[jwbjork]

New to drag racing and had a tough day yesterday. It was first time at a new track and only my 4th time ever. I'm used to challenges at the start, but I felt like I was driving through 3" of marshmallow cream until I hit the end of the track. This was the first time I felt unsafe at the track or any road/street for that matter.

So my question, being new to this, is what can I do to improve? Have more experienced drivers had any experiences where you just say "the track prep is bad, don't run today?" Or do you change pressures, tunes, other things and keep after it?

Some additional background: 2017 HC, intake and cat back exhaust only mods. Running 305 R20 Toyo 888 at 32 psi, dropped to 20 psi. Tried burnout to heat up the tires, tried bypassing the burnbox, tried 500 hp...spun bad each time at the beginning and down track. Was at a different track just a few days prior and had NONE of these issues.

Seeking wisdom from the community! 😀

 

[socalfun64]

You need to at a minimum get onto an 18” M/T ET Street R drag radial at below 20 psi imo. I’ve been doing it since 2016 but with 930/9xx hp/tq to the ground on 17” 315 Drag Radials. Some softer racing springs up front were a big help for me early on. It can be frustrating but when these beasts hook it’s a great feeling.

 

[HC5120]

The MT ET street SS tire is good too, as a compromise tire if you have to drive your car to the track.

Track prep is so important. Without a good tire, it's going to be very tough. And especially when the track is bad. I've never seen a hellcat or corvette or camaro run good times on any street tire at my track. They run just awful, and usually give up after a couple of runs.

I wouldn't run either of those tires on anything bigger than an 18". I started out with 18" bravados and the MT SS tire, and my track is very challenging, and they worked pretty good.

16-20 psi typically with both of these tires for the track.

Stick with it. A high powered car on a street tire just isn't going to work well.

Start with getting a tire on the car.

A8 trans, right?

 

[jwbjork]

The MT ET street SS tire is good too, as a compromise tire if you have to drive your car to the track.

Track prep is so important. Without a good tire, it's going to be very tough. And especially when the track is bad. I've never seen a hellcat or corvette or camaro run good times on any street tire at my track. They run just awful, and usually give up after a couple of runs.

I wouldn't run either of those tires on anything bigger than an 18". I started out with 18" bravados and the MT SS tire, and my track is very challenging, and they worked pretty good.

16-20 psi typically with both of these tires for the track.

Stick with it. A high powered car on a street tire just isn't going to work well.

Start with getting a tire on the car.

A8 trans, right?

A8 is correct. I have MT ET Street R coming (305 45/17) but they were found to be defective when I took them in to be balanced. Otherwise I wouldn't have smoked my Toyos...those are $$$ tires compared to other brands of the same size!

Thanks for the advice!

 

[HC5120]

You're welcome.

That tire will make a big difference. Also launch at like 1300 or so and punch it half way and then roll into the pedal the rest of the way if the track is sketchy. And each run change only one thing at a time.

You will get it. In the 1/8 my first time out, stock 16', with the SS tires in 5000 DA, I ran 7.52. With a 2.85 pulley, I now ran 6.80. I changed springs recently and my goal is a high 6.6x this year, in the fall when we get the good air, 4300. I've made a lot of changes. It all depends on the track. A lot of people can put a tire on and run great and even consistent if it's a really good track with excellent prep. If it's not, it's a challenge.

Keep us posted!

 

[Jonx96]

20psi will be a good air pressure to start at when you get the et street r.