Tucson Dragway

[tazman]

Hello All,

I have been thinking about going to the drag strip to take the car down the track just for the experience. I have done autocross in the past but this would be a new experience for me. Looking online it looks like Tucson Dragway gets kind of crowded. I was hoping people could share their experiences and let me know what to expect if I decide to check it out.

Thanks
Tom

[jonsquatch]

My wife and I are new Camaro owners (just bought our 2012 2SS/RS Sat. before last) and we brought it out to Tucson Dragway last Friday night for the Beyond the 1320 no prep 1/8 mile test and tune (at the end of the track past the 1/4 mile marker). We had no idea what to expect event though we had been to the track for private events in the past where we were driving cars provided for us (the last one was a 2010 or 2011 Camaro SS in side by side competition which is what inspired us to get our car).

This event was different than the normal event in that they had a very loose inspection process compared to normal and they did not require a SA2010 or SA2015 certified helmet, they let us run motorcycle helmets (and ours predate M2010 certification) for this event. It was a blast and everyone was awesome and really encouraged us to come out to other events and even to come to the race the next day as they had a stock class we could run in. This event was also pretty interesting as instead of using the normal queue at the gates we just pulled up at the end of the track and parked along the wall and then pulled into the lane when you were ready to go.

For any event you are driving when you get to the gate at the track you will find a sort of trailer building on the left, you will need to check in here before they let you on the track so go ahead and pull over to the left and park and walk over to one of the windows. They will run you through everything and if its a normal event they usually have all the details. Every car/driver gets a number that you would normally write on your window with shoe polish (my experience is they do this when you go through tech if you don't already have it) if you plan on coming back they can assign you a permanent track specific number, or you can get a temporary one (or if you had a NHRA license you can use your permanent global number). They will normally give you some sort of wrist band after you pay your fee and a slip to fill in all your car details and then send you to Tech inspection which at this track is the little shed just inside and to the left of the gate. Once you get to the gate they will check your form/band and point you at tech if they know where it is going to be, you just join the line of cars and wait your turn. They will go over all your safety gear and the car, if it is nearly stock in good repair you will sail through. They won't let you in with a loose battery or leaking fluids or anything else that seems self explanatory and at your power level you don't have to worry about breaking out to where you need harnesses or gauges. If they find anything wrong they will mark it down on your sheet and have you sign it and you have the opportunity to fix it.

If you want to take your car down the strip for the first time you probably want a test and tune session for a normal event where they use the light and run the full 1/4 mile and put prep on the track. On a well prepped track (basically they spray a sticky substance on the track most of the way down and if you try and walk around on the start line you better tie your shoes tight) you probably wont even spin the tires with your build with the traction control off which is much more confidence inspiring than running a no prep event where you might have that worry but either way its worth doing.

In the test and tune you just line up and they run you heads up against whomever is in the next lane. If you tell them that its your first time they may make you run a solo pass until they are comfortable you know what you are doing. When its time to race everyone funnels into the gates (numbered 1-8) down at the end of the track (way at the end of the parking lot to the right it loops around the buildings and sheds to the start finish line). If they have any special rules on how to line up they will let you know but for test and tunes you usually just move up to the front of the line and they wave you in.

When you approach the line they will probably have water in the water box, if you drive through it they expect you to do a burn out to clean the tires off, or you can drive around it. With stock tires and prep you probably don't need a burn out, but if you never have done one its hard to pass up. If you drive through the water box and its wet they will usually stop you when the rear tires are in it and give you an odd hand gesture that means spin the tires, just pull it into 1st and hold the brake while you roll into the power and off the breaks, spin them for a few seconds and then ease off the gas then onto the brakes. No need to do a John Force 1/8 mile smoky pass, but also no need to hammer the brakes and lock them up, you can always back up to behind the line and they will probably help line you up with the racing groove (on a test and tune day). The groove is the darker area where all the tires rubber from everyone else before you ran, if you get outside of that the track is probably less sticky (and covered with loose bits of rubber) so you would want to stay in the groove at the line.

When you get to the line you will see two openings in the wall where the beams are. They act just like the sensor on the garage door, break the first beam and the pre stage yellow light on the tree goes on, the second and both stage and pre stage lights are on. You stop moving forward at this point once you leave the beam your time starts, if you leave before the green light you get a red light and you would loose automatically if it was an actual race. For your first pass no need to worry about cutting the perfect tree or even what type of tree it is (all the yellow lights go on simultaneously or activate sequentially) you can wait for the green light with your foot on the brake then hammer the gas, less to think about. Once you get your first pass down you can start working on getting a better reaction time on the tree and launching harder, messing with air pressures and the like, but the first one can just be a blast down the track.

Once your going try and keep it mostly straight, very small steering inputs needed and its always faster to not steer than it is to steer so unless you are really moving one way or the other its usually faster to let it find its own way. If you have traction control off be prepared on the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts in case it spins a little bit and tries to step out, but again it shouldn't be a problem unless its no prep. Keep going until after you pass the line and then lift off the gas, keep off the brakes until you slow down a bit so you don't wear them prematurely and for best control. These cars have no problem slowing down enough to make the first turn around and if you miss it you can keep on going all the way down and turn around. Don't dilly dally because they usually wait for you to clear the track to send the next one but no rush either. If you are going against someone else generally try and let the car on the left lane exit first since the return road is on the left, but if you are in the right lane and are way ahead and the other car has slowed already people often cross over when they are close just use common sense. Go slow on the return road and if they are giving times stop by the little white shack just past the finish line and pick up your time slip, your car number should be on the slip most of the time. When you get up near the end of the stands by the start line watch out for pedestrians, on test and tune days people walk across without looking. At the end turn right and follow the lines around to line up again.

You should be able to get several runs in your first time out. The events are all pretty random and they don't tell you on the website much info until right before the next event. For example the next one starts Friday June 1st for the test and tune. The race is on Saturday and its The Huns of The Soutwest HEATSTROKE (a local motorcycle club) but the race is for cars and motorcycles and the test and tune is open so you could join. It would be a good idea to call them ahead of time and find out what the rules are going to be for any event as they may say you can run a motorcycle helmet if its M2010 or M2015 or they may require a SA2010 or SA2015 helmet or they may not care at all as long as you have something that looks helmetish. Closed toed shoes and pants are a must, t-shirt is fine for our speeds, windows need to be up when you run or you need to have a window net.

[tazman]

Thanks for the information!
I have read a bunch of threads in the drag section for first timers. Unfortunately things came up and don't have the means to go right now but maybe I will give it a shot later.

[15RS2NV]

I’m looking to go next Friday. Anyone else going?