please help me by reading this, and making any suggestions or corrections:

Shifting Techniques for Drag Racing
It is a very common problem for racers to miss gears while racing, resulting in losing a race. This article will address a few issues and mistakes that racers commonly make, which usually results in either a slow shift, or a miss shift. If these problems are addressed correctly, it will result in faster, cleaner and more reliable shifts. There have been a number of races, where HAVOC members would have beat the competition, had they not messed up their shifting, and hopefully, all of us can put to practice, the techniques that I will be explaining. Note that this obviously does not apply to HAVOC members with auto transmissions.
To better understand how to shift, we must first understand exactly how our manual transmissions work. During normal driving, when we shift, we simply, simultaneously, push in the clutch, and release the accelerator. We slide the shifter smoothly into the next gear, and again, release the clutch, and press the gas. Well, unfortunately, the majority of street racers think this is also the best way to shift while racing and that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Our modern day manual transmission use SYNCHROS to help the driver shift smoothly into the next gear. The main function of the synchros is to match the transmission speed to the engine rpm (to which the input shaft is spinning). During normal driving, the synchros do a great job of doing this, since slamming the shifter into the gears isn’t a part of our normal daily driving habits. During normal shifting, since our accelerator is usually fully released, the engine rpm drops immediately, so when changing gears, the synchros slow the transmission down to the same speed as the engine rpm, so that the gear can be engaged. But the synchros can only work so fast. If you are slamming your gears in, while racing, this can lead to your synchros getting burned out too fast. Sometimes your synchros will just fail to adjust your transmission speed to your engine rpm fast enough, which will result in either a very slow shift, or simply a miss shift. Either you just keep the pushing the stick in till it engages the correct gear (which can take a while), or you just think you’re in gear, release the clutch, and grind your transmission.
So how do we deal with this then? How can we reduce stress to the synchromesh transmission, and how can gears be changed more efficiently (quicker and with less stress)? The answer is very simple guys:
When racing, do NOT let off the gas completely, while switching gears. If you keep your engine revs higher, then the synchros do not have to slow down the transmission as much, for the gears to be engaged. The synchros will take a lot less time to match the transmission speed to the rpm of your engine, hence, your gears will engage a lot quicker, and with less force required. This will also increase the life of your synchronizers, which are usually the first thing to go out in a modern day manual transmission. For higher horsepower cars, this is the ONLY way to shift fast. You will find it nearly impossible to make a fast shift while racing, in a 500+ hp vehicle, unless you utilize this method. But beware of a few things!!
THIS TECHNIQUE HAS ONE MAJOR DRAWBACK. CLUTCH WEAR! If you shift, using this technique, your clutch work must be fast and precise; otherwise you will eventually burn out your clutch. If you are very good with working your clutch, you should have no problem. Your clutch pedal must spend as little time as possible, in between the fully disengaged position, and the fully engaged position. That means, either your clutch pedal is completely down or completely up. Minimize the time where your clutch is in between these two positions.
Much practice will be required to master this technique, but if it is done correctly, it will have a noticeable effect on your quarter mile times, improve your consistency in races, increase the longevity of your transmission, and impress your significant other! Well maybe not the last one, but all of the other reasons, definitely!

 

Good article! [sm=exactly.gif]

 

sounds good and def gotta try it out next time i racin in the car. Thanks!

 

you make it sound so easy lol, i have a hard time getting it into gear when i try to pwer shift at wot.

 

dont do it at wot, just a little less than that....

 

I think double-clutching also solves this problem.

 

I can see that working... but with my mgw, fiore clutch quad & cable adj. it solved my problem of shifting once I finally found where I wanted it to adjust to. But this is neat, but like you said... better be quick on and off the clutch or ELSE.

 

Wow ive been doing this since i was 16... this article makes me feel like a genius. I never get off the gas completely when racing. Whohoo for me

 

Takes too long, cant afford to lose even .1