Drag Racing Basics

[Sean91TSi]

AWD Car(your level of modification varies but this is the jist of it)

If this is your first time at the track get to know the track, you dont wanna end up in the sand pit or driving up the track do you.

Go with a buddy who has raced before and follow him so you know where everything is. Note the track, return lane, parking etc....

Ok so you decide to go to the track. Before you leave do a checkup on the car. Check the oil and the coolant. Make sure you arent leaking anything. Make sure oil filter is tight and make sure you have a battery tie down bar and a coolant overflow tube(dont wanna drive there and not be able to run b/c your battery isnt tied down do ya). Some tracks require a helmet period. Some require a helmet at certain 1/4 times. Find out what your track requirements are. Most track require a blow down tube if your running Nitrous. Make sure you have enough gas to get there so u have a few gallons left in the tank when you get there. Plan on stripping interior. Check as much as possible before you leave. I've heard MANY stories of things being stolen from a track. ALWAYS bring a 10, 12, 14 wrench socket extension ect. You never know what will happen. I had an IC pipe blow off halfway down track had to ask everyone for a 10m socket.

Ok so now your at the track. Dont just jump in the lanes and go race. Sit in the stands, watch the tree, learn the tree, and notice where people go to stage (dont wanna be that guy that stages the rear wheels do you). Watch the cars as they come back so you know where you will have to go.

Now were ready to race.

Pull up the the lights slowly when the 2nd yellow bulb on the tree turns on stop the car. Rev to around 4800-5300(on my stock 91 i launched at 4800, stickier tire you wanna launch higher) your first few runs make sure you pay attention to yourself and not that tubbed out BBC Vega runnin 9's next to you(impressive though isnt he).Ok so its time to launch(wow that VEGA lifted the wheels off the ground awesome) Ok watch the revs when you think you got it start letting the clutch out or releasing the brake slowly when u feel it JUST start to grab let off the clutch or brake and slam the trouble-maker to the floor. Now shift at redline in first and 6800 in 2nd and 3rd the 4g power plant usually runs out of steam higher than this(stock car mind you). Finish the run put the windows down(hot in there aint it) pull onto the return lane stop get your slip pull back into staging or parking area pop hood. Get out check out the slip and replay the run in your head(miss that 2nd shift under rev on launch bog launch hit rev limiter in 3rd tryin to eek it out). Check the car make sure u dont have a loose ic pipe or nothing is leaking. Let the car cool(IC is probably heat soaked now). Then prepare yourself for your next run.

For a FWD car same thing goes as everything I just said except launch lower. Learn where the tires are just barely spinning so you dont leave the tires at the tree or you dont bog the launch.

Most importantly. Dont worry about what the car runs the first few times down the track. You'll impress people later when you put that stock car in the high 14's full weight. Learn how to launch, shift, and learn the noises the car makes at these point.

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE

[Enigma_Man]

Also, if you're a complete beginner (like me), just watching a night of street tire drags, and hanging out with the local DSM crew can be very valuable as well You get to see what everybody does, what people do wrong, and just absorb some knowledge through association as well. I'd reccomend that for anybody that hasn't been to a "regular" car drag race as a first step.

If you don't know anybody, make some friends that could possibly help you out later on down the road, when you return to do some racing.

-Jesse

[laser9320]

Last time I went (to watch) I saw some of the veterans riding along with the beginners telling them what to do. That would probably help alot.

[2-0turbo]

One more thing I learned at the strip my first time out. If you both arrive at the end of the track at approximately the same time and the track exit is on the RIGHT, whoever is in the RIGHT lane as the right of way and should exit first. The driver on the left should slow and fall in behind you.

Sometimes you get this "dance" at the end as one person slows, then the other, then the one car speeds up a bit--trying to decide who is exiting first.

[NJGSX96]

Also, if you've never been, don't expect too much. Don't go expecting 13s or 12s or whatever cause your buddy with the same mods runs that. It is a totally new experience than racing on the street. Try to stay calm and do your best, not getting upset at the results if they aren't what you expected.

[RocketDSM]

Am I allowed to get upset when my first day dragging is my best? I ran almost a full second slower my second time out than my first. And the second time the car was stripped whereas the first runs were full weight. I just found that to be really annoying.

[InferiorWang]

Is that where your sig came from? "Go Fast With Class. Don't strip it, make it stronger"

[ImportModder]

Originally posted by InferiorWang
Is that where your sig came from? "Go Fast With Class. Don't strip it, make it stronger"

I didn't even notice that.

[BombNastyGST]

I always like to throw a gallon or two of race gas in the mix just to get those few essential octane points in there, helps when you boost alot. I also lower my tire pressure to about 25 psi to help the tires plant a little more. It helps too, cause i have a 2-stage boost controller, so 1st gear i run 14 psi, then hit the switch to 16-17 psi for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gear.....

[Laser0385]

Courtesey Staging. DO NOT STAGE FULLY UNTIL YOUR OPPONENT HAS ALREADY PRE-STAGED. Just a bit of information that alot of first-timers don't understand and can aggravate more experienced racers. Jake

[SLOWAWD]

And don't drive through the waterbox...tracking water all the way up to the lights! Also, when you DO stage and are ready to go leave AS SOON as you see the last yellow! By the time you react and the power travels through your drivetrain the light will be green. Don't even worry about that at first though...Reaction has nothing to do with your E.T.! Just have fun.

[NJGSX96]

RocketDSM, you can get upset, but you need to figure out what was different that could have caused the bad times. What changed? You mentioned weight reduction, but what did you take out? Any other changes? Did you not shift as well? Were your launches better or worse? Did anything you change require a change in your driving?

As for courtesy staging... I guess I am guilty of not doing that. I drive right around the water, stage, and get my revs up. I guess I do take my time as I go up slowly. By the time I am staged and ready to go, the other guy, barring a big overdone smokey burnout, is pre-staged. Takes me a second to get the revs up and I am ready to go.

[mellojoe]

Talk to the folks at the track. Introduce yourself. Compliment people on their cars; thats a great way to get them talking about what they think they do well and you can learn many valubale tidbits along the way. The more people you talk to and become friendly with, the better chance you have of someone lending you an extra helmet if your kid brother wants to ride along, or for someone to throw in an extra hand when you've got to pull out a bent up fender because your burnout put you into the guard rail. The people at these tracks are usually very friendly people and love talking cars and speed. Most are not looking to "dog" somebody's "ride", so you should never feel shy or embarassed about what you brought to the track. I've seen several instances of random strangers offering to lend people different sizes of nitrous nozzles just to see how fast that particular car can run. Most of the real tuners are there to go fast, not to brag about going fast.

Just soak up the atmosphere. Its a blast.

[abrxy3]

is RT calculated into your ET? or is it just a determinant of who wins? ### one of my timesheets said i was the winner (only by about .01 seconds)even though i ran a slower time, and the other car did not red light

[Laser0385]

Reaction time does not effect E.T. Reaction time does however come into play during bracket racing. If you need more info PM me.

Jake

[jetman7060]

Ok I know how to Drag I own a 13 sec GTP supercharged and launching that is hard enough ;-). But My biggest reason for asking is what will a stock 1st Gen Turbo FWD most likely run?I'm guessing 15's but I'm not sure either mid or high?

I bought my 90 Laser Turbo 5speed about a month ago for a daily driving and such but I couldn't just let it go stock. My goal is 14's and that's it.

Intake is comin and a short throw shifter. A few other goodies like a Turbo Timer and Boost Controler also a mechanical boost cauge is on the way.

Please help me!!!!

[95GSXracer]

I dont believe in courtesy staging anymore. I used to do it. Now I get there ASAP so I have plenty of time to build boost. But then again I have to watch out for poeple that will leave me stuttering for 5 minutes just to screw me up There is some strategy in staging... But some people are offended by those who dont do it. Mostly muscle car guys.

[RocketDSM]

As for what I stripped...

Spare Tire, Jack, Rear Seats, Rear Seatbelts, Passenger seat, Trunk Floor, Trunk Padding, Trunk Interior Panels (had been removed NOT due to racing, but were gone nonetheless), Rear Seat Interior Panels, Rear Speakers, Amplifier, Rear Strut Bar (can't see that affecting things much; again was out anyway).

The runs actually felt better, but the best one was a full second off my best. I have since found out that EVERYONE was running about .3-.7 slower than normal that day. We assume it was the heat. I have also found out (the hard way) that my engine was dieing on me. About a month (maybe two) after that day I developed rod knock that turned into dead engine within minutes. Come to find out that #1 had been detonating fairly bad for a long time. #1 Rod Bearing is now stainless steel foil in the oil pan. I've replaced the engine already (rebuilding what I can from the old one to make a race only engine), and it feels considerably stronger in the bottom end now. So I figure I was loosing power that day and just didn't pick up on it.

Neil

[DSMtuner]

How much does atmosphere affect are cars when at the strip? I ran a 15.3 when the temp. was around 45 deg. I went last friday and ran a 16.7@ 81 on a 70 deg. night but it was humid as hell. I am pretty consitant in mid 15s. But could the humidity affect the run that much??

[95GSXracer]

Back when I was on the stock IC, small turbo, etc I found that the difference was substantial. Usually more than a half second from a friday night test and tune to the next days saturday event. Now with FMIC, bigger turbo, and a more efficient setup in general, the difference is much smaller.

[DCsGST]

Another thing that helps I've found... is not dragging on 19's. Traction becomes none existant on FWD cars. I learned that the hard way.

[Mark S.]

19's holy poop on a stick batman. I didn't even think those would fit on a dsm. But anyways great info in this thread, someone make this a stickey.