Fairly novice Drag Racer: Analyzing your drag runs

[Arachnyd]

Does anyone have any tips on analyzing your drag runs to determins where your areas of weakness are? I'm normally an autocrosser, but I've been going to the drag strip occaisonally, and used to drag for fun at test and tunes here and there. Probably run cars around 8-10 times in my life.

My best runs are 13.777 and 13.814

Everything "feels" good now, I just can't quite figure out what can be improved. Probably just launch? normally the other cars I race get a good jump on me and I catch up, but I dont know how much that is my launch and how much it is the heavy as heck car on Pzeros? Also, my understanding is that R/T doesnt count against your drag time. My R/T is pretty poor, I just wanted to make sure that wasn't it.

I know WHAT everything means on my drag slips, but I dont know how to look at the slip and determine strengths or weaknesses, or what I can do to start improving so I can grab that extra 1/2 second. All the guys I run with drive autos. I'd like to get myself reliably in the 13.3 range and I think it should be possible? Any pointers? or do I just need to keep on running and running and running? (I've always been told when racing autocross is to pick one or two things and do it better next run... I dont know "what things" to pick on a drag strip)


RT .754
60' 2.270
330- 6.074
1/8- 9.078
MPH- 81.36
1000- 11.645
1/4- 13.777
MPH- 106.30

Thanks!

[Oxtar41]

60 foot time needs some work. Better tires, suspension, lower air pressure, launching at the right rpm etc all play a role in 60 foot times. I have always said the race is won in the first 60 feet, the rest of the track is easy.

[Dr. Jamie]

Yeah, try for a 2.00 short time on the stock tires. An auto car will do that easily on a good track. Try 25 psi in the rear tires for additional hook, but try other pressures as well.

And, next time you are at the track try pulling the engine cover. I'm not convinced it works, because I didn't do A-B-A testing, but I picked up three tenths with the same 60-foot times. Give it a try, and report back ... please.

Thanks,
Dr. Jamie

[fugimo]

Reaction time is something I try to improve on constantly, still trying to get consistently under .100, I usually get .125 pretty consistent. Quickest so far has been .009, though I have had .001 and .002 red lights. It does not affect your time, but when racing, your reaction time gives you that much more of a lead or that much time you have to make up. If you are racing some one that runs the exact times, the winner will be the first one off the line or reaction time.

The the 60' is the other big thing to get consistent. The race is lost or won in the first 60', get your launch down and on stock tires (or DRs) with a pretty much stock car, 1.9 60' is what you are shooting for.

[Merc]

Originally Posted by Dr. GMPP

Yeah, try for a 2.00 short time on the stock tires. An auto car will do that easily on a good track. Try 25 psi in the rear tires for additional hook, but try other pressures as well.

And, next time you are at the track try pulling the engine cover. I'm not convinced it works, because I didn't do A-B-A testing, but I picked up three tenths with the same 60-foot times. Give it a try, and report back ... please.

Thanks,
Dr. Jamie

I assume your pulling the the engine to dispusre heat? I use a jumper wire in the fuse box to run fans continually.

[Merc]

Originally Posted by Oxtar41

60 foot time needs some work. Better tires, suspension, lower air pressure, launching at the right rpm etc all play a role in 60 foot times. I have always said the race is won in the first 60 feet, the rest of the track is easy.

You 100% correct, 60' the most important number on the slip.

[Dr. Jamie]

Originally Posted by fugimo

Reaction time is something I try to improve on constantly, still trying to get consistently under .100, I usually get .125 pretty consistent. Quickest so far has been .009, though I have had .001 and .002 red lights. It does not affect your time, but when racing, your reaction time gives you that much more of a lead or that much time you have to make up. If you are racing some one that runs the exact times, the winner will be the first one off the line or reaction time.

Deep staging will fix that R/T .....

[Dr. Jamie]

Originally Posted by Mercuryman

I assume your pulling the the engine to dispusre heat? I use a jumper wire in the fuse box to run fans continually.

You got it!

[Merc]

Originally Posted by Dr. GMPP

You got it!

I'll give that a go next time I'm out for a night of street legals.

[Arachnyd]

I'm running almost 40 PSI (I didn't even look at air pressure ahead of time, so I'll drop that down to the 25/26 range and give it a shot.

I guess after that I'll try working on my launch. My best launches are at about 2600 RPMs. Much higher and I'm doing great burnouts... much lower and I'm bogging.

I'll try engine cover pulled too, but thats more of a mechanical thing not a driver thing

Thanks for the thoughts!

[Bad70supreme]

My best launches are at about 3500 rpms but dont dump the clutch, I got 2.0's like that. Any less revs and my 60s are 2.1-2.2 but track prep is important for stick cars on stock rubber! Bad prep and your times are going to suck.

[Merc]

Originally Posted by BumblebeeAmigo

I'm running almost 40 PSI (I didn't even look at air pressure ahead of time, so I'll drop that down to the 25/26 range and give it a shot.

I guess after that I'll try working on my launch. My best launches are at about 2600 RPMs. Much higher and I'm doing great burnouts... much lower and I'm bogging.

I'll try engine cover pulled too, but thats more of a mechanical thing not a driver thing

Thanks for the thoughts!

Traction control off!

[Synner]

You'll probably want to lower the tire pressure, try increasing the rpms slightly, and feather the clutch out of the hole.

The stuff that you can improve is RT, 60 foot, and shift speed although there's no real clear metric on the time slip for shift speed.

If you're stock then work on technique then consider things like trailing arms, cradle bushes, and slicks to improve your launch/60'. Your tire pressure and launch rpm will depend on your overall setup and technique slipping the clutch. That'sthe short list of where you'll get most of your gains aside from good track prep, technique and atmospheric conditions.

[blufin]

Here's a link to a very informative tutorial on M6 driving/launching. nhra stocker highly recommends it. Good advice since he's the top dog in the bone stock category. Listen to the ZR1 launch. I know we don't drive vettes here, but listen to the launch. That's what we should be shooting for.
Seat time is the best learning tool. Make as many passes as you can, even if conditions aren't the best. You will still learn something with every launch.

http://www.rangeracceleration.com/