Drag racing newbe

Topic: Drag racing newbe (Read 1768 times) previous topic - next topic

Drag racing newbe

November 22, 2006, 12:45:48 AM

So since I'm finally getting a HO swapped into the car in the spring I'd like to take the T-bird to a test and tune night to see how fast she'll run ( I know I have to break the new engine in first). I hope I'll run some where in the 14s. I have two questions about going to the strip since I've never run at one before.

1. What exactly is the NHRA tech inspection? I've looked online but I can't find out what it all includes (they want to to buy the book). I'm figuring that it's just to make sure that everything on you car works properly. I only have one thing that dosen't work on my car and that's the emergency brake release. I can engage the emergency brake no problem but the release had the cable break off it. I have to pull the cable with a pair of pliers to release the emergency brake (or use the auto release). I'm just wondering if that would disqualify me.

2. Since I've never done this what are some pointers you guys could give me about drag racing? I know quite a few of you do it so I'm hopping you can share your knowledge so I don't look like a total ass when I go for the first time next year. Thanks guys.

Drag racing newbe

Reply #1 – November 22, 2006, 03:13:53 AM

i think it is more or less a safety inspection... cause if your car runs so fast u need a cage n so forth... but they should let you do a pass or two before sayint he car is too fast... but i dont think you will have an issue. also they will check for leaks n so forth so you are not spewing oil/water down the track... its more safety inspection so you have no worries id say

Drag racing newbe

Reply #2 – November 22, 2006, 07:37:10 AM

DON'T DRIVE THROUGH THE WATERBOX!!! realy if you're on street tires don't go through the the water. the tires will hold the water in the grooves and leak down the track making it dangerous for the guys on slicks.

Drag racing newbe

Reply #3 – November 22, 2006, 09:20:28 AM

I agree.I went around the water box.On street tires,there's no need to do a burnout before you race.Slicks are made different.They're supposed to get sticky on the burnout.Street tires are not.I powerbrake as high as I can without breaking the tires loose and on the last yellow light,I floor it and go.I then hold the gas pedal through the floor until the end.it's a great time.

Drag racing newbe

Reply #4 – November 22, 2006, 09:59:31 AM

WRONG! I made 178 passes down 5 different drag strips last year, listen up.

Street tires DO require a burnout. It's not to get them "sticky", the VHT they spray does that. Have you ever seen a drag car around the pits? The tires are COVERED in dirt, rubber chunks, rocks, and other debris. If anything you want to clean all that off so the tires are just fresh rubber. (Then they'll hook on the VHT). Second reason is HEAT. Tires hook better HOT then cold. Case in point, the 2005 GTO I get to race. The 245 tires are absolute cold, we're talking 2.2-2.4 60' times and 13.90's. Do a good 5-6 second burnout (that's 5-6 seconds of seeing smoke in the mirrors) and suddenly 1.9 60's and 13.30's happen. If you don't drive through the waterbox, at least back into it with the rears. Even my 18 second truck goes faster with a burnout and it's on 30x9.50 mud tires!

The BIG thing you want to do is WATCH. Watch real racers in the staging lanes and starting line. Watch the officials and how they signal the racers to move, when to do their burnouts, when to wait, and when to stage. Watch the guys stage. Nothing screams "I've never done this before!!" like driving past the staging beams. Stage on BOTH lights (don't deep stage), and leave on the 2nd-3rd yellow. If you see green, you're WAYYYY late. The GTO leaves best when the 3rd yellow comes on and the much slower truck leaves best late into the 2nd light. A perfect light is .000 if you're not in the .0xx's, your slow. My average lights are .00X's. Luckily you have an auto, they are MUCH easier to race. Just mash the gas and kinda drive it down, you'll pick up on it quick enough.

Now for Tech, all cars follow the same rules, and they get tighter the faster you go. You don't have to worry about much until you hit 13.49 (you'll need a helmet, Snell 2000 or better and DOT starting in 2007). For your car you need to worry about safety. The specific rules are:
Must have at least a 1 qt radiator catch can (stock TBird's have them, called 'overflow bucket')
Working seatbelt with latch and a shoulder harness that "locks" when pulled on hard
Battery hold down, must be an over-the-top style
No oil leaks, tranny leaks, coolant leaks, differential leaks
No dirt/mud in the wheelwells/on the car.
Working headlight and taillight (yes, only 1)
Valid driver's license

Make sure you have all of that. Bring a pen so you can fill out your tech card. Bring cash, most tracks will only accept cash at the gate. Follow all of this and you'll be gold. Don't be afraid to ask other racers questions. Most guys are pretty nice helping out first-timers. Don't bug the track officials! And I don't care how fast or slow you are, if the car gets out of shape, let OFF the gas and abort the run. If you're not pointed straight, it won't be a good time anyways, don't waste everybodies night smacking a wall.

Drag racing newbe

Reply #5 – November 22, 2006, 11:58:53 AM

Our loca ltrack will NOT let you drive around the water, IMO, with good reason. Watch the guys that work the water box. They broom the excess rubber and debris off to the sides of the burnout pad. When you drive around the pad, you drag that back on the starting line.

SLOWLY drive through the water (dont splash), do simple quick burnout to clean the tires, and pull up to stage.

Remember the staging beams are good way back from the tree. one thing I see a lot with new guys at the track, is pulling too far ahead to stage, and almost trying to use the rear wheels to tage. The starter will typically help you, but the caos will probably ruin your run.

Tech inspection for a street cars is rather simple, I geuss the high points were covered, but if you have hub caps / center caps, they need to come off to inspet that all lugs are present, and so they dont go flying on the track. Big ones I see pinched are battery hold downs, and over flow bottles. Anything that "looks" out of line will get scrutinized. Two methods of throttle return are required too. The Ford factory set-up is okay, if its in place.

Mike mentioned a helmet, here it is 13.99 or quicker (and I thought both NHRA and IHRA). DOT is not applicable here ,so it does indeed need to be Snell. They will sometimes let this slide a little at a test and tune if you dip into that range as they just arent watching that close.

You must have long pants and sleeves. T-shirts are okay, but no tanks / cut-off sleeves.

I also think the guys working the lanes are a great resource at times. The tech guys are there to make you safe, and those guys are there to keep the show moving, so they can come off a little cld, but they are usually racers at heart too.

Key issue, have fun! Thats what its all about, dont make it something like work, or you may not go back.

Bob Myers

Drag racing newbe

Reply #6 – November 22, 2006, 12:47:35 PM

Quote from: Aerobird Motorsports;115049

don't waste everybodies night smacking a wall.

Drag racing newbe

Reply #7 – November 22, 2006, 02:57:38 PM

Quote from: Aerobird Motorsports;115049

A perfect light is .000 if you're not in the .0xx's, your slow. My average lights are .00X's.

Wow, weren't you looking for a job? You've got a multi-million dollar career in bracket racing with incredible reaction times like that.

Here's some tips:

Do NOT run your A/C while waiting in the staging lanes. Water will leak off the car and onto the track, that will piss everyone off.

Make sure your car isn't leaking any engine, trans, p/s, or rear end fluids. Or anything else.

Drive around the water box if they let you. If they don't, idle through it and be careful to minimize water splash. If you do drive around the water box, back the car up to do a small burnout. Start this about 4-5' behind the water box. Spin them until you see smoke, that's really all radials need and you're guaranteed to knock off all the small rocks and junk.

The staging lights are about 15-20' before the Christmas tree. As you slowly pull forward, your front wheels will "break" the first beam. When that happens, you are pre-staged and the top amber light will come on. At this point, make sure your competitor pulls forward enough to break his first beam - this is called Courtesy Staging and is appreciated by people who have been racing a while because it says you are patiently waiting for him to proceed. Once you both have the top amber lights lit, both cars will need to inch forward until you both break the second beam and light the second amber light. At this point you are staged. The timer will begin running now. The amber lights will start coming down, mash the pedal as soon as you see the last one light up - it will take a moment for the car to react and begin moving enough to have the tires leave the beams. If you are waiting to see the green light, you will be shocked at how far ahead the other guy is before you start moving.

After that, just hold it down and run it out the back door. If you're running an AOD, you can hold the shifter in 1 for the race start, then D for the 1-2 shift. After the shift, immediately put it back into 1 and it will hold 2nd gear until you're ready for 3rd, at which time you put the shifter back in D. I don't know how many gear indicators I tore up doing that shiznit in HS, but it was fun. :D

14s is really fast for one of these with a stock H.O. engine. I like the optimism.

Good luck!

Drag racing newbe

Reply #8 – November 23, 2006, 11:46:25 AM

Thanks for the replys guys. The T-bird should be ok for the track. I only have to address two things. First I need an over the top battery hold down as I just have the stock one. Anyone know where to get one? Second I need to clean off the bottom of the AOD because it had oil on it from the rear main leak that started this summer (another reason why the engine is getting swapped:grinno: )

I'm going to keep all these tips in mind and watch the guys that go before me. I don't want to be a jack ass and ruin everyones night by doing something stupid:dunce: .

Quote

14s is really fast for one of these with a stock H.O. engine. I like the optimism. Good luck!

I hope I can run a 14.9XXX. The engine will be all stock with the exception of GT-40 heads. I already have a 3.73 Traction-Lok so I'm hoping that's enough to get to the high 14s. I want to get a baseline so as I add other things (BBK headers, 2.5 exhaust, GT-40 intake, 65mm Tb, ect) I can see how much of an improvement they actually make.