Welp, I finally did it! I just got back from the 1/4 mile for the very first time ever. I love it, I think I just found a new, addicting hobby. Man the adrenaline really gets to me. When I'm sitting at the line waiting for the lights, I can barely hold my clutch in because my foot is shaking sooo much. Hopefully after I get a little more comfortable at the line I'll be able to control my leg.

During my second pass I just sat there and spun my tires in 2nd and slowed down to a crawl, I suspect it was due to a crappy stage, that almost gave me a heart attack...I thought I broke something! Once I let up on the gas though everything was all good.

I only made 3 passes tonight, I didn't want to push my luck. I wanted to drive away from the track with my car in one piece at least once! I love coming home smelling like burnt rubber!

The only thing that stunk was the wheel hop through 1st and 2nd gear, man is that annoying. I thought my rear window was going to fall into my back seat.

Here is the time slip from my best pass. I really need to work on my reaction time, if I can fix that I think I can get into the high 13s.

[attachmentid=17247]

 

I went to the track to watch for the first time last weekend. Absolutely 10 times more fun than I thought it would be. I may try it out one night, but I value my clutch and my wallet too much to get into it.

 

That's a pretty respectable time for your first run! Congrats!

 

Not a bad time at all, especially for your first time out.

Remember to leave when the third amber light illuminates and work on your launch technique. Wheel hop is usually caused by uneven tire heating or moisture spots on the tires from trying to do a burnout in the water box or from previous drivers dragging water into the staging area.

Just make sure your tire pressure is good, that you just sort of 'haze' the rear tires with a short dry burnout (dumping the clutch in first for just a few seconds to clean the tires is all that is needed with street tires) and then work on getting your reaction time down.

Nice job! Keep working at it. I've always said that drag racing (at the track) is the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

 

you did have traction control off, right? The lag you got in second sounded like the traction control, when you drag it has to be off. Not to go on a tangent but does anyone else feel the traction control is lacking and slows the car to much even in straight line acceleration? I sware when i shift 2-3, 3-4 the car bogs with traction control on, i dont get it cause there is not enough of a loss of traction 2-3 or 3-4 to need it to come on.
Anyways good first time out at the track and it's only gonna get more fun, i ran a best of 13.58 first time out with mine, but I have raced 4 other mustangs in the past so I have some experiance. Another victum of the addiction of racing
Try road racing then you'll really be hooked

 

btw what were you against that ran a 12.2?

 

Your reaction time has nothing to do with your quarter mile time
You could sit at the staging lights for 10 seconds after the green light. Until you break the staging beams the timer doesn't start.

Your reaction time would show 10 seconds and your quarter mile time would be the same 14+ and not 24+ seconds

your first couple of times at the track you shouldn't worry about your reaction times, try to do everything else correctly, concentrate on rpm at the line, controlling wheelspin off the line things like that. If you leave the line 2 seconds late who cares. Would you rather see a 001 reaction time and a 14.1 or a 2.001 reaction time and a 13.4?

 

Chris,
Welcome to the dark side Once you have been bitten by the dreaded Drag-Racing-Bug, there is no cure . . . . . .

The Boss Hog . . . . . .

 

That's a great account. These fellas sound like they're speaking from experience, so heed their advice! I haven't drag raced at the track before, but I certainly will give it a try when my new 'Stang arrives. I know I enjoy quarter mile drags more than NASCAR, but the road course has a lot of appeal as well. I like drag racing because the race is decided in less than 15 seconds!

Questions:

Should you lower your tire pressure? I thought it might give you better bite at the start, but then I thought it might cause too much drag during the sprint down the track.

At what point should you let up on the gas to reduce tire spin upon launch? Do you just let them spin and hope they hook up or do you ease up on the gas?

I'd appreciate any input.

 

I'm going to the track next weekend. I would have gone today but my friend's Dakota spit out its rear axle internals during the week, so we changed it to next weekend.

I can't wait to see what mine will do. I got rid of a Ranger that was only doing mid-16's with a Whipple supercharged 3.0, so this will be even more fun than that truck was.

 

I have no idea what type of car it was, the best way to describe it would be a POS with a motor that could move.

On a side note... there was a neon srt-4 that hauled hiney at the track, 11 seconds at 100+. So yes, beware of the srt-4.

 

Thanks for the tips. I always thought that the clock started as soon as the light turned green.

I'd rather have a 2.001 and a 13.4!

 

That's a very respectable time for your fisrt ever attempt. I am also looking at taking my stang to the track when it arrives. My car is an auto, and I've only raced an auto one time. It was my friends '89 iroc. He was able to do mid 12's with the car, but I...uh...couldn't (and we'll leave it at that!).

He always told me to roll into the accelerator and not to punch it at the start or I'll just sit there and spin the tires. But the problem I had is at what rpm's to launch at. Does anybody have any suggestions as to what they feel are the best rpm's to launch at with a stock automatic 05?

Anyway, nice job again!

 

Chris,
Here's my opinion on tire pressure. General rule of thumb was always to lower down your tire pressure to increase bite BUT . . . it seams this may not be true anymore. The modern performance radial tire has very stiff sidewalls. When you lower the pressure, you just lose the centers and actually get worse traction. 169stang was getting 60 foot times in the 1.8 second bracket with stock tires running 36 psi When I tried to lower mine, I actually got worse 60 foot times.

The Boss Hog

 

Thanks, Boss. I appreciate your input. Got a little while to do some research, then I'm going to try to get some real-world experience on the track for myself. I'm not expecting miracles; I'd be happy to get down the track the first couple of times without breaking anything!

 

I know what you mean about the rush of adrenalin you get, awesome But you think that is a rush, try adding corners and go for 1.5 - 2 minutes instead of 13 seconds....THAT is a rush. I drag raced for a couple of years and thought it was the ultimate rush until I started autocrossing. If anyone wants a real blast try it out in your area, there should be organized events starting soon, mine starts in one week and I can't wait to debut the Stang!!

 

I agree with the "rush" but I always had a problem remembering to breathe Didn't bother me with a 15 second drag race but I kept passing out in the autocrosses . . . . .




The Boss Hog . . . . . . that's my story and I'm sticking to it

 

i cant wait to get bit by the bug!!