Okay... I'm just going to admit it. While I'm a very average "enthusiast" driver, I launch my GT off the line like a grandmother...and not the "Little old lady from Pasadena" who would totally kick my butt.

The problem I find is that I'm really averse to beating up on my car. Launching too hard results in drivetrain-punishing wheel hop while the alternatives seem to be riding the clutch , stalling or launching...gently.

There seems to be no happy medium with this car!

I was never a holeshot master with my 2009 GT 5MT but I was able to get a decent launch with that car much more regularly, with the right balance of 10' feet of slight wheel spin, minmal bog and WOT almost immediately. This is probably thanks to lower power level, more forgiving stock rubber, and my 3.31 gears in the '09...

So how did you get good at it? How can you practice without beating the crap out of your transmission, universal joints, axles, etc...or toasting your clutch?

Any tips would be appreciated...and thanks for not making fun of me.

 

MRGTX...nice ride! Love Kona Blue.

I think your first step is to do something about the wheel-hop...that can do very bad things. Maybe some good control arms would do the trick. But once it's corrected, you can then push it a bit more and find that sweet spot with the gas/clutch modulation. It sounds like you figured it out in your old car, so I think you're doing everything right...it's just that wheel hop is preventing consistent launches. If you have wheel hop, I don't think you'll be able to launch like you did in your 09.

Hope this helps!