Drag Racing 101

**Hi-Po** · 03-24-2010, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by NaviDyn

Nice write up. I would like to add don't speed on the return road, save it for when you line up. You aren't impressing anybody, and some tracks will boot you for it.

**99Sleeper** · 04-21-2010, 10:00 AM

Rule 3!
The faster car always turns off first now matter which side the return road is on. If your the slower car you yeild the right of way to the other car.

**shady milkman** · 04-21-2010, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by 99Sleeper

Rule 3!
The faster car always turns off first now matter which side the return road is on. If your the slower car you yeild the right of way to the other car.

**Z28Thunder** · 04-21-2010, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by 99Sleeper

Rule 3!
The faster car always turns off first now matter which side the return road is on. If your the slower car you yeild the right of way to the other car.

If your racing and your the faster car you will be in front of the slower car. Now on our track we have three turn offs that lead to the return road. If I am the faster car I tend to take the second or third turn off. Many times the slower car will take the first turn off. We have 2710' of shutdown road with 200' of sand as a trap at the end of the 2170' of shutdown road. Turn off number three is at the end of that 2170' of shutdown and just before the sand trap. When I take the third turn off the slow car tends have already gone down the return road and is out of the way

**99Sleeper** · 04-22-2010, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by Z28Thunder

If your racing and your the faster car you will be in front of the slower car. Now on our track we have three turn offs that lead to the return road. If I am the faster car I tend to take the second or third turn off. Many times the slower car will take the first turn off. We have 2710' of shutdown road with 200' of sand as a trap at the end of the 2170' of shutdown road. Turn off number three is at the end of that 2170' of shutdown and just before the sand trap. When I take the third turn off the slow car tends have already gone down the return road and is out of the way

Your right, I worded that wrong. I should have said the rule is the faster car or the car in front of the other car has the right of way.

**Ramairgod84** · 06-20-2010, 01:13 PM

so i have a confession..im a track virgin. ive never run down the track. Hell, on my current 6spd t/a i havent even tried to really do a burn out, since the guy before me ruined the clutch, and i had to pay $1200 go get a new one and installed. that said, Lately ive been wanting to take my car to the track. I want to pop my track cherry, but im afraid of spinning out and hitting the wall. The first time i went to the track i saw a camaro spin out n hit the wall. Kinda scarred me. Ive got 341 to the wheels. Whats a good rpm to launch at on street tires? whats a good psi to run as well?

**0verkill** · 06-20-2010, 05:59 PM

with you 1st time out i would take off slow from the line. do you have a air pump that will plug in your car? if so i would air down to 25 psi and go from there. with street tires you will more then likly spin if you take off if any more rpm then idel. also there is no need to do a burn out. if you can drive around the water. befor you go to the line for the 1st time stand there a watch how some of the other guys do it so you have a good idea how it works.

**99Sleeper** · 06-20-2010, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by Ramairgod84

so i have a confession..im a track virgin. ive never run down the track. Hell, on my current 6spd t/a i havent even tried to really do a burn out, since the guy before me ruined the clutch, and i had to pay $1200 go get a new one and installed. that said, Lately ive been wanting to take my car to the track. I want to pop my track cherry, but im afraid of spinning out and hitting the wall. The first time i went to the track i saw a camaro spin out n hit the wall. Kinda scarred me. Ive got 341 to the wheels. Whats a good rpm to launch at on street tires? whats a good psi to run as well?

Drive your car like you would on the street, If you dont feel comfortable just let of the gas. Many wrecks at the track are caused by drivers who dont let out of the throttle when the car is out of control.

**Forgiven** · 12-10-2013, 03:25 PM

Lots of good info, not sure if anyone mentioned this, but your reaction time in no way affects your ET. You can red light or sit on the green for 2 seconds, your ET will be the same if your car is consistent....the timer only starts when the staged beam re-connects. I have had friends thinking they can improve their ET if they got a better reaction time until I explained this to them.

**Merxrece** · 03-22-2016, 01:22 PM

On the 14R set at 66, lowered & strapped, Brocked pipe & tune, ECU reflashedpump gas, 16-42 gear175-180#suited What would be a good rpm to leave at?

**pajeff02** · 03-22-2016, 02:20 PM

Traction will dictate what rpm you can launch at. To high and you'll blow the tires off at the line, too low and it'll bog.

**ez2cdave** · 05-19-2020, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by Ramairgod84

so i have a confession..im a track virgin. ive never run down the track. Hell, on my current 6spd t/a i havent even tried to really do a burn out, since the guy before me ruined the clutch, and i had to pay $1200 go get a new one and installed. that said, Lately ive been wanting to take my car to the track. I want to pop my track cherry, but im afraid of spinning out and hitting the wall. The first time i went to the track i saw a camaro spin out n hit the wall. Kinda scarred me. Ive got 341 to the wheels. Whats a good rpm to launch at on street tires? whats a good psi to run as well?

Yeah, I know it's 10 years later . . . LOL !

With a manual transmission, you could always launch in 2nd gear to reduce wheelspin . . .