local strip

[cwhubb]

I've never been but one of these days I want to run my car at the "local" strip (86 miles away), my question is how does it work? All I want to do is drive down and race for the fun of it, old school head to head stuff not offical classes etc.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Ahhh, well, the best thing to do is go and watch. See what other people do. Dont know the specifics of your car, that will determine certain things. First aand formost remember that once its your turn and you roll into the burnout box, its your race. So try and relax and dont overthink it. Everyone wants to do a big smokey burnout and then try and cut a perfect light. I tell people to not even worry about the tree at first, just let it come down. Pay attention the the car and what rpm you are leaving at.you need to figure out your car first. Figure out the launch, and know how the car is gonna run. Get consistent at doing it. The same thing everytime. Then you can worry about the tree. All it takes is practice. Its a lot of fun as long as you you dont try and do everything at once and screw up and get discouraged. Take your time, deep breaths, and have fun. Check their schedule and go for a test and tune day. Its cheaper and if it isnt crowded you can get a bunch of runs in.

 

[furyus]

I just want to add that on test and tune days, you're lucky to get three passes. When I go, it's on a regular bracket day. eliminations don't start until around 2:00 p.m. so I have about 5 hours in the morning to make passes and changes to the car. Most of the other guys know what they are doing, so things move along well without sitting in the staging lanes forever test and tune is a bunch of other guys who don't know what they're doing and they take alot of time. Also, when you get to the point where you make changes to the car, only make one at a time.

 

[cwhubb]

thanks guys, my car is a 4000lbs with me in it 70 charger, 440, 10.5.1 30 0ver, 3500 stall reverse shift 727 w/ reverse lock out, 4:10 gears, 265/60/14 rear tires,I think 26 and some change diameter bfg radial ta's, stock manifold, 750 vac carb, 1 3/4 headers.
Is it true you dont have to use the water box with radials?

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Yes, its best to stay out of the water, it will get in the treads and can run down when you are staging. This will give you traction issues. You can drive around the water. What you have spounds like it ought to run pretty good, your gonna have to work on your launch. Gettin her out of the whole without blowing the tires off should be a treat.

 

[cwhubb]

thanks Hemi, I'll have a blast figuring out the rpm launch lol, I probably wont need alot of r's, maybe its just me but it seems I have to get out of first pretty quickly cause it revs and screams, then when I hit second the *** end lurches a little bit to the side. I bought the car set all ready set up like this, I've had a 340, 383 magnum, all pretty fast but this 440 is a beast

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@ Furyous, thanks for that tip, I'll get there early and practice

 

[GrabberOrange69]

I recommend a "dry hop" or a quick spin of the tires AFTER you drive around the water box. This will help get any gunk or water off the tires.

 

[67Satty]

If you can swing it, I would recommend mounting up some 9" Hooiser Quicktime Pro DOTs or Mickey Thompson ET Streets on some cheap rims before your trip down the strip. That way you can see what the car is really capable of doing. It looks like you have a stout enough package going on where those regular radial T/As won't have a chance of hooking. It will be the best $500 you ever spend.

 

[cwhubb]

@ satty, I was just looking at some dot slicks lol I know slicks hook up hard and I would need a drive shaft loop, do I need one to run reg tires on the track?

 

[67Satty]

You only need the driveshaft loop if you run slicks or drag radials.

 

[Budnicks]

I just want to add that on test and tune days, you're lucky to get three passes. When I go, it's on a regular bracket day. eliminations don't start until around 2:00 p.m. so I have about 5 hours in the morning to make passes and changes to the car. Most of the other guys know what they are doing, so things move along well without sitting in the staging lanes forever test and tune is a bunch of other guys who don't know what they're doing and they take allot of time. Also, when you get to the point where you make changes to the car, only make one at a time.

I think it depends on what track you go to, the people &/or quality of cars that attend... IMHFO Best to learn how to stage, do a regular routine & race even, when there isn't a big crowd or allot of pressure on you to perform well.... furyus, I had pretty much the complete opposite experiences with most all the "test & tune days", over my 35+ years of racing, mostly testing @ Fremont/Baylands, Sacramento Raceway or Sears Point/Infinion, or many Mondays after big race event out on the road {sometimes they would do some serious track spray &/or prep too, depending on the crowd that was there testing}, all the quality bracket or class racer/cars & Pros, were at the track testing or tuning, before they go to a race, make sure everything is good & sound or make a fool of themselves, infront of a big crowd of spectators {practice makes perfect}, I would/could get 10 passes if really I wanted to... IMHFO all street squirrels & HS kids were always at the Weds., Fri. or Sun. weekly bracket races most of the time, people oiling down, draging water upto the starting line with street tires, dripping tranny fluid or spewing anti-freeze down the whole track, every other damn run... The only good thing about the Weds., Fri. or Sun. brackets it was at night, nice & cool, allot of pretty young skirts running around & the easy pickens, taken all their lunch money, from their boyfriends...LOL...

 

[383man]

One thing good to do is just go to the track one day and watch as the cars race. Watch how the race cars do it and how the street cars on street tires do or do not do burnouts. And watch how to stage the car and how the lites work. You will learn alot spending a few hrs doing that and asking questions. Good luck , Ron