CobraStangGT16

Hey guys! I think I'd like to take my car to the track sometime soon, but problem is, I've never dragged. I've always seen guys doin it with their Mustangs and it looks like a blast! Theres a local track around here and I was thinking of taking my GT down there one day.

So whos got some detailed advice/routines I could bring with me to the track? Burnouts...How? Never done one on purpose...1st or 2nd gear? How about my tires...will they hook up OK? I have 275/40ZR/17 Team Falken street tires. They're pretty big, but that doesn't ensure anything. Also, it doesn't take very much to get sideways for my car. Is that normal for an almost stock GT?

What about revving before launch. What rpm range is most effective? How about shift rpm's for different gears?

And is my rear end cut out for this type of thing? It's a stock rearend from my knowledge. Or do I need bigger gears? My car is also lowered 1.5". Advantage? Disadvantage?

I'll take all the help I can get! And if there's anything I missed, let me know. I think I'll be heading against my friends WRX. I'd like to first go for times to see what I can pull. Then go for a challenge.

Thanks guys!
-Matt

trance565

mmmm first, the burng out

put it in first, rev to about 3k rpm, drop clutch, slam the left(clutch foot on the break) and floor it, keep it at like 5k rpm untill you get a good amount of smoke (wamred up tires)

then for launch, with dr's about 2500-3krpm is good, i would say 2k for you, come off the clutch fast, but dont drop it, and counter coming off the clutch with gas. trhen have fun the rest of the way down the track.

also, feather the gas if your spinning too much and it starts to slide to the side too much.

CoolAid

You might not have to do a full burnout to heat up street radials depending on the tire. Avoid the water box, drive around it, bring it to 2,500-2,800 SMOOTH out the clutch and hammer on the go pedal and "scuff" you rears up a bit. You'll probably be doing more then 7-10 runs during the night so full burnouts will cost you a new set of rear meats in no time. Stage in you'll see the first set of yellow lights at the top come on. Pull forward slightly and the second set will light. As soon as the other car does the same the timer dude will set the tree off. Make sure you leave on the THIRD YELLOW. If you leave on green your reaction time will suck Donkey *****. With my car launching at 2,500-2,700 seems to give me the best launch without too much burn off the line (all stock though, your car will/may be very different) experiment with it and HAVE FUN.

trance565

oh yeah, the tree is VERY fast the first couple times fyi.

ZW99GT

Theres a nice write in the street strip section that explains all this in detial written by JD1969. Its really good. check it out. Its a sticky

CobraStangGT16

ZW99GT, Will do.

Thanks for all the advice guys. That really helps. My mods are just a K&N Filter, a BBK catted X-pipe and a set of Flowmasters. I'm deciding between MGW and Steeda Tri-ax short throws. Still not sure when I'll be getting them, but if I do happen to install it before my runs, any advice on the short shifter?

CoolAid

Board preference here is the MGW. Steeda's Tri-Ax is by all means a top notch shifter, but here on MF the concensus is that teh MGW edges it out for the #1 spot in all the threads I've ever seen. MGW is my next purchase as well.


EDIT: P.S. change the tranny fluid when you do the shifter for the hell of it. Board preference on fluid is Royal Purple Synthetic

CobraStangGT16

Thanks CoolAid, I'll keep that in mind. I, too, have noticed the MGW preference here.

I just read the sticky that ZW was talking about. Theres some really detailed stuff in there! That really helped me out. I didn't know the procedures with the stages and where to get time slips, etc.

Thanks to JD1969 for the follow up, and ZW99GT showing me the sticky.

ZW99GT

No problem man. Good luck man. Youll get the hang of it. Nice car BTW

72MachOne99GT

Here it comes from a first time having NO experiance before..

pull up to the light, talk to others about the lighting, (IE the tree/staging.. etc..)

Once you are there, it's all experimenting..

your tires, probably suck, being lowerd is no good.. lol

good luck

no need to do a burn out on street tires, just scratch em a bit, dont bog, dont sping.. LOL.. GOOD LUCK!!