Originally Posted by phunk

If you are not spinning top of second or into third, then you want to take second gear all the way to redline. Dyno graphs are a little misleading... see, even though we call that graph "rear wheel power", it is NOT rear wheel power. That graph is ENGINE power as measured at the rear wheels. So it does not take into account gearing. It only takes into account drivetrain loss.

With the 370z stock final drive and transmission gears, first gears absolute ratio is 14.00. Second gears absolute ratio is 8.58, and third is 5.99.

Reference your dyno chart at any RPM you wish. Take the number either HP or TQ and multiply it by your absolute gear ratio. THAT is your rear wheel numbers. When you do the math, you will find numbers that are insanely high in low gears. YUP! Imagine what 100fb lb of torque feels like when you tighten a lug nut with a torque wrench, and then try to imagine that amount of torque powering a honda civic to 14 second 1/4 miles... Then it will start to make sense.

This is why, unless you are spinning the tires, you keep the car in the lower gear AS LONG AS YOU CAN!!! Power applied to the wheels in second gear is nearly cut in half from first gear. You loose like 25% from second to third, not as bad, but obviously very significant.