How to launch a 4400lb whale.......the basics

[Hemi31]

I originally posted this on CF a few months ago,but it seems it will do some good here as well...........

Since I have been watching some of the track threads and am seeing 60' times with lots of tire spin I thought I would put this up.This takes alot of practice but will improve your times.

The burnout is key.
On street tires like an RSA's you want to spin them till smoke rolls off and NO waterbox on street tires.Set them about 24 psi if its on an 8.5" rim and 26-28 on a 9" rim.

With DR's I like to keep the pressure as high as possible until the car breaks traction.....in the warmer weather I run my DR's at 28lbs and down as low as 18 in the cold.A burnout just to clean the tire and slightly warm it is all thats required.

Use the converter......don't dumb launch(just mash the gas),especially if your making power.....that breaks parts.Stall the car against the converter(one foot on brake and one on the gas)and bring the rpm's up till the car wants to move.

When the lights come down the tree and you launch just lift off the brake and maintain the pedal position on the throttle.....this will let the car "hop" off the line and get a roll before you apply more throttle(this all happens in a nano second and is where the practice comes in).

Once the car is moving roll into the throttle smoothly and quickly.

Your throttle application will vary depending on track conditions.

Most of the guys you see with crazy 60' times do it like this.Just takes alot of practice so get to the track and have fun.
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[slideway]

Good refresher coarse with the tracks opening soon!

[bookeem]

ah man , and all this time i thought putting it in nuetral, holding the rpms at 3000 and just dropping it in drive gives the best 60' times, lol...

[Johnparts]

So MAsh the gas and hold the transbrake button bounce off the 2 step until the last yellow lights dosen't

[Hemi31]

So MAsh the gas and hold the transbrake button bounce off the 2 step until the last yellow lights dosen't

not in the beginner coarse it doesn't!

[monty1269]

What rpm are you "stalling" the car at? I've heard some follks bringing it up to about 2500, while others swear by the 12-1500 rpm mark.

[Hemi31]

Mine?3000.......I like to go all the way up against the converter.

[monty1269]

Maybe not necessarily YOURz... but in general. I see a LOT of folks saying 12-1500 rpms.

And to further enlighten the masses... Why do YOU launch at 3k?

[Hemi31]

Because I can keep the rpm up through the launch without flashing the converter and taking the risk of breaking stuff.

[Redfox0099]

You should stall up to where your car want to roll forward like Erik said...for some cars it is lower or higher..mine would start to roll forward at 2800 RPM so I stayed at 2500 and rolled into the throttle from there and was getting some good low 1.6s when I could practice a few times a week.

[monty1269]

You should stall up to where your car want to roll forward like Erik said...for some cars it is lower or higher..mine would start to roll forward at 2800 RPM so I stayed at 2500 and rolled into the throttle from there and was getting some good low 1.6s when I could practice a few times a week.

If the car starts to roll forward just mash on the brake a little harder.

[Redfox0099]

That might work for a little ol' R/T but us big dogs...well ya know

[Junior]

Question about the RPM that the stall needs to roll the car - will it be the same with or without the brake? And with mild throttle?

Could I find a parking lot, and with my foot off the brake, give slow throttle until it rolls, and see what that RPM is - and then use that number as the target for staging?

I've often wondered how to know how much to load up when you're staged.

[Hemi31]

Mike regardless of the converter if you lift off the brake the car will probably roll at idle.

[monty1269]

Mike regardless of the converter if you lift off the brake the car will probably roll at idle.

uuuuhhh... DUH.