# 1st day to the track's results.. advice?



## Zaren (Aug 17, 2003)

So today was my first time ever even going to a track.. it was fun, except according to my times I drove like shit 

Just wondering if anyone has any words of advice to make my time a bit better next time. I think the results may be partly due to the fact that I've been driving manual for about a week and a half now, so I'm sure that aspect will get better soon and help improve on times.. But I have a 2003 Spec-V and the only mod I have is an AEM CAI.

I did 5 runs, the first:
(this was only the second time I ever even took my car to full throttle)
R/T.... -.081
60'.... 2.443
330... 6.796
1/8.... 10.338
MPH.. 70.16
1000.. 13.419
1/4.... 16.037
MPH... 86.04

I took some bad advice from another racer there to go on the second yellow instead of the third, so I red lighted it. From that point on I went on the 3rd yellow.

2nd run:
R/T.... .558
60'.... 2.459
330... 6.718
1/8.... 10.228
MPH... 70.68
1000.. 13.271
1/4.... 15.856
MPH... 87.40

3rd run:
R/T.... .299
60'.... 2.395
330... 6.587
1/8.... 10.662
MPH... 62.59
1000.. 13.936
1/4.... 16.632
MPH... 84.08

Yeah, that time I missed third gear. Probably happened because I decided to try powershifting. It worked great 1st to 2nd, but I don't know how I missed third, I've never even done that before. Sucked, and it was embarassing. 

4th run:
R/T.... .159
60'.... 2.316
330... 6.534
1/8.... 10.038
MPH... 71.07
1000.. 13.067
1/4.... 15.639
MPH... 87.49

This time I had power shifted without missing any gears, and I got the best time of the day.. but isn't driving perfect supposed to be 15.0 1/4 time? It was nice and cool out, weather conditions were good, I don't understand it.

5th run:
R/T.... .227
60'.... 2.745
330... 7.105
1/8.... 10.621
MPH... 70.88
1000.. 13.651
1/4.... 16.217
MPH... 87.88

That time, I just kept peeling out. I don't know why, I didn't think I was doing anything different then normal. I thought maybe it was because of all the tire shit leading up to the start line from all the muscle cars peeling out like mad and the water they spray on there. How the hell does that help? Seems like it just made me peel out. The way I start out the race, I keep it rev'd around 2.5k rpm, soon as 3rd yellow I floor it and drop the clutch. Is there something wrong with that?

Any advice at all would be appreciated, thanks.

P.S. On a funner note, on the way up there I tested top end speed a bit, was doing 136 or so up a hill past my buddy with a camera, good stuff.


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

First bit of advice, learn to drive your car before you try to race your car. All you will end up doing is screwing up your car and getting bad times. It takes a helluva lot longer to learn how to drive a manual than a week and a half. Give it a couple months before going back


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## tekmode (Feb 22, 2003)

Learn to drive the car is the best thing to do first.


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## MDMA (Oct 23, 2002)

Your 60' times need help and so does the rest of your run...First you need to learn your track. Every track is different. Some are slick some are sticky. That is why someone can't say launch at such and such unless they run the same car at the same track. I race at a very slick track. So, I launch at 1200rpms - 1500rpms. If I go higher the car spins. Get your 60' down to 2.2 or better. Every .1 you shave off your 60' time you double in the 1/4 ET. So, your 15.6 would have been a 15.2 with a 2.2 60' This is an average but pretty accurate one. Make sure you slip the clutch. You want just a little chirp and that is it. Also, power shifting helps which is never leaving the gas pedal off the floor. Just push the clutch in every time and leave the gas to the floor. 
1st gear - Shift at 6000rpms
2nd-4th - Shift at 6200rpms or redline. AS close to fuel cut off as possible.

Also, get ride of the spare and jack. That is a good 50lbs. Back seats too if able...


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## Zaren (Aug 17, 2003)

Thank you MDMA, that's exactly what I was looking for. When you say slip the clutch.. what's that mean? hehe

I did get rid of the spare and jack, didn't even consider taking out the back seats. I'll launch lower at that track from now on, it was very slippery. My 15.6 time was power shifting too, i think that helped the most.

Thanks much.


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## Silvspec86 (Apr 4, 2003)

get sticky tires, stock conti's squeal like a mother, i got YOKOHAMA AVS ES100's, its hard to get them to make a chirp. also, redline synthetic can help alot with the misshifts, going to third, i need that stuff bad, my third gear grinds like teeth.


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## MDMA (Oct 23, 2002)

Zaren said:


> *Thank you MDMA, that's exactly what I was looking for. When you say slip the clutch.. what's that mean? *


Try starting at 1500rpms if you have a slippery track. If you still slip try 1200rpms. That is the lowest you should ever have to go because of the art of slipping the clutch...

That means the same thing as feathering? Basically when your at the line waiting for the tree to start your revving. Well, instead of slamming the gas down and letting off the clutch you play with both. This is something that takes practice. And many runs at the track to master. I'm still mastering it myself. Everyone is don't let them fool you. It is the point in which your giveing your car as much gas as possible without spinning your tires. To do this you have to SLIP the clutch. 
Believe it or not...It helps to do it barefoot. lol I know this might not be normal but it sure helps me. You can feel everything much better. I have more control doing it this way. Either way you choose try it. Don't worry your first few times will be pretty bad times...On average anyway. But, practice makes perfect...


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## Zaren (Aug 17, 2003)

Alright, thanks again.


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## Zaren (Aug 17, 2003)

Oh, also, I havn't looked at it on my car too closely (and I'd check right now if it weren't pouring monstrous amounts of rain outside), but would it help if next time I go to the track I take out my driver side fog light to try and get some ram air? I have an AEM CAI, so the cone is right down there, is there anything else that can't be removed without much trouble down inbetween the fog light and the cone?


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## BlackoutSpecV (May 8, 2002)

what was your tire pressure? thats always nice for helping you hook better and can shave your 60ft time.


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## Silvspec86 (Apr 4, 2003)

you can take the fog light out easy, and the inner fender plastic panel that covers up the coldair, but the diference wont be seen until you've spent atleast three months getting used to the car. here's a trick you can do, get dry ice, get something to hold a bag of it to the outside of the CAI tube, this cools the tube and the air will be slightly cooler, small gains are possible.


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## Zaren (Aug 17, 2003)

Silvspec86 said:


> *you can take the fog light out easy, and the inner fender plastic panel that covers up the coldair, but the diference wont be seen until you've spent atleast three months getting used to the car.*


But there will be a difference, nontheless.. I'll try this next time I go.



BlackoutSpecV said:


> *what was your tire pressure? thats always nice for helping you hook better and can shave your 60ft time. *


After my 16.0 run and 15.8 run I lowered tire pressure, they were at 35 for those two runs, for my 3rd I took it down to like 18 on each.


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

increase the tire pressure on the rear tires, it will help them to roll better and can improve trap speeds and ETs


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## Zaren (Aug 17, 2003)

Hey, question on how they time you at the track.

Theoretical situation:
You have a R/T of .500 seconds, and your 1/4 mile time is 15.5 seconds. If you had had a R/T that run of 0.000 instead of .500 and you drove exactly the same, would your 1/4 mile time then be 15.0?

So basically, does it start timing your 1/4 mile time from when the light turns green regaurdless of if you start right away or not, or does your final time get timed starting after you start moving?

I hope that made sense..


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

the timer starts counting when you start moving, you could have a reaction time of 25 seconds and still run a 15.2. The R/T only affects the actual race going on (you vs the other guy)

say you have a fast as shit sentra and you're racing a civic
the civic has a reaction time of .6s and runs an 18.3, you have a reaction time of 10s and run an 11.5. Even though you ran an 11.5 he still wins the race (.6+18.3 < 10+11.5).


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## Zaren (Aug 17, 2003)

So that only matters when you're facing someone in a race and it's like elimination. Gotchya. Thanks.


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## CorNut (Apr 6, 2003)

man, i must really suck?? my best ever 60' time was a 2.7..... I've raced at numerous tracks in both cali and oregon.... I run 15.0x-15.1 at 91.x-92.x mph ...... wth am I doing wrong?? I figured 2.7 was good  I thought I was a decent driver... my mods to my car are in my signature, and whenever i go to the track I take my sub, tire, and jack out so those aren't a problem... and I race with approx 28 psi in my front tires... I posted elsewhere to show some races that I have under my shared files on AIM... Just add me to your AIM buddy list ( descortboy ) and right mouse click my name and choose get file, I have 3 of them(3 of my races and other various files as well)in Quicktime format, the one named MySpecV-VS-Civic is a full one, it has my R/T all the way to ET.. maybe somebody here can see/hear what I'm doing wrong... I can't let a spec with just an intake get a better 60'  (no offense)


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

holy sh!t!!
your best ever is 2.7?
what rpm are you launching at and what tires do you have?

I pull consistent high 2.2's in my SE with lowering springs, motor mounts, and the stock 195/55 firestones


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## CorNut (Apr 6, 2003)

I have stock contis... and around 2500....very minimal wheel spin...


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## CorNut (Apr 6, 2003)

I feather the clutch so I dont spin...


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

you should really consider getting motor mounts, with the mods you have they will really help your launch


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## CorNut (Apr 6, 2003)

yah, i plan on it one day.... did you watch any of my races?? you can hear real good on the MySpecV-VS-Integra one... nobody yelling in the background and it was captured at a little better resolution so it's a bigger picture.... I will get the MMs one day when I can afford them, I know you can fill them yourself but I think that is too much work for what it's worth and I'd have to let my car sit while it dried... plus it probably wont be as good... $$$ is the issue right now though, that and mechanically challenged... I don't even really know what a MM is... I mean I do, but no clue on how to change them(which I know I can figure out if i do a search here) but zaren doesn't have MMs and gets a better 60' time than me... my best ever was a 2.7... and I only did it twice  lol


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

nah I can't get files over AIM (I use gaim in redhat linux)


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## CorNut (Apr 6, 2003)

o well, I'll figure it out one day  I know i need new tires and MMs... those will improve my times, but my thing is..... I should be doing better as I stand right now. ;(


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## MDMA (Oct 23, 2002)

18psi is TOO low for tire pressure.
25psi - 28psi is best
NOT any lower then 25psi because it actually does the oppisite. The contact patch would be LESS... not more. Plus, your trap speed would be slow.


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## BlackoutSpecV (May 8, 2002)

MDMA said:


> *NOT any lower then 25psi because it actually does the oppisite. The contact patch would be LESS... not more... *


 where the hell did you get this idea from?


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

BlackoutSpecV said:


> *where the hell did you get this idea from? *


if you think about it, if a tire is completely flat it doesn't have a very good contact patch, and if it's over inflated it doesn't have a very good contact patch. There has to be some place where the 2 cross each other, where any less and you lose patch and any more you lose as well. Apparently MDMA thinks it's around 25psi where they cross each other, seems pretty reasonable to me


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## MDMA (Oct 23, 2002)

Exactly...


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## mpcc82 (Mar 12, 2003)

i just ran my first time at the track on friday. 03 spec with i/e , my best was 15.422 @91.30. im satisfied, but know i can do better, especially if someone can run 15.0 stock


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## MDMA (Oct 23, 2002)

mpcc82 said:


> *i just ran my first time at the track on friday. 03 spec with i/e , my best was 15.422 @91.30. im satisfied, but know i can do better, especially if someone can run 15.0 stock *


What was your 60'


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

mpcc82 said:


> *i just ran my first time at the track on friday. 03 spec with i/e , my best was 15.422 @91.30. im satisfied, but know i can do better, especially if someone can run 15.0 stock *


your trap speed is good but the ET could use some work, you probably just need to work on the launch. Most people suck ass their first trip to the track, you did pretty good


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## MDMA (Oct 23, 2002)

Every .1 you shave off your time on the 60' you shave double that on your ET. This is an average...

Example: You get a 2.3 60' [email protected]
Next run you get a 2.2 60' [email protected] or 91mph

This applies only if everything else went smoothly. SO, your 60' time is the most important time when looking at your time slip


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

MDMA said:


> *your 60' time is the most important time when looking at your time slip *


yep, it's the only thing you can really change from run to run. Unless you miss a gear your trap speed will always be within 1-2mph, and your ET is based off of your 60'. Work on lowering the 60' and the rest will follow


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