Your 1st Time Down The Drag Strip

90lxwhite · Jul 6, 2014

What was it in and how did you do?
My one and only trip out as a driver was a couple years ago in a 205 rwhp 95 gt and it was an 1/8 mile. I was awful, I can't recal the times really but they stunk. I hope to get back here shortly. I've since added some power and addressed a few things here and there. She's still not a monster but I'm hopping that she has enough umph to make up for some of my crappy driving.

A5literMan · Jul 7, 2014

My advice for your first pass is to kinda dog it out of the hole. Then concentrate on shifting as quickly and consistently as possible. Do a little burn out in front of the water box if you are using street radials. Just enough to clean them and get a little bit of heat in the rubber. Slip the clutch as much as possible coming out. If you get enough runs in you'll find the sweet spot.

My first time at the strip was 20+ years ago and it stunk. Spun the tires all through 1st and ran something like a mid to high 15sec et. I eventually got it to run low 14's on stock tires(13.80's with a soft compound tire). Just have fun and have patience.

Detroiit · Jul 7, 2014

I am going to be making my first pass on July 12th (weather permitting ). And I'm 42 yrs old.

J_Squared · Jul 7, 2014

I will have to agree with @A5literMan. Start off easy and slowly work your way into more and more slipping of clutch to prevent tire spin and then rip through gears. My first run wasn't bad for a first, iirc I ran a 14.9. I forget the trap speed, but I was pleased. My next runs went as from to 14.6, 15.3, 14.4. That third run (I thought was my last) I decided to go for it and let the clutch out too quickly, spun out 1st and short shifted 2nd. I made up for it on the last run. Moral of the story is ease into it(at first) and get a feel for the clutch and work on those 60' times, the rest is cake.

Detroiit · Jul 7, 2014

I think im going to video my first run down the track. Epic win or fail. Either way. Just hope i dont mess my fox up I have to drive it home!

Gearbanger 101 · Jul 7, 2014

Detroiit said:
I am going to be making my first pass on July 12th (weather permitting ). And I'm 42 yrs old.

You're gonna love it man. It's a rush. My heart hadn't pounded so hard since I popped my "other" cherry.

MikeH686 · Jul 7, 2014

My first time down the track was a couple weeks ago in my orange car. I ran a 13.9 with a 2.4 60' and 101 trap speed I didn't heat the tires up at all and spun through first gear

Detroiit · Jul 7, 2014

Gearbanger 101 said:
You're gonna love it man. It's a rush. My heart hadn't pounded so hard since I popped my "other" cherry.

My hearts already pounding and its a week away. Im not even sure if i will be able to to a burnout with my 5 speed. Guess just pop the clutch and hit the break pedal then roll out and clutch it? Or just rev it burn the tires while the car is rollin. (Should have. DRs by then. )

MikeH686 · Jul 7, 2014

Hit the brakes I tried to pop the clutch and roll it through but it wasn't enough

84Ttop · Jul 7, 2014

Its been too long to remember my first trip. I started going when I was 17 and would run my 88' Camaro with a 305 almost once a week. It was a solid 16 second car haha. That was the beginning of a long road. Mustangs followed and here I am 14 some years later and have been as fast as 8.12 in the Mustang I currently own.

RangerJoe · Jul 7, 2014

I have a line lock now, but is use to do burn outs without it. I have big feet, and the fox pedal assembly is compact. I always used my right foot for the brake and gas, once the tires were spinning, I would bring over my left foot from the clutch to work the brake. I have done it the other way too, and it worked as well.

Joe

Bullitt347 · Jul 7, 2014

My first trip down a "real" dragstrip was in a 78' Mustang II. Ran like a 13.9 or some sort. Eventually got it into the mid 13's. It was obviously not stock lol

MikeH686 · Jul 7, 2014

Yeah I went ahead and bought myself a line lock for my car. @RangerJoe did you use the supplied hurst switch the roll control came with? I'm debating if I want to use that switch or get my own

RangerJoe · Jul 7, 2014

MikeH686 said:
Yeah I went ahead and bought myself a line lock for my car. @RangerJoe did you use the supplied hurst switch the roll control came with? I'm debating if I want to use that switch or get my own

No, I didn't. I already had plans to wire a few switches into my CD player adapter face plate. I have three switches: 1 is an override for the electric fans, 1 controls the line lock (on off switch, have to reach for it, but I am a big guy with long arms), and 1 is a toggle switch which activates my 2 step and line lock together. Both the line lock and the 2 step are released when the clutch pedal comes up, the toggle switch just activates them.

Joe

MikeH686 · Jul 7, 2014

Oh nicely done yeah that switch they supplied I'm thinking where the hell can I put this but I'm just gonna get a small push button switch and hide it somewhere close

bentley429isBAC · Jul 7, 2014

My car about 7 years ago. Pussied footed bad out of the hole. Went 12.8@116 think it was. Got it down to 12.2@118 before I left. Would of went faster just didn't have the experience yet.

f8tlfiveo · Jul 7, 2014

Burnout with radials... Nah.. I just get in front of water kinda rev it a little and get a couple revolutions of the tire.. You see smoke you went to long. Unless it's a drag radial. Different story

Gearbanger 101 · Jul 7, 2014

f8tlfiveo said:
Burnout with radials... Nah.. I just get in front of water kinda rev it a little and get a couple revolutions of the tire.. You see smoke you went to long. Unless it's a drag radial. Different story

True Dat.

Heating stock radial tires (and for that matter, so is drastically lowering air pressure) is counter productive. Quick spin to get the rock off is all you need. Heating them up turns them to grease. Watch the so called "experts" at the track who insist on doing big smokey burn out's on street tires. They're the same guys who'll try to convince you their car was cutting 2.5x 60ft times on their 15-second run because they were just "making too much power for the track".

I used to have guys tell me I was doing it wrong all of the time. "No man, you gotta burn them till you see smoke barrelling out of the fender wells" and "drop that tire pressure to 15psi if you want to hook.....that's how the Pro's do it" Saying it as though we were all running the same tire?!? Even after I showed them my sub 2.0-second 60ft slips, in comparison to their 2.5x+ 60ft times, they still argued.

Guess that's why I went to the semi finals and they went home after breaking out in the second round.

MFE92 · Jul 7, 2014

It was 1994. It took my new-to-me '92 coupe to Detroit Dragway, absolutely convinced I was going to run deep into the 13's because that's what everybody did with a 5-speed notchback with deleted snorkel, bumped timing, 3.55's and an off-road H-pipe, right? You didn't need a helmet unless you ran 13.99 or faster, so I figured I'd get my one run in and be done with it. I'm pretty sure I ran a 14.88 on that first run and I don't think I got it below 14.4 the whole night. I was pissed LOL

smkshw · Jul 7, 2014

first time i went i had minor bolt ons and best time was 14.3 with radials,still was fun,now with my 331 i hope to break the 13s ,i did one pass with radials last year and i got 13.01 at a 109 mph,then ill work on times with slicks or drag radials...hoping i can get mid to high 12s...

Your 1st Time Down The Drag Strip

90lxwhite

I'm kind of a She-Man

A5literMan

At least it is lumpy...

Detroiit

Active Member

J_Squared

Active Member

Detroiit

Active Member

Gearbanger 101

Straight Outta Locash

MikeH686

Mine is only two inches though.

Detroiit

Active Member

MikeH686

Mine is only two inches though.

84Ttop

They make new pistons every day, so why worry?

RangerJoe

I leave the horn on while driving

Bullitt347

I have been doing it wrong this whole time

MikeH686

Mine is only two inches though.

RangerJoe

I leave the horn on while driving

MikeH686

Mine is only two inches though.

bentley429isBAC

f8tlfiveo

My wife likes my spool and blow-off valve.

Gearbanger 101

Straight Outta Locash

MFE92

smkshw

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Your 1st Time Down The Drag Strip

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At least it is lumpy...

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Mine is only two inches though.

Active Member

Mine is only two inches though.

They make new pistons every day, so why worry?

I leave the horn on while driving

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Mine is only two inches though.

I leave the horn on while driving

Mine is only two inches though.

My wife likes my spool and blow-off valve.

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