So I finally got an entire Sunday free as the girl friend study's for her pharmaceutical exams this week. Today is the final "Test and Tune" down at Lebanon Valley Dragway. I have NEVER dragged any car in my life let alone my Stang so Im kinda interested to see what I'd do before I install some LT's over the winter. Now heres the dilemmas, the weather today calls for a sunny 49 degrees. I have the factory track pack pirellis which have barely legal tread. It's $60 to get in. And no one can go with me today lol.

Is it even worth it to dragrace in 49 degree temps considering how hard the tires get in cool temps (traction/launch issues) ?

Is it better or worse for drag racing that my pirellis are worn down?

Worth the $60 on a day like today?

And i really dont feel like searching right now so can someone tell me at what RPM range I should be dropping the clutch for launch especially in these conditions?

I wouldnt go. To cold and to expensive. 20 dollars at the local drag here in my city.

$60 is nuts. The motor will love the cool air but the tires might not.

Holy crap $60? Bend ya over dragway. If it wasn't so expensive, you could go to basically get you familiar with the whole process knowing the tires will hold you back some because of the cold temps. Usually street tires you just spin the tires a little to clean off debris. You could spin a little longer to try and warm them up maybe. Usually if you heat street tires too much, they get kinda greasy.

The tires will warm up after you perform a burnout when approaching starting line, 49 degrees will affect the tires some, but won't be a show-stopper.

Worn down pirellis should give you a little more traction since you are getting more rubber to the road.

$60? That depends on your bank status...understand that if you mod your car this winter and want to compare the difference, the weather should be factored into the impact of your performance...it may be warmer when you go to the track in the spring and that will lower your HP some.

$60 is freakin' highway robbery!!!

I sure wouldn't spend that much just to go play a little.

If you do go, don't try dumping the clutch.

I rev to about 3K and slip the clutch a little but try to get it out as quickly as I can short of dumping it.

And unless you have some aftermarket rear control arms you will get some pretty hard axle tramp but you just have to ride through it.

And the tire temps have to be below 40 degrees for an extended time before it will affect the tires much.
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Thanks for the responses guys. I think $60 is very steep myself. Im pretty sure its $60 unless that 1 day my buddy went to was a special event or something. Good info though. I appreciate it.

Our local tracks are $27 (Bremerton Raceway) and $40 (Pacific Raceways) for test 'n' tune days. 49 degrees and sunny? Priceless! That kind of weather is awesome for power! I'd pay $60 to race with that kind of weather! Last Sunday here was 51 degrees and sunny and I ran my personal bests (12.03 and a pair of 12.04's).

The limiting factor for the OP will be traction on the factory Pirelli's. While they get really bad at 40 degrees (hence the warning sticker in the door jam from Ford), they start to get squirrely below 50 degrees, in my experience. They will need a long 2nd gear burnout to make them hook at all. Back into the waterbox to start the 2nd gear burnout, but once spinning, ease off the brakes to let the car roll out of the waterbox to clear the water off them. As soon as the tires bark and the car lurches forward, the tires are as good as you're gonna get them.

Try launching around 2,000 rpm's and slowly add throttle while slowly releasing the clutch to avoid spinning. Go WOT only after the car is already moving forward. Try getting more aggressive each pass to see where the traction threshold is.

Most important - HAVE FUN!

End up going? Little late to chime in, but you'd have a hard time hooking up with it cold as everyone else said.

I remember test 'n tune nights up in NH being like $10 for the night when I used to go... times have changed I guess

No I decided not to go. It started getting windy on top of everything else. They built that track facing west and since the northeast blows east, i'd have to deal with a head wind as well. Just too many less then ideal factors. Im gonna hit it up in April. Thanks again for all the insight fellas. Good stuff. :)

$60... wow. I think I've paid... $15... and then $20 maybe? That's crazy money to just drag race!