Help out a Beginner heading to the Drag Strip!!

Hey guys. Just wondering if anyone could give me a few pointers about drag racing.

I have a 91 Dynasty 3.3 that I love to run hard. She takes it well and I'd like to take her to the local drag strip.

I know it's no speed demon but Just want to know what it's like to run down the strip.

Anyone have any good tips to give me?? takeoff RPM's, tire pressure, weight, etc.

Thanks

Well, there's always a first. I have a 88 Dynasty with a 3.0 and like all motor heads I will try to squel the tires on anything. This car is a 3 speed auto and doesn't like to be footbraked to much or it kindof pukes out at me then takes off. On the other hand, I got a 4 speed auto 93 Lebaron with a 3.0 and it likes to be torqued up just slightly. It will actually turn the tires over pretty good. Since it is not a strip scorcher to begin with I would not try to shift this baby by ear to a real high RPM, the key to bracket racing is to be consistent so I would let it shift on its own. As far as the tire pressure, if you spin a little raise the tire pressure up 5 to 10 lbs. in the front ones. This sounds crazy, but on radial tires this helps out on traction. Well, hope you do well.

I guess you are going to Rogersville for this. My advise is to stay out of the water. Try to go the spectator side it is easier to drive around it on that side. Make several runs in that lane. In the past there has been a slight difference between both lanes and you can do more accurate testing by using one lane. If you race you need to find out which one is faster later. Just barely bump the second staging light on. This will give you a more consistant check of your time. It's hard to guess how far you have moved into the beams, but it is easy to know when it just comes on. You may have to feather the throttle to keep from spinning. Spinning the tires too much will give you a slower time. If you just want to know how fast you are going don't worry too much about your reaction time. The ET clocks start after you break the beam not when the light turns green.

(a little late)

One of the things that was not mentioned above was the fact that when you actually launch the car, you actually leave when you see the last yellow. If you see green, your late, it as simple as that.

One other thing that can help slow launching street cars to cut better more consistant lights is to deep stage. This is when you light the pre-stage and stage lights and then push through to turn off the pre-stage light. This lets you react to the light faster and break the beam faster creating a better Reaction Time.

I also think that you should take equal time trails in both lanes and average your E.t.'s to achieve your Dial-in. By racing in only one lane you run the risk in getting stuck by someone WITH lane choice into a lane where you have not run before in eliminations. Most tracks pull cars randomly into the lanes too.

One last thing: DON'T BE AFRAID TO USE THE BRAKES on the big end. Street cars can be really tough when you "pad" your dial and use your brakes to get accross the finish line first. Our track champion races a 16 second Olds and has beaten 8 second dragsters for the title.

My experience has come from racing a high 12 low 13 second Dart Sport.

Just to let all that have written know, my best time was a 14.23 at 73+ mph on a 1000 ft. track. We don't have any 1/4 mi. tracks close by that I know of.

I beat a V8 Fraud Explorer and almost beat out an older V8 Camaro...he beat me on top end and by .15 of a sec.

Not bad for a family car with 130,000 miles!!

Everybody has given you good advice and I agree with all that has been said.The best thing I can tell you is don't be intimidated by anything or anybody and most of all HAVE FUN!!!!

I race almost every week. I've raced everything from a 95 geo tracker to my wonderful 70 duster. There're many tricks to it but I found that calmness is the main thing. I get such of a rush. you will red light a good bit but that is normal,and it means you trying. I heard one time if you lose .001 at the line by tire spin it will end up being .1 of a second at the traps. but most of all have fun!!!!! MOPAR RULES