MartinM

Please excuse me if this topic has been covered before, but I am new to this forum and new to the Shelby model.

I plan to go to the track next week to drag my 2014 Shelby GT500 with SVT package. Nothing competitive, just to see what it is like.

Do I just use the Launch Control mode by itself, or do I have to combine the Launch Control with some of the other modes (like Sport Mode, etc.)? And are there any advantages/disadvantages to combining modes?

I also gather that operating at lower fall temperatures means that I should lower my launch RPMs...(?)

And should I spin the tires just before launch to warm them up? Any procedure advice on this?

Any advice on this subject would be helpful. The track does not provide any information.

Thanks.

kcoTiger

Know how to do a burnout? drive through the water box, once you're out of it, do a burnout right up until the rear starts to catch the pavement, then coast to the starting block. I've never used the launch control, but I'll tell you that if you have all the nannies on and you lose traction, your engine will kill the horsepower to the rear wheels. However, since you're unfamiliar with drag racing, I would suggest you leave the nannies on so as to avoid losing control of the car and running it into the barriers, or worse, the car next to you. One bad run will ruin a lot more than just the day, and being careful can still be a lot of fun the first time at the track.

JimC

Street tires? If so you just want to spin them to clean them off. Doing a John Force burnout on street tires just makes them slippery.

kcoTiger

Keep forgetting not everyone else puts racing tires on their Shelby.

2k7gtcs

Baller!

Planeswalker

Ain't the stock tires R compound and benefit from a few second burnout? Mine were gone to quick to do much testing, those things were dangerous!

Mode 7 (launch control and sport) is tough to beat unless you are a darn good driver. RPMs is a trial and error, after wheels, tires, boltons, clutch, and suspension I tend to bog off the line under 3600. Stock I would start at 3000 and go from there. Of course you asked days ago so let us know how it went.

kcoTiger

yeah, yeah. Coming from Mr. I-have-as-many-cars-as-I-have-kids, that rings just a little hollow.

Shelby10'

Despite what has been mentioned, DONT drive through the water box....driver AROUND it. Clean the tires off with a quick spin and pull up to the line.

If you drive through the water box your front tires will just drip water on the track possibly causing loss of traction.

2k7gtcs

Not true

MartinM

Sorry about not providing more detailed information:

2014 Shelby GT500, factory Goodyear Eagle F1s, new driver. I plan to get new Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires this week.

I noticed that a short dry burnout seems to make the surface of the tires shiny and slick. Is this an improvement over the usual look of the tire surface?

I had three drag runs at the Englishtown Raceway Park this last Saturday. I did a quick dry burn to clean off the tires. I ran with just the Launch Control mode on. The first run I stalled the engine on launch. The second run I almost spun off the track from too much spin. The third run I seemed to get the hang of it, but still quite the novice. This gave me an appreciation for other drivers that had been doing this for years... I should mention that the air temperature was 45 F, so I was not expecting miracles.

kcoTiger

Fine. Change 'kids' to daughters.