Drag Racing 101

by: Dave Schultz (BK)

I write this article, because I've had opponents in the other lane improperly stage their cars to where they've pre-staged and staged before I've had a chance to pre-stage, or they pre-stage and stay there until someone from the track bangs on their window to tell them to move up.

I'm far from perfect! I used the line-lok improperly for a long time -- and had a Hell of a time trying to figure out why my RTs were all over the map, when I thought I was leaving at the same time. Fact is that we're not born with this knowledge -- and the purpose of this article is to share some of the knowledge I had to learn the hard way.

Most tracks have at least one night a week for street cars to race. My 1/4 mile track charges $15 for car and driver and $8 for each additional person.

Car: If you have a street car that is safe, no matter how slow it is, you can race. Turn your AC off as soon as you get to the pit entrance -- so the condensation can dry before going to tech. Liquid on the track is a bad thing! Make sure you you have enough gas with the proper octane needed for hard acceleration to race and get to a gas station after the race -- but not too full. The tracks sell racing fuel -- but most of it contains lead. It is possible that just a few gallons will cause you to fail emissions testing months later.

Driver: You need to have a valid Driver's License. If you're under 18 but are licensed to drive in your state, you will have to go with a parent. Ask at the gate for a minor racing card and where to take it when completed. Some tracks have you give it to the tech inspector and others have you take it to the tower. Most tracks keep the card on file for the calendar year. Do not race if you've drank a beer and/or smoked a joint on the way to the track. While you may think it has relaxed you or made you "One with your vehicle" -- you are a danger to the rest of us. You need to wear a long sleeve shirt, long pants and shoes. If you're faster than 14 seconds -- you need an approved helmet and jacket.

Tech: Tires don't hook up very well at the safe street tire pressure of 28-32 pounds. They like 11-15 pounds, while slicks like 8-11 pounds. Most tracks have an air station where you can add air to your tires for the trip home after racing. Verify it is operational before deflating your tires. It is always best to bring a portable air tank to make sure you have air.

Take everything out of your car before racing. Tool boxes, baby seats, and any other loose junk -- including the spare tire and jack. You don't want anything bouncing around in the car. You were given a tech card at the gate. Fill it out properly and take it and your car to the tech inspection station. The inspector will look your car over for safety. How new, how well maintained, and how fast it appears will determine how much of a looking over they'll give it. If he deems your car safe to race, he'll put your number on the window and you are eligible to race when the announcer calls the class you are racing in.

Announcer & Staging Lanes: The loud speakers will keep you informed on when the Test & Tune people can race and when the different classes can race. They'll usually have a dozen staging lanes that you sit in and wait for your class -- so listen for the lane you are to go to. Once there, you will be instructed by track personnel when to move up. Again, you should not have turned on your air conditioner since entering the pit gate. Check that your seat belt is tight and have all of the windows rolled up. Keep the car as cool as possible by not running it when you are stopped.

Keep your driver's door open when coming through the staging lanes to keep yourself cool. Usually there is some distance kept between the car doing the burnout and the car next in line for the burnout. When it is time to move up for your burnout, a man will point at you and then circle his arms.

Burnout: The purpose of a burnout is to clean the crap off your tires, and to heat the rubber up to be a little stickier. There are basically four types or tires. Street tires, street slicks, small slicks, and big slicks. In the order I listed those tires is the amount of weak to hard burnout you do.

STREET TIRES: You don't need much of a burnout for street tires and street slicks. Most racers with cars using those tires will drive around the water box and then back the rear tires only into the water and roll out just enough to moisten the tires. Now just past the water, lightly apply the brakes just enough (gives a little hold on the front brakes -- but won't last long) to spin the rear tires. Again you don't need to do too much more than clean the tires off with street tires. Anything harder is a waste of tires and will hurt your 60'. Ease off the gas and out of your burnout long before you come up to the staging area. The keyword was EASE.  http://www.moparstyle.net/mpg/DaveandDoug.mpg is a video of my brother and I racing Grand Nationals with street slicks, to give you an idea of what's happening with street cars.

SMALL SLICKS: If you have 10.5" wide or smaller slicks, you will want a better burnout and you really should have a line-lock to do it. A line-lock is a solenoid attached to front brake line that holds the brake pressure only to the front brakes when you take your foot off the pedal while holding the button. They cost about $50. To properly do a burnout with these tires, drive through the water. I like to blip the gas to spin them while going through -- but others argue that throws water up the wheel wells that will drip down on to the slicks when staging. Do what works for you.

As soon as you get out of the water box shift to 2nd gear on a Mopar automatic, as 1st gear burnouts can cause a transmission to explode. Pump the brake pedal three times and hold it down hard, press and hold the line-lock, and release the brake pedal. Give it the gas to spin the tires and then shift to third at about 5000 rpm. When the tires start to grab (you'll feel it), they're dry and hot enough to race so release the line-lock and ease out of the gas. Easing off the gas is easier on your car than just letting the sticky tires slow your engine as quick as it will if you get out of the gas quick. You want some smoke from your burnout -- but not so much as to kill all of the mosquitoes within a mile's radius. Small slicks launch better if you don't overcook them. This is a video of my 16-yeear-old son doing a burnout with small slicks. http://www.moparstyle.net/mpg/dallas720c.mpg

LARGE SLICKS: Same procedure as the small slicks -- but it will take a little longer and throw more smoke. This is a video of my 65 Coronet with 32" tall and 14" wide slicks doing a burnout. http://www.moparstyle.net/mpg/davecoronet1.mpg

After the burnout kick the car up into neutral and give it a quick rev to clear out the carb and clean off the plugs a little. Then shift it into first if a manual valve bodied transmission or Drive if it is a full automatic. On a full automatic -- you will almost always do better letting the car shift instead of you shifting.

Pre-Stage and Stage: Now here's where you can look like a real rookie. Courtesy has both racers pre-stage before either starts to stage. Basically there is a short little box on the track 25' before the lights. It has three beams going across your lane. The first is the Pre-Stage, the second is the Stage, and the third is the Starting beam. You want to slowly roll up to break the first beam with your front tire -- which will cause the two bug light bulbs at the top to light up. Stop right there until the other driver has done the same. IMPORTANT: You will have pre-staged from your burnout aiming for the groove you see in your lane all of the way up the track. The groove is the fastest part of the track. Aim for it from the burnout as you want to pre-stage with the car straight -- so that you will launch straight. Don't make you correction in the last couple of feet or your rear tires will not be straight with the front of the car. Now slowly roll forward until you just trip the second set of bug bulbs. If you always creep to the staging beam and stop as soon as the second bulbs flicker -- your RTs will be more consistent since you will always be in the same spot. It really doesn't matter who stages and pre-stages first. Some drivers like to play head games and make you wait -- but that only works if you let it work. I have all the time in the world for their games and it never rattles me.

Launch: As soon as both racers have staged, a man will punch a button that starts the tree to count down three amber light then a green. When foot-braking, have your left foot on the brake and bring the car up to where it likes to launch (start at 1,500 RPM and experiment up and down and compare your 60' times) as soon as both of you have staged. If you have a trans-brake -- you will most likely also have a launch chip and so will floor the car as soon as you see the first amber on the tree light, and let your chip limit the rev..

As soon as the last amber (the one right above the green) lights up -- GO!

Focus on your light if you and the other driver leaves on different lights. Keep aiming for the groove all of the way down the track and and shift at your RPM if you have a manual valve bodied transmission. Keep on it until 10' after you've crossed the finish line, and then brake for the exit that best suits your brakes without braking too hard. If you are in the far lane from the track exit -- make sure the other guy exits first, so you don't cross in front of him. Roll down your window to let some fresh air in, and stop at the time shack on the way back to your pit for your time slip. Another article will discuss how to read that.

When you get to the pits cool your car down. For street cars that means open the hood (we'll talk about cooling the intake in a car tip). For cars with electric water pumps and fans -- turn the ignition off but let the fan and water pump run until the car gets down to around 130 degrees. Charge your battery while this is going on.

Ok -- that's Drag Racing 101.

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