posted by Bullet Tooth

Alright. I give in and I will get a helmet. It looks like I will have to dream up a story to my wife about how the helmet was thrown in when I bought the car. My rat hole of cash keeps getting smaller since I bought this car.

Thank you for the link.

LOL! Cars are money pits! You should have no problem with a story, just explain to the wife how safe it will make you...Just don't let her find out how much the tires cost, if she ever sees you in the burn out box roasting your tires, that's when it will all come to an end! That's not rubber you smell at the drag strip, it's the scent of burning money!

[juicee63]

WOOOOOHOOO STICKY STICKY STICKY YEAHHHHH

I spent 500 dollars on a set of C class rims so I could try a new launch tech..

Thanks to the Admin for making this a sticky, great info here.

Tip for today.

1. When letting the car cool , take off the oil cap and radiator cap.
tip 2

2. When going to the starting line make sure you SCREW THE CAPS YOU REMOVED IN TIP ONE BACK ON!!

[jrcart]

NEW NHRA RULES EFFECTIVE 3/28/2008

While talking with a friend yesterday that is a licenced NHRA driver, he mentioned some changes to "protective clothing" section of the 2008 NHRA Rule Book. The reason I mention this is that most NHRA sanctioned tracks adopt the NHRA Rule Book as "standard practice" even for private events and test & tune events. Their liability insurance usually requires it. Check with your local tracks to be sure.

I already tried calling my local track for clarification (Route 66 Raceway Joliet, IL) this morning and left a message for their head tech person. I did see some of these changes on the NHRA web site under "Rules Revesions" but the verbage is unclear to me. It looks like they are requiring fire retardant 3.3 gloves, neck braces or skirted helmet and hood/mask for ALL open body/cockpit (cabrios) vehicles. It also appears they are requiring high top shoes or boots. It appears helmets have to be full-faced now as well and must run with sheild on the helmet.

There were a number of other revisions listed on this page, that all become effective 3/28/2008. I would suggest calling your local track before heading out to an event just to make sure you have all the required equipment. Once I get a call back from the tech person I will let you all know what he tells me.

I am trying to paste a link to the NHRA Rules revisions, but it is not working.

[transferred]

Originally Posted by jrcart

Dude, you own a $65,000 automobile, go out an spend 0.

Unless he bought it used then it's a 90-100k car. Your point makes sense though.

[juicee63]

Originally Posted by ChicagoX

DRAG RACING HOW-TO

Since many have not raced their cars before, I thought it would be appropriate to compile a very basic Drag Racing How-To.

* Clothing: You must wear long pants, a sleeved shirt and close-toed shoes (no sandals.)
* Helmet: If you run 13.99 or quicker, or run a convertible, it’s mandatory. Even if you don’t, it’s good form. For other than private rentals, you will be required to have a helmet with Snell 2000 ratings or newer.
* Car Prep: It's a good idea to remove all tools, mats, loose items and change from your car, as these items can cause injury in case of an accident. Removal of the spare or other items is optional. The car should be in good working order, with NO leaking fluids.
* Tech: You will be given a Tech Card to fill out, and your car inspected for conformity to NHRA regs for your class. You will be assigned a class and a lane. Pay attention to your lane designation and line up in that lane every time, unless directed otherwise by an official.


WHAT TO EXPECT

When you get to the front of the line, you should have your seatbelt and helmet on, radio and A/C off, and your windows closed. Pay close attention to the track official and only pull up when they direct you to do so. The official will also point to your designated lane.

Directly in front of you is the WATER BOX, or burnout box. This is basically a depression in the pavement filled with water by the track official. If you are running street tires, DRIVE AROUND IT !!! The treads of most street tires will hold enough water to wet down the track, causing traction issues.

If you are going to do a burnout, the official will give you the signal when it’s the right time by pointing a finger at you and making a circular motion. Pull forward slightly, out of the box, then depress the brake. Hold it in, then step on the gas at the same time. Your RPMs should come up as the tires start to spin. Hold the gas and brake together until the tires start to smoke a bit, then release the brake. Your car will slowly move forward, then the tires will grab suddenly. Immediately back off the throttle and roll forward into the staging beams.


STAGING

At the top of the tree, there are two sets of small double yellow bulbs. The first set is called the PRE-STAGE lights, the second called the STAGE lights. As you pull forward slowly, the first set illuminates. It’s courteous to let your opponent pre-stage before you pull forward to illuminate the second set. Once both cars have fully staged, the starter will let the lights come down.


THE TREE

After both cars stage, the light on the tree will come down. You will see 3 yellow (amber) lights that illuminate in half-second intervals, with a green at the end. With the sequence YELLOW-YELLOW-YELLOW-GREEN, you want to leave on the last yellow for a good Reaction Time. While your Elapsed Time is measured independently from your Reaction Time, it does come into play when Bracket Racing.
If you see a red light, you left before the green and are disqualified.


THE LAUNCH

The hardest part of the race is the first 60 feet. Practice is the only way to improve this time, but here’s what works for me.
Settings: Suspension in COMFORT mode and raised, trans in SPORT mode.
After staging, with my foot on the brake, I press lightly on the accelerator to bring the RPMs up to about 1100-1200. This takes the slack out of the drivetrain. On the last yellow, I release the brake and roll into the throttle. Simply slamming on the gas will result in wheelspin and a slower ET. The speed at which you come to full throttle depends on available traction.


THE RUN

Since you’re driving an automatic, just hang on and keep it floored until PAST the finish line. Lots of folks get out of the throttle too early, as it is sometimes hard to tell exactly where the line is from inside the car. There is plenty of braking room at the end, don’t worry.
There will be several turn-offs at the end of the track, so don’t worry about making the first or second one.
Always let the inside car turn off the track first, even if they are the slower car. This is to avoid accidents.
On the return road, before the pits, there is a shack/hut called the TIMING BOOTH. Stop here and pick up your timeslip, but save reading it until you’re back in the pits to avoid traffic jams.


THE UNTHINKABLE

If you hear a boom, pop, slam or any other strange noise coming from your car, PULL OVER as quickly as safety allows. The less of the track that gets covered by fluids, the better for everyone. The track will send out the emergency truck to make sure you are OK and provide a tow if necessary.


BRACKET RACING

Bracket or ET racing is a great way to have dissimilar cars race in an even, fair manner. One basically predicts what the car will run, and the driver who runs closest to the predicted time without going faster (breaking out) is the winner. A 17-second car can compete against, and possibly beat a 10-second car this way.
You start by selecting a time your car will run, called your Dial-In. This time is written on your car, and can be changed in-between rounds. When two cars are competing, the dial-ins are subtracted, and the slower car gets this much of a head start. The theory is that if both cars have the same reaction time and run exactly what they predicted, they will cross the finish at exactly the same time. In reality, this never happens, and there is a winner to each race. Reaction times differ, and your car may run a bit faster or slower than predicted.
Why not just dial-in at 20 seconds, get a big head start and win? Because if you run quicker than your dial-in, you LOSE! This is called Breaking Out. If you guess much quicker than your car can run, you won’t be able to run fast enough, allowing your opponent to easily beat you.
If both cars break out, the car that breaks out the least wins.
Because of this, there could be an instance where you would hit the brakes to win-if you have a decent lead over the other guy; feel free to hit the brakes before the finish line to avoid a break-out.


HAVE FUN

If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong.
.
.
.

Wayne OMG bro wow, I saw this happen today!!!

Both cars dialed 10.09

Both cars left at .003

Both cars ran 10.091 LOL!!!!!

I have no clue who "won".


I really am learning alot and am the only AMG(Mercedes of any kind) in the Pacific division Summit Series.

Man it is such a fun way to race and yes there are big cash prizes for the winners. I got some points today as I went 3 rounds. Lost by 2/100ths to a slower car :-(.

Guys , if you want to race people there is no better way then heading down to your local track for a bracket race, wow it is just ridiculous.

[ChicagoX]

Originally Posted by juicee63

I really am learning alot and am the only AMG(Mercedes of any kind) in the Pacific division Summit Series.

Man it is such a fun way to race and yes there are big cash prizes for the winners. I got some points today as I went 3 rounds. Lost by 2/100ths to a slower car :-(.

Guys , if you want to race people there is no better way then heading down to your local track for a bracket race, wow it is just ridiculous.

Awesome stuff !!!

I remember (way back) being the only 5-speed in a field of automatics and feeling out of place.....until they handed me the check.

Good job getting out there and representing the brand.

[StevE55]

Originally Posted by ChicagoX

DRAG RACING HOW-TO

Since many have not raced their cars before, I thought it would be appropriate to compile a very basic Drag Racing How-To.

* Clothing: You must wear long pants, a sleeved shirt and close-toed shoes (no sandals.)
* Helmet: If you run 13.99 or quicker, or run a convertible, it’s mandatory. Even if you don’t, it’s good form. For other than private rentals, you will be required to have a helmet with Snell 2000 ratings or newer.
* Car Prep: It's a good idea to remove all tools, mats, loose items and change from your car, as these items can cause injury in case of an accident. Removal of the spare or other items is optional. The car should be in good working order, with NO leaking fluids.
* Tech: You will be given a Tech Card to fill out, and your car inspected for conformity to NHRA regs for your class. You will be assigned a class and a lane. Pay attention to your lane designation and line up in that lane every time, unless directed otherwise by an official.


WHAT TO EXPECT

When you get to the front of the line, you should have your seatbelt and helmet on, radio and A/C off, and your windows closed. Pay close attention to the track official and only pull up when they direct you to do so. The official will also point to your designated lane.

Directly in front of you is the WATER BOX, or burnout box. This is basically a depression in the pavement filled with water by the track official. If you are running street tires, DRIVE AROUND IT !!! The treads of most street tires will hold enough water to wet down the track, causing traction issues.

If you are going to do a burnout, the official will give you the signal when it’s the right time by pointing a finger at you and making a circular motion. Pull forward slightly, out of the box, then depress the brake. Hold it in, then step on the gas at the same time. Your RPMs should come up as the tires start to spin. Hold the gas and brake together until the tires start to smoke a bit, then release the brake. Your car will slowly move forward, then the tires will grab suddenly. Immediately back off the throttle and roll forward into the staging beams.


STAGING

At the top of the tree, there are two sets of small double yellow bulbs. The first set is called the PRE-STAGE lights, the second called the STAGE lights. As you pull forward slowly, the first set illuminates. It’s courteous to let your opponent pre-stage before you pull forward to illuminate the second set. Once both cars have fully staged, the starter will let the lights come down.


THE TREE

After both cars stage, the light on the tree will come down. You will see 3 yellow (amber) lights that illuminate in half-second intervals, with a green at the end. With the sequence YELLOW-YELLOW-YELLOW-GREEN, you want to leave on the last yellow for a good Reaction Time. While your Elapsed Time is measured independently from your Reaction Time, it does come into play when Bracket Racing.
If you see a red light, you left before the green and are disqualified.


THE LAUNCH

The hardest part of the race is the first 60 feet. Practice is the only way to improve this time, but here’s what works for me.
Settings: Suspension in COMFORT mode and raised, trans in SPORT mode.
After staging, with my foot on the brake, I press lightly on the accelerator to bring the RPMs up to about 1100-1200. This takes the slack out of the drivetrain. On the last yellow, I release the brake and roll into the throttle. Simply slamming on the gas will result in wheelspin and a slower ET. The speed at which you come to full throttle depends on available traction.


THE RUN

Since you’re driving an automatic, just hang on and keep it floored until PAST the finish line. Lots of folks get out of the throttle too early, as it is sometimes hard to tell exactly where the line is from inside the car. There is plenty of braking room at the end, don’t worry.
There will be several turn-offs at the end of the track, so don’t worry about making the first or second one.
Always let the inside car turn off the track first, even if they are the slower car. This is to avoid accidents.
On the return road, before the pits, there is a shack/hut called the TIMING BOOTH. Stop here and pick up your timeslip, but save reading it until you’re back in the pits to avoid traffic jams.


THE UNTHINKABLE

If you hear a boom, pop, slam or any other strange noise coming from your car, PULL OVER as quickly as safety allows. The less of the track that gets covered by fluids, the better for everyone. The track will send out the emergency truck to make sure you are OK and provide a tow if necessary.


BRACKET RACING

Bracket or ET racing is a great way to have dissimilar cars race in an even, fair manner. One basically predicts what the car will run, and the driver who runs closest to the predicted time without going faster (breaking out) is the winner. A 17-second car can compete against, and possibly beat a 10-second car this way.
You start by selecting a time your car will run, called your Dial-In. This time is written on your car, and can be changed in-between rounds. When two cars are competing, the dial-ins are subtracted, and the slower car gets this much of a head start. The theory is that if both cars have the same reaction time and run exactly what they predicted, they will cross the finish at exactly the same time. In reality, this never happens, and there is a winner to each race. Reaction times differ, and your car may run a bit faster or slower than predicted.
Why not just dial-in at 20 seconds, get a big head start and win? Because if you run quicker than your dial-in, you LOSE! This is called Breaking Out. If you guess much quicker than your car can run, you won’t be able to run fast enough, allowing your opponent to easily beat you.
If both cars break out, the car that breaks out the least wins.
Because of this, there could be an instance where you would hit the brakes to win-if you have a decent lead over the other guy; feel free to hit the brakes before the finish line to avoid a break-out.


HAVE FUN

If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong.
.
.
.

cool tips, thanks!

[juicee63]

Wayne could you add a description of "Heads up" racing,

how do you run someone, what determines a win?

Not bracket racing but "heads up" run whatcha brung..........


We seem to have some differing opinions on what constitutes a win........

[JAYCL600]

Originally Posted by juicee63

Wayne could you add a description of "Heads up" racing,

how do you run someone, what determines a win?

Not bracket racing but "heads up" run whatcha brung..........


We seem to have some differing opinions on what constitutes a win........

Pretty basic Josh and doesnt need a whole tutorial. Heads up is one style of drag racing. Leave at same time, one to cross the line first is the winner. Its a drivers race the style of racing that will allow inferior powered vehicles beat a high horsepower car if the driver gets a crappy launch.

[juicee63]

Originally Posted by E55JAY

Pretty basic Josh and doesnt need a whole tutorial. Heads up is one style of drag racing. Leave at same time, one to cross the line first is the winner. Its a drivers race the style of racing that will allow inferior powered vehicles beat a high horsepower car if the driver gets a crappy launch.

Actually bracket racing allows the slow cars a chance, heads up the faster car even with a bad start should reel in the slower car.

I think this is complex , here is why.

Lets say for example you and I are @ MIR. I say , lets line em up.

We both stage, we go light turns green you 60ft @1.65 and I get 1.85 my R/T is .002 and yours is .555, your 1/8th mi trap is 94.75 and mine is 91.9
your 1/4 mile trap is 123.7 and mine is 117.7

1/4 mi ET
Jay= 11.291@123.7
Josh= 11.843@117.7

Who WON???