Best way to race from a dead stop

[crabby]

Im not much of a street racer but Im curious to know what the
best way to get running from a dead stop is in a race. How far do you take the early gears rpm wise for maximum speed.

Thanks:rolling:

 

[HotRodHarry]

dead stop....rev engine between 2500 and 3000 rpms and ease the clutch out..fast..but not too fast and have your foot on the thottle to keep the rpms up in that range and as you get the clutch further out..start getting into the gas more...then the clutch is all the way out and gas pedal to the floor...all within 1/2 second that should happen...not even....Then for a first few practice runs...bring the r's up to 5500 rpms and keep the gas pedal to the floor and at the same time you go to shift as fast as you can to second gear...kick the clutch in and out at that same time. As soon as you go to move that shifter..hit the clutch and by the time your clutch is to the floor you should be in second and then wham! let that clutch back up as fast as you can..usually the pressure of the clutch will move it up real fast as long as you foot is moving up fast too. Thats called powershifting...then practice the 1st to 2nd shift a few time..or 3rd to 4th if you have the room ...safely....later after you master this..then try the harder 2nd to 3rd gear. Once this all goes well...then shift at 6000 rpms and practice that. The higher the rpm in power shifting the harder it is. Just remember....as soon as you go to shift as fast as you can..you are doing the same thing with you clutch . Simultaneously...insinc.

That launch technique to get use to the feel of the clutch works great to to practice with. To get the feel of when your tires break loose or you bog.

Hope that helps alittle...

Harry
www.HotRodHarrys.com

 

[jonas]

harry,
you ever blow an input shaft with those power shifts? You do this with slicks too?

Just curious. Im getting mighty scared after people have told me the input shaft and rear halfshafts can break in a bone stock car with hard driving

 

[Terminator03]

Breaking the input shifts is very unlikely. Breaking the Half-Shafts is a little more likely. When you start hopping and keep the peddle to floor your really stressing out the half shafts and they will give after a while, even more likely with drag radials and slicks. But good launching technique and the half shafts will last. I havent heard of anyone around here breaking or bending the input shafts. Maybe after a couple very bad mis shifts at about 6000 rpm. And I mean very bad.

 

[crabby]

Originally posted by HotRodHarry
dead stop....rev engine between 2500 and 3000 rpms and ease the clutch out..fast..but not too fast and have your foot on the thottle to keep the rpms up in that range and as you get the clutch further out..start getting into the gas more...then the clutch is all the way out and gas pedal to the floor...all within 1/2 second that should happen...not even....Then for a first few practice runs...bring the r's up to 5500 rpms and keep the gas pedal to the floor and at the same time you go to shift as fast as you can to second gear...kick the clutch in and out at that same time. As soon as you go to move that shifter..hit the clutch and by the time your clutch is to the floor you should be in second and then wham! let that clutch back up as fast as you can..usually the pressure of the clutch will move it up real fast as long as you foot is moving up fast too. Thats called powershifting...then practice the 1st to 2nd shift a few time..or 3rd to 4th if you have the room ...safely....later after you master this..then try the harder 2nd to 3rd gear. Once this all goes well...then shift at 6000 rpms and practice that. The higher the rpm in power shifting the harder it is. Just remember....as soon as you go to shift as fast as you can..you are doing the same thing with you clutch . Simultaneously...insinc.

That launch technique to get use to the feel of the clutch works great to to practice with. To get the feel of when your tires break loose or you bog.

Hope that helps alittle...

Harry
www.HotRodHarrys.com

That helped alot Harry, thanks!

 

[03DOHC]

Originally posted by Terminator03
Breaking the input shifts is very unlikely. Breaking the Half-Shafts is a little more likely. When you start hopping and keep the peddle to floor your really stressing out the half shafts and they will give after a while, even more likely with drag radials and slicks. But good launching technique and the half shafts will last. I havent heard of anyone around here breaking or bending the input shafts. Maybe after a couple very bad mis shifts at about 6000 rpm. And I mean very bad.

A couple guys have twisted the trans input shaft in half. I think they got some real good traction to do that.:uh oh:

 

[HotRodHarry]

I just run Nitto's and really do not come out that hard...just good slipping of the clutch and gas modulation. The Nitto's have 18 lbs of air and I have no wheel hop or traction prob between gears. Remember...front swaybar endlinks are disconnected when I go out to play also. So when I bang all gears....it just squats and goes. No input prob..no rear axle prob. But remember...only 1400 miles so far too.

Harry
www.HotRodHarrys.com

 

[HotRodHarry]

Originally posted by crabbys_cobra
That helped alot Harry, thanks!

You're welcome......just some stuff to go by. Hard to explain..but you get the picture.

Harry
www.HotRodHarrys.com

 

[03DOHC]

Originally posted by HotRodHarry
I just run Nitto's and really do not come out that hard...just good slipping of the clutch and gas modulation. The Nitto's have 18 lbs of air and I have no wheel hop or traction prob between gears. Remember...front swaybar endlinks are disconnected when I go out to play also. So when I bang all gears....it just squats and goes. No input prob..no rear axle prob. But remember...only 1400 miles so far too.

Harry
www.HotRodHarrys.com

So Harry, you're leaving the front swaybar in the car, but just disconnecting the end links? Thanks.:beer:

 

[Friendchicken]

Originally posted by 03DOHC
A couple guys have twisted the trans input shaft in half. I think they got some real good traction to do that.:uh oh:

I believe that car was also pushing about 600rwhp. At that powerlevel, I'd assume you would be upgrading a few parts anyway.

 

[HotRodHarry]

Originally posted by 03DOHC
So Harry, you're leaving the front swaybar in the car, but just disconnecting the end links? Thanks.:beer:

Yep...Your welcome....just the top nuts/washers of the end links....swaybar off top of end links...just leave bottom of endlinks connected....sway swings up and out of the way and endlinks just stay put. Then when you want to go back to handling and safety for around corners...just put the swaybar back on the endlinks and crank the nuts back down. Easy as that .....you dont get to save alittle weight as if you had taken the swaybar off...but it sure is easier doing it my way and still getting the weight transfer...

Harry
www.HotRodHarrys.com