How to run 1/4 mile, First time
 

Hey guys, This will be my first time going to the strip and I have somewhat of an ideal what to do, but any help would be greatly appreciated. I have a '10 roadster, Auto. ( I figure just mash the gas when the light turns green but i don't think it'll be that easy. please help.:tip hat: I figure put it in manual mode, and take off VDC.

VDC off, no burnout, line up and stomp on it is what I would do.

why no burnout? or u mean before? its AT so i can't really burnout even with vdc off

Yea thats what I mean dont even waste your time trying to do one. On street tires it is pretty pointless.

ok but i hear u have to warm up the tires how do i do that then?

If the track is cold I supposed you could do a little burn out however I really dont think it would be needed. I havent driven a 7AT Z though

I think everyones a little different -

I got my best time by:

1) Turn VDC Off
2) Pull up to the line
3) Hold the brake down and accel to 2000-2300 RPM
4) Wait til green and mash the gas
5) Using paddles will probably be a faster time then the stick would

Also, removing spare tire, hatch plastics, etc.. results in 48lbs of unneeded weight. Also show up with about 1/4- 1/2 a tank. You really don't use all that much gas at the track.
Weight savings.

if I'm AT do i need to hold brake down while getting my rpm's up? I'm making 308 whp.

Are you going to be staying in "D" while you go down the strip? Or are you going to shift yourself?

Either way, you'll need to apply the brake or else you'll keep on going haha..

I don't know if holding the revs higher helps, but I felt like it made a big improvement on my times.

You guys... Street tires... No burn out... It doesn't do anything...


Try VDC off, floor it, shift if you want, or leave in auto. There's a reason drag cars are auto

Nobody informed me of this! I was always told otherwise :icon14::( Thanks Andrew

1) Turn VDC Off
2) Pull up to the line
3) Hold the brake down and accel to 2000-2300 RPM
4) Wait til green and mash the gas
5) Using paddles will probably be a faster time then the stick would

-- FIXED! lol

Lol, yeah. MAYBE if the OP has RS3s warm them up if the car has been sitting there for hours, but your street tire doesn't have a warm up cycle.

Sometimes a QUICK blip to spin the tires is beneficial I there's a bunch of dust and crap on the track. But if they have a water pool before the due out section, you should drive around it

Certainly a burnout on street tires is pointless. I do a quick flick myself to get any debris off my tires and such. I also look at it as a nice thing to do for the next racer.

While we are on that subject, drive AROUND the waterbox. Driving through it is only gonna make it slippery for you and the next guy.

Windows closed.
A/C off.
Wear pants.
Most tracks require a helmet for 13.99 and under.
Dont be a fool and line up your rear tires. Classic noob move. lol

:iagree: with all the above, but what does this mean?

to clarify, when people drive past the staging line to get closer to the tree and end up lining up their rear tires on the line. Its funny to watch, but frustrating at the same time.

Remove jack and tools and anything else for weight savings.
1/4 tank of gas saves weight over a full tank.
Bring a helmet.
Pay race fee.
Go to tech inspection.
Park your car and walk up and watch where people are lining up and where the water is that you will want to drive around. And where you will be stopping to light up the 2 sets of yellow staging lights. You will need to pay attention to the track workers that will signal you on when to leave the staging line and move forward, and when to get on the track. Line your car up straight and slowly creep forward until the first set of yellows lights up, and a couple inches forward for the 2nd yellow lights, then hold the brake firm as you are ready to watch the lights and go. You should have the VDC switched off, and the trans in manual mode. You can just stomp on the gas and hold it to the floor the whole run. Watch the lights and try and go in time with the last yellow lighting up just before the green. Try and shift at exactly 7500 but no later as you may end up hitting the rev limiter. After your run slowly come back on the return road and pick up your time slip at the booth.

For a noob, I wouldnt pay attention to reaction time at all. Go when youre good and ready and pay no mind to your reaction time. You see green, go.

Go 'just before you see green ;)

So after all the advise in the end I ran a 13.27 on Micheline PSS and very proud of it. Since it was 43 degrees it helped to do a burn out believe it or not. I almost went into the wall on my very first run ever. So for best times do everything everyone else said but keep your RPM's at 2k so u can get an awesome jump. If u feel urself slipping just barely let off for a millisecond and get back on it. By the 4th run I was doing great. Thnx everyone for the advise

Good to hear. It sounds like you had a good time, which is most important.

A break down of your slip would be great if you could upload it. If not, the just list:
60'
1/8th time
1/8th MPH
1/4 MPH

hope that helps....sorry its so huge....lol I have no ideal what it means but if u guys give me averages and lets me know how i did that be appreciated

That is GREAT! You have no mods & a heavier car. Very nice.

I have mods. I got intake, exhaust, oil cooler, sways, tune, and new tires. So ya it's quite a bit of mods in her.

That makes a little more sense, but still impressive nonetheless. not a bad 60', but if you could get a low 1.9 high 1.8, you would be very boarderline 12's. Sooooo clooosssseeee.

He can hit a 12.9 EASY seeing at his reaction time was technically .5th of a second. Hmmm intruiguing I'm gonna reduce weight and hit the track as I hit 13.4's but no weight reductions -.-

Hey Flujoke what did you race against?? I must know what you beat!?

No matter how many times it's posted
 

People still don't understand that reaction time has NOTHING to do with your ET or your MPH.

Sounds exciting. :wtf2:

So your saying if flujoke's reaction time is a full second he's still going to hit 13.2????

Yes, you can sit there as long as you want after the light goes green. It will add time to your reaction time but your 1/4 mile timing doesn't start until your car moves forward.

Yep the time doesn't start when the green light come on it start when you take off.

Maybe next year when GLD is open we can meet up. I went on 11-9 and it was fun.

I got my car on 7-29 and went to GLD on 9-2,10-6,10-19,11-3. I only saw another Z there once and it was a highly modified 84 turbo from Chicago that ran 13.0@115. So now it will be a few winter months without the Z to decide on Motordyne ART test pipes and back to the strip, or maybe just leave it alone and try a road course track day. USAir in Shawano might be a good track to start out on.

Very True....Reaction time only matters if you are racing an opponent and want to be the first across the 1/4 mile....However IMO Drag Racing is really all about racing and beating yourself to achieve your best time......

I beat a fellow 11/12 370z spt at tour coupe that was also modded


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ya' did good :tiphat: you've got a strong running car
next time out >>> don't wait for the GREEN (it's OK) >>> GO on the Last YELLOW ...
the fans in the stands will love you - and the track announcer will be gracious !

What tire pressure were you at - Did you get any wheel hop with the Michelins ???

When i was at the strip, i launched at 3500rpms and the car had so much grip it bogged down and bucked. So the next time i launched at 5000 rpms and it hooked up nice a took off. Drag strips have rubber laid down from all the burnouts so there is a huge amount of grip compared to the street

Im at the strip now, cecil dragstrip in MD. Not having good runs, doing 13,6-13.8s. Im
In a MT, should i be launching at 2500~ or 4000~? Also, im
Getting wheel hop / bogging down.

On hankook ventus v12, 285 wide temp is 56 deg