DRAG STRIP INFO

[RE-KLUSE]

this question is for the people who have RACED at the track enough times to give info.anyhow i have street raced almost every fast car/truck i have ever owned,but have never took them to the track.i am thinking of bringing my 88 down just to see what she will do.any info on what to do,or expect?.i dont want to look like a dumb ass if ya know what i mean.a buddy of mine brought his s-10 to the track once,and he said the track is slippery as hell with street tires.im not even sure if i should do a burn out with street tires.i mean its not really gonna help alot.what kinda track info can ya give me?

[bowtie316]

Going to the track is not that much different than racing on the street. Check with the track to see if your truck meets safety requirements and go have fun. Make sure to bring a helmet and you will need all your lugnuts.



Also, the main give away for a new racer is taking forever to stage. Watch a couple runs to see where the staging beams are, then when you are pulling up to them, look at the track to see when you are getting close, then when you are close, look up at the tree and when the pre-stage light comes on, stop and then just inch forward slowly till the stage bulb comes on. Most newbies will take forever to pull into the lights and then they will pull past them. I did it.



Whatever happens, just be safe. If you are nice, people will be very helpful and understanding. If you have any questions, ask track staff or another racer, they will be happy to help.



As for the street tires, it will be slick. But a long smokey burnout most likely will not help.

[rayL]

as far as the track being slick it all depends on the track itself and the prep. The track i run at mostly is very sticky, your shoes will stick to it if you walk across it. Dont do a burnout the first time and see what happens. 99% of street tires will just spin worse when you do a burnout. Like bowtie said watch a few runs and try to judge where about the staging beams are. Most tracks run an autostart system so just light the first bulb and wait for the guy beside you to light his top bulb. If you pull up there and light both bulbs this only gives the guy beside you 10 seconds to get in or the autostart will start the tree regardless. Pay attention to track officials and do what they say when they say it. Its addicting so be prepared. Have fun and ask questions if you are unsure.

[batchik2]

street tire burnout = NOTHING but smoke.



street tires will not benifit from a burnout. maybe pealing out alittle bit as you go around the water box. just to clean off anything that may have gotten on the tires in the pits/staging lanes.



oh and i rolled through the lights my first time. don\'t worry about that. it happens to most of us http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif

[Scotty_S-15]

Here\'s a link to a recent discussion on same topic........



First Time at Track? (http://s10v8.com/viewtopic.php?topic=12301&forum=14&start=10)

[Jeffyboy]

You\'ll have to experiment with the burnout - mine does best with just a few turns of the tires. Heats \'em ever so slightly and cleans \'em off.

[RE-KLUSE]

thanks for all the info.im thinking of taking her to the track this weekend if the weather is good.i was gonna get some slicks first,but i think im gonna make my first run with the bfg\'s.

[batchik2]

its almost better to get used to the track in a slow car. ive been takin my moms G6 till i feel good about handleing something with power.



that was good advise i was given. seems logical....

[speeder]

also make sure that you know what the tech-inspection looks for, battery tie down and lug nuts and all. Also if you are worried about traction, just go past the water, do not put your front street tires in the water, they will be slippery at 3/4 track when wet.

[NoMoore]

On 2006-04-03 20:47, bowtie316 wrote:

\"If you are nice, people will be very helpful and understanding. If you have any questions, ask track staff or another racer, they will be happy to help.\"





That is solid advice right there.



Relax relax realx, that will be one of your biggest adversaries, and precisely the reason we do it. So much energy and adrenaline.



Don\'t do a burnout across the starting line.

Don\'t stage with the back tires. ( that\'s funny as hell)

Remember to roll your window up.

Try to pay attention to the other guy and coordinate your staging as you can. Stage first though, so not to keep him waiting while you inch in.

Don\'t forget to eat and drink plenty of water.

Have fun, and talk to everyone you can.



Good luck! I hope this helps.

Is that the kind of tips you are looking for, or would you like a step by step kinda thing?



Edit:

Don\'t forget to bring a pencil to fill out your tech card with!

[batchik2]

haha yea, don\'t forget a pen/pencil http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_lol.gif i did that saturday when i got to the track i remembered why the pen i tossed in the house with a bunch of other stuff was in the car in the first place.

[bowtie316]

On 2006-04-04 16:33, NoMoore wrote:



Don\'t stage with the back tires. ( that\'s funny as hell)



<font size=1>[ This message was edited by: NoMoore on 2006-04-04 16:50 ]</font>





I almost forgot about that one. You had me laughing my ass off at my desk at work.

[largekid]

yea, one thing i didn\'t do the first time i went was i was wearing shorts. a big no no http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif i kept forgeting to roll up my window and the staging crew was getting shitty http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_redface.gif



have fun and i took forever to stage and then the bastard next to me deepstaged me so i was super confused lol

[bowtie316]

Don\'t expect a really fast time-slip your first time out. The numbers can be really humbling. I took a 74 satellite to the track when I was in high school. I thought It would run in the 13\'s. Fastest time that day, 16.31 @ 80 something. I was embarrassed cause I had talked trash about how fast it was. I won\'t make that mistake again.



Keep us posted on how you do.

[RE-KLUSE]

i still gotta call the track to see what all i need.i guess i will need to borrow a helmet from my friend,and i dont know what else.oh and what is the tech card ?.



im not used to all this paper work track talk,lol



looks like its gonna rain all weekend anyway http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_frown.gif

i know im faster than one bmw m3,and a saab 9000 aero,however fast they are

[mtincher]

the tech card is what you get when you buy into your class that you will be racin in. when you get inspected the person doin the inspection will check off things like battery hold down seat belts...etc....and you will need to fill out your truck info and your info like address social sec. and things like that for there insurance, on the tech card.



and about the bmw and saab...i dont know how fast they are but i have learned that you can be faster than a vehicle in a street race but be even or even slower than that vehicle on the track...when i had my camaro i would street race my cousins s-10(350) and he would beet me bad every time but when we got to the track i would keep right up with him and we would be almost even at the top end, i dont know how to explain that though?!?!?!



I hope this helps a little more....GOOD LUCK

[NoMoore]

On 2006-04-05 23:09, RE-KLUSE wrote:

i still gotta call the track to see what all i need.i guess i will need to borrow a helmet from my friend,and i dont know what else.oh and what is the tech card ?.



im not used to all this paper work track talk,lol



looks like its gonna rain all weekend anyway http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_frown.gif

i know im faster than one bmw m3,and a saab 9000 aero,however fast they are





As for requirements, At IHRA tracks, if you go faster than 14.00 you will need a helmet, and a driveshaft loop IF you use slicks. Otherwise you don\'t need much of anythiing special till you get to about 11.49. They are always big on some basics though. Battery hold down is a must, bungee\'s won\'t do. A coolant overflow catch can, and working seatbelts are a must. Some places get rowdy if you have alot of rubber gas line. But it all depends on the track you go to. Big sanctioned tracks follow the rule book to the letter, but backwoods privately run tracks might not even have a tech inspection, and some might just have a guy walking around the pits looking for dumb stuff.



Here is what you can typically expect.

1. decide if you are going to go fo test and tune, or race. If you can go on a test and tune night, you can get lots of tracktime, and you don\'t have to go home early. The entry fee is less, and it\'s alot of fun. Race day is much more money, and you will get fewer runs, but it pays if you do well.

2. Leave early.

3. pay the entry fee and find your way to the piits.

4. Fill out your tech card, and give your truck a once over.

5. Ask someone where to line up for tech in.

6. When the tech line opens, it will be anounced on the PA. Give it a minute and go get in line.

7. The tech guy is always in a hurry, so he can provide some help, but usually he is not the best guy to ask a ton of questions.

8. Drink a Mountain Dew.

9. Listen carefully to the PA for instructions for each class about what staging lane to line up in.

10. When called, head down to the lanes.

11. realize you forgot something and head back to your pit.

12. Head back to the staging lanes.

13. wait.

14. The guy that runs the lanes is the boss. Observe him, and treat him nice. he is also a great guy to ask questions. Your fellow racers will guide you too.

15. The lane is sent up to the tree. Give ample space to the guy in front. 1 car at the tree, one car in the burnout box ready to burn, and the next car a ways back so not to get rubber and crap sprayed all over the front.

16 As soon as the 1st car leaves the line, the 2nd car will start its burnout (also there will be a dude there, telling you when to spin, make a judgment call)

17. After the 2nd car pulls out of the box, you move in. Either go around the side of it and wait(street tires) or pull in and get ready to burnout( race type tires). Don\'t do a burnout IN the water pull through it, watch the guy running the burnout box, he will tell you when to stop.

18. 2nd guy leaves, start you burnout, or pullup to the line.

19. Panic.

20. Is your window rolled up?

21. Stage, ease in to the first light, look at your opponent, if he is already completely staged be ready as soon as you go into the 2nd light. If he isn\'t completely staged procede in, and wait to bring your R\'s up till he is in too.

22. Panic again.

23. leave on the last yellow.

24. Cross finish line

25. Pick up your time slip on the return road.

26. get into pits, jump out talking faster than the auctioneer at Barrett-Jackson. Telll you girl how much fun that was.

27. Repeat. steps 9-26.

28. Enter rehab, you are now addicted.



If you go on a race day, you will get a few qualifying runs. You are not qualifying you are just finding your dial in. When race time comes, pick a time that you are confident you will do. For example, if you run a 14.16, a 13.77, and a 13.70 in practice, but you just made a change and expect to go faster, don\'t get carried away, stay close to your 13.70 and let off a little at the end if you are ahead. If you are only there for time, screw it, have fun.



Best of luck to you, i hope this is of some sort of use to you. http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif

[NoMoore]

Oh, BTW, don\'t get tunnel vision at the line. Watch the starter too. He is THE king. He over rides everyone at the track. He has to watch for leaks, unsafe stuff, new guys, and a host of problems. he will shut you down if there is somethiing wrong. Try not to piss him off.



And god forbid, you have problems, like an engine cutting loose. Stop SAFELY an pull to the side. Oiling the entire track and half of the return road is bad. It takes time and money to clean up. The entire track including the people in the stands will be mad for this one.