I went out to the drag strip for the first time today. Since this seems to be the most "drag friendly" forum I figured I'd post in here. The runs started out HORRIBLE, and got slightly better through the 6 runs I made. I got spanked in every single race. Raced a couple turbo Hondas, 2 Mustangs, a Vette, and Audi S4. I ground 2nd gear on my first run and judging by the times may have fallen asleep a couple times during the other runs. The runs were basically at no altitude (Florida, duh), and temps in the mid 80's. I've got a testpipe, 04-05 AP2 wheels, and probably 50 pounds of audio wires, speakers, and boxes in my car so it's basically stock, if not a little slower. Any advise, criticism, or just a simple point and laugh are all welcome...

Times from 1st to last run: (60', 1/8, 1/4, trap)
2.30, 10.38, 15.71, 92.76
2.25, 9.84, 15.01, 94.85
2.31, 9.63, 14.73, 96.33
2.24, 9.37, 14.43, 96.51
2.19, 9.55, 14.64, 96.52
2.37, 9.36, 14.36, 97.98

The thing I found most interesting was that my slowest 60' time resulted in my best 1/4 mile and trap. Aparently drag racing isn't my thing, I'm going back to autocross. And just for the record, I know that "The S2000 is not a drag car."

 

Well, what you learned is drag racing is harder than it looks. There is a lot to do in a very short time to get things just right.

Did you lower your rear tire pressure and raise your fronts? Did you avoid the waterbox and do short dry burn-outs (assuming street tires)?

Do you remember how the car felt during the launch? Was it spinning, hopping, or bogging? Were your shifts extra-crisp?

 

Was that at Bradenton? I trapped low like that there, but I was running 20psi in my rears. I was running 14.0-14.2. The stereo stuff isn't too good for drag racing. Not to single you out, but usually the type of guy to put in a big stereo can't row too well.

 

It's definately harder than I was expecting! I lowered my rear tire pressure to 24 for the first 5 runs, then to 22 for the last run. I left the front pressure the same, I've been running 34 pounds. I did avoid the waterbox, but didn't do a dry burnout. The launch was tough, trying to watch the light while getting an appropriate launch RPM. I know it bogged a little a few times but not too much, and the last run it spun pretty good. I had to back out of the throttle on the last run to get traction, the other runs I just held it to the floor.

As for my shifts, I'm not sure about extra-crip but my first one was extra crunchy Looking back, I probably wasn't focusing on the physical shift as much as I should have. Once I was out of the box I put most of my focus on shifting right at redline, and just let my hands and feet do what they know how to do. Perhaps a more equal split of my attention between the timing and action of the shift would have produced better results (Not sure that's going to make any sense to anyone but me, oh well...).

Honestly, I'm not even sure what the "perfect" launch would entail, would you expect to back out of the throttle a little or just keep it floored? The reason I ask is my last launch "felt" the best (maybe it was all that squeeling) but obviously it didn't produce the results I was looking for. Thanks for the help.

-Scott

 

Yeah, that was at Bradenton. Glad to hear that you trapped low there too, boosts my self esteem a little! I knew the stereo stuff wasn't going to help anything, nor was the spare tire. I would have removed them if I'd known anyone else there, but I'd rather take a couple hundreths hit on time rather than have someone walk off with my stuff. Oh, and I fail to see how listening to music and shifting gears correlate to eachother, but that's a nice "stereo"type you've got there. AHHHH HAHAHAHAHA.

 

100 lbs. = .1 of a second.

So only 50 pounds wouldn't have made that significant a difference. But hey, who cares as long as you had fun?

 

Thats for sure. 1st time at the track with my untuned 84 GTI back in 02.. 1st race I lined up with an electric blue Civic SI (this is when I still disliked hondas ). figured I would smoke him, but I lost by about a car length and ran a 15.8ish after f'ing the launch and bouncing all over and shifting too high A couple runs later after I figured things out, I was neck and neck with a 99-04 mustang GT but lost by half a car with a 14.2. If you work on your launch and don't miss a gear, next time 14.36 will be your respectable highest time

 

Good pun. The idea is that those of us who live by a philosophy where weight is bad and nothing is important but performance are more dedicated to spirited driving. If we're going to be as fast as possible no matter what, we'll take the time to learn how to drive as fast as possible. I see this all the time at the drag strip, the guy with the big stereo/body kit cutting 2.5s all night and wondering why he cant get even close to magazine quoted times.