Looking for some racing advice.
 

Considering that I am barely an amateur when it comes to racing. I was hoping some of the pros from the site could give me some tips on how to improve my time. Whether it be mechanical or technique tips I'd like to hear them.

This was my best run at the reunion. Nothing mechanical was touched other than adjusting my tire pressure to assure the tires were planted correctly. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif

R/T - .529 (I'm aware I tend to dose at the line.)
60' - 2.305
330 - 6.069
1/8 - 9.127
MPH - 81.00
1000- 11.707
1/4 - 13.848
MPH - 105.79

The car is a 454 with an M22 and 4.10 rear. Carb is a DZ from a Z.

And before you get any bright ideas Dan. I don't want to hear any Mopar cracks! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/no.gif

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

The are many ways to improve your times. First let Stefano drive and if the car don't break put Dru in it!! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Oh brother. It is a given that I'm a lousy driver. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...s/rolleyes.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/haha.gif

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Nope, Didn't say that. Its practice. Put Rob Clary in it or COPO Pete. No one can argue about there driving! Once the car gets pretty consistent with those guys driving then you can make changes. Hey, ask KP He has alot of lap time in race cars!! He will tell you what it is doing or not doing.

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Firstly, don't worry about the reaction time right now...I don't remember what tires you were running, but you're looking at picking up nearly 1/2 second on the big just by knocking .3 tenths off you're 60' time (each tenth off 60' time = 1.5 tenths on the other end)...a 2.0' short time is doable (with practice) on street tires and for sure on Polys. Are you running any clamps on your leafs? Dist/carb work could both help or hurt depending on where they're currently at...waddya got for an engine?

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Rob,

Traction bars but no clamps.
Tires are M/T Indy Profiles.
Carb is a 780 but unsure at this time what the innards are.
I installed the Crane ignition w/Limiter in the distributor. Think the total advance was 38.
Engine is an LS6. Intake is a hi-rise 163 rather than the low 569. That seems to be the only mod on it..

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Considering that I am barely an amateur when it comes to racing. I was hoping some of the pros from the site could give me some tips on how to improve my time. Whether it be mechanical or technique tips I'd like to hear them.
quote Darren



Spray It (NOS)..........................LOL......That will get your attention real quick

Ken

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

I agree with Rob, there is plenty of gain in your 60' time. If you have traction bars already installed, how hard are you hitting the tires? Is the car bogging, spinning, or hopping? In my amatuer opinion, there is almost as much to gain by suspension tuning as there is to engine tuning.

Another tip is to try slipping the clutch for the first 5-10 feet, it keeps the rpm's up. Be careful though, you might smell the clutch burning! I tried it twice so far, the first time I was rewarded with a 2.17 60' time, the next time I could smell the clutch so I never tried it again. My best 60' without slipping is a 2.22, so I'm almost down to that 2.17 - might trying slipping it again https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

I was coming out of the hole easy then punching it. No bog or hopping. Plenty of power therefore the instances of spinning...

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

If you are not boggin or hoppin, but spinning, I'd adjust the traction bars and air pressure, and come out harder. I've tried coming out easy, it killed my 60' and I could never make it up. I tuned the suspension a bit more, ie; added/moved the spring clamps around, and was able to raise my launch rpm by 500+ rpms. That brought my 60' down a tenth or two.

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

The biggest thing that I can see is the 60' time. Your pulling mph enough to be into the 12's (or damn close). Look at how quick your advance is coming in. I am in a heavy car with a lot of torque and I have my advance coming in full at about 2500 rpm. Since you are running a stick, my advice of loading up the chassis with the convertor won't help, but the best advice I have ever been given(on street tires) was to picture an egg under the accelerator. Press on it hard, but don't break it. Get rolling then mat the SOB. Pete, JJ, and Rob would all be good people to give proper acceleration demonstrations! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Darren: that thing looks a *tad* slow at the 1/8 mile mark...your mph at that point is a little short, but you need to be looking for mid-high 8's by that point, as by then that BBC should have a head of steam behind it. I'm wondering if Rusty isn't onto something and your distributor needs a recurve, 'cause it's not looking *too* shabby at the stripe? Put a timing light on it and see at what RPM all your timing comes in by...you have headers on that thing?

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Yes Rob, headers... I didn't monkey with the timing at all and just ran it as it was. I pretty sure I need a lash adjustment as well..

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Put Slicks on it, get a line lock so that you can properly warm them up. Wind it up to just under the max torque and dump the clutch and be ready to do some quick shifting.

My best 60 foot at the SR was a traction limited 1.77. I am going to put a line lock on so that I can properly heat my tires. The L88 cam provides little vacuum to the brake booster and I can't hold the tires long enough to get them real sticky.

Letting off the gas and granny shifting can also cost you some time once the car has been launched, no matter the set up.

Practice until you will find out where the traction/hp limitation of the suspension and tires is.

Your engine set up is very similar to my COPO/427. I also have a DZ carb, headers, L88 spec cam.

You are talking two complete different set ups from what the pure stock guys are doing and the modified old school Super Stocker style set up.

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

[ QUOTE ]
...
Letting off the gas and granny shifting can also cost you some time once the car has been launched, no matter the set up....

[/ QUOTE ]

True. I'm a 'granny shifter' and probably lose a tenth+ because of it, but this way when I miss a shift I don't see the rpm's go past 9grand. Gotta save my 'born with' stuff! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/grin.gif

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

[ QUOTE ]
You are talking two complete different set ups from what the pure stock guys are doing and the modified old school Super Stocker style set up.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'll agree with that *to a point*...throwing slicks at that car is just gonna be a band-aid, as those MPH's tell me something else is askew. You have to crawl before you walk, and you either work on the tune now or it's gonna come back and haunt you later. Granted, D's car has some luxuries us Pure Stock guys aren't allowed (tires, headers, traction bars) so we *have* to sweat the small stuff...but most folks would be surprised how important that little stuff is. In fact, Pete & JJ helped Peter Klute knock a second off the ET of a COPO Camaro in about 15 minutes time...

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

[ QUOTE ]
In fact, Pete & JJ helped Peter Klute knock a second off the ET of a COPO Camaro in about 15 minutes time...


[/ QUOTE ]

I recorded and watched that episode very carefully.. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/scholar.gif

I don't think I have a problem with shifting. I had more confidence knowing I had the limiter in there just in case....

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Darren,

Sorry I didn`t see this sooner...(I did see your opening statement).

Well the only answer I have is...buy the Duster and I`ll stop busting your b#$%s.

This way as long as you don`t fall asleep at the light...you`ll have a fast car. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Dan.

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

I'll never hear the end of that...

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Darren;

There is some great information in this rather lengthy thread which was started several years ago.

The key to a low e.t is generating the quickest short times (60', 330', 660') you can. Lots of people think they can sacrifice a good launch in the hopes of "making up" what they lost on the line on the second half of the track. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.

As has already been mentioned, you can "roughly" expect to pick up 1.5X in e.t what you pick up in 60' time; i.e. if you pick up .1 in 60', you can expect roughly .15 at the stripe.

You've already got decent mph for the e.t. you have, so the power is basically there. Now you just have to make the car (and the driver) work as efficiently as possible to use it.

Remember: There's often a lot more e.t. hiding in the car itself than there is under the hood.

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

Eric https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Great advice guys. Thanks alot. We'll see what happens this year... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Rob,
No doubt that dialing in or tuning the Combo, what ever it may be is the way to go and it is not just one or the other.

The tune/set up you, Pete, JJ ect have on your Big Block cars is amazing. Take any of your cars with the same drivers add some racing slicks and adjust the driving technique for the initial added traction and what are you going to get?

IMO, a lower ET and maybe even a higher MPH. That is the point I was trying to make. Darren's car/combo can over power the tires he has half way down the track, in the current state of tune.

The National Super Stock SS/DA Record in 1969 was 11.40. Your certified stock cars could probably run very close to that today with sticky tires and traction bars.

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

10-4, Stefano...it would be interesting to just hang a set of slicks on it and see what happens...but I'd say D *might* wanna take some of the slack outta those slappers first! LOL!!

Do you happen to know what the MPH record was for SS/DA in '69?

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

No one really wanted to set the SS/DA ET record for 1969. Was a minimum of 11.27 most of the year. The MPH was at 124.65 set by Dave Wren and his Mopar on 7-69. SS/E MPH record was Ed Hedrick in his Yenko at 125.69. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Herbie's Hugger/Barry Desalve set 5 track records in 1969 for low E.T., all under the 11:40, but choose not to apply for the record since he was " only racing against himself ".

They also set the NHRA MPH National record in August 19h of 1972 at 126.58.

Sam was probably there!

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Darren, The single and simplest inprovment you could make for now is tires (slicks). A 105mph should be turning about 13.2 with decent traction. My prediction is that if you use slicks and reach a 13.2, you're mph will be 106.
After that, it's time to change the rear gears. A 105mph the way it is, and the way you're driving it, means the 12s are easily in reach. (but you'll have to gear it so you're using <u>all</u> of the motor)

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

I am running 13.20's at 103. What am I doing wrong? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif 105's should be getting him into the 12's.

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

There's no set rule to figure MPH from ET. There are a lot of variables. Generally, it's horsepower that will give you MPH. If the motor is revved past it's HP peak in the gears, it will slow down. If you're not geared to cross the end at your rpm where peak HP is, then mph will suffer, even if the ET is good. ET is "mostly" made up from how good your 60' is.
33 years ago, my '62 ran a 107 with a 13.15et. But with worse tires (period Casler cheaters) it ran 104 but with a 14.45et! The difference was being able to leave at 4800 rather than 2500. The car still made the same HP after it got going, and the small difference in MPH was because it crossed the line about 500rpm lower than before. (I was further down the track when I shifted to 2nd because of starting at a lower rpm.)

Verne

Re: Looking for some racing advice.
 

Darren,

You know you could count on me for some help! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/scholar.gif

Park your car......give me some notice...and I'll strap you into my Lumina Z34 for some real 60' times! lololololol

Here's an 8.30 shot @ 167 mph......

http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...elsupetown.jpg

Any questions? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/naughty.gif

Jeff x2 https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif