Hi!
I already posted a thread on how to optimize drag racing in hte drag racing section.
Here is the copy-paste of my thread. I don't think much needs to be added. I raced the two SHOs for a total of more than 500 times and ran bests of 12.09 and 12.08! lol Good luck!:
Hey there,
Since I have been many many times at the drag with both my 2010 and now a few times with my 2013, I figured I could share a bit of info based on my experience.
I have been asked a few times in private messages for tricks to improve drag results, so here are the factors that I can think of that will influence at a different level your time and speed when running the quarter mile.
1) Low D/A
2) Tailwind
3) Good 60':
a) warm tires (doing zig zag in the parking for 30 seconds without heating the engine, just doing donuts right and left at 10mph and then go directly to the lane (easier to do when there isn't too many people).
b) track well prepped (-don't go through the water box- look that there is glue on track- try to go in the lane where many cars just passed, that lane will be warmer)
c) Although I never played with this because my Hankooks are thebest out there to grip, you may want to play a bit with tire pressure.
d) Launch between 1800 and 2200... Sometimes launching too hard will cause tires to slip in the first gear change 1 to 2.
e) Spool turbos before green light... Once stage, ideally start brake/boosting keeping engine running at around 2000rpm for at least 3-5 seconds.
4) Lower the weight:
a) quarter tank of gas max (you may want to bring a separate fuel tank to leave on the side to fuel the car up after you finish) = -35lbs compared to half full.
b) remove spare and tools = -40 lbs
c) empty car from everything (glove compartment, floor mats, head rests, change, even wear light clothes if possible, lower windshield washer) = -5lbs
5) Keep engine cool: ideally with a fan plugged on the car battery. That cools the engine 10-20 times faster than even ice on the intake. Try to avoid big lineups before running... I often go on the side and try to jump in the line against a loner instead of making 30 minute lineups... You can also remove engine cover and the little round cylinder thing in «mousse» that covers metal parts under the engine cover. Leave them outside of the car to reduce weight while at it...
6) Shallow stage
7) Keep a straight line from beginning to the end... Imagine someone that would move his car 2 times one foot left-right during the run... That means one foot right, one foot left to bring it back x 2 = 4 feet = 4/1320 = 0.3%. 0.3% of 13 seconds are 0.04 seconds just there!
TC off, D or Sport (for 2013 doesn't change a thing in my experience)... Close all things in the car (air, radio, ...)
The best scenario for best results is to go earlier in the day on a sunny day when temps are cool. You drive there, pay, and go directly at the lane and run 2-3 runs... The tires are normally warmed up from the drive to get there, but the engine is not warmed yet because it was ventilated while driving...
Please feel free to add other tricks or to comment on any of those... I just wrote everything that came through my mind. Sometimes, 0.01 second can make a difference for someone to achieve his goal, so the combo of all of the above is the way I did it to obtain the best of my machine... My car is not necessarely faster than others, but I just optimize my scenario...
Every 10F or 5C is about 0.10 second and 1mph trap speed
Every 100 lbs or 50kg is about 0.10 second and 1mph trap speed
Every 10mph tailwind is about 0.10 second and 1mph trap speed
Every 1000 ft of altitude is about 0.10 second and 1mph trap speed too.
So, imagine when I go to the drag strip with less than a quarter tank of fuel, emptied the car, go when it is 40F with a 10mph tailwind at 203ft. of altitude and run a 12.1 seconds at 115mph.
Another guy would go in Colorado at 5000 ft altitude when it is 80F with no tailwind and with a half tank of fuel =
0.5 sec for altitude, 0.4 sec for temps 0.1 sec for wind and .03 for fuel, so that is about one full second difference just because not running the good day at the good place and not emptying the car properly. If someone wants to achieve best results, that implies to drive a bit to find a good drag strip, low altitude and well prepped. Watch weather conditions to go on a cool day when tailwind...
There you go guys!
Good luck!
Steve
