footbrake racers

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hamesdart

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hey guys just curious, how do the footbrake guys here leave the line?
do you guys just wait for the lights and then mash on the gas or do you guys rev it up with the foot on the brake until its almost spinning tire and then wait for the lights and let off brake and mash gas?? just curious
 
Depends on a whole lot of factors.... It's more of a "play with it until you find the sweet spot". My Challenger would like to be foot braked up to 1500, then mash the gas on the 3rd yellow... But my father's Pro Street Valiant likes to leave the line off idle...

Just find a good air pressure in your tires, then play with different RPM's at the track. It doesn't take long to find the area where it likes to "spin" or "hook"

Tony
 
Usually I hold the line-loc with the clutch pedal right before it starts to grab and the engine at a steady 1200 RPM. On the last yellow I release the line-loc and the clutch at about the same rate I hit the gas. I can launch harder at a higher RPM and a quicker release of the clutch, but it doesn't leave as consistent that way.
 
yah i have tried both ways.. havnt had a whole bunch difference either way. but i figure with my needing to improve 60 ft times working on how i leave the line is important too...
just curious how everyone else was doing it.
 
I like to stage shallow at idle, which is adjustable, then bring it up to launch rpm. (Usually between 3,200 and 3,500 rpm - I have a very loose converter.) As soon as I see the last yellow coming on, I hit it.

Any changes to the idle, rpm I bring it up to or tire pressure depend on my reaction times and I change these things to be faster or slower on the tree.
I tune the carb for best response under these conditions. It's important to keep the water temp the same for each run.

Many people bring the rpm's up and edge into the stage beam. But, despite having to hurry so I'm not caught setting my stage rpm while the tree is coming down, this method works best for me.
 
Locomotion said:
I like to stage shallow at idle, which is adjustable, then bring it up to launch rpm. (Usually between 3,200 and 3,500 rpm - I have a very loose converter.) As soon as I see the last yellow coming on, I hit it.

Any changes to the idle, rpm I bring it up to or tire pressure depend on my reaction times and I change these things to be faster or slower on the tree.
I tune the carb for best response under these conditions. It's important to keep the water temp the same for each run.

Many people bring the rpm's up and edge into the stage beam. But, despite having to hurry so I'm not caught setting my stage rpm while the tree is coming down, this method works best for me.
Click to expand...
thats the best way to get a good light i've done it that way for 10 years
 
I also have a loose converter (5000 stall)...I get the best results with my combo by staging shallow, bringing it up to 2000 RPM, then pound it on the last amber. I usually adjust the RPM up or down to get the best light. This combo, for me, gets fairly consistent 0.020's, which gives a little buffer from the dreaded Red Light.
 
I have a 68 Barracuda street car and have been searching for 60 ft time gains too (mine are more with gaining wheel speed through tuning right now). I've raced fully stalled against the brakes (3500 rpm), flashing it off idle and currently leaving in between (1800-2000).

My best 60 foot times in the past have been flashed off of idle. My car (stock suspension no add ons, MT Indy Profile SS tires) reacts best to this, but my lights vary more. I also found that my car picked up some 60 foot (years back) when I removed the tall adjustable pinion snubber and went back to the stock stub when leaving off idle.
 
60' improvements can be found with carb squirter and pump cam tuning.
Takes time, patience and a good track.
 
yah it was a number of things for me... parts not all matching up completly.. timing.... carb cutting out from bad fuel... almost every worst case scenario. but we race in bakersfield only really were its almost always over 100 trackside and sometimes 120 on the track so i need to dial the car in for those conditions.. weather is similar were i live but were i take the car out to most shows are by the beaches and its nice 75-80 degrees year round haha.
anything carb and tuning wise for hot weather i should be aware of?
 
We talked to our long time trans man and racer told me I was to bring it up as far as it will go to lock the converter up all the way. Then he would let it drop back down in rpm. He said the object was to use the sling shot affect as the lights were coming down the RPMs were going back up. He also said this is not for bracket racing just for his best E.T. ever. I just put the pedal to the metal!!!
 
I was leaving at about 2000,got consistant 1.70 60 ft times,had a friend drive the car and he left at about 1200,got a 1.67 60 ft.Every car is different and like different combos.My un-sure grip wasnt gripping,and tranny was acting up,shifted at 5800 and saw tach go to 6600.Both out now and being fixed.This is a slant 6 car that wants a 7 in the 1/8th.197 rwhp,Guzzi Mark
 
Loading it up against the converter takes most if not all the flash out of the converter.

Off idle will generally hit the flash hardest.

Every car is different and that's where test and tune comes in handy.
 
Flash that’s the word of the day. When we run out 1st gear a little let it come back to idle then punch it . This feels like sliding your foot off the side of a clutch @ 3100 rpm for me. Flash!!!
 
I have always heard that "flashing" the converter was the way to go but it has never worked on my old Duster. The Duster 60 footed better on the 8" 4000 stall when I left at 3500. The "Brand X" car leaves better on the 10" 3500 stall when I launch at 2200. You really have to make a lot of runs and keep changing your launch RPM to figure out what YOUR car likes. DON'T listen to other people; do what YOUR car wants.8)
 
last year i was leaving off idle (with the auto), did a best of 1.46 60ft. i've changed a few things for this year so i got some playing to do.
 
Hold it against the verter at 2200 and leave on last yellow. any higher and it tries to push the wheels thru the beams.this was with an mp 509 cam so off idle would be too sluggish. Cam didnt make good power till 2500 or so.A lot of it depends on your package. Leaving at an idle has to leave a lot on the table. I have never seen a pro class car leave off idle.
 
what i found when bracket racing street class was consitency is the key. I held brake and gas at about 1500 rpm. Leave on third yellow and try for good light. My car ran 15.0 almost every time. Made others chase me down they either broke out or red lighted whatching me leave first. I finished second in class two years in a row at Great Lakes Dragway in Wisconsen. Been away from it for a few years but looking to get back to track some with my newly done 65 cuda, old one was 66 cuda until old man creamed me on day. I raced twice at Indy representing track and came close to winning street bracket once against mostly faster cars. Bracket racing is not speed but gamesmanship and consistancy that wins...all good fun!
 
Light up the pre stage bulb, then inch your way in with a rapid brake-no brake-brake -no brake rhythm until you light the stage bulb (This is done so you are as shallow as possible, and therefore know where you are in the lights every time for consistency). When both racers have staged, plant your left foot firmly on the brake and your right foot on the accelerator until you get your achieved RPM (I launch at 2000). When the lights come down, leave right when you see the last amber bulb (foot off brake, right foot planted to the floor). Do this consistently for a few runs until you get a baseline. If you routinely go red, you may need to "wait" on the light. Conversely, if you are a tad slow on the R/T, you may need to anticipate the third amber light a little. Cutting a light is not exactly a science, it's more of a feel than anything IMO. If you are really serious about bracket racing, a practice tree is a great investment. They cost anywhere from $99-$199 for a hand held version. I bought mine 4 years ago...Easily the best investment in my racing that I made. It took me a few seasons before I was really comfortable with my light cutting abilities. 2 track championships, a driver of the year award, and countless wins later...I've got it figured out. My trusty 17-second slant six Dart and I are currently points leaders at two different tracks (Pacific Raceways and Renegade Raceway)...And I was riding a 15-round winning streak until I got beat in yesterday's final round. My point in bringing all this up is that anything is possible if you are willing to put in the time and effort. Best of luck!
 
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