So this weekend was my first time at the drag strip. It was so much fun!! I think I did pretty well considering. I ran my car 3 times and here are my results. What do you guys think? Run 1: My first and best. Pretty good launch, maybe a tad too much wheel spin. R/T 1.205 60' 1.839 1/4 13.653 MPH 98.82 Run 2: Bogged launch a little. Missed 5th. Didn't grind, just wouldn't go in. I really need new tranny fluid... R/T 1.170 60' 2.042 1/4 13.825 MPH 96.81 Run 3: Bogged launch a little again. Shifted slower so I wouldn't miss gears until I replace tranny fluid... R/T .929 60' 2.027 1/4 13.994 MPH 97.99 The only engine mods I have are a downpipe and exhaust... Tips? Hints? Advice? What do I need to work on to get my times lower?
Pretty much it would be your launching and gear shifting that will get you your lower times. Just my 2 cents!
haha Once i fix this tranny issue my shifting will be quicker which should help out the times... My 1,2,3 shifts were quick but 4,5 were kinda laggy...
Pretty nice numbers. I'm suprised your first run was your best! Everytime I go to the track, my numbers always get slightly better with my first run being the worst.
Heh, i think it was the fact that the second and third runs i was wearing a helmet that i borrowed from someone and was wayyyy too small LOL. I actually hurt my neck smashing the helmet on the first time... After my first run the guy at the slip booth was like no helmet? i saw nope, do i need one? I've never dragged b4. Apparently at commerce when you run under a 13.99 you gotta wear one .
yes at any track you have to wear a helmet when making times below 13.99. also remember your supposed to wear pants when driving not shorts. man these look like great times for your first time out. what i would work on is getting the 60' at 1.8 or lower consistantly. i dont know if your shifting at redline or not but if you are try shifting a lil lower like 6700 to 6500. these are little improvements you can make on already good times. keep up the good work.
I'm afraid of doing the same hnoes: .... Great times Flip!!!...gotta get to the track this season for sure
I agree, I've dragged my WRX several times and in the subie you can tear up faster cars just b/c of the launch advantage. BUT, careful on the tranny, slip the clutch and stay away from wheel hop, it's like beating your gears w/ a hammer. I've got the sheared trans gears to prove it!
I know about the helmet now... next time I'll have one . I didn't know about the pants and had to trade my shorts with a friend that had pants LOL. As far as my shifting, i remember reading about the shift points in the sti being better slightly lower so i was shifting at right around where you said in every gear except for 1st which i ran almost all the way to redline. My shifts were slightly slow like i said since my fluid needs to be changed and i need to get it done before i try to shift any faster... I will work on gettin the 60's lower, just need to nail my launch better. I wana go out when i don't to wait in line so long to run. I want to be able to compare runs back to back while trying different things on my launches. Thanks for the input and advice!!!
the only time youll get to go back to back is if you get there at opening on friday night. then youll get a few back to back runs before you chill.
I don't mind chilling for a bit, but there were a good 15 cars in front of me if not more, 4 lanes wide with a 30+ minute wait... It didn't seem like they were very efficent later in the day.
its always like that. some times later in the year youll luck out and eveyone will think its gonna rain and you go out on chance and luck out. noone ther but a hand full few a few hours anyway. then back to 1 run an hour if your lucky and someone doesnt break or crash. i love to race but hate the wait.
You have a STi so when you launch that bad boy stick it through. Let the AWD system pull you out if you fishtail (Lord knows I do and I look like I am about to go into the wall sometimes...at least it feels that way). Also I know it's hard but try not to redline 1st. My WRX pulls a lot harder if I hit the shift at 6250 rpms because you only have a 1500 rpm drop when you wind out the gears. Shifting at redline 7000-7500 rpm your rpms drop to 5000-5500 rpms. That is well over your peak tq curve esp with the STi and VF39. Shifting at 6250ish will net your rpms hanging around 4700ish rpm and you are a lot closer to your peak powerband. It's perfect for me as my peak tq hits at 4500 rpm. Think of it this way. With SS tunes and even stock our cars taper. Well that taper starts shortly after the peak tq which is way the tq begins falling. Would you rather shift and end up past the peak tq and boost lets say 19 psi with a final taper of 17 psi or would ya want to shift a little early and hit 22 psi and taper to 20psi? I think I'll stay in high boost.
i have only seen that happen at the GA DSM and GA3S events at silver dollar... i got like 18 runs in last time