New Track Times

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RedHotMark96

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Finally got some new track times today. Was hoping to break into 14s, but didnt quite manage that.
Rear tires at 25psi, 3/4 tank, spare, jack, and a backpack in the trunk. Was pretty chilly out. Summer tires (BF Goodrich G-force sport).
Performance mods: 2.5" exhaust, jmod, tires

Best run (to date):
Reaction ---.285
60ft ------- 2.28
330ft ------ 6.48
1/8 -------- 9.85
1/4 -------- 15.08
1/4mph ---- 97.02mph

Lanch was at 2000rpm (wherever the TC locks up), TC off, in D.

Second best:
Reaction ---.458
60ft ------- 2.35
330ft ------ 6.54
1/8 -------- 9.91
1/4 -------- 15.15
1/4mph ---- 96.54

Launch from idle, TC off, in D.

With my mods, and my car being a '96, what kind of times should it be capable of?
 
That's a pretty good trap you have there, and the 60' isn't bad but there is room for improvement on the launch. With a good density altitude and a solid launch you should be able to crack off a 14.7 or so.
 
I would double check that your IMRC's are completely opening...

Also everyone says to launch our cars off idle.
 
Stock car, basicly..running right where it should be.

stock 96's are 15.0-15.3 cars depending on the track elevation and conditions.

There is little performance to be gained with an exhaust, been there done that. I put three different systems on my car with various X and H pipes and never gained more than .2-.3 TOPS..

So if you take a 15.30 car and subtract .3 (generously) then you have the 15.08 that your car ran.

unless you drasticly change the weight of the car, the power it puts out or the gearing of the car the ET and MPH isn't gonna change much.

I do agree you have a "good trap speed" 97MPH unless it was artifcially inflated due to spinning on the launch {poor 60 foot numbers)

with a stock convertor you really really want to leave off idle for best results.
stick with one technique, dont "try a bunch of things".

Once you stick to one technique then you can consistanty judge what your car is doing.


HATS OFF for getting the car to the track!


TIP.. if you pump the front tires up to 45LB it'll turn that 15.08 into a 15.00
If you can take 80 lbs out of the car that'll also turn that .08 into an .00

TIP 2 "shallow stage"..with your car at this level the most important thing you can do to improve is to stage the car as shallow as possible.
"dont roll into the beams"...
Approach the tree slowly until the prestage light turns on then STOP.
The inch by inch bump the car forward until you see the stage light flicker {that's called "tickling the beam") then bump one more time and your "shallow staged".

shallow stage will give you more of a "headstart" on the timing clock.
it's good for .04 -.05 in ET

Pump up the fronts, get a good solid hour cool down and stage shallow and be happy if it runs in the 14.90's.. then.. you can be ELATED if it runs a 14.80 or 14.70.

Dont run out there expecting to run 14.70's..
as your setting yourself up for a very frustrating experience.

Also.. "dont chase a number", use the numbers your car runs to evaluate changes. if you "use the numbers" rather than "chasing the numbers" you will have a much more pleasureable experience.

trust me.."been there done that".
chasing numbers sucks.
 
Thanks for the advice, I personally found it easier to launch with the torque converter locked, from Idle I found it harder not to spin, but I will work on that more next time. For comparison, it runs around 15.3 with trac control on.
 
RedHotMark96 said:
Thanks for the advice, I personally found it easier to launch with the torque converter locked, from Idle I found it harder not to spin..
Click to expand...

That is good information.... and what it is telling you that "at an off idle" launch you are getting MORE power to the wheels.

Now... you only need to figure out how to "get that power" to the ground and not spin.

if your running 225/60/16's try a set of 245/50/16's
The additional 20MM of tread X 2 is 80mm of additional tread which just might solve your traction issues.

Going from 225's to 245s on my car turned my 2.20 60 foots into 2.06-2.09 60's.

Every .1 you improve the 60 foot will be worth atleast double on the big end.
If you can get a 2.0 60', your car will easily run deep in the 14's.
 
RedHotMark96 said:
17" BF Goodrich GForce Sports
.
Click to expand...

saw that in your sig..sorry..haha

still need to work on the 60 foot, might drop 1-2 PSI from the rear tires until it hooks, but dont go below 27ish PSI because it definatley WONT HOOK in the 26,25SPI range.

Just gotta find the "sweet spot".
 
You should start a drag racing tips thread, XLRV - one for us Mark VIII 'noobs' who may be looking to go to a track sometime. Get it made a sticky.
 
It really depends on what you want to accomplish as to what technique works best.

For instance shooting for "low et" technique is vastly different from "shooting for a good RT and a consistant ET".

The staging and launching techniques are literally "the opposite".

if you want a low ET and RT doesnt concern you..
shallow stage and launch off idle.

If you want a consistant repeatable ET and RT then you want to stage a little deeper and want to launch at 1K RPMS (no higher)

the goal for launching at 1K is.. to "get the PCM out of the idle strategy".
Idle RPM can vary 50,75,100RPM's which WILL effect your RT and ET.

By bringing the RPMS up out of the idle strategy you eliminate this inconsistancy.

There are too many variables and individual goals to make a "one size fits all" write up on "how to drag race"...

I just chime in when I think the info is relevant to the discussion.
Thanks though, I appreciate what you said.
 
93' Blue on blue said:
You should start a drag racing tips thread, XLRV - one for us Mark VIII 'noobs' who may be looking to go to a track sometime. Get it made a sticky.
Click to expand...

best suggestion I can give a first timer or noob.. is to..
BE CONSISTANT.

dont go to the track trying a bunch of different things..

If you go to the track and consistantly stage the car in the SAME SPOT, then post your results..then people can come in and give you good tips.

If you make 5 passes and do 5 different things, that gives people no good data to help you improve upon.

If you make 5 passes and do the same thing all 5 times, now you have consistant data for people to look at and help you improve.

consistancy is the key, even IF your shooting for "low ET".
 
XLRVIII said:
best suggestion I can give a first timer or noob.. is to..
BE CONSISTANT.

dont go to the track trying a bunch of different things..

If you go to the track and consistantly stage the car in the SAME SPOT, then post your results..then people can come in and give you good tips.

If you make 5 passes and do 5 different things, that gives people no good data to help you improve upon.

If you make 5 passes and do the same thing all 5 times, now you have consistant data for people to look at and help you improve.

consistancy is the key, even IF your shooting for "low ET".
Click to expand...

+1
Its the most important thing you can do.....do it the same everytime.
From the burnout thru the traps.
 
Another good tip, one you would think would "go without saying"...

DRIVE STRAIGHT!

it sounds stupid but you would be suprised how many times I've watch someone run.. and they either zig zag their way down the track OR..

they wont stage the car STRAIGHT and go "the long way" down the track by staging on the right side of the lane and driving over to the left side of the lane at the finish line.

When you stage the car, look down track and find something to focus on and DRIVE STRAIGHT DAMMIT
(sorry it's one of my noob pet peeves)

you wouldn't beleive the "deer in the headlight" look people give you when you tell them..
"that would have been probably .05-.09 quicker had you not taken "the long way"..

happens ALOT in bracket racing when you have to "look over" and over your shoulder to find you opponent.
 
Good advice, I'll keep it in mind when the track opens up again. I did notice that at 25psi it didn't hook as well as I'd hoped for. My tires are 225/55/17. So still not that wide, but give much better grip than my previous all seasons. I'm still not very good at rolling into the throttle at a launch off idle.
 
If an off idle wot launch spins next time out.. try this.

instead of rolling instantly to wot.. press the pedal about 1/3 or 2/3 which will raise the front of the car then hit WOT.

you dont want to "pause" at the intermedate pedal position just make a stab to part throttle then go to WOT.

I hesitate to say this, but you can try this on the street to get a feel for what I'm talking about. if you can make the car "stick" on the street with some pedal manipulation then the track should hook much better.

something else you can practice is "bumping the car" and work on getting to where you can move the car 1-2 inches "per bump".

..that way you can "bump the car" between the prestage and the stage bulb and get the car "really shallow staged".
 
You've got the whole drag racing thing down to a science huh Tommy...

I can't wait to get to the track next year!
 
kustomizingkid said:
I can't wait to get to the track next year!
Click to expand...

The Mark 8 is a car meant to be driven..a drivers car.
So.. if you hold true to your cars heritage you could DRIVE DOWN HERE and run at the track "THIS YEAR".

And.. run at one of the two fastest tracks in the country and ask ALL the WHY WHY WHY stuff too!

I do answer "why" questions at personal appearances:D :D :D
 
Ive had about 40 passes or so. and 80% are 15.3 at 93. 0nce on my best run it was a 15.1 at 95. I have tried all those tips. Main thing is I have no jmod, and I (the driver) weigh well over 300#. But it is addicting to get up to the line and see what she does. I was also going to have my buddy drive it next year a couple of times, he is 1/2 my weight, that would be an instant 150 lb weight loss......for the car....also I havent run it with the coil conversion installed yet. But overall I would say your times look good to me anyway.
 
kustomizingkid said:
You've got the whole drag racing thing down to a science huh Tommy...
Click to expand...

nah, I'm just a larry the cable guy redneck complete with WARRRKUTTERS and a sister that's covered with moles.

Did I mention that "I hate moles, they are stinky nasty little animals" with beeedy little eyes.. and they dont make a stew worth a damn.

but my seester likes em!

(pushes my hat back on my head and spits)
 
greenlinc said:
and I (the driver) weigh well over 300#. But it is addicting to get up to the line and see what she does. I was also going to have my buddy drive it next year a couple of times,.
Click to expand...

If you go on the mark8.org site and look in the "tracks and triumphs" section
you can see where we took two cars (mine and stone17's)

then plopped my girlfriend who I affectionately call "FAT*SS" into the seat and she beat his best time by almost .3 and my best time by .2

she took my 14.20 and ran a 14.06 and his 14.30 and ran a 14.03.

We call it "the tifffany mod".. and she weighs like 100LBS dripping wet which is why I "get away" with calling her "FADASS".

with that said..

It's commonly accepted that each 100lbs is worth .1 {a tenth) in the 1/4
Only problem is.. she doesnt weigh 200lbs LESS than I do, nor does she weigh 300lbs less than Stone17 does.

I guess she's just a better driver than both of us..haha

greenlinc:driver weight is often left out of the equation.. hats off for bringing this very often overlooked variable to light.
 
If I had the time to drive 20 hours down to Houston I would... I would come down over my winter break but I'm going to LA... lol
 
just one noob question, does the track has more grip on the road then just a regular road outside your house? When I floor my car on my drive way it takes of with no spin at all, so I hope its more griper then the normal roads.
 
mark0101 said:
does the track has more grip on the road then just a regular road outside your house? .
Click to expand...

a properly prepped track worth the price of admission should be FAR stickier than a regular street.
 
Redhot I would recommend the 245 sports. Thats what I run and have no problem with spinning. I've also been very pleased with the tread life. Not the best tire but very cost effective. Your times are close to mine when in stock trim. however your MPH is alot faster than mine was. Good luck and have fun!
 
XLRVIII said:
Also.. "dont chase a number", use the numbers your car runs to evaluate changes. if you "use the numbers" rather than "chasing the numbers" you will have a much more pleasureable experience.

trust me.."been there done that".
chasing numbers sucks.
Click to expand...

Great advice, yet its soo hard to do, especially after going a few times. The fun part is improving on your own times, but when it doesn't happen it can sometimes be frustrating lol.
 
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