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Here a few tips for club members that have never been to the track.
Before you go:
Check you fluids,
Oil levels-topped off and changed recently
Brake fluid- should be caramel looking NOT oil looking. If it looks like your motor oil, Dark, take a turkey baster and siphon some out and put in new brake fluid. Preferrably Dot 4. If you don't when this heats up your clutch will stick to the floor after launch.
Upon arrival at the track,
Recheck your fluids,
Check you tire pressure.
Take out of your car anything loose that can fly around and impede your diving. In other words floor mats, sippy cups, or anything that could come loose and get in your way while driving.
Relax- Don't be nervous. You will make mistakes on your first few runs, it's inevitable and you will learn from them. Just relax.
Staging,
Don't worry about heating up your tires just yet. Let's get you down the track first.
For your first run I would leave all of the nannies on just to get a feel for the track and your car as it goes down the track. If after a few runs you start to feel comfortably you can disable Traction Control but only TC. Stability Control should be left on because your intention is to go in a straight line. IF you get squirrley it will save you before you can even think about it.
NEVER USE LAUNCH CONTROL- unless you want to replace your clutch and slave/master cylinders. There have been numerous posts about how your clutch will stick to the floor after using this feature.
The tree-
Pull up slowly
Your front tires will trip the first light- this is pre-staged.
Again RELAX
Inch slowly forward until the second light trips and this is Staged.
Now you wait until the lights start to "count down"
As they count down bring your revs up to what you are comfortable to launch at. In a LS3 car your first time try 1800 RPMS. If you don't know this RPM by sound get it up to RPM when you Stage.
When the last light lights before it goes green drop/sidestep, whatever you are comfortable with in your car, and hit the gas.
****Note-- You do not have to race the light if you don't want to.****
Your Time does not start until your car trips the light, meaning moving forward, so if you want to take your time to leave do so.
If the car next to you is intimidating and distracting let them leave first, gather yourself them hammer it when you are ready so you get the launch and time you want. You do not have to go on the green. Again, this is your learning time and you need to be relaxed and take your time on your launch so you can learn how to do it.
You are now on your way down the track,
Again RELAX
Shift just before redline so you don't hit the rev limiter.
Continue process until you cross the finish line.
Now, depending on which lane you are in and depending on where the turn off lane is will depend on when you turn off. The car closet to the turn off lane ALWAYS goes first so if you have to wait for him/her then you wait and follow or if it is on your side then go ahead and turn in.
Now, CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have made your first run.
After doing a few more runs you can turn of TC and play around with launch RPM's, tire pressure and ALL the other variables that go into Drag Racing. Have fun with it and enjoy yourself.
T.
PS. I am sure some of our other experienced drivers have a few tips they can contribute as well.
Before you go:
Check you fluids,
Oil levels-topped off and changed recently
Brake fluid- should be caramel looking NOT oil looking. If it looks like your motor oil, Dark, take a turkey baster and siphon some out and put in new brake fluid. Preferrably Dot 4. If you don't when this heats up your clutch will stick to the floor after launch.
Upon arrival at the track,
Recheck your fluids,
Check you tire pressure.
Take out of your car anything loose that can fly around and impede your diving. In other words floor mats, sippy cups, or anything that could come loose and get in your way while driving.
Relax- Don't be nervous. You will make mistakes on your first few runs, it's inevitable and you will learn from them. Just relax.
Staging,
Don't worry about heating up your tires just yet. Let's get you down the track first.
For your first run I would leave all of the nannies on just to get a feel for the track and your car as it goes down the track. If after a few runs you start to feel comfortably you can disable Traction Control but only TC. Stability Control should be left on because your intention is to go in a straight line. IF you get squirrley it will save you before you can even think about it.
NEVER USE LAUNCH CONTROL- unless you want to replace your clutch and slave/master cylinders. There have been numerous posts about how your clutch will stick to the floor after using this feature.
The tree-
Pull up slowly
Your front tires will trip the first light- this is pre-staged.
Again RELAX
Inch slowly forward until the second light trips and this is Staged.
Now you wait until the lights start to "count down"
As they count down bring your revs up to what you are comfortable to launch at. In a LS3 car your first time try 1800 RPMS. If you don't know this RPM by sound get it up to RPM when you Stage.
When the last light lights before it goes green drop/sidestep, whatever you are comfortable with in your car, and hit the gas.
****Note-- You do not have to race the light if you don't want to.****
Your Time does not start until your car trips the light, meaning moving forward, so if you want to take your time to leave do so.
If the car next to you is intimidating and distracting let them leave first, gather yourself them hammer it when you are ready so you get the launch and time you want. You do not have to go on the green. Again, this is your learning time and you need to be relaxed and take your time on your launch so you can learn how to do it.
You are now on your way down the track,
Again RELAX
Shift just before redline so you don't hit the rev limiter.
Continue process until you cross the finish line.
Now, depending on which lane you are in and depending on where the turn off lane is will depend on when you turn off. The car closet to the turn off lane ALWAYS goes first so if you have to wait for him/her then you wait and follow or if it is on your side then go ahead and turn in.
Now, CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have made your first run.
After doing a few more runs you can turn of TC and play around with launch RPM's, tire pressure and ALL the other variables that go into Drag Racing. Have fun with it and enjoy yourself.
T.
PS. I am sure some of our other experienced drivers have a few tips they can contribute as well.
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