1st time at the track advice.
A little long but, I found this on Moparmisfits.
For you newbies.
In Mid September, I raced in the Nostalgia Super Stock class of a NMCA event in Atlanta, GA. During Sunday's Eliminations, the track had a bracket race in between the first and second round of our Heads Up race. While there is a place for cars struggling to do 15 seconds in the 1/8 mile -- this event wasn't the place. Race fans were lulled asleep with slow cars and horrible drivers. This took an incredible 7 hours between our first and second round -- so many NSS racers were in the stands watching these bracket races to kill time. While maybe 75% of these slower cars appeared to have a driver with some experience -- there was at least 25% that clearly didn't have a clue. This was obvious with virtually everything they did from the lack of safety equipment, to their burnout, to their staging, to the launch, to what to do when they broke on the track. It was sad watching many of these people.
However, it really isn't the racer's fault. No one is born with this knowledge -- and most every racer without instruction made stupid mistakes when they first started. This is because there is no real guide to help the new racers -- combined with them being too embarrassed to ask questions. This "Big Secret" which really isn't -- most likely cause many people interested, not try because they feel it is beyond their ability. Some of the embarrassment to ask comes from hearing experienced racers laughing at some of the questions -- instead of helping, or a cryptic high-tech answer with the assumption that the new racer knows what you're talking about.
I write this article in an attempt to give a condensed set of basic instructions of what to do -- so that the first time racer can take Mom's Expedition to the track and know what to do. For the sake of clarity -- we'll assume 1/4 mile track (most of the NHRA sanctioned tracks) for times and speeds, a sportsman tree of .500 seconds, an automatic transmission, and we'll assume that you are foot-braking your launch -- and not using a transbrake. After all this is Racing 101 -- Just the Basics.
Safety Equipment:
There is a variety of safety equipment required on a car, based on how quick of a quarter mile or the speed that the car runs. We'll assume that for your first trip down a quarter mile that you will not go faster than 14-seconds, as 14-seconds is fast street car territory. Your typical fast street car doesn't require too much more than for the car to stop and steer straight -- and to not leak any fluids on the track. As you go faster, you will have requirements for safety harnesses, roll bars or cages, driveshaft loops, SFI balancers, Flexplates, and Bell housings, catch cans, battery shut offs, diapers, trans-shields, license, parachute, etc.
Should you go faster than 14-seconds -- then you should familiarize yourself with the safety requirements for your car as you have crossed into the next level of requirements. As you get into the 12-second range -- drag racing become less and less safe and the driver's experience/competence becomes more and more important. Under 11.5 seconds (another level requiring more safety equipment), each half second faster is considerably more challenging to do safely. It is advisable that you take drag racing in steps. I feel no one should be going faster than 11.5-seconds with less than 50 passes in the 12-13 second range, and not faster than 10-seconds (a threshold requiring yet better equipment and a competition license) with less that 100 passes in the 11-second range. Calling your track will get you pointed in the right direction for safety requirements.
No need to be scared, going 14-seconds and slower is generally safe and easy -- yet still a blast for new racers. In addition to having a safe vehicle you should bring a helmet designed for drag racing; wear long pants, leather shoes or boots; wear a long sleeved shirt (better yet a light racing jacket costs less than $20); and you need to have a current state driver's license. If you are under 16, you will need to have a parent with you who will sign a minor waiver -- accepting full responsibility for you.
You will not want to arrive at the track with anything in the car or truck that is not secured. Those items become a hurling projectile should there be a wreck -- and could kill you. No tools, bags of rock salt, groceries, loose spare tire, loose fire extinguisher, -- even your cell phone, etc.
When you first arrive to the track -- immediately turn off your air conditioning so that condensation dries and doesn't drip on the track. Liquids on the track, even water from your air conditioner, is a danger to other racers.
You will be given a tech card to list information about you and your vehicle. After completing the tech card -- you will need to bring it, your car, and all of your safety equipment to the tech inspection area. Once there, a tech inspector will look over the situation -- and if you pass he will put a number on your car and the card. Your tech card will then go to the tower for the track announcer and the track manager to monitor.
Staging Lanes:
The staging lanes are where cars and drivers wait until the track is ready for their group to race. Often there will be lanes assigned for different classes of racing and different types of Trees. Listen to the track announcer for what lanes and when to report. The track will generally release two lanes at a time to move up to race. Most often, the right of the two lanes will be the right lane on the track and the left lane released will be the left lane on the track. There will be track personnel along the way so pay close attention to them as they'll signal to you where they want you to stop and where they want you to move up to. Tracks are very different in their policy of burnouts and on-deck -- so pay attention to the staff there to direct you. If you don't and move up too far -- or not far enough -- they'll let you know in a humiliating fashion. Be ready to race by the time you get to the water box. That's helmet on, buckled in, and any other safety equipment (net up, gloves on, neck brace on) required of you in place.
The Burnout
There are generally three different burn-out procedures -- based on your rear tire type and how fast your car goes.
Pre-stage and Staging
Looking in the center, between the lanes, you will see a stack of lights called the tree. On the left side and the right side of the tree are going to be a vertical stack of lights. You should be able to see the pre-stage and stage lights of both sides -- but not the launch lights of the other lane. The pre-stage lights look like a pair of yellow bug lights at the top. Right under them is another pair of bug lights for staging. Under that are flood light sized bulb of three ambers, one green, and a red light. Exactly 25' before the tree, each lane will have the staging beams on the ground. Look to the outside of the lane that you are in -- and locate where your staging beams are. It most often will either be a slightly raised box -- or three holes about 2" in diameter in the wall. As you get close to beams with your front tire, creep your car up while looking at the tree. As soon as your front tire comes to the first beam it will turn on the top set of bug lights in your lane -- STOP. You are now pre-staged. Do not move up and turn on the staging beams until both cars have first pre-staged. This is called "Courtesy Staging". To stage before the other car has pre-staged is call "Asshole Staging".
Once both cars have pre-staged, then both cars need to stage. As soon as the first car has staged, a fifteen second timer starts. Don't waste too much time staging.
To stage creep up (a foot or so) until you just flicker the next set of bug lights - and then stop. You want to be consistent with where you stage every time. Inches will cause different reactions times. Stopping as soon as the sights flicker on is called shallow staging. As you gain more experience -- you can experiment with deep staging and bumping the brakes into staging -- but this is the 101 Course. Once both cars are staged -- you only have a few seconds before the lights count down to green. As a rookie -- try to stage first so you will not be rushed.
Once staged, left foot on the brake hard, and give as much gas as you can with the brakes still holding your car from moving. This is called Foot-braking. Giving too much accelerator will move the car and maybe cause a red light or at least an inconsistent Reaction Time. Don't do this before the other car has staged, as long periods of applying this power against the brakes is not good for the transmission. Now focus on your bottom yellow bulb -- and try not to see or hear anything else but it. The reason for this is that is Reaction Time is most of the race. As a footbrake driver -- you want to shoot for between .000 and .050 second. Yes, that is 5/100 of a second. If you leave before the green light -- you have lost the race with a red-light start. If you take too long after the green light (even a 1/10 second) is lit, you will lose the race. For many people with good concentration, from the time the eye sees the bottom yellow light, the brain process it, and your leg muscle releases the brake and tromps the gas -- is .500 seconds -- which is a perfect Sportsman Light. Do not watch the yellow lights count down and try to time the last yellow. Block out everything but the first flicker of the bottom yellow -- Then go! If that strategy makes you too early of too late -- then adjust. Practice and full concentration makes someone good on the tree.
The Run
Now you're off. If you are driving a pure street car that is an automatic -- you're usually best off to have left it in Drive and let the transmission shift for you. If you have a manual valve body -- you will need to both focus on keeping your car in the groove and the tach for when to make the next shift. The groove is going to be the darker less shinny tracks of used rubber going down the track. It is the stickiest part of the track and the safest place to run. It is not so critical for slower than 12-seconds -- but it gets to be critical the faster you go from 12-seconds. 10-seconds or faster (or 4-speed cars) it is so critical that you stay in the groove -- that getting out of the groove can at the least cause you to have to lift and give up, and at the worse wreck the car. It is best that you learn to stay in the groove even before you go fast enough to need to -- as it is a good habit. You have to watch the tach (or your shift light) to shift at the RPM that makes your car consistent for the time you declared. If you use a shift light -- set it for about 200 RPM before you need to shift to compensate for reaction.
If you break down on the track, immediately pull over to the wall, stop, and turn off power -- especially if you are leaking. Get out of the car to evaluate the situation while the track people come to you. Fluids in the center of the track is a danger to you and other racers. Spreading that fluid the length of the track (vs. 1 place where a clean up is needed) will cause a long delay for a bigger than needed clean up -- and maybe an ***-kickin from other racers who had to wait 45 minutes in a hot car.
At the end of the run, the car in back should allow the car in front to exit first -- but if you are the car in front it is your responsibility to make sure you are clear (know where the other car is) if you have to exit on his side of the track, and have to cut across his lane. Don't assume the guy in the other lane knows what he's doing, and know where he is. If you are the back car, slow down to where you are a safe distance behind the front car -- and then move into his lane behind him so he can see your courtesy in his mirror.
On the way back to the pits there is generally a little shack where you stop to get your time slip. Log these time slips and keep track of changes you make that made the car faster or slower. You can download a free Driver's log at [ame="http://www.bigredram.com/passlog.pdf"]http://www.bigredram.com/passlog.pdf[/ame] .
Give your car a Break
I watch people hot lapping the Hell out of their cars. This kills the engine and transmission. These drivers may be keeping track of the coolant temperature -- but what they don't realize is that the engine and transmission oil gets hotter than the water and doesn't cool as fast. Give street cars at least 10 minutes between rounds and longer as you make more and more passes.
Drag Racing is a blast -- and I encourage every man, woman, and child with a driver's license to take their car to the track on street night -- and give it a shot. Street car speeds with a safe car are actually very safe. Many of you will find that you have found a new hobby -- and the increased need to go faster and faster. This is a great addiction to be inflicted with -- and a nice adrenaline kick!
The next thing to consider is to get involved with class racing like Nostalgia Muscle Car or Nostalgia Super Stock. Both of those classes have a wide spectrum of cars from inexpensive street cars to very expensive FX Class cars. If you have further questions -- please ask the in the drag racing forums.
A little long but, I found this on Moparmisfits.
For you newbies.
Drag Racing 101
The Beginner's basics for not looking stupid
The Beginner's basics for not looking stupid
In Mid September, I raced in the Nostalgia Super Stock class of a NMCA event in Atlanta, GA. During Sunday's Eliminations, the track had a bracket race in between the first and second round of our Heads Up race. While there is a place for cars struggling to do 15 seconds in the 1/8 mile -- this event wasn't the place. Race fans were lulled asleep with slow cars and horrible drivers. This took an incredible 7 hours between our first and second round -- so many NSS racers were in the stands watching these bracket races to kill time. While maybe 75% of these slower cars appeared to have a driver with some experience -- there was at least 25% that clearly didn't have a clue. This was obvious with virtually everything they did from the lack of safety equipment, to their burnout, to their staging, to the launch, to what to do when they broke on the track. It was sad watching many of these people.
However, it really isn't the racer's fault. No one is born with this knowledge -- and most every racer without instruction made stupid mistakes when they first started. This is because there is no real guide to help the new racers -- combined with them being too embarrassed to ask questions. This "Big Secret" which really isn't -- most likely cause many people interested, not try because they feel it is beyond their ability. Some of the embarrassment to ask comes from hearing experienced racers laughing at some of the questions -- instead of helping, or a cryptic high-tech answer with the assumption that the new racer knows what you're talking about.
I write this article in an attempt to give a condensed set of basic instructions of what to do -- so that the first time racer can take Mom's Expedition to the track and know what to do. For the sake of clarity -- we'll assume 1/4 mile track (most of the NHRA sanctioned tracks) for times and speeds, a sportsman tree of .500 seconds, an automatic transmission, and we'll assume that you are foot-braking your launch -- and not using a transbrake. After all this is Racing 101 -- Just the Basics.
Safety Equipment:
There is a variety of safety equipment required on a car, based on how quick of a quarter mile or the speed that the car runs. We'll assume that for your first trip down a quarter mile that you will not go faster than 14-seconds, as 14-seconds is fast street car territory. Your typical fast street car doesn't require too much more than for the car to stop and steer straight -- and to not leak any fluids on the track. As you go faster, you will have requirements for safety harnesses, roll bars or cages, driveshaft loops, SFI balancers, Flexplates, and Bell housings, catch cans, battery shut offs, diapers, trans-shields, license, parachute, etc.
Should you go faster than 14-seconds -- then you should familiarize yourself with the safety requirements for your car as you have crossed into the next level of requirements. As you get into the 12-second range -- drag racing become less and less safe and the driver's experience/competence becomes more and more important. Under 11.5 seconds (another level requiring more safety equipment), each half second faster is considerably more challenging to do safely. It is advisable that you take drag racing in steps. I feel no one should be going faster than 11.5-seconds with less than 50 passes in the 12-13 second range, and not faster than 10-seconds (a threshold requiring yet better equipment and a competition license) with less that 100 passes in the 11-second range. Calling your track will get you pointed in the right direction for safety requirements.
No need to be scared, going 14-seconds and slower is generally safe and easy -- yet still a blast for new racers. In addition to having a safe vehicle you should bring a helmet designed for drag racing; wear long pants, leather shoes or boots; wear a long sleeved shirt (better yet a light racing jacket costs less than $20); and you need to have a current state driver's license. If you are under 16, you will need to have a parent with you who will sign a minor waiver -- accepting full responsibility for you.
You will not want to arrive at the track with anything in the car or truck that is not secured. Those items become a hurling projectile should there be a wreck -- and could kill you. No tools, bags of rock salt, groceries, loose spare tire, loose fire extinguisher, -- even your cell phone, etc.
When you first arrive to the track -- immediately turn off your air conditioning so that condensation dries and doesn't drip on the track. Liquids on the track, even water from your air conditioner, is a danger to other racers.
You will be given a tech card to list information about you and your vehicle. After completing the tech card -- you will need to bring it, your car, and all of your safety equipment to the tech inspection area. Once there, a tech inspector will look over the situation -- and if you pass he will put a number on your car and the card. Your tech card will then go to the tower for the track announcer and the track manager to monitor.
Staging Lanes:
The staging lanes are where cars and drivers wait until the track is ready for their group to race. Often there will be lanes assigned for different classes of racing and different types of Trees. Listen to the track announcer for what lanes and when to report. The track will generally release two lanes at a time to move up to race. Most often, the right of the two lanes will be the right lane on the track and the left lane released will be the left lane on the track. There will be track personnel along the way so pay close attention to them as they'll signal to you where they want you to stop and where they want you to move up to. Tracks are very different in their policy of burnouts and on-deck -- so pay attention to the staff there to direct you. If you don't and move up too far -- or not far enough -- they'll let you know in a humiliating fashion. Be ready to race by the time you get to the water box. That's helmet on, buckled in, and any other safety equipment (net up, gloves on, neck brace on) required of you in place.
The Burnout
There are generally three different burn-out procedures -- based on your rear tire type and how fast your car goes.
- If you have street tires, you will generally drive to the outside of your lane and around the water and back up to the edge of the water -- but not into it. Because your tires have treads and harder compound rubber -- you will want to do a dry burnout to clean the scumotes off your tires, but not get them wet. You will not get water off of street tires in a burn-out and that water will only cause you to spin your tires and not have traction when you launch. Put your left foot on your brake and with the right foot bring your engine speed up to where the brakes don't want to hold the car -- and release the brake while flooring the accelerator. You want to spin the rear wheels the best you can without getting past halfway to the staging beams. If you go past the staging beams with a car slower than 8-seconds -- you will piss of the track staff -- and they'll generally yell at you the first time and tell you to go home after the second time. Because you have to aim your car straight all of the way down the track, you want the area between where your burnout stops and the staging beams to aim your car straight (looking all of the way down the track) as you pull into the beams.
- If you have slicks and your car is slower than 8-seconds -- you should have a line lock installed on your car. A line lock is a solenoid that is installed on your front brake's fluid line. Slowly drive through the water and stop at the water's edge. You will see some cars spin their slicks while going through that water -- but that will throw water up in your wheel wheels -- which will drip onto your slicks and cause your slicks to spin at launch. A slow roll through will get them wet enough without slinging water under your car. Shift to second gear in an automatic with less than 600hp, or third if a stick shift or an automatic over 600hp. This is to keep from over spinning your engine and transmission during the burnout. Transmissions exploded if over run -- so don't do a 1st gear burnout. Pump your brakes three times and hold down, then push in your line lock button to hold the fluid to keep the front brakes applied. Release the brake pedal to free up the back brakes while still holding the button to keep the front brakes locked. Tromp on the accelerator to get the wheels spinning. Don't try to work up to a burn out speed as it will not shock the slicks into an immediate spin - but floor it immediately to break loose those slicks and getting them spinning hard. Get your RPMS up to 5000 and then shift to third if in second (or keep at 5000 if you started in third gear). As soon as you feel the slicks grabbing -- release the line lock button and ease out of the accelerator. I say ease out of it -- as getting out hard will slow your rear wheels too quick and twist your axles or break your ring gear. Again you want your burnout to stop halfway to the beams -- to where you have enough room to line up straight into the staging beams.
- If you have an 8-second car -- no line lock will hold you. You get to do the John Force style of burnout -- but that is beyond the scope of Drag Racing 101.
Pre-stage and Staging
Looking in the center, between the lanes, you will see a stack of lights called the tree. On the left side and the right side of the tree are going to be a vertical stack of lights. You should be able to see the pre-stage and stage lights of both sides -- but not the launch lights of the other lane. The pre-stage lights look like a pair of yellow bug lights at the top. Right under them is another pair of bug lights for staging. Under that are flood light sized bulb of three ambers, one green, and a red light. Exactly 25' before the tree, each lane will have the staging beams on the ground. Look to the outside of the lane that you are in -- and locate where your staging beams are. It most often will either be a slightly raised box -- or three holes about 2" in diameter in the wall. As you get close to beams with your front tire, creep your car up while looking at the tree. As soon as your front tire comes to the first beam it will turn on the top set of bug lights in your lane -- STOP. You are now pre-staged. Do not move up and turn on the staging beams until both cars have first pre-staged. This is called "Courtesy Staging". To stage before the other car has pre-staged is call "Asshole Staging".
Once both cars have pre-staged, then both cars need to stage. As soon as the first car has staged, a fifteen second timer starts. Don't waste too much time staging.
To stage creep up (a foot or so) until you just flicker the next set of bug lights - and then stop. You want to be consistent with where you stage every time. Inches will cause different reactions times. Stopping as soon as the sights flicker on is called shallow staging. As you gain more experience -- you can experiment with deep staging and bumping the brakes into staging -- but this is the 101 Course. Once both cars are staged -- you only have a few seconds before the lights count down to green. As a rookie -- try to stage first so you will not be rushed.
Once staged, left foot on the brake hard, and give as much gas as you can with the brakes still holding your car from moving. This is called Foot-braking. Giving too much accelerator will move the car and maybe cause a red light or at least an inconsistent Reaction Time. Don't do this before the other car has staged, as long periods of applying this power against the brakes is not good for the transmission. Now focus on your bottom yellow bulb -- and try not to see or hear anything else but it. The reason for this is that is Reaction Time is most of the race. As a footbrake driver -- you want to shoot for between .000 and .050 second. Yes, that is 5/100 of a second. If you leave before the green light -- you have lost the race with a red-light start. If you take too long after the green light (even a 1/10 second) is lit, you will lose the race. For many people with good concentration, from the time the eye sees the bottom yellow light, the brain process it, and your leg muscle releases the brake and tromps the gas -- is .500 seconds -- which is a perfect Sportsman Light. Do not watch the yellow lights count down and try to time the last yellow. Block out everything but the first flicker of the bottom yellow -- Then go! If that strategy makes you too early of too late -- then adjust. Practice and full concentration makes someone good on the tree.
The Run
Now you're off. If you are driving a pure street car that is an automatic -- you're usually best off to have left it in Drive and let the transmission shift for you. If you have a manual valve body -- you will need to both focus on keeping your car in the groove and the tach for when to make the next shift. The groove is going to be the darker less shinny tracks of used rubber going down the track. It is the stickiest part of the track and the safest place to run. It is not so critical for slower than 12-seconds -- but it gets to be critical the faster you go from 12-seconds. 10-seconds or faster (or 4-speed cars) it is so critical that you stay in the groove -- that getting out of the groove can at the least cause you to have to lift and give up, and at the worse wreck the car. It is best that you learn to stay in the groove even before you go fast enough to need to -- as it is a good habit. You have to watch the tach (or your shift light) to shift at the RPM that makes your car consistent for the time you declared. If you use a shift light -- set it for about 200 RPM before you need to shift to compensate for reaction.
If you break down on the track, immediately pull over to the wall, stop, and turn off power -- especially if you are leaking. Get out of the car to evaluate the situation while the track people come to you. Fluids in the center of the track is a danger to you and other racers. Spreading that fluid the length of the track (vs. 1 place where a clean up is needed) will cause a long delay for a bigger than needed clean up -- and maybe an ***-kickin from other racers who had to wait 45 minutes in a hot car.
At the end of the run, the car in back should allow the car in front to exit first -- but if you are the car in front it is your responsibility to make sure you are clear (know where the other car is) if you have to exit on his side of the track, and have to cut across his lane. Don't assume the guy in the other lane knows what he's doing, and know where he is. If you are the back car, slow down to where you are a safe distance behind the front car -- and then move into his lane behind him so he can see your courtesy in his mirror.
On the way back to the pits there is generally a little shack where you stop to get your time slip. Log these time slips and keep track of changes you make that made the car faster or slower. You can download a free Driver's log at [ame="http://www.bigredram.com/passlog.pdf"]http://www.bigredram.com/passlog.pdf[/ame] .
Give your car a Break
I watch people hot lapping the Hell out of their cars. This kills the engine and transmission. These drivers may be keeping track of the coolant temperature -- but what they don't realize is that the engine and transmission oil gets hotter than the water and doesn't cool as fast. Give street cars at least 10 minutes between rounds and longer as you make more and more passes.
Drag Racing is a blast -- and I encourage every man, woman, and child with a driver's license to take their car to the track on street night -- and give it a shot. Street car speeds with a safe car are actually very safe. Many of you will find that you have found a new hobby -- and the increased need to go faster and faster. This is a great addiction to be inflicted with -- and a nice adrenaline kick!
The next thing to consider is to get involved with class racing like Nostalgia Muscle Car or Nostalgia Super Stock. Both of those classes have a wide spectrum of cars from inexpensive street cars to very expensive FX Class cars. If you have further questions -- please ask the in the drag racing forums.