I mentioned 61 mph in reference to your statement "... but if I'm over 60 then it's third gear all the way."
But it's even feasible when starting at 65 mph, assuming that certain parameters which I've already stated exist, e.g., gearing and rev limit are sufficiently high.

What exactly are you not in agreement with?

Your "maybe" comment indicates that you have not experimented with both methods in your GT, i.e., 3rd from 61-90 and 2nd-3rd from 60-90.
I have, and there's a noticeable difference which will give the win to the driver who uses the latter method, assuming he/she can shift quickly and both cars are the same in every respect. And racing is all about winning where I come from.

I've already addressed that the average driver will be better off starting in 3rd.

 

My 'maybe' comment was directed at you, thus the reference "maybe you're a TINY bit faster..." It does not indicate anything other than you potentially being faster using your prefered method. However your response indicates you jump to conclusions before seeing the whole picture. :-)

Actually, I have tried both techniques. It seems to be a wash for me, sometimes I'm a shade faster starting in a higher gear, sometimes I'm a shade faster down shifting.

So since there was no distinguishable method that worked better for me, I chose to go the 'easier' route and shift less... which means there is less margin for error which in turn increases my chances of winning a race. :-) That I think is the big picture, you have less margin for error by reducing your shifts, especially with our cars that have a tendency to miss 3rd (as indicated was a problem for the OP).

Also, you have things you need to think about that you can't really control like road temp... if the roads are cold and you want to start out uber high in the RPM range there is a better chance you'll spin your tires which will result in slower accelleration.

Anyways, the big picture is that different folks drive differently. What makes you fast, doesn't necessarily make me fast... and vice versa. The difference in driver style/preference are much harder to see with cars than in motorcycling where you can easily see differences in rider preferences simply by looking at their body positioning.

 

"For the average joe without a STS and one who doesn't want to speed shift... you're much better off just going from 3rd. If you don't mind beating on your clutch (ie speed shifting) then and you can shift uber fast, then maybe you're a TINY bit faster going from 2nd."
Nope, no jumping to conclusions or failure to see the whole picture on my part. As you can plainly see from your above initial statement, you used the term "you're" when referring to the "average joe", and then continued using that same term in your subsequent statement, which implied to me that you were still referring to the "average joe".
In order to avoid confusion when referring to the "average joe" and when referring to me, you should have used the term "he is much better off" instead of "you're" for the "average joe". A simple matter of semantics, but one that's very critical for the reader to correctly interpret the writer's meaning.

My GT is consistently faster when starting in 2nd at approx. 60 mph. That may be due to my quick reflexes(they've always been like a cat) and shifting consistency. And while I agree that there's less margin for error when starting in 3rd, I've yet to miss 3rd when starting in 2nd.
And once again, I've already stated that most drivers will want to start in 3rd gear since they do not have the talents required for quick shifting at high speeds. However, if they do battle with someone who does have these talents and is driving an identical car, then it's a no brainer as to who will win.

I never do any high speed racing when the temperatures turn cold. Like Dirty Harry once said, "A man's got to know his limitations". The same applies to a man's car.

Totally agree that different people drive differently, but it's the talented and experienced drivers who also understand the laws of physics, mechanics, and dynamics regarding cars and driving that will always win the race. And that's the bottom line in our friendly discussion.

 

Good point on the semantics... you're correct, it's not phrased right.

That being said, I guess I must be completely untalented and unexperienced in racing motor vehicles... because my 7 years and 25k plus miles of track (not dragstrip, real track) experience clearly aren't nearly enough to make up for my reflexive and mental short comings. :-)

BTW, when was the last time you came across someone who had an IDENTICAL car to yours? It's all a moot point and you're trying WAY to hard to prove it. :-)

 

Good point on identical cars. However, when mine was bone stock, I encountered 2 other '05 S197 GT's in my area that were also claimed to be bone stock by the owners. Raced one(also a manual) from a 40 mph roll up to 80, and I won by half a car. The other owner did not want to race because his car was not broken in. So the point was not moot in my case.

 

How is it that you have a contradictory response to EVERYTHING...? :-)

 

I'm simply stating facts.

 

Not necessarily... your 'facts' are all based on two main assumptions:
-The driver can actually do what you state.
-The driver doesn't mind 'beating' on his/her car.

You're speaking on the micro level (talented driver, exact same cars etc) and I'm speaking on the macro level (average joe, different cars etc)...



This is my last post in this thread because it's not getting either of us anywhere... we both disagree on what's better and it neither of us is going to change our opinion.

 

All the way thru this thread I stated that the majority of drivers do not have the talent to do quick and consistently clean d/s to 2nd and upshift to 3rd gear changes at high rpms and speeds. Fact.
Also, this is the "Street/Strip" forum, where owners who like to race(READ: beat on their cars) hang out, and look for suggestions on how they can become a better and faster driver than the "average joe". Fact.

 

Mattstang2007 good you won. But dont year car have 3.55 gears?