Beginner Racing Questions.

[hvychev]

I asked Rob offline for some racing advice but he suggested that I make it a post so if anybody else is reading and have the same questions they are helped as well. Hopefully some of the heavy hitters of the modern racing could pitch in as well such as COPO PETE, Casey Marks, BIG DOG, and maybe a couple of the other fellas. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Check out the attached time slip of my best run of the night and critique me. I am the LEFT driver. The right driver was a C5 Corvette. I have only raced 2 different days this being the second time. About the car, as most of you probably know it is a 1970 Chevelle SS LS5 454. The car is stock (original drivetrain from day 1) with the exception of a few mods that include headers, M/T L6015 rear tires, and an upgrade from the 3.31 standard gear that this car came with to a 3.73. Otherwise the car is stock from day one. This particular run was after 9 pm and it was dark and the temp was about 45 dagrees. The car is driven A LOT (I even drove it to the track and back) and is not probably in "tune" (ie. distributer curve, timing, etc.) to be raced. I believe that the rear tires had 25 psi in them durring that particular run. I weighed the car with me in it and it was clocking in at 4050 lbs. Hey, I don't call it hvychev for nothin'! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The first few runs were a joke. I was starting out in low drive and manually shifting. I must have burned rubber for the first half of the run. The run on the time slip is where I finally got smart and just started in regular drive and let the M40 do it's thing. A couple of guys at the track last year told me when I am staging to do what you would do with a brake torque and rev it up to about 1500-1600 rpm untill the car slightly lifts, hold it, and then once that last yellow light turns hammer it. So guys am I on the right track (no pun intended) to become a racing legend? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif

[hvychev]

Any ideas guys?

[John Brown]

Sounds like you need to talk to Rob, he da new man /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif!

[sYc]

You are on the right track, if by nothing else of not being afraid to try your hand at drag racing. Just keep going and make as many passes as they will allow. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif

As per tires and pressure, do a burnout on a clean patch of pavement and check the pattern. You want it to be dark all the way across. Adjust tire pressure to do this. As per shifting, we shift manually, it just takes practice to learn to get the feel of the car, how much throttle, when to shift, etc. That is why you must do it at the track. Seat of the pants might feel better, but time slips do not lie. Try something, if you go faster, good, if not, try something else. Only change 1 thing at a time. Otherwise you will not know which change did what. KEEP NOTES, matching them up with your time slips. That way you remember what works and what doesn't.
There are a 1000 little things you can do, but the most important one is PRACTICE, and of course, have FUN. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

And, by the way, nice 60'. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif

[hvychev]

Thanks Tom! Wow I just noticed that my 60' time was better than Robs! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif No Rob I just kidding! I don't even know how the hell I did it or what makes a good 60' time. That's why I need your advice!

[YENKO DEUCE REGISTRY]

It looks like the possiblility of me ever 'treeing' Rob is out of the question!! Nice R/T there, not to mention 60' - man I have a lot of work to do!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif

[sYc]

Marlin, actually the tree is Rob's weak point. Most races he looses is because of a poor RT. But, he is getting better. That is why he is hitting the test and tunes, to work on his RT and 60". In factory stock racing those two things are very important. I think he gets that from me, I have been known to "sleep" at the tree. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif Now Jonathan is a different story. He has been almost dead on since his made his first pass at SCR 4. Just kills Rob that Jon is so good at it, with so little experience.

[COPO PETE]

Your 60' time is amazing. Id' say your tire pressure is good....real good. You might want to try some more timing if the car can handle it. Your mph to et is pretty good. You could go some more gear, but then it would'nt be as streetable. I'd leave that dist. alone and get another one, and give it about 18 degrees initial, with a total of about 38... maybe 40. Your a legend waiting to happen!
Peter /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif

[Chevy454]

Like Pete, I'm drawn to that 1.90 short time! WOW! I don't know what kind of tires you are running, but that 60' time is VERY good for a virtually stock car. Especially considering you are running a short (stock?) converter. If you're hooking it good enough for a 1.90 short time, then your buddies were correct in telling you to bring it up on the converter when you stage. Just curious, what were you shifting at? I've found, with Pete's help, that shift points can make/break a good run. I shift about 500+ rpm OVER my HP peak in our Camaro (auto car), which lets it fall back into it's power range after the shift.

Everything looks good, except your MPH at the end of the 1/4. If I had to guess, I'd say you lifted off the throttle before you went through the last MPH trap...no biggie, it's VERY common. I've done it, I've seen thousands of others do it...you just gotta remember and watch for the last beam and keep your foot in it until then.

Oh, and KEEP PRACTICING!

[hvychev]

Wow guys thanks! Guys like I said this is only my second time ever at the strip. Rob as far as the shift point, durring this particular run the M40 shifting it's self. I tried to shift the car manually but the darn thing spun for the first half of the runs. When I was taking off from the tree when I was doing the manual shifts I was shifting at 5500-5600 rpm. The rear tires that are on the car are the reproduction Mickey Thompson S/S Indy Profile L60 15's. the fronts are Wide Oval 14X7. When I started out in regular drive and let the trans shift itself, man the car had taken off unlike any time I remember. It was like a sling shot. I actually felt it in the pit of my stomach which was weird since this car isn't a High compression LS6, L72, or L78. After talking to you guys I am pumped about going back out there to race again! Thanks a million! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif

[COPO PETE]

At the 2001 Pure Stock races, there were 48 cars in the 13.'s Three were going 99 mph and the rest all over 100, and up to 111 mph. I'd say you did well, very well. Good driving!
Peter /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif

[Mr70]

Frank is a tall drink of water,so that had to be a pretty strong feeling to reach all the way through those layers of his Stomach..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[hvychev]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif You got that right! Hey I am suprised that no one commented on the weight of the car with me in it at 4050lbs! If my buddy was racing the car at his 5'9 160lb size I am sure that the ET would be less. I am 6' 2 1/2" 275 lbs. That doesn't make for good ET's. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Maybe I should diet.........nah!

[NCGuy68]

Frank....if you don't already know, stay out of the water box with those treaded Mickey T tires. The water will cling to the tread grooves and run down onto the track when you stage.

Do a couple of dry burn-outs to clean the tires and stage.

Like the other guys have said, practice, practice, practice. You'll only get better, and most important, have more fun!

[moparts]

HEY ROB!

Did you see that......run it through in drive......told you.......... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif

[Chevy454]

Yeah, yeah...but I'd almost bet that if he played with his shift points some he would pick up both ET and MPH. He was spinning the tires when shifting manually, which means the power is there but he's just not hooking it. When he let the trans do the shifting it was probably short shifting, thus no tire spin. Of course, this could work the complete OPPOSITE way (shifting way past power peak) but I really doubt he was twisting it that hard. Letting the trans do the shifting would add a measure of consistency, though.

[hvychev]

Rob I am not going to give my car or myself any real credit. I don't even know what the hell I am doing or how I did what I did as it is! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Keep in mind that the tires I have are L60 15's, These are some big meats that are 10" wide! Imagine what you could do with meats on your Yenko that size instead of those skinnies.

[SmallHurst]

That is part of the attraction, make the most of what the factory gave you and make it hook! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/3gears.gif

[hvychev]

Rob the same day I was at the track my buddy was with me. He is the RIGHT driver. He was racing his 2001 Camaro Z28 6 speed. The car is stock with the exception of a couple of bolt on's which include an SLP Loud Mouth cat back exhaust system, MAF sensor, K&N air filter, Whisper Air box, & Linginfelter intake. The car is otherwise bone stock including the tires, gear, & no headers.

This was only his second time at the track as well as mine. We both went the first time together last year. This kid can drive! One of the funniest moments in my life was when we were street racing with a BMW and he power shifted so hard that he literally ripped the shifter knob right off and it hit the back window. We nearly got into an accident we were laughing so hard! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif

[Hemi_Joel]

Your launch is great, but it seems to me that your MPH is off. That means you are low on horsepower. I would start withthe basics. Disconnect and plug the vaccum advance hose and then check the timing at maximum centrifical advance. You can do this by putting a timing tape on the damper, or using a dial back timing light. Watch the timing mark while revving the motor. The faster you rev it, the more it will advance untill it reaches its limit. Set the timing so it maxes out at 38 degrees. Don't worry about the initial timing yet. Your total timing is what matters.
Also make sure that both your primary and secondary throttle blades are opening fully. Whith the engine off, look down the carb with a flashlight while some one floors the pedal. Adjust the lingage if needed. If you have mechanical secondary carb, you can check the primarys and secondarys both this way. If you have a Quadrajet, check the secondary air valve to make sure it isn't stuck or binding, plus look at the throttle blades. You also need to make sure you are getting enuff fuel to the carb at the big end of the track. You can rig a fuel pressure gauge temporary. Then go thru the gears and make sure pressure isn't falling off at the big end of the track.
Try these easy tricks and see how it does. I think your car should go at least 100 mph, if not 105. GOod luck! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/burnout.gif