Finally made it out to the local 1/4 mile track. I need to go back and practice my launches on a smaller/lighter set of wheels. I only got 4 passes, 2 were decent, the other 2 we wont talk about. I think the 20's are killing me. All my mods are listed below besides my TP's.

Houston Raceway- Baytown, TX 7-18-08

First pass
60 ft 2.491 (weak)
1/8th 9.652 @ 78.72 mph
1/4 14.663 @ 98.85 mph

best pass
60 ft 2.432 (weak)
1/8th 9.528 @ 78.52 mph
1/4 14.508 @98.62 mph

Next time I head to the track Im going to put my stock wheels back on and see if I cant get a little closer to a 14.00.

 

damn you made my stock times suck haha...what was the tempts here and what rpms-gears where you shifting at?

 

Those wheels are killing you, those running in Texas in the middle of July isn't helping.

When I was bone stock, my best time back in 05 (05 6MT), at nearly 100 degrees ambient, was a 14.7@95mph. Later that same year, in 25 degree weather and with crawford highflow cats, I got a 13.791@102.22mph.

To be honest, 98mph in the heat is not bad for a stock car, but with your mods, especially with a tune, I'd expect at least 100mph. With similar mods, without a tune, I was trapping high 101's/low 102's in 90 degree weather in the spring of 07. It's gotta be the wheels.

And you sixty foot can be mucking with your trap speed(it's obviously raping your ET). Its not uncommon to pick up a little ghost trap when you spin your way to a 2.3 or 2.4 sixty foot, but if you have bad axle tramp, that can take back some of that bogus trap.

 

Sorry for the dissertation - I forgot to mention the most important thing:

Its good to see a sedan that goes to the track.

 

Thanks for the good information Trey. I gurantee its the wheels. I have a set of stock coupe 18's at the house, Im thinking about throwing a set of DR's on them and going back. I thought the trap speed was decent from other times ive seen posted on the forums. I just need to work on my launches!!!!

 

practice on street tires first before u go into drag radials. When u get to consistent 2.1 60ft times with 8 out 10 runs then it is time for drag radials.
Just a suggestion.

 

I totally disagree dude. I wasted hundreds of runs on street tires.

I say go straight to DR's - of course that is only if you have any wish to continue racing, and if you don't mind getting a new clutch soon.

 

I have never ran on DRs before but starting past year or so i almost can guarantee 2.1 60 ft launches 19 out 20 times on the street or at the track. I think switching to DRs early, i would never have this "knowledge" just in case i had to outlaunch an evo on a deserted street like i did 3 weeks ago and got a CL on him by 3rd gear. The guy asked if i was F/I.

 

Already had the dealership install a JWT clutch and flywheel when i had some warranty work done on my tranny. Im going to go back in a couple weeks with my coupe wheels and see if I can turn some better times.

 

I have to agree. If you're an avid drag racer, then I'd most definitely go for some DRs right from the start. They'll make a huge difference. Launching with DRs and street rubber is totally different and you can do things on warmed up DRs that are simply not possible with street tires. I'd get DRs too if I had traction problems. Unfortunately at the strip I can barely spin a tire and I'm stuck at launching at 2500rpms with the 5AT.

 

First off, loose the 20s at the strip, at least on the rear. Air up the fronts to 40psi. Launch really low and basically bog the car off the line. That should net you lower 2.3 60 foots and drop your ET into the 14.2-14.3 range. Then start raising the launch rpm by 500rpms and slipping the clutch a little more. You need to feel the car start rolling before quickly releasing the clutch and feeding it gas. HRP is a really nice and quick track. I wouldn't be surprised if you were to see 13.7-13.8s@102mph with 2.0 60 foots in the fall/winter. That track rocks when the humidity is low and the pressure is high. Find the right day in the fall/winter and the air density will be well below sea level (ie very oxygen rich).

 

I guess i look at drag racing a bit different than u guys. When I go to the track i am curious what other people run on that day compare to my times. Time such as IS350s, 335s E46 M3s interest me a lot when i go to the drag strip. If any of those cars are running on DRs then I am not really that interested to watch. Yes DRs will make my times much faster but in reality i am not running DRs on the street. Back when I was on my 17s i had my spare tire on when i was running my car at the 1/4 mile strip. Now since i have no use for the spare tire i have it off of my care on the street and on the track. Within 4 years of my ownership, I have had flat tire 3 times and all of them were fixed within that same day and i never used my spare tire.

I rather be as close to perfect/consistent on street tires than get a fast time with DRs. If i could borrow a DR for the heck of it would i run it? Yes. But i would rather spend money on race tires for road racing than DRs for going strait. I will just perfect of what the car is already set up on. But that is just me.

 

Aha!! That explains part of your 60 foot times. I could consistently hit low 2.2's on my stock clutch/flywheel, even dipping in the mid to low 2.1's(2.100 on one run where I flubbed a shift) about 20% of the time.

But after I got the clutch/fly, I was lucky to get back to the 2.2 range, with a 2.1 being a rarity.

 

Disagree. I've got a hunch his car is a lot like mine - the only real difference is I've got cheapo headers and test pipes.

My car is a *dog* at one thousand rpms, even in first gear. Not so much at 1250, and it really picks up hard at 1500rpms. Even then, I don't hit the meat of my torque until about 3300rpms.

This is relevant. The last time at the track I tried running lower pressures than I had previously. I bogged like crap, even with high rpm launches. I bogged so bad that my rpms dropped to ~3000 rpms, if that high. First couple of passes I trapped in the 90's, with low 2.0 sixties, and that blew my mind. I've trapped as high as 102mph *with a passenger*. So I added 4psi(went back to 17). Same launch technique, rpms, clutch action, etc, netted me a better launch by a full tenth, I picked up 5 or 6 mph, and my et's dropped by almost a *full second*.

I figure that the bogging of the DR's that low was keeping me out of the power. When I increased the air pressure, I spun for the first 10 feet or so, but by the time I hooked I was > 4k rpms. That difference of 1000rpms in first gear really made a huge difference on the big end.

Plus - like me - he's got the jwt flywheel.

 

i would have to agree with Klub here, practice on street tires first, they will teach you how to properly launch you car. if you can control you car on streets you will do GREAT on DR's. i went to the track the other night. it was nasty humid and HOT. i was pulling 14.1-14.2 all night with a constant 2.1-2.2 60 and i know that i can still pull a better 60 off of my tires. its all about learning and trying new things.