Need 1/4 mile driving advice.

[G8V8]

I plan on going to a cicel county dray test and tune day with a group of GTOs. I've never been on a drag strip before so I'm looking for advice to get the most out of it.

My mods are: RF CAI, VMS tunes, HSRK, Charlies lower panel mod w/o panel (yet, waiting on slow donkey delivery service from TX). I have 19s.

I've read that it is best to pull Sport mode back into manual mode in 3rd to keep from shifting to 4th right before the traps.

VMS says the best acceleration comes in Normal mode (Sport is set up for road racing). does this mean you launch in normal and once in 3rd, slap over to sport and pull back to keep it in 3rd?

I figure TC and AC want to be off.

What tire pressures are suggested and any launch suggestions? For my 0-60 Dashawk runs I brake to 1500 and let it fly.

Thanks,
Ed

[GRRRR8]

37psi rear/51psi frt Make 1 pass in normal mode take off at idle, make 1 pass in sport mode take off at idle, 1 pass in sport foot brake to 12-1500 , and when it hits 80 tap to M3. Make sure you open hood after every pass an let cool for at least 30 min if possible. If the trans shifts into 4th gear on the very 1st pass in normal mode, skip to step 3. Shifting into 4th is an automatic loss of .2 . If it was me, I would start in sport, idle launch, tap M3 at 80 and see what it does. If you have a long drive to the track, open hood and cool for 30-45 min so your 1st pass is a good 1. Remember, it is not about making 20 passes, its about making 2-4 good ones and learing the car in this type of racing condition. By all means call me after your 1st pass and remeber what/how you did it and I will help you adjust your driving style.

[g8_795]

Did VMS really say that the best acceleration comes in normal mode with their tune? I didn't know that.

I normally put into sport mode and down shift to keep it from going into 4th gear. Some are letting it go into 4th gear because of the RPM rev limiter bouncing. I never had it bounce before crossing the line until I got the UDP, so you may be alright crossing in 3rd. I did my best 60''s with 30 psi in the rear, and warmed up the tires fairly well. I have alternated from launching from idle and ~1500 rpm.

What day are you going? That track is a ways out there. Have you thought about going to Mason Dixon?

Good luck. I am sure you will have fun. It is a blast.
-Robert

[G8V8]

37psi rear/51psi frt Make 1 pass in normal mode take off at idle, make 1 pass in sport mode take off at idle, 1 pass in sport foot brake to 12-1500 , and when it hits 80 tap to M3. Make sure you open hood after every pass an let cool for at least 30 min if possible. If the trans shifts into 4th gear on the very 1st pass in normal mode, skip to step 3. Shifting into 4th is an automatic loss of .2 . If it was me, I would start in sport, idle launch, tap M3 at 80 and see what it does. If you have a long drive to the track, open hood and cool for 30-45 min so your 1st pass is a good 1. Remember, it is not about making 20 passes, its about making 2-4 good ones and learing the car in this type of racing condition. By all means call me after your 1st pass and remeber what/how you did it and I will help you adjust your driving style.

Thanks Charlie. It all sounds like good advice and a good plan of attack.

[GRRRR8]

My low 60fters are always done with no burnout! It is a radial, kind of pointless. In all most all cases the tire is greasier after a burnout.

[g8_795]

By all means call me after your 1st pass and remeber what/how you did it and I will help you adjust your driving style.

Now that is service. :auto:

[g8_795]

My low 60fters are always done with no burnout! It is a radial, kind of pointless. In all most all cases the tire is greasier after a burnout.

If you don't burnout, be SURE you don't drive through the water. All of my worst 60''s have come without burn out, but I think it is because I always get water on the tires no matter how hard I try. Last time I didn't warm my tires, I got a 2.6 60'.
-Robert

[grt08g8]

Air those rear tires on down a little more, much better launch.

[G8V8]

Did VMS really say that the best acceleration comes in normal mode with their tune? I didn't know that.

I normally put into sport mode and down shift to keep it from going into 4th gear. Some are letting it go into 4th gear because of the RPM rev limiter bouncing. I never had it bounce before crossing the line until I got the UDP, so you may be alright crossing in 3rd. I did my best 60''s with 30 psi in the rear, and warmed up the tires fairly well. I have alternated from launching from idle and ~1500 rpm.

What day are you going? That track is a ways out there. Have you thought about going to Mason Dixon?

Good luck. I am sure you will have fun. It is a blast.
-Robert

These are some exerps from a reply i got from VMS:

"There are other differences, sport is nearly perfectly setup for road racing, we change it a little but not a ton as it's setup with a bunch of Anti-Foam algo's ect to keep it happy for extended periods of time on a road course.

Normal is actually setup in our tune to be faster in a straight line, I'd leave it there."

It seems I've turned my best 0-60 mph times in Normal mode.


I was invited to join a bunch of GTOs for a private couple of days at Cecil by Rocksand Racing. They did my Pedders install. I was also offered a ride in a pass in Frank's 10.02 sec GTO. Hard to pass up!

[GRRRR8]

The 0-60 in magazines of 5.3 were done with 39-41psi in rear. Remember they are low profile and with too little air you are effecting the foot print of the tire which is a loss of traction.

[g8_795]

These are some exerps from a reply i got from VMS:

"There are other differences, sport is nearly perfectly setup for road racing, we change it a little but not a ton as it's setup with a bunch of Anti-Foam algo's ect to keep it happy for extended periods of time on a road course.

Normal is actually setup in our tune to be faster in a straight line, I'd leave it there."

It seems I've turned my best 0-60 mph times in Normal mode.


I was invited to join a bunch of GTOs for a private couple of days at Cecil by Rocksand Racing. They did my Pedders install. I was also offered a ride in a pass in Frank's 10.02 sec GTO. Hard to pass up!

That is good to know. I will have to try that.

Sounds like you are going to have a blast. That would be awesome to ride in a 10 sec GTO.

[G8V8]

That is good to know. I will have to try that.

Sounds like you are going to have a blast. That would be awesome to ride in a 10 sec GTO.

I saw your posts on the G8board. Well done. I hope I don't embarass myself too much.

[-Ray-]

If you've never raced on the track before, I sugest when you get there, park the G8 to cool off after you go through tech.
Go to the stands and watch a few races. See where the cars turn off. The car closest to the turn off goes first, even if it was beat by a large margin. Don't cross in front of the car nearest the turn off. Wait for him if you have to and then turn off.
Slow down when you get your slip.
Make sure your windows are up until you exit the track.
If you don't have a helmet, ask someone. You will be under 14 secs.
I would take it easy on the 1st run, until you know how the car will react.
Have fun, you'll be addicted in no time!

[G8V8]

Thanks Ray. I appeciate it.

[Mike P]

Yep, good advice Ray.....

[PostalCherokee]

Has anybody tried launching from idle in normal and then slap over to sport when you hear the car hit third and tap to hold? If the car is quicker in normal, makes sense.

[-Ray-]

My best time I left it in Normal the whole way down the track. 13.396 @107.25

[PostalCherokee]

I'm looking forward to trying it out myself. Moroso is opening back up in Oct. It's the closest track to me!