Sad 1/4 mile times....

[StandFast85]

Car-

2009 G8 GT. 650 miles on the odometer. Lower panel mod, snorkel cut-out mod. Tire pressure was stock.

Here a quick rundown of my times.

RT-.477
60'-2.278
1/8- 9.4
1/4- 14.56
ET- 95.29

RT-.104
60'-2.226
1/8- 9.4
1/4- 14.397
ET- 99.44

RT-.185
60'-2.259
1/8- 9.4
1/4- 14.510
ET- 98.43

RT-.288
60'-2.220
1/8- 9.44
1/4- 14.478
ET- 98.25

RT-.084
60'-2.272
1/8- 9.395
1/4- 14.394
ET- 99.59

RT-.217
60'-2.207
1/8- 9.3
1/4- 14.363
ET- 98.95

I didn't allow much cool time between runs, 30 minutes at the most.

Can you guys make sense of this and offer me some pointers?

Thanks guys, I've fallen in love all over again.:woohoo:

[-Ray-]

It's a new car. Going to take a bit for the motor to loosen up a bit. What was the weather like?
2.2 60", spinning the tires at launch?

[locrzn#92]

Where do you live? Those are high altitude times, like Colorado elevations. If your at high elevations, that will slow you down 1/2 second or more. Give us some more info on your leaving the line, like the stall your leaving at (1100 is ideal). What mode are you running in, manual, sport or stock?

[StandFast85]

Alrighty, looks like you guys are offering some help, I sure appreciate it.

I live in Memphis, TN, so I guess altitude isn't the problem.

I made my first pass launching at 1100 and in sport mode. I didn't spin at 1100 (at least that I could hear) so I kept upping the RPM's at which I launched. Maybe I was spinning and didn't know it?

I've heard of switching it to manual to keep the tranny in 3rd to cross the line but I'm confused as to how exactly do this. Could someone explain it to me.

Thanks for the help fellas!

[OLD_GOAT]

Read this first.
http://www.g8board.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2695

Then this. Hope all this helps.

My suggestions for beginners with minimal mods:

1/4 tank or less of premium gas to start with. Less weight to haul down the track.

Get to the track about an hour before the runs start and get teched in asap. After getting teched in, go to the staging lanes and get as close as you can from the front of the line. Open your hood and let the engine cool down.

Drop the pressure on the rears to about 25-28 pounds.

As far as I can determine, this is about all the prep you can do, unless you set a bag of ice, on top of a towel, on top of the intake.

When they open up the lanes, close your hood, quickly go to the part of the track you are directed to.

Unless you are first in line, turn off your engine, unless you are moving forward to the start area.

Now you are ready to run.

ASSUMING AUTO TRANSMISSION AND NO DRAG RADIALS

Start up the car.
Take traction control off.
Put your car in sport mode.
Go AROUND the water and straighten out the steering where you are going forward.
Power brake your car and burn around 3 seconds of rubber. This should 'clean' off the tires.
After this is done, slowly ease up to the start line.
You will see the pre stage double yellow lights turn on.
Ease just a bit more forward then the second pair of yellow lights (staged) will turn on.

Wait for your run buddy to do the same.

About now, either leave off idle (around 750 rpms) or rev the engine up to around 1000-1200 rpms. Anything more that 1000-1200 will cause you to burn rubber, hence blown run before you even get started down the track.

The lights on the tree will start counting down, and as it turns on the last yellow, release the brake pedal, press the gas and hold on.

Note: about the tree. Some are different than others. At Houston Raceway Park (HRP) , I mostly get off between .1 and .2. A reaction time of .000 is perfect and those are few and far between. I raced my car at Gulfport Miss. a couple of months back and their tree was different than the on at HRP. If you are trying for a personal best time, your reaction time doesn't matter, however if you are trying to beat the guy next to you, it does. I have been in races where I turn a 12.3, yet beat a guy who ran a 12.15 because I cut a great light and beat him to the finish line. I have also lost in the same manner.

Some tracks will have a better prepared launch area than others. Just a fact of life.

On the whole, HRP is one of the best tracks in the country, especially during October through April. It is near sea level and usually has great prep.

Now that you are heading down the track, hold on till you pass the finish line, then slowly and safely ease to the area where you exit the track and turn around.

The important parts of the time slip are this.

The 60 foot time, the quarter mile time, and mph at the end of the quarter. For a rookie, this is all you need to concern your self with. From what I have studied, for each .1 you drop on your 60', this should in turn drop your quarter mile time by .2.

A couple of things, if you have wheel hop, ease off the go pedal till the hop quits, make sure your car is headed the proper way, then head on down the track. You don't need to make 100 mph, to finish. Your run is blown, take your time and be safe. Do the exact same thing if you burn too much rubber or spin out too much. Once this happens, your time will be terrible, the run is blown, so just take your time. It's over.

Do not 'hot lap' or make runs back to back to back. Run it once or twice, then let cool down with hood open for 30-45 minutes.

Hope this helps.

Oh one more thing. You need long pants and a helmet, unless your car is faster than 11.50. I think the helmet type varies from track to track.

GOOD LUCK, BE SAFE, AND HAVE FUN!
__________________

[OLD_GOAT]

Alrighty, looks like you guys are offering some help, I sure appreciate it.

I live in Memphis, TN, so I guess altitude isn't the problem.

I made my first pass launching at 1100 and in sport mode. I didn't spin at 1100 (at least that I could hear) so I kept upping the RPM's at which I launched. Maybe I was spinning and didn't know it?

I've heard of switching it to manual to keep the tranny in 3rd to cross the line but I'm confused as to how exactly do this. Could someone explain it to me.

Thanks for the help fellas!

Right now is not a good time of year to get your personal best (PB), but it is a good time to learn how to race. The DA right now is very high and weather has a lot to do with run times. DA calculator http://www.dragtimes.com/da-density-altitude-calculator.php?track=71&month=9&day=13&year=2008&getweather=Get+Weather+Data

If you launched at 1100, then went up, you were launching too hard. The idle on my GXP is right at 750, and that is where you start at. Get a base line at idle, then go up from there.

Was your traction control on or off? It NEEDS to be off.

Good luck.

[StandFast85]

Wow, thanks for the great info Old Goat!

My traction control was off, definitely.

I'm looking forward to going out Thurs. and trying my luck again.

[fiveoh]

Also these cars heat soak like crazy. Let the car cool for 1.5 hours or until the intake is cool to the touch. It should pick up some mph and run faster.

[StandFast85]

Thanks fiveoh.

I took off my intake cover and the engine cover tonight. Hopefully that'll help me dissipate some of this heat I build up.

[locrzn#92]

I've used a small fan at the track, it will help cool the intake in about half the time and you can make runs in about 30 minutes or so. You can use a regular small fan and buy a converter for 120 to 12 volts. There is a positive post on the right side of the engine bay, its got a red cover over it. These work great and as said above, this is not a good time for the best ets. Memphis is pretty hot right now and humidity is also very high. Elevation is definetly not an issue, just the heat.

[09-G8-GT]

What was the outside temperature? I would say put a few more miles on it. I had 2200 before I took it to the track. How do you drive it everyday? I tend to drive mine like I stole it. If my mother drove it for a week it would probably be slower. Premium fuel? How much in the tank? I launched mine at 1100rpms and had little if any wheelspin. I managed to click off 13.4 on 93 with about 1/3 of a tank of fuel.

[StandFast85]

Outside temp was about 70-75 degrees.

I drive it very conservatively on a day to day basis.

Regular gas, about 3/4 of a tank.

[09-G8-GT]

Outside temp was about 70-75 degrees.

I drive it very conservatively on a day to day basis.

Regular gas, about 3/4 of a tank.

Next time fill it with premium before and drive it semi-aggresive for a day or two. Go to the track with a quarter of a tank and report back. I bet you break into the 13s. If your local track has saturday test and tune I would go as early as you can, summer heat is not good for fast times either. Good luck.

[Seattle09GT]

Read this first.
http://www.g8board.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2695

Then this. Hope all this helps.

My suggestions for beginners with minimal mods:

1/4 tank or less of premium gas to start with. Less weight to haul down the track.

Get to the track about an hour before the runs start and get teched in asap. After getting teched in, go to the staging lanes and get as close as you can from the front of the line. Open your hood and let the engine cool down.

Drop the pressure on the rears to about 25-28 pounds.

As far as I can determine, this is about all the prep you can do, unless you set a bag of ice, on top of a towel, on top of the intake.

When they open up the lanes, close your hood, quickly go to the part of the track you are directed to.

Unless you are first in line, turn off your engine, unless you are moving forward to the start area.

Now you are ready to run.

ASSUMING AUTO TRANSMISSION AND NO DRAG RADIALS

Start up the car.
Take traction control off.
Put your car in sport mode.
Go AROUND the water and straighten out the steering where you are going forward.
Power brake your car and burn around 3 seconds of rubber. This should 'clean' off the tires.
After this is done, slowly ease up to the start line.
You will see the pre stage double yellow lights turn on.
Ease just a bit more forward then the second pair of yellow lights (staged) will turn on.

Wait for your run buddy to do the same.

About now, either leave off idle (around 750 rpms) or rev the engine up to around 1000-1200 rpms. Anything more that 1000-1200 will cause you to burn rubber, hence blown run before you even get started down the track.

The lights on the tree will start counting down, and as it turns on the last yellow, release the brake pedal, press the gas and hold on.

Note: about the tree. Some are different than others. At Houston Raceway Park (HRP) , I mostly get off between .1 and .2. A reaction time of .000 is perfect and those are few and far between. I raced my car at Gulfport Miss. a couple of months back and their tree was different than the on at HRP. If you are trying for a personal best time, your reaction time doesn't matter, however if you are trying to beat the guy next to you, it does. I have been in races where I turn a 12.3, yet beat a guy who ran a 12.15 because I cut a great light and beat him to the finish line. I have also lost in the same manner.

Some tracks will have a better prepared launch area than others. Just a fact of life.

On the whole, HRP is one of the best tracks in the country, especially during October through April. It is near sea level and usually has great prep.

Now that you are heading down the track, hold on till you pass the finish line, then slowly and safely ease to the area where you exit the track and turn around.

The important parts of the time slip are this.

The 60 foot time, the quarter mile time, and mph at the end of the quarter. For a rookie, this is all you need to concern your self with. From what I have studied, for each .1 you drop on your 60', this should in turn drop your quarter mile time by .2.

A couple of things, if you have wheel hop, ease off the go pedal till the hop quits, make sure your car is headed the proper way, then head on down the track. You don't need to make 100 mph, to finish. Your run is blown, take your time and be safe. Do the exact same thing if you burn too much rubber or spin out too much. Once this happens, your time will be terrible, the run is blown, so just take your time. It's over.

Do not 'hot lap' or make runs back to back to back. Run it once or twice, then let cool down with hood open for 30-45 minutes.

Hope this helps.

Oh one more thing. You need long pants and a helmet, unless your car is faster than 11.50. I think the helmet type varies from track to track.

GOOD LUCK, BE SAFE, AND HAVE FUN!
__________________

OUTSTANDING POST! :woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

This is a must read for anyone who is going to drag for the first time. I vote for a cut and paste and making this sticky.