All,
Well, it looks like I'll be taking the Mustang to Bandimere next Wednesday night for test and tune. I don't plan on really going nuts- at first, I wasn't even going to bother doing burnouts- but lately I have been toying with the idea of smoking 'em in the bleachbox prior to my runs. However, there are a few questions that I have.
1. Can someone direct me to the drag tutorial that someone put together on the board? I thought it was a sticky here, but I have not seen it lately.
2. I'm driving an '07 GT w/ an auto trans. Does it make more sense to do burnouts in first gear for just a second, or to give the tires more time, or should I do my burnouts in drive? Again, I'm not looking to do an NHRA F/C burnout, just a small one to help my street tires (P-Zeros) hook up a bit better.
3. How much abuse could the above combo take from burnouts? I would assume a lot, considering the SRA, but I don't want to take any chances.
4. How should I launch? Should I roll into the pedal, or simply floor it?
5. Should I bump the tranny through the gears myself, or just put it in drive? (I'm not going to do a neutral dropout, no matter what)
Hey, thanks in advance- I just want to get my ducks in a row before I head out! I'm excited!
-Jim

 

well I can answer most of your questions and only general questions regarding the automatic.


1. Can someone direct me to the drag tutorial ....
Thought it was a sticky in the GT section (edit... Found it) http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showthread.php?t=434643
2. I'm driving an '07 GT w/ an auto trans....
On street tires drive around the waterbox and do no burnout. You can do a small one but it won't make that much of a difference.
3. How much abuse could the above combo take from burnouts?
Quite a lot, tires suffer the most 'cause you're just burning off miles (if you do a burnout)
4. How should I launch? Should I roll into the pedal, or simply floor it?
Power brake, foot on brake and accelerator, to you feel the car wanting to move and you are holding it back.... maybe 1500rpms. Then floor it. If you loose traction, very likely, be prepared to quickly modulate the throttle until you can keep it on the floor.
5. Should I bump the tranny through the gears myself, or just put it in drive? (I'm not going to do a neutral dropout, no matter what)
Depending on if you have a tune. The car will shift faster at the right RPM and more consistently that you can. Oh... Neutral drop... Yeah good idea, never do that. EVER.

Especially for the Drags the three most beneficial things you can get are a Tune and CAI and Drag Radials. I got too frustrated trying to drag on street tires because they'd spin too easily and determined not to try it again until I had the drag radials. But that's just me.

 

Jim,

I, too, have an '07 GT automatic. Here are a few thoughts....

Do not drive into the bleach or water with the stock Pirellis, but do a quick 5-10 second powerbrake burnout just forward of the bleach or water to clean off the tires and warm them a bit. Use 2nd gear (or 1st if your car has trouble powerbraking in 2nd). Click here to see me doing a burnout at the track for an idea.

When you stage, just pull up barely enough to trip the 2nd staging light. Hold the brake and bring the revs up until you feel the car start the nudge forward a bit - probably about 1500-2000 rpm's or so.

Mash the gas pedal when the last amber light comes on, and you should actually start moving when the green light flashes for a great reaction time. If you listen in my video above, you hear my stop the gas pedal before the car moves, as there is always a bit of a delay between our inputs and the car's reaction.

Just leave the car in drive, unless you have a custom tune with a higher redline. Otherwise, you run the risk of shifting too late and bouncing off the rev limiter which will slow you down. I have a custom tune written to shift at 6,400 rpm's, and the computer can do a much better and more consistent job than I can.

 

Brian, Brian,
Thanks for the replies. This is a test and tune, so I'll just pretty much stage and react the best I can- it's just practice! I will keep your pointers in mind- I appreciate it!
-Jim

 

So here are my results: I ended up just foregoing the burnouts, and driving around the water. My first run against a '68 GTO, I ran a 15.333, beating his 16-something ET. I ran a couple of big-tire chevies, and lost. I ran a last-gen WRX, and beat him on a holeshot (!!!) with a better 60 foot, to boot! I also ran some weird Toyota thing, but I talked with the driver afterwards, and he was a pretty neat guy. Oh, and I drove around some 80's F-Body, even though he tree'd the hell out of me (I made sure to wave as I went by.)
The most fulfilling thing? Beating the WRX, with my buddy in the passenger seat. I weigh 165, he's about 220. It was cool to see that AWD can't make up for good 'ol horsepower!
I'll try to remember to scan in my timeslips so you can all take a look!
-Jim

 

Next time try launching at Idle. I've got an auto tranny and that's how I've alway gotten my best times.

 

Great write-up, this is what I needed some tips on "how to, at the race track"
And thats one great video.
Thanks to all you guys