Track Conditions and what effect they really have...

[anticubicle]

This has been stressing me out lately so please, bear with me on this rant...

...I race @ Moroso Motorsports Park in Jupiter, FL. It's known locally as "one of the worst tracks in the country". I think that title is attributed to the lack of / or low quality track prep mixed with the amount of several cars running on street tires.

So, I make best of what I've got and practice practice practice. I consider myself a pretty decent driver. I shift very well (not to sound cocky) and my launches are "ok". I've experimented with several different RPM's, dumps, slips, roll outs you name it.

Well, tonight it seemed nobody could cut decent 60 footers. My buddy in his Turbo'd S197 ran a 11.98 but couldn't pull below a 2.0, a few other S197's out there were cutting 2.0's-2.3's. Myself, I couldn't get below 2.0!

Now, some say the weather has a lot to do with things, as does track prep and what other cars are running on said track. Tonight it was approximately 78F out and humidity was around 75%. Am I just getting depressed over nothing b/c I expect so much more out of my car AND myself than 2.0's.....



/rant

 

[kooldawg6]

Track prep is affecting your 60' times more so than the weather. The weather is killing overall performance. Seeing the turbo'd Stang muster a 11.98???? HORRIBLE!!!!! spyder7724 runs 12.0s-12.1s N/A with less than 300RWHP. Granted that is near ideal weather and lots of suspension and trans work. This past Sunday, I only broke 2.0 in my 60' times once of the 11 runs. It was my very first run of the day and was 1.963. I know the weight loss killed that as I picked up .236 on my ET and 1.9 on MPH. Don't get discouraged on your runs! It is the track/weather having its way. You nailed it saying most were running poor 60' times. what were your trap speeds? That will be the better judge with poor launches.

 

[86bluecobra]

Yes weather has a lot to do with how a track will hook. Temp of the track is a concern. Also the temp of the air will have an effect. the cooler the air the better provided the track temp is still high enough to hook well. Sounds to me like either you are over powering your tires thus resulting in lower sixty foot times or as you say track prep isn't there and a guy just can not hook.

 

[kooldawg6]

Use this to correct your times and speeds. This is based off of your data of 78 deg and 75% humidity. The DA was just under 1400 so you round to the nearest 100. That gives you a ET correction of .9848 and MPH correction of 1.0157.

That is really the only way to gauge data on different days/weather conditions. Like I will be doing next year, getting a set of drag tires will help the launch

 

[anticubicle]

Kool - My traps are 104'ish

86bluecoobra - My first run I spun all the way through 1st and the a little bit of 2nd. I ended up in 5th gear (!!!!) by the end of the run. I've NEVER been in 5th gear, even with 4.10's.

My 2nd run was "ok". I launched at 3500 dump but it felt like I could launch a lot harder.

My 3rd run I switched to the dreaded left lane. I hooked alright, 4000 slip very little spin but my 1-2 shift I lost the rear end a tiny bit but regained and sped on down.

The car was just all over the place tonight...

 

[anticubicle]

Use this to correct your times and speeds. This is based off of your data of 78 deg and 75% humidity. The DA was just under 1400 so you round to the nearest 100. That gives you a ET correction of .9848 and MPH correction of 1.0157.

That is really the only way to gauge data on different days/weather conditions. Like I will be doing next year, getting a set of drag tires will help the launch

I'm running on 17" Mickey DR's @ 16 PSI...see what I mean? It's depressing.

 

[anthony05gt]

With 17'' Mickeys my car runs 1.52 60 foot times consistantly @11lbs boost n a well prepped track. Try Bradenton. It's what, 3 hrs away? I know Moroso sucks for traction.

 

[kooldawg6]

Kool - My traps are 104'ish

I ended up in 5th gear (!!!!) by the end of the run. I've NEVER been in 5th gear, even with 4.10's.

@104, your speed is there! I was running 13.3s at 104-105. You have a fast car, you're just not hitting the sweet spot for the launch(tire psi/technique) plus the track/weather isn't helping.

Crossing the line in 4th gear, I'm at 5200-5500 RPM(didn't look at the tach real close as I know it shifts well)with the 4.10s. Are you shifting near 6000?

 

[anticubicle]

@104, your speed is there! I was running 13.3s at 104-105. You have a fast car, you're just not hitting the sweet spot for the launch(tire psi/technique) plus the track/weather isn't helping.

Crossing the line in 4th gear, I'm at 5200-5500 RPM(didn't look at the tach real close as I know it shifts well)with the 4.10s. Are you shifting near 6000?

My shift light is set to 5900 so I shift @ 6200, rev limiter is set at 6600.

My 13.3 (best to date) I seemed to have it down pat.

 

[anticubicle]

With 17'' Mickeys my car runs 1.52 60 foot times consistantly @11lbs boost n a well prepped track. Try Bradenton. It's what, 3 hrs away? I know Moroso sucks for traction.

Definitely! I wan't to get up to Bradenton so bad. I hear it's an incredible track. A group of guys from SouthFloridaStangs.net are going to rent it out one day. I can't wait

 

[kooldawg6]

A group of guys from SouthFloridaStangs.net are going to rent it out one day. I can't wait

That's how I go! NoVA Mustang Club rents a 4 hour block and we head up. Last time out we had 60 cars. I got in 11 runs and that included just over 2 hours of cool down time It's a blast!!!!!

 

[90NotchBack]

Definitely! I wan't to get up to Bradenton so bad. I hear it's an incredible track. A group of guys from SouthFloridaStangs.net are going to rent it out one day. I can't wait

On test and tune the track is going to suck. This is how Moroso thinks. Why prep the track good on test n tune night when they know a lot of street tired car are going to tear it up. My Falcon cuts 1.40's 60ft at Moroso. My Mustang gets 1.50-1.60's. My dad gets 1.20's 60ft there. That's on bracket racing nights. I prefer to race at Immokalee. It's a lot fun to run over there.