1st time at track - comments?
06-06-2005, 03:53 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 15
1st time at track - comments?
After owning the car for a few months now, I was finally able to get out to the track last night. The GT is bone stock and at the ripe old age of 43 I had never driven on a track in my life. First pass was 15.4 at 94 mph. I ran a total of 8 passes and with the exception of one (16.1) I was really consistent in the low 15's. My last pass was my best at 15.1 and 94.08 mph.
I know that the stang should run in the mid-14's stock so I'm figuring the problem is the driver. I played around with some things with my driving but did not make any changes to the car itself. I did runs with the traction control on and off and it didn't seem to make any real difference either way. I did get the feeling that I was spinning off the line quite a bit on some of the passes but wasn't sure how to correct that.
It took a little while to learn what to watch while driving down the track. On my first pass, I never looked at the tach once and felt the rev limiter kick in at each gear change. Didn't let that mistake happen again.
Any help you can give an old man on how to get down the track a little faster until I can make some mods to the car would be most appreciated. Reaction time, even for an old guy didn't seem to bad. Never red lighted and my worst reaction time was .752 on my second pass. All in all, had a great time and as long as I don't blow up the car, can still get to work. (sure made the wife nervous though).
I know that the stang should run in the mid-14's stock so I'm figuring the problem is the driver. I played around with some things with my driving but did not make any changes to the car itself. I did runs with the traction control on and off and it didn't seem to make any real difference either way. I did get the feeling that I was spinning off the line quite a bit on some of the passes but wasn't sure how to correct that.
It took a little while to learn what to watch while driving down the track. On my first pass, I never looked at the tach once and felt the rev limiter kick in at each gear change. Didn't let that mistake happen again.
Any help you can give an old man on how to get down the track a little faster until I can make some mods to the car would be most appreciated. Reaction time, even for an old guy didn't seem to bad. Never red lighted and my worst reaction time was .752 on my second pass. All in all, had a great time and as long as I don't blow up the car, can still get to work. (sure made the wife nervous though).
06-06-2005, 03:59 AM
#2
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Nashville/Knoxville, Tennessee
Posts: 4,687
RE: 1st time at track - comments?
those passes arent to bad. im in a modded stang and i ran a 15.6 at best (conversion is a 10.2 1/8 mile). we only have 1/8 mile tracks here. but i was almost bone stock when i made that pass and it was my first pass ever in the stang and i only had the car for 4 months and its my first car that was manual, never knew a manual before this one so i was alittle shaky on the launchs.. i would say run with traction control off.. it will help out more after u have good clutch control on this car. also shift at about 5800 rpm. dont redline it at 6200 every shift. you should be in the 14's if you do this stuff... also work on power shifting, i cant do it yet... but it will help out your track times.
06-06-2005, 04:02 AM
#4
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location:
Posts: 776
RE: 1st time at track - comments?
Dont worry about blowing up your car. Trust me its prolly thanking you for having some fun w/ it. Well anyways, is your car auto or 5 spd? And never hit the rev limiter. If its 5 spd id say you should be shifting right on 5500. I own a 98 and my shift points are lower. But someone told me the 99-04 can rev to about 5500. You should be able to tell when the car stops making power. The other night I raced a turbo WRX and i launched at 3300 which is very high i never launch that high but i actually got outta the hole pretty good w/out much spin. You should be making 14.1-14.5 passes all day. When my car had pulleys and cold air intake i did a 14.70
06-06-2005, 04:04 AM
#5
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location:
Posts: 246
RE: 1st time at track - comments?
yea i know everytime i try gettin close to redline it bounces off the rev limiter and slows me way it feels faster to me when i shift out at about 5800 like racer500stang said cause every other time i bounce off the rev limiter
06-06-2005, 04:09 AM
#8
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location:
Posts: 246
RE: 1st time at track - comments?
i always heard it was hold the gas on the whole time press clutch in as fast as possible same slam into the next gear and let out really fast on the clutch but u got to do all this really fast, when i try it i let off the gas a little bit in between and as soon as i start letting out of the clutch im back in the gas
06-06-2005, 04:10 AM
#9
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 15
RE: 1st time at track - comments?
If my memory serves right, power shifting is keeping your foot on the gas while you push in the clutch. Thats how I blew up a 64 falcon I had when I was 18. Have never done it since. Won't do it again. This is my daily driver and I can't afford to be without it.
06-06-2005, 02:10 PM
#10
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location:
Posts: 66
RE: 1st time at track - comments?
ORIGINAL: 02stanger
After owning the car for a few months now, I was finally able to get out to the track last night. The GT is bone stock and at the ripe old age of 43 I had never driven on a track in my life. First pass was 15.4 at 94 mph. I ran a total of 8 passes and with the exception of one (16.1) I was really consistent in the low 15's. My last pass was my best at 15.1 and 94.08 mph.
I know that the stang should run in the mid-14's stock so I'm figuring the problem is the driver. I played around with some things with my driving but did not make any changes to the car itself. I did runs with the traction control on and off and it didn't seem to make any real difference either way. I did get the feeling that I was spinning off the line quite a bit on some of the passes but wasn't sure how to correct that.
It took a little while to learn what to watch while driving down the track. On my first pass, I never looked at the tach once and felt the rev limiter kick in at each gear change. Didn't let that mistake happen again.
Any help you can give an old man on how to get down the track a little faster until I can make some mods to the car would be most appreciated. Reaction time, even for an old guy didn't seem to bad. Never red lighted and my worst reaction time was .752 on my second pass. All in all, had a great time and as long as I don't blow up the car, can still get to work. (sure made the wife nervous though).
After owning the car for a few months now, I was finally able to get out to the track last night. The GT is bone stock and at the ripe old age of 43 I had never driven on a track in my life. First pass was 15.4 at 94 mph. I ran a total of 8 passes and with the exception of one (16.1) I was really consistent in the low 15's. My last pass was my best at 15.1 and 94.08 mph.
I know that the stang should run in the mid-14's stock so I'm figuring the problem is the driver. I played around with some things with my driving but did not make any changes to the car itself. I did runs with the traction control on and off and it didn't seem to make any real difference either way. I did get the feeling that I was spinning off the line quite a bit on some of the passes but wasn't sure how to correct that.
It took a little while to learn what to watch while driving down the track. On my first pass, I never looked at the tach once and felt the rev limiter kick in at each gear change. Didn't let that mistake happen again.
Any help you can give an old man on how to get down the track a little faster until I can make some mods to the car would be most appreciated. Reaction time, even for an old guy didn't seem to bad. Never red lighted and my worst reaction time was .752 on my second pass. All in all, had a great time and as long as I don't blow up the car, can still get to work. (sure made the wife nervous though).