Drag Racing Tips

tranceformer

oops, had it backwards.

fixed my post from earlier

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Ray
2009 370Z Base Sport 6MT / 12.860 @ 109.09mph / 1.921 60ft / street tires
official 1/4 mile track times

Dallaz

I just went for my first time last weekend. Tons of fun. I didn't take it too seriously and honestly didn't even know if I was going to run it once I got there or just hang out and watch/photograph the other Z's/G's in my group. I got 14's every run (14.2 was my fastest I think) with lots of photo equipment in the trunk, a bag of clothes, and my car cover in its bag lol! Next time I go I will definitely have the intention of at least running 5 times and go much more prepared. The drag strip was about an hour away from my place so when I got there my oil temps were hovering around 220degrees so I let it cool down a while before deciding to make my first pass. By the way, is that just what you call a run? A pass? I'm a newb too haha. Anyways my first pass (I'll call it that) I accidentally left VDC on even though I knew to take it off, but had just restarted my car after waiting to go behind 2 cars that were taking a while to get started. Needless to say that run sucked cause it caught right at the beginning in first gear but I still managed a 14 second run and I always had it off after that. Second pass I had my windows rolled down cause it was hot out and it takes a minute to get up to the starting line and after slowly creeping up to the staging lights and coming to a stop I was like "oh sh!t my windows aren't up" and rolled them up as the lights were counting down which totally threw off my concentration. I wish I knew about the whole lights don't matter about your 1/4 time thing and will definitely be utilizing this next time I go as it would have let me focus more and also there were more than 1 occasion were one car slid into the other lane and one wreck! Figure ill let them go first and try not to get hit, it was pretty crazy. My third pass is where things started working out a little better. I tried to rev it a little higher (like 2500-3k) instead worrying about keeping the tires from spinning at all and that time I took off faster but got some wheel hop the majority of 1st gear. My 4th pass was my best run, dropping the clutch from roughly 2grand and getting a perfect launch. Never made it to helmet range damnit! I never burned out or spun the tires before a pass so that, along with over half a tank of gas and a full trunk of goodies probly didn't help. No worries though it was lots of fun and my first drag experience. Both G's in my group were getting mid, maybe low 13's and the other 370z with a few breather mods and took out his spare tire, jack, and passenger seat got either 13.02, or 13.2 fastest time. All but mine were tiptronic. Almost forgot to mention this, my shifts from 1st to 2nd were killing my times. Would have definitely been in the 13's but when shifting near 7k from 1st to 2nd it wouldn't go into 2nd right away, I'm assuming from stress or something. Was in a Porsche the day before cruising around and took it to 7k in first and it shifted to 2nd like butter..... WTF is wrong with my car?!?! It only has 33k miles. Is this a common issue that can be resolved with an upgraded clutch and flywheel combo or less? Someone also mentioned synchros may be going out? I'm completely 100% stock. Let me know what you guys think and hopefully you guys find something from my drag racing experience helpful.

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corbin09

Dallaz- If you have uprev you can tune your AT for more aggressive shifts.

All of this is good info. Do you have a vid or pic of the cars wrecking? Weight and concentration are 100% the biggest factors in drag racing I believe.

TongMan

Here is my pass. Invidia exhaust. OEM tires.

harman.khinda

Great Thread! I'm going drag racing 1/4 mile, my first time later this evening.

Any more tips for us guys running a 7AT?

My rears are worn out but I'm gonna be trying to launch at about 2k. traction control off of course. Should I be shifting right at the rev limiter or a little sooner? This is my DD and I'm guessing launching & redline shifting is really bad for the tranny.

b1adesofcha0s

I've found that 1500 rpm is best for launching, but that will probably vary a bit based on track conditionsand your tires. Try and see which works vest for you. I try to shift right before redline.

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Project: b1adeZmobile (2009 370Z) | Uprev Tune by AAM Competition | Berk Exhaust
Project: b1adeZmobile 2.0 (2014 C7 Z51) | Corsa Xtreme Exhaust

sixpax

...thinking about giving this a shot next weekend.

What happens if I leave VDC on first time there ? Will I blow up ?

Do you paddle shift with the 7AT, or should i just floor it and hang on and let the AT shift ?

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tranceformer

Turn the VDC off if you want to run a good time.

__________________
Ray
2009 370Z Base Sport 6MT / 12.860 @ 109.09mph / 1.921 60ft / street tires
official 1/4 mile track times

TongMan

As you can see in my video, I launched at 2k rpm. Worked for me. Any higher and I'd get wheel spin.

sixpax

Thanks. Seems what everyone does, so I guess I shall do it that way. Lot of stories about VDC being off and not good results sometimes happening to folks on the street, so was just wondering mainly about is it safer.

Another thing I was wondering, with coilovers, would it better to have the rear set softer so it forces the car to squat down on the rear more at take off ... thinking it would enhance launch maybe ? Or do I have that backwards.

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Dallaz

Leave the VDC off. Those stories are not from when people are driving in a straight line. I just went for the first time and had it turned on the first pass i made on accident cause I had turned the car off just before getting to the line.

When I launched I had no wheel spin cause I wanted to take my first ever drag strip run mildly, but once I had went maybe 10 feet and was pedal to the floor in first it kicked in and completely cut power for a second and ruined that run.

You'll want the rears to be at maximum stiffness. You don't want your rear to drop. And your fronts should be on the lowest stiffness level (just while at the drag strip of course, these are bad street settings)

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AeroJacket Lip Kit | GTR switch | NISMO S-Knob | Blacked-Out-EVERYTHING| 5% Tint | Carbon Fangs/Upper Trim | VOSSEN CV3's | Painted Headlights | CF Diffuser

b1adesofcha0s

It's probably a little different for me since I'm running all season tires. I usually get wheel spin at 2k.

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Project: b1adeZmobile (2009 370Z) | Uprev Tune by AAM Competition | Berk Exhaust
Project: b1adeZmobile 2.0 (2014 C7 Z51) | Corsa Xtreme Exhaust

tranceformer

I disagree. IMO softer rear setting should work better, it helps with the weight transfer to the rear end.

But I see where you're going with the softer front setting [to allow the frontend to lift and transfer weight to the rear]. Have you had better results doing it this way?

__________________
Ray
2009 370Z Base Sport 6MT / 12.860 @ 109.09mph / 1.921 60ft / street tires
official 1/4 mile track times

sixpax

Gotcha on the VDC.

Easy enough to adjust the coilovers so I guess I can give that a shot.

Just want to try and get on the official 1/4 mile forum list, even if it is last place

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sixpax

That's what I was thinking with the rear.

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