Need some of you oldschool racers to teach a whippersnapper to drag race

[ssok]

Title says it all.

Long story short, a "friend" of mine has been egging me on for years to go to a drag strip and race him with my truck. Finally, he has gotten on my nerves and took the 'fun' out of it so I decided its time for me to smoke him on the track.

I will more than likely take my 73 Roadrunner(he has claimed that he is quicker than both my RR and my F150).

Thing is though... I dont know $%#@ about drag racing. Theres a lot more to it than seeing a green light and stomping the gas. The person that I will be racing is well.... not the sharpest tool in the tool shed. Regardless, I dont want to look like the dumb kid at the track.

Specs on my car:
1973 RR
400/727
Open rear (unknown ratio..need to identify)
Edelbrock performer intake/holly (I think)650 carb/MSD setup

"friends" truck:
1992 GMC 2500
350 TBI (two injectors!) 4x4 extended cab 5spd ~7500 lbs
throttlebody spacer/flexfan/related gimmicks

Really, I think the whole situation is dumb. We used to race on abandoned streets for fun (also dumb, I know) and we would laugh it off (I also always won, with both my F150 and RR). Its just, Im tired of hearing "Your POS ford" and "your POS mopar".

So, enlighten the next generation on how to drag race.

 

[rumblefish360]

Once E-town or Island reopens for the spring (Go to there web site for more info) Just pay attention to the racers. First, take a walk through the pits, you'll notice alot of different power levels of cars and trucks. Take note to a car/truck like yours, as well as to there power plant. When you find one closest to yours, stock ish right? Ask them if they have run the vehicle before and what works for them.

Tire burnout in the water box? How long?
Launch RPM? Shift RPM (If need be. Not allways done manualy, some people just let the tranny shift by itself)

When your at the tree, do not stomp on the gas. (Well, maybe for your first time you should ;) )
Try and hit the gas when the last yellow light, lights up. By the time the car/truck reacts, the green will have lit up. If you leave to fast and red light, then next time around, do it a little slower. Wait a hair longer.

Depress the gas pedal quickly, but not as to trounce on it. Learn how fast you can depress the pedal before tire spin. Some spin is OK if the tires are stock. Normaly, it is a sure call for a wider tire and/or a stickier compound. Since the truck isn't a racer, worry not. Just avoid to much tire spinning. It'll just lower the ET.

If you think shifting the trans namualy will help, select a RPM in which it can be done in and repeat it again from 2nd into 3rd.

Also, "Loading up the converter" is when you are basicly (Lay mans terms) power braking the vehicle, but not spinning the tires at the starting line. When you release the brake, the engine is up in RPM and the whole package (Drivetrain wise) is loaded up with power like a sling shot ready to go.
You'll get off the line quicker this way.

In most drag racing events/contests like between you and your freind, the winner can almost allways be the first one off the line. Then, secondly, the first one to get ahead just off the line. (60 ft.) I allways tell the young guns and unknowledged wondering about this that it is basicly the first one off the line, quickest in a 60 ft. time span and the first one to 100 MPH will most likely win the race unless someone has a big top end HP/torque advantage.

Try and get in a few runs at the track before you race him. This way, you come prepared and ready to stomp him. Now, when that day comes, you go out there and give that Chevy a good pasteing for us here!
(Video's are good too!)

 

[ssok]

First off, its irritating that FBBO keeps logging me out even though my cookie settings are low.

Secondly, I apprecaite the info. I will be heading to Island this summer. I am more than likely going to buy a tuner for my truck (so I can control the entire EEC and trans once I program it) so I can have the converter lock/unlock when I want. I miiight just pay the local speedshop to tune it, so I know everythings done right.

Also... have you been to Island? I would really like to take some practice runs before I go. Preferrably a few weeks before. Is there any "track time" thats really available? How much is the place? Will people with strip cars, Mustangs, Vettes, and other similar cars give me crap for showing up with an F150 and racing the clock?

Thank you.

 

[Meep-Meep]

Rumble has it pretty much covered but I will add you should stage as deep as possible without turning out the top yellow light (the small stage lights). Roll the windows up and concentrate on the last yellow and when you see it go. You need to kill him out of the hole then hope you have enough power to keep him behind you. I'm guessing the Chevy truck will run a mid 16 sec 1/4 and you should be 15's or better. Just a guess.

Good luck!

 

[rumblefish360]

First off, its irritating that FBBO keeps logging me out even though my cookie settings are low.

Adjust your stuff so your temper stays low. ;)

Secondly, I apprecaite the info. I will be heading to Island this summer. I am more than likely going to buy a tuner for my truck (so I can control the entire EEC and trans once I program it) so I can have the converter lock/unlock when I want. I miiight just pay the local speedshop to tune it, so I know everythings done right.

Watch them closeley and learn to do it yourself. It really is to easy to do. Once you learn, you'll wonder why you paid someone to do it at the price they charge.

Also... have you been to Island? I would really like to take some practice runs before I go. Preferrably a few weeks before. Is there any "track time" thats really available? How much is the place? Will people with strip cars, Mustangs, Vettes, and other similar cars give me crap for showing up with an F150 and racing the clock?

For the first few questions, visit the web site. You'll get 2 runs in before you go into any comp.

Other brand racers are really there to just race. I'd say, 99.9% of the people there don't give a fly fart what the Freak you roll in there. But theres that .00000001% that a ******** will show up and say something to show proof positive that he is indeed a world class asshole.

IMO, I'd just ignore him and let'em pass. In all the years of going, only 1 *** showed up. Now freinds and freinds of racers may talk some smack, but again, just go with the ol'saying.

Put up or shut up. It is what it is and it will be what it will be. FUN!

The absoulte last thing you need to worry about is, what other people say and/or think. Frak'em.

OH, now that I think about it. I once seen a guy show up with a company work van. (HVAC van w/tools) One of his racer buddies asked him, WTF is up with that and where the heck is your car?

He said the car wasn't ready, but took the van so he can get points for racing.

No money in racing the company van as far sa I can see, but a racer himself needs to compete for the points.

Now how cool is that? IDK, but I liked the fact that this guy showed up racing the work van. I don't think his boss would like it.

 

[ssok]

Hmm... Would I want to go to a Sunday Test N Tune, or a Friday Night Street Legal? (for parctice runs)

Have you ever gone to the wednesday cruise nights? I think it might be fun to go to. Thing is, I really dont like the idea of paying per cruise night. I like when its $15 a season and it goes to charity.

 

[Coronet 500]

Hey ssok, listen to these guys you'll be fine.If your on street tires and don't want to water burnout,just ask if you can drive around the box.Last year at the local track a guy showed up in a 80's ram truck beat to hell running 16.5 seconds.He went rounds and by the end of the day was a crowd favorite.When it got to the bracket shootout he was against a Camaro.Dodge was at half track when the Chev left, everybody was on their feet and cheering the truck.He came in second, but what a show.

 

[rumblefish360]

Hmm... Would I want to go to a Sunday Test N Tune, or a Friday Night Street Legal? (for parctice runs)

just go. Doesn't matter when.

Have you ever gone to the wednesday cruise nights? I think it might be fun to go to. Thing is, I really dont like the idea of paying per cruise night. I like when its $15 a season and it goes to charity.

I work nights and have family during the day. I have problems making the local cruise in's under 5 miles away.