Track Nerves!

[Wings65288]

a few things i'm worried about. is wheelhop the main reason a halfshaft would break at the track? i plan on going as soon as it opens which is about a month (wednesday 3/2/5) and i'm gonna go quite often, i've bot a steeda CAI and a borla stinger cat-back. i think i'll be launching at 4-5k RPM's?? and the cars got about 26k miles on it, i don't know if the miles means much but hey... one thing i've never been at the strip so does anyone got any pointers before the lights drop...?

 

[cobraRcraig]

Just my opion, But when i broke my rear. I was excited and tried to ride the wheel hop out losing all my fillings and braking my radio. What ever you do if you have hop let off.
craig

 

[Wings65288]

thank you, good advice. anyone else please?

 

[alanw6]

one thing i've never been at the strip so does anyone got any pointers before the lights drop...?

HAVE A GOOD TIME!

Seriously, just try to stay loose and relaxed and enjoy the ability to drive as fast as you can and not get a ticket! I was plenty nervous the first time at the track, but had so much fun I wanted to just hot-lap it and go again asap.

Watch some passes, talk to some more experienced guys and you'll improve quickly. Don't be dissapointed, whatever you run. Remember the lights don't matter at a test and tune. Go on the second yellow if you prefer, but IMO you should take your time and launch when you're ready as you learn how your car will behave. Don't worry about the other lane.

Did I mention have a good time?

Good luck,

Alan

 

[PhillyCobra]

With stock tires you have to leave at much lower revs, maybe 1500 or 2000. I recommend starting your launch slowly and building up through time. That way you won't brake anything. My first experiences resulted in lots of wheel spin and hop (didn't break anythiing) until I learned to launch just a little bit above idle and slowly feed in power.

Is worth while if someone you know can watch you and give feedback, too.

Drag racing should be just plain fun. Don't worry about it.

 

[drohan8592]

Wings, Which Track Are You Talking About ????

 

[Wings65288]

cool thanks a lot you guys, that advice is greatly appreciated. Drohan, Sears Point Raceway, or now known as Infineon Raceway. i see your from san diego, i'm near san francisco so i don't think you'll be there unfortuneatley

 

[BoneCrusher]

HAVE A GOOD TIME!

Seriously, just try to stay loose and relaxed and enjoy the ability to drive as fast as you can and not get a ticket! I was plenty nervous the first time at the track, but had so much fun I wanted to just hot-lap it and go again asap.

Watch some passes, talk to some more experienced guys and you'll improve quickly. Don't be dissapointed, whatever you run. Remember the lights don't matter at a test and tune. Go on the second yellow if you prefer, but IMO you should take your time and launch when you're ready as you learn how your car will behave. Don't worry about the other lane.

Did I mention have a good time?

Good luck,

Alan

That petty much sums it up. If you wheel hop let off the throttle cruise over the line, learn from that run and line up again. Like Alan said have fun, adrenaline is a very addictive substace.

 

[CobraBob]

HAVE A GOOD TIME!

Seriously, just try to stay loose and relaxed and enjoy the ability to drive as fast as you can and not get a ticket! I was plenty nervous the first time at the track, but had so much fun I wanted to just hot-lap it and go again asap.

Watch some passes, talk to some more experienced guys and you'll improve quickly. Don't be dissapointed, whatever you run. Remember the lights don't matter at a test and tune. Go on the second yellow if you prefer, but IMO you should take your time and launch when you're ready as you learn how your car will behave. Don't worry about the other lane.

Did I mention have a good time?

Good luck,

Alan

Excellent advice Alan. I agree that it is helpful to start out with a test and tune day/night where you'll have plenty of passes with no pressure to not make a mistake. I guarantee that within 5 passes you'll be nice and relaxed and then slowly and methodically work on your launches and shifting. Don't bite off too much too soon. That will help insure you don't break anything. And don't be afraid to ask the other racers questions. You'll probably learn more doing that than with any other method. Above all.....have fun!

 

[Wings65288]

yea, i've been practicing around town on my launches lol. i make sure no one is around. my launch is what i fear the most

 

[ModsAway]

yea, i've been practicing around town on my launches lol. i make sure no one is around. my launch is what i fear the most

You will find launching on a track is/can be night and day difference than launching on the street. Also tracks vary and even the same track may vary from day to day.

My first few times I was convinced I could launch better on the street than I could at the track. Truly the track is or should be better and my first few times its just because I was so tightly wound staring at the christmas tree at the track.

 

[5500]

If you're new to dragstrips, I'd say concentrate on one task at a time. When launching, there are tasks involving driving skills and racing skills. When people try to do everytrhing at once, its hard to track/concentrate on staging, tree, watching tach, launching... It doesn't sound like alot, but I know when I'm staging its hard to do many things simultaneously and concentrate. As most have said, as soon as you feel wheel hop, its over, just back off and then complete your run. There is no way you can drive through any hop in an IRS Cobra, the car just hops worse if you keep on going. This is what breaks stuff. I'd recommend focusing on getting comfortable with the tree first, then add burnouts, launches etc as you get comfortable with each task. As for leaving at 4-5K... well, it is possible but unless your dialed in to a particular launch technique, I'd try just driving off from a high idle at first to get comfortable. I've seen guys 60' better with street tires from 2K than others with sticky tires and high rpms who aren't able to manage all the starting line tasks! Street nights with friends or at least people you know and are comfortable around makes a big difference. Have fun!