I would like to know what set ups people are using to race in index or bracket racing in the 11.50 second range. What turbo, transmission, fuel, MBC or EBC etc are you using and why did you choose it?

I have raced in the bracket class at the shootout the last few years and its been a lot of fun. Im looking to move up to the 11.50 class and race some other events like IFO aswell.

I have searched and read a lot and i see there are lots of ways to run the 11.50 time. I want to know what makes for a consistent and reliable package that can be easily and predictably adjusted to run the number and be competitive.

As a rule the guys running index at the shootout and IFO aren't killer good like a real bracket racer, so if you can come within a couple tenths of the index and cut a decent light you will be competitive. It's not like a real bracket race where you need a .001 light and within .01 of your dial in.

As for equipment:

At minimum probably an auto awd with a welded cd, drag radials, 16g or 20g, and E85. IF your a great driver you can get it done with a stick shift and a 16g, act 2600, good street tires, ect.

There's several ways to skin a cat.
1. Set it up so it runs 11.50 on the dot on a perfect pass, and +/- power with boost or timing as needed to hold it there. Then make perfect passes all day. This is how a bracket racer would probably do it.

2. Set it up so it's capable of running 11.0 on a perfect pass, and 11.50ish on a decent pass, then make average passes all so you run near the number. Kind of "sand bag it", make sure you tree the other guy, then just keep a fender on him.

That is probably how I would do it, and my proposed setup for my GGSX below would reflect that.

I've considered it running index with my Galant GSX because of the new saftey rules at the shootout, and I think I'd do:
hy35 on a turbonetics manifold with the internal gate. ~25psi
2g maf
CX racing FMIC
2.5 cat back
ACT2600 street disc ACT flywheel
1000cc pte injectors
walbro 255 with relief punched.
Delta "hks 272" cams
Eprom ecu with an ostrich or a chip.
E85 fuel.
Probably stock turbo shortblock (although my ggsx has a n/t block in it right now)
welded CD
4 bolt rear

I know that setup right there was good for 11.20's @125 or so in my talon with little hassle. On hoosiers it would probably have gone 10.99. It was probably more fun than it is now.

That's the kind of information i am looking for.

I would like to hear some more from people running auto about getting them staged and strategy deal with waiting 5 or 6 seconds for a slower car before you get your light. I watch them stage for a heads up race and i see a big part of getting on the converter happens before you stage. Then creeping in. I wouldn't want to burn down on the brakes waiting for the light.

As for fuel i can't get e85 in my area i have been running 93 oct and putting a little race gas in at the track to make sure i don't knock and pull timing to throw me off my dial.

I think a real closed loop electronic boost controller would be a big help too. One that you can set it to 20psi, and it is 20psi exactly.

Curt has laid out a pretty good setup. I agree with it. I would also set it up to run faster and then JUST outrun the competition...yeah sandbagging...but a win is a win.

bastarddsm said:

As a rule the guys running index at the shootout and IFO aren't killer good like a real bracket racer, so if you can come within a couple tenths of the index and cut a decent light you will be competitive. It's not like a real bracket race where you need a .001 light and within .01 of your dial in.

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What's a real bracket racer to you!?

A person that basically lives and breathes bracket racing, they are at the track every weekend running the bracket program. They hate all other non bracket racers, because it interferes with their program. The tracks can't do anything fun ever because they have to run a 12hr bracket race all day, and if they didn't the bracket racers would be mad and riot.

There's a couple of guys that come to my local track that run trophy and gamblers every friday night. an 84 corvette, 97 chevy truck, and a grand prix GTP. They all run like 15's-16's, but run right on the dial and cut .001 lights.

bastarddsm said:

A person that basically lives and breathes bracket racing, they are at the track every weekend running the bracket program. They hate all other non bracket racers, because it interferes with their program. The tracks can't do anything fun ever because they have to run a 12hr bracket race all day, and if they didn't the bracket racers would be mad and riot.

There's a couple of guys that come to my local track that run trophy and gamblers every friday night. an 84 corvette, 97 chevy truck, and a grand prix GTP. They all run like 15's-16's, but run right on the dial and cut .001 lights.

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When I lived near Norwalk OH I used to go the track quit a bit, and I remember these kind of guys. They would sit there and talk BS all day about the other cars being in there way. Mean while they were running 15-17 second cars and would be there every MON-WED-FRI. Their stupid class was filled with Honda's V6 Mustangs etc.

not going to get this thread off topic but bracket class you have to know your car much better than a heads up class to run your number every time.
But hope you get your 11.50 index class this year with ease! Look around on post there are many different setups to get some ideas on what and how you would like to accomplish it! Good luck man. Hope to see you at the shootout!!

dude1988 said:

not going to get this thread off topic but bracket class you have to know your car much better than a heads up class to run your number every time.

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Oh I agree. I'm just not a bracket racer fan, and i think in general it's sort of killing racing. It's boring for the fans to see some 16s stock truck win. For the driver sure it's a challenge, but talk about paint drying. Index is a little better, but say like super comp. You have cars capable of running 6's throttle stopped down to 8.90's.

oh well back to the topic at hand. If your going to do real bracket racing an auto is probably your weapon of choice. A stick wouldn't be so handicapped in a class full of other dsm's and the like.

I ran the 11.50 index class and had a great time, here was my basic setup that ran 11.4-11.5
Stock long block with ARPs
Old school FP Red
ID 1000 injectors
ACT 2600
AEM boost control solenoid
Pump gas

I won and loss a lot of races at the tree in this class, personally I liked it because the class is packed in the north east.

Thats pretty encouraging your set up is similar to what i have right now. Do you just adjust boost to dial your car into that ET or do you have to adjust timing or anything else in the tune. Do you feel like the AEM EBC is a key part of making it consistent?

88blazer1297 said:

Thats pretty encouraging your set up is similar to what i have right now. Do you just adjust boost to dial your car into that ET or do you have to adjust timing or anything else in the tune. Do you feel like the AEM EBC is a key part of making it consistent?

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I honestly didnt have to touch boost at the events to stay consistent, however I would move the 2 step often depending on the track conditions. I'm familiar with the AEM EBC thats why I used it, but I think you would have close to the same results with the MBC. I think you're going to have a great time competing, it was fun driving to the track and racing all day against tin cans that got trailered there.