Redding DragStrip #2 (5/9/2015)

B5 S4/ RS4
#1

Made it back to Redding after getting tires for my 18x8.5 wheels. As with all cars, as soon as I got the wheels on, my WideBand O2 sensor for my boost controller went out. While not a big deal, since I m tuned for 25ish psi, I didn’t want to exceed to far past that without some type of output data from the cylinders. The first run, I took my wife down the track for her first time, we did 13.2@112. The second run I went 12.9@116mph and the third run I did awful, 13.5@115mph. It was a big/small tire grudge match with a $6k purse, so the street legals got pushed off quite a bit and then one of the big cars blew apart at the top end shutting the track down for a good hour or more. Here are some of the videos and the timeslip from the 12.9. I still have lots more improving but I feel like it was a good trip.

Starting Line Camera Race 1, newer Ford F250

http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww254/m-tre/th_IMG_0759_zps8anrekb1.mp4

Inside Car Camera Race 1

http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww254/m-tre/th_Redding%20Julie_zpsml2wo0jc.mp4

Starting Line Camer Race 2, 1990ish Corvette

http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww254/m-tre/th_IMG_0760_zpsixpmi2yx.mp4

Inside Camera Race 2

http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww254/m-tre/th_Redding%2012.8_zpsryu26fxh.mp4

And the time slip

http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww254/m-tre/Mobile%20Uploads/20150510_095931_zps7znnxq5w.jpg

#2

I cant tell 100% but what rpm are you “launching”? Looks like you are rolling out more than anything hence the 2+ second 60 foot. Other shift rpms?

I had a blast going 13’s too, its just fun being at the track imo 8)

Once I actually started to hammer 1st out of the gate I started running consistently mid 12’s. Still not great but was improving.

#3

I really need to work on getting to the staging lights first because I can’t seem to get myself set in time before the yellows start as the other car is waiting on me. My launch rpms are right around 1800-2000rpm, but I suspect my clutch work is not so great. I will head to the street legals in Redding next month, followed by the Jhm event at Sac in July. I did have a ton of fun and feel like I am slowly getting better, so overall, it was money well spent.

#4

My best runs were launching at ~3500 rpm. Had to get over worrying about my slipping clutch (and my old vast stage 3 did not love repeated launches). It held power fine under load acceleration on hwy pulls. Never slipped but it did not like strip launches at all. Most likely driver mod but still

#5

My best runs were launching at ~3500 rpm. Had to get over worrying about my slipping clutch (and my old vast stage 3 did not love repeated launches). It held power fine under load acceleration on hwy pulls. Never slipped but it did not like strip launches at all. Most likely driver mod but still

#6

From looking over your videos. Your driving is leaving a good amount of time on the table. I hesitate to say that because 95% of all b5 guys who get crappie times say it’s that they didn’t drive well. And usually that’s not the case. For now just forget about the launch don’t over think it don’t even spend time working on it. Leave like you would from a street light if you wanted to get ahead of the car next to you. The bulk of what you want to work on is quicker cleaner shifts.

You can hear you don’t have the gas off quicker then you push in the clutch. Some of the gear exchanges looked rough. It’s just seat time. The best advice I can give is what I just did and don’t try to over do it. Quick and smooth. Also for a level of protection add some race gas. If you don’t have any local look into the tech section here in the DIY race gas thread. It’s very helpful

#7

I m know my clutch setup is up to the task, I really need to put my purse down and hammer the throttle. Honestly, the last couple of times in Redding, I have gotten a combined total of 5 passes (2 the first time and 3 this time), so right as I am starting to feel more comfortable, its time to go home. I want to put down a smokin fast pass, and I know in order to do so, I need to continue going to the track, which I will do, and heck, I may get to meet a few cool people along the way :slight_smile:

Thank you for that bit of insight. As you said, I just need seat time. I am still pretty uncomfortable coming up to the staging lights and feel a bit overwhelmed with prepping for launch, watching lights and making sure not to roll, though this time I felt a little less overwhelmed. When I was with the JHM guys in Sac, I was able to hit my best time (surely because they gave me solid advice that I forgot the following visit to the track) and had repetitive runs, Redding was about 1.5-2 hours between runs.

I had JHM tune a racegas file and I make sure to utilize exactly for the reason you described everytime I go to the track. I can turn the wick up to ~30psi, I just haven’t gotten enough passes each time to get the boost dialed in (I hit 24psi on my 12.9 run and 25.5psi on my last run). Once again, thank you for the advice.

#8

Another piece of advice to try and help.

Try to pull up first creep up just turning on the two yellow stage bulbs. Put the car in gear and with the clutch in just wait. Unless the other guy is taking forever. When the other guy is staged just make sure you have the clutch in. Now the next part should help you a bunch. Just wait for the lights to fall and for the green to turn on. Then set your wanted rpm and go. You don’t need to go right when the light turns green. If the light turns green and you sit there for 3 or 4 seconds that won’t effect your 1/4 mile time. Your time only starts when your wheels move…unless your braket…racing.

#9

Yeah the first run vs second run… That MPH difference is HUGE. you don’t usually see that unless you change something big, or unless there are some driver techniques hurting the result.

In this instance you took 100lbs out of the car (your gf) and more importantly your shifts were a little quicker. They’re still leaving time and mph on the table.

Imagine you raced a guy on the highway and gave him a 1.5 second head start. Aka 1.5 Mississippis. That guy is going to kill you. That’s about how much time you’re wasting by coasting during the run as your gear changes are taking about a full second. You should get that down to 0.4 seconds or so. A realistic goal. Great drivers are down around 0.2 seconds. The difference between 0.2 and 0.4 for 3 gear changes isn’t much. The difference between 0.2 and 1.2 is massive. It doesn’t translate directly to ET lost…the car doesn’t stop, it’s still moving. However it hurts ET and kicks your MPH square in the balls.

The good news is you can practice briskly moving through the gears every day you drive the car, you don’t need the track. That’s the beauty of the dragstrip for testing…it matters because it’s basically what you do twenty times a day. You accelerate through the first 4 gears, so it’s relevant as a test and it is also easy to practice. Unlike 60-130 or something which measures something you literally almost never do.

#10

Wow, that is a huge bit of insight there. I guess because the first time I went to the track, it was a bracket event, I assumed all track events were the same.

That is a great break-down, makes me understand what is going on with some of the variables going down the track. I really didn’t think about the issue of coasting between gears but that makes so much sense now. From this point until the next event, I will focus on making my shifts quicker. Btw, what is the point of the 60-130mph, I have never heard of such a measurement prior to coming into the b5 scene?