Yesterday I popped my track cherry. Pretty...goofy until I started changing gears.

About to leave the staging lanes, and I pick a song from the CD player and play it at a low volume. Getting ready to do the burnout, I drove around the water box (not sure why) and when I was given the 'ok' to begin, I held the brake and gas with one foot and etc., the car got sideways and I am literally at a 45 degree angle with the right lane (I was in the left lane).

Got up to stage, and was waiting for the pre-stage lights to light up...few seconds pass, and I'm thinkin 'alright yo, whats the deal?' and I peek over and the track official was waving me to go forward.

Finally staged, and am waiting for the yellow lights to begin to light up and drop. Now keep in mind, I was wearing a helmet (safety first) but I was reminded why I should latch/tie it all the way instead of just having the rope go through the two rings instead of bringing it back to secure my chin. As the lights turned to the greens (yes one for each lane) I had my revs up to 2k and dumped it. At that point the helmet shot up to my nose and I'm trying to get it back down before the shift to second with one hand on the wheel and one hand adjusting the helmet (I basically just shoved it down my face and grabbed the shifter).

After I touched the shifter though, all was butter. Speedshifted second, third, and fourth, and ran a 14.19 @ 98.9 with a 60 ft time of 2.11 (d'oh). My car isn't stock, basically exhaust, 4.10s, 93 SCT tune, lower control arms, worn/squeaky shocks, and 555Rs.

What do you think? Any other first timers experience similar things their first time staging up?

 

My first time... 95 LT1 Auto 3.23 Camaro @ Cordova Dragway

I went through the water box did a short 2 second tire spin (didnt even try to powerbrake or anything)... coasted up to the lights and slowly creeped forward until they lit (which took FOREVER since I was slowly inching forward with no clue when they would light up)... then finally sat there in drive waiting for the green..

Finally saw green and just mashed the gas..... bam 2.1 60ft.... 9.1 @ 79mph in the 1/8th and a final 14.1 @ 97mph slip at the end.

made 2 more runs that day and got 14.1 and 14.2... never got better.

 

why are you guys waiting on green? i shallow stage and leave on the light before green so i get a good reaction time.

 

You have a car????


Hahah just kidding thats pretty good for your first time to the track, maybe now girls will want to make babies with you

 

whats the point? It doesn't help your time at all unless you are bracket racing

 

48 years old and my first time was this year......humbling experience. First and third runs slow start only managed 14.0 at 102. LOLOL.....second run....too agressive....roasted them, banged limiter, spun 1st to 2nd and ended up 14.6 [:-] The crowds and all the cars in line...new experience = nerves. I want to go again!

 

I always like it when theres 2 semi equal cars at the line together thats where r/t comes into play, I know it has nothing to do with e/t.

 

my first run...i had JUST turned 16, and i was driving the white car in bone stock form...130hp...i had only had my license for a short time, and that first track pass (somewhere in the mid 70mph range) was the fastest that id ever gone while driving. my first run was something like an 18.70...

my next run was into the mid 17s...by the end of that summer, i was in the 14s..

 

haha my first time, when i was staging, my rear wheels must have been on a raised rubber patch cause the car kept rolling forward, and getting me out of teh stage, and im like "****!" so i kept putting it in reverse and rolling back, and i delayed the start, and finally i just held the brake.

 

I was 18 and didn't have a clue about RT, stage, deep stage, yada yada... I just knew if you went before the green light you got a red light.

Its been 7 years and a lot of trips to the track since those days.