Heys guys,

please forgive my ignorance on this subject, but having never been to the track and this being my first RWD sports car (my last car was AWD), I was wondering how do you perform a burn-out? I plan on going to the track one of these days just to see what I can do in the 1/4.

 

Yeah... no AWD burnouts...

Is your car an auto or a manual?

 

If you have any automatic transmission: Do a powerbrake. That is where you hold the brake with your left foot, and at the same time hit the gas with your right foot. When you're at a certain RPM, say 3000 or 3500 RPM, you let off the brake, whomp the gas, and the tires will spin. Adjust the speed with which you let off the brake and the speed you roll into the throttle to change the chracteristics of the burnout or launch.

If you have a manual, simply dump the clutch at a certain RPM, same as above - about 3000 or 3500, and roll into the throttle as you dump the clutch.

These cars are meant for periodic hard use such as this...I wouldn't do it all day, but don't baby it either!

 

Oh yeah, shoulda mentioned, I have manual...

 

do you want to spin the tires, or smoke the tires standing still?
For a standing burnout, bring up the rpm's, pop the clutch, and hit the brake hard, while stomping on the gas pedal. If you don't want to stand still, just stomp the gas, and pop the clutch.

 

Some will say try to cover the brake and gas w/the right foot while clutching w/the left... bah!

Just drop the clutch at around 4k and hit the brake with your clutch foot real quick while maintaining throttle. The car won't have a chance to move before you stop it with the front brakes.

 

If you're running street tires there is no need for a burnout. Just avoid the wetbox and do a little spin to get any excess water off of them.

 

But it's fun!!!

 

It is fun. I always did a heel/toe burnout. I just felt like I had more control than stomping on the gas, popping the clutch and then stomping on the brake. One way or the other, you'll tear up the clutch brakes and rotors. I've already replaced the clutch, which I installed line locks at the same time-preventative. I have a squeek in the rear brakes as well. There is enough brake pads left. The rotor is a blueish color which is due to getting too hot. I need to replace the rotors now to get rid of the squeek. But it is fun!

 

Ya but it's not nessesary at the track and it can actually cause loss of traction if you burnout on street tires. Just go to some abandonded parking lot and do some burnouts instead of looking dumb at the track.

Me:

 

Guys,

I don't intend to burn out my tires just for the heck of it. And I do have street tires, so I guess I don't need to do it. If I start to get more serious about racing, I'll look into some drag radials.

thanks

 

Yeah my favorite burouts are 360 burnouts, they're my specialty. Cut the wheel all the way to left or right, rev RPMS up to about 4300, let off cluth 75% of way, apply more gas, once you feel wheel spin, put the accelerator 90% to the floor or 100% and let the show begin, the back end whips around in a fury.

 

yea i seen a rice rocket do that once and almost take out a light pole in a empty parking lot...

 

I almost took out a light pole in my '98 GT doing that...when I was 18. Thank God those days are over.

 

Guess that depends on your tires.. right? My Nitto 450s get stickier after a burnout.

And other than forgetting to turn TCS off, why would doing a burnout make you look dumb at the track? :scratch:

 

Because most racers know that the compound used to make street tires does not get sticky, and in fact getting the water on the tires, on the surface and in the grooves, is unwise for takeoffs. Racing tires are made of an entirely different compound, which causes them to get sticky with heat...the water has nothing to do with it. Obviously it would not be a good thing for street tires to get all sticky when they are hot. I have routinely heard people in street cars get made fun of for burning out at the strip. It is contradictory to the effort to get the best time.

 

That might be true for some tires at some tracks with some people. But, certainly can't be generalized. Like I said, my Nitto 450s get sticky with heat. Also, you couldn't help but drive through the water box at the track I was at last week (not enough room to avoid it). So I would rather burn it off, than bring it up to the line so the next guy could slip in it.

Oh yea, and it's legal at the track... unlike the "abandonded parking lot" you suggested as a better location. :nono:

Me:

 

you also go through the water box so their is not as much wear and tear on the rest of the cars parts.... its ok to do burnouts on the street or parking lots, infront of girls(hehe) whatever, but dont be spinning at every traffic light
-mike

 

Those nittos could use a little spinning, but nothing like is in that picture. You don't need to do that, you're just wasting your tread and probobly hurting your times. Spinning normal tires (not drag radials, not slicks) is to get the trash off of them and get them dry, nothing else.

Oh, f legality.