My 2008 Coupe Drag Racing Results Thread

[Steve M]

The purpose of this thread is to document my adventures in taking my Gen 4 Viper to the local drag strip. Yes, there is a 1/4 mile fast list floating around here somewhere, but that thread is pretty dead, and as you'll quickly see, I don't belong anywhere on that list. I also wanted to go into a bit more detail on what exactly has been done to my car along this journey so there will be no doubt about the weather conditions and all of the mods that I've done along the way.

There seems to be a general misconception that drag racing is easy (spoiler alert: it isn't) - after all, we all know bone stock Gen 4s are capable of running a 10 second pass, as seen here:



...and here:



So that means they can all run those kinda times all the time, right? Unfortunately, when you stick an average driver (me) behind the wheel, and top that off with some average track conditions (those runs were done in -1,000 ft DA weather), you end up with a recipe for disappointment. Story of my life, but I digress.

You can't achieve success if you don't even know what you are trying to achieve, so let's start with my personal goals for this car:

1. Run a solid 10 second pass in a full weight car under average weather conditions (low 70s ambient temps, usually good for +2,000 ft DA around here)
2. Trap 130+ in average weather
3. Limit power mods to basic bolt-ons and tuning, but no headers (I have personal reasons for this, but won't get into it here)
4. Drive the car to and from the track, no trailers - I also don't want to touch a wrench while I'm there. If it requires anything more than a tire pressure gauge, it's a no-go.

This car will never set any records, nor do I intend it to. For starters, about the best weather you can hope for around here will get you to around +1,000 ft DA - the track here closes at the end of October, and doesn't start back up until April/May, so any cold and sunny days that are perfect for setting records will pretty much never happen. Basically, I want what I would consider to be a quick, comfortable, reliable street car that I can drive to the track, run some solid times against the local competition, and drive it home. I guess I also want the car to serve as an ambassador for the Viper nation - of the couple times I've been to the track, most of the comments received seem to be some variation of "you just never see Vipers running here." I think the car deserves respect, and I'd like to have some time slips to back that up that are grounded in reality (i.e. not one-off hero runs).

[Steve M]

Event: Thursday Night Test & Tune
Date: October 13, 2016
Location: Kil-Kare Dragway (Dayton, OH)

This was my first trip to the drag strip in the Viper. It wasn't my first time at a drag strip (I had taken my old Camaro a couple times back in 2004/2005), but it was the first time in a long time, and also my first time at this track. I wasn't expecting much, and that's probably a good thing. The car wasn't stock, so this would have to serve as the baseline going forward. Here are the mods for these 4 runs, broken down by category:

Power Mods: Metallic Substrate High Flow Cats; Gen 5 Intake Manifold; HPTuners custom tune (mine)
Supporting Mods: AEM 30-0300 Wideband O2 Sensor (so I could dial in my tune); DSE Heat Shield; DSE Closeout Panel; MCS Shocks
Tires: Michelin Pilot Super Sports on OEM 5-spokes - tires were ~4 years old
Rear Gears: 3.07
Race Weight: 3,630 lbs (I weigh ~240) - the only thing I removed for the runs was the 10" sub I normally keep in the hatch. I had about 1/4 tank of gas at the end of the 4th run when I weighed the car.

So stock exhaust manifolds, stock mufflers, stock clutch, heavy ass wheels, street tires run at regular street pressures (29 psi F/R), etc...basically full street trim.

I ran 4 times that night...the DA's are listed on the time slips, and were pretty decent for this area. I ended up with massive wheel hop on the 1-2 shift for 3 out of the 4 runs. Here was the first (apologies for the crappy quality and camera angles):



My last pass in the best DA netted the slowest ET and MPH because I short shifted 1-2, and also shifted into 4th before the trap instead of riding out 3rd gear like I had on all the other passes:



And the time slips:



At this point, I realized that coming back on street tires would likely just end up breaking something with the wheel hop...I was relatively happy with the trap speeds, but the 60' times and ET's were pretty pathetic. Like I indicated in the first post, I'm an average driver at best...my shifts are slow, and I can't launch worth a damn. Still, it was fun, and gave me a good baseline to improve upon.

[Steve M]

Event: Thursday Night Test & Tune
Date: August 24, 2017
Location: Kil-Kare Dragway (Dayton, OH)

Fast forward about a year to round 2. I decided that drag radials would be necessary, so I went through a fair amount of effort to fit an 18" drag radial in the back. Thread about that here:

https://driveviper.com/forums/thread...-my-2008-Viper

While I was at it, I also upgraded the weak axles to some beefier units out of fear that the drag radials would find the next weak link in the drivetrain. Thread about that here:

https://driveviper.com/forums/thread...er-CV-Question

I also added a shift light:

https://driveviper.com/forums/thread...ht=shift+light

Here are the mods for these 4 runs, broken down by category (differences highlighted):

Power Mods: Metallic Substrate High Flow Cats; Gen 5 Intake Manifold; HPTuners custom tune (mine)
Supporting Mods: AEM 30-0300 Wideband O2 Sensor; DSE Heat Shield; DSE Closeout Panel; MCS Shocks; TDS Level 5 Axles; Ecliptech Shift Light; Parking Brake Cable Relocation Kit
Tires: MT ET Street S/S (345/35/18), set to 20 psi hot mounted on Forgestar F14s (18x13 rear, 18x11 front)
Rear Gears: 3.07
Race Weight: 3,650 lbs (I weigh ~240) - again, I removed the 10" subwoofer that I normally tote around. I saved about 30 pounds by going to the Forgestar wheels, but because I had about 3/4 of a tank of gas, I ended up being a little heavier this time around.

So no additional power mods...just some lighter wheels, sticky rubber out back, and some drivetrain upgrades so I didn't grenade anything while trying to get off the line.

I ran 4 times again...the DA's are listed on the time slips, and were on the good side of average for this area. I fixed the wheel hop issue, but still had a hard time getting the car off the line. Here was the best MPH run:



My last pass in the best DA netted the best ET, but not the best 60' and MPH because I had some combination of wheel spin and clutch slipping off the line:



And the time slips:



By the time I finished the last pass, I was smelling some serious clutch cookage. I was on track for my fastest trap speed by the 1000' mark, but given the amount of clutch smell at the end of that run, I'm pretty sure it was the clutch slipping that kept me from getting there. The first run of the night I launched at 4,000 RPMs, and ended up around the 5,500 RPM mark toward the end. Clearly the stock clutch wasn't happy with that, so I guess it is back to the drawing board to see where I go from here.

I doubt I'll make any other runs this year due to work/family commitments, but I at least managed to achieve my goal of trapping 130+ on at least one run. I'd like to be able to back that up with some more runs, but that's going to have to wait until next year. I've got a Gen 5 differential with 3.55s sitting on my work bench ready to install, and I'll mull over the clutch options this winter.

[TrackAire]

Wow, if you drop the 60' times a couple of tenths you'd be scary!!

Nicely documented, good runs.

[Steve M]

Thanks! The car has a 10 second pass in it, but getting it off the line with the 3.07s is asking a bit much of the clutch IMO, which is unfortunate because I like the clutch for everything but this application. I've had a few different aftermarket clutches in my old Camaro, and quickly learned that unless you are willing to pay big bucks for a really nice one, you usually end up with some undesirable traits for a street car. I know 3.55s will help, but I still think even a new stock clutch won't last long with what I'm asking of it. Time will tell I suppose.

[viperBase1]

Intense! N' you make it look so easy. Three gears n' it's over.

I've never gone Trap-ing.. maybe one day.

It seems (to me) like your gears aren't as tall as mine. Must be the 3.55 diff..?

When challenged on the street, the tall gears have been a huge advantage.
I listen to the other guy hit 3rd or 4th before I go to 2nd and pull away. 3rd gear n' I'm gone.

Thanks again, another cool thread!

[Rocket]

Great post - thanks for sharing. Launching these beasts is a real challenge! In looking at your videos, you're fighting the bog vs. tire-spin dilemma. I think it was Ranger that shared his launch technique to get into the 10's. He would start at 3000 - 3500 rpms (might need to go a higher with the dr's) and quickly ride the clutch out while getting on the go-pedal "like you're really not trying to spin the tires". It's that "quickly" part that you need to perfect - to not bog (which looked like was happening in your videos) while not roasting the tires.

Good luck in your quest.

[TrackAire]

A lot of the "hero" runs you see on the internet are private track rentals only at specific tracks with the best DA and the ability to prep the track exactly how you want it for your vehicles specific launch requirements. Trying to set a record at a Wednesday night bracket race where you have so many different vehicles and tire compounds putting down rubber makes being consistent on the launch very hard. Add to that track prep that is anything but NHRA perfect and it will be hard to hit your best numbers.

Regarding gearing, you have to decide whether you want to be be quick or be fast.....there is a difference.

[Redx]

Thanks! The car has a 10 second pass in it, but getting it off the line with the 3.07s is asking a bit much of the clutch IMO, which is unfortunate because I like the clutch for everything but this application. I've had a few different aftermarket clutches in my old Camaro, and quickly learned that unless you are willing to pay big bucks for a really nice one, you usually end up with some undesirable traits for a street car. I know 3.55s will help, but I still think even a new stock clutch won't last long with what I'm asking of it. Time will tell I suppose.

3.07's and and a stock clutch are not good. I did a few half mile passes on the stock clutch and it was slipping on the 5th pass. When we pulled the clutch it had a lot of meat but the discs were glazing.

Upgraded to the McLeod RXT and did a 1/4 track day, still on 3.07's, launching at 5000-5500 and cutting 1.6 60's on MT's, hard to get a good launch on the highway gears. Best et was 10.98@129.68, 3800 DA. I have since upgraded to 3.55's and hope to knock a few tenths off.

[ViperDC]

Thanks! The car has a 10 second pass in it, but getting it off the line with the 3.07s is asking a bit much of the clutch IMO, which is unfortunate because I like the clutch for everything but this application. I've had a few different aftermarket clutches in my old Camaro, and quickly learned that unless you are willing to pay big bucks for a really nice one, you usually end up with some undesirable traits for a street car. I know 3.55s will help, but I still think even a new stock clutch won't last long with what I'm asking of it. Time will tell I suppose.

That shift light is sweet. F1 style. Where did you get that?

[ViperDC]

That shift light is sweet. F1 style. Where did you get that?

Also what short shifter do you have because those throws are super short

[Stealth78]

Nice runs Steve! I have one of your same issues in regards to the track, they shut down in October, which sucks! I've had my 3:55's for about a month now but unfortunately they are still sitting in a box on the floor at my house along with my GenV intake I just picked up last week. I cannot wait to get the new parts in the car but I've been so busy its been tough. I still need to buy an HP Tuner and get my car dyno tuned once the parts are in.... Not feeling to confident that this is all going to happen before the local tracks shut down for the year. If I can't I may take the car up to the track once just for the shits n' giggles but I know I won't be putting down any record setting 60' times with the 3:07's. Keep kicking ass and also keep us all posted!

[Steve M]

Intense! N' you make it look so easy. Three gears n' it's over.

It seems (to me) like your gears aren't as tall as mine. Must be the 3.55 diff..?

There are two reasons why I'm able to leave it in 3rd - I bumped the rev limit up to 6,600 RPMs, and the MT Drag Radials are a 28" tire. Unfortunately, it makes launching even harder, but they definitely hook. Bogging on a 5,500 RPM dump told me that the 3.07s are definitely not the right gear for the quarter mile.

Great post - thanks for sharing. Launching these beasts is a real challenge! In looking at your videos, you're fighting the bog vs. tire-spin dilemma. I think it was Ranger that shared his launch technique to get into the 10's. He would start at 3000 - 3500 rpms (might need to go a higher with the dr's) and quickly ride the clutch out while getting on the go-pedal "like you're really not trying to spin the tires". It's that "quickly" part that you need to perfect - to not bog (which looked like was happening in your videos) while not roasting the tires.

I definitely need more seat time...8 total passes in this car isn't enough to figure out what works and what doesn't. Unfortunately, I don't think the stock clutch is going to survive another attempt, so I'll have to see what I can come up with next year.

A lot of the "hero" runs you see on the internet are private track rentals only at specific tracks with the best DA and the ability to prep the track exactly how you want it for your vehicles specific launch requirements. Trying to set a record at a Wednesday night bracket race where you have so many different vehicles and tire compounds putting down rubber makes being consistent on the launch very hard. Add to that track prep that is anything but NHRA perfect and it will be hard to hit your best numbers.

Regarding gearing, you have to decide whether you want to be be quick or be fast.....there is a difference.

The nice thing about this particular track is that it is pretty well prepped for a test and tune type of event. There are usually a couple of fully prepped professional drag cars that end up running, and they don't have too many problems hooking. Both lanes are equally well prepped, and they don't force cars on street tires to only use one lane. Of course, you also have guys dragging water up to the line, but it isn't too bad all considering.

As for the gears, the route I've chosen should make that decision easier. I have an entire new housing set up with 3.55s, so I'll be able to swap back and forth (obviously with some heavy lifting involved) between housings depending on what event I'm doing. For half mile and longer events, the 3.07s will be going back in. I'd probably also use 3.07s for any road racing, if I ever get that itch.

3.07's and and a stock clutch are not good. I did a few half mile passes on the stock clutch and it was slipping on the 5th pass. When we pulled the clutch it had a lot of meat but the discs were glazing.

Upgraded to the McLeod RXT and did a 1/4 track day, still on 3.07's, launching at 5000-5500 and cutting 1.6 60's on MT's, hard to get a good launch on the highway gears. Best et was 10.98@129.68, 3800 DA. I have since upgraded to 3.55's and hope to knock a few tenths off.

I'm expecting to find the same when I eventually take this one out. Your car runs really strong considering that DA...and I thought we had it bad around here. Definitely curious to see how much better you do with 3.55s.

That shift light is sweet. F1 style. Where did you get that?

It's an Ecliptech Shift P2, details here: https://driveviper.com/forums/thread...l=1#post296461

Also what short shifter do you have because those throws are super short

That is the stock shifter with the shorter OEM shift knob that came on the 2010 cars. I think Jon B can still source them.

Nice runs Steve! I have one of your same issues in regards to the track, they shut down in October, which sucks! I've had my 3:55's for about a month now but unfortunately they are still sitting in a box on the floor at my house along with my GenV intake I just picked up last week. I cannot wait to get the new parts in the car but I've been so busy its been tough. I still need to buy an HP Tuner and get my car dyno tuned once the parts are in.... Not feeling to confident that this is all going to happen before the local tracks shut down for the year. If I can't I may take the car up to the track once just for the shits n' giggles but I know I won't be putting down any record setting 60' times with the 3:07's. Keep kicking ass and also keep us all posted!

Good luck...it's taken me a while to iron out all the kinks with mine, but I work slow. I'll be sure to update this thread once I get my clutch situation figured out and get my junk back to the strip.

[Stealth78]

As for the gears, the route I've chosen should make that decision easier. I have an entire new housing set up with 3.55s, so I'll be able to swap back and forth (obviously with some heavy lifting involved) between housings depending on what event I'm doing. For half mile and longer events, the 3.07s will be going back in. I'd probably also use 3.07s for any road racing, if I ever get that itch.

I agree with you for the half mile with the 3:07's but for anything longer than that I would go back to the 3:55's. I believe 3:55 gears with a 6,600 rpm limit will allow you to hit 201mph in 5th gear.

[ViperDC]

That is the stock shifter with the shorter OEM shift knob that came on the 2010 cars. I think Jon B can still source them.

Thanks!

[Steve M]

Event: Thursday Night Test & Tune
Date: August 23, 2018
Location: Kil-Kare Dragway (Dayton, OH)

It's been almost exactly one year later since my last set of runs. I made a couple of big changes to my setup this year, all drivetrain related.

I decided to swap out the stock 3.07s for 3.55s by swapping in an entire new assembly from a Gen 5 - details here:

https://driveviper.com/forums/thread...ial-in-a-Gen-4

Since the stock clutch wasn't up to the task, I also decided to swap in an Nth Moto Triple Disc Carbon Clutch (I'll finish that install write-up here in the near future):

https://driveviper.com/forums/thread...o-Gen-4-Clutch

Here are the mods for these 3 runs, broken down by category (differences highlighted):

Power Mods: Metallic Substrate High Flow Cats; Gen 5 Intake Manifold; HPTuners custom tune (mine)
Supporting Mods: AEM 30-0300 Wideband O2 Sensor; DSE Heat Shield; DSE Closeout Panel; MCS Shocks; TDS Level 5 Axles; Ecliptech Shift Light; Parking Brake Cable Relocation Kit; Nth Moto Triple Disc Carbon Clutch; Moroso Spark Plug Wires
Tires: MT ET Street S/S (345/35/18), set to 20 psi hot mounted on Forgestar F14s (18x13 rear, 18x11 front)
Rear Gears: 3.55
Race Weight: 3,572 lbs - as always, I removed the 10" subwoofer that I normally tote around. The rest of the weight savings came from the following: I swapped out my old battery for a new one that was ~6lbs lighter, the Nth Moto Clutch was 22.5 lbs lighter than the OEM unit, I've lost ~25 lbs since I'm currently training for a half marathon, and the rest was gas (I was around 1/4 tank this time).

So no additional power mods...just gears, a lighter, stronger clutch, and some weight reduction (mostly fuel, some me, and some the clutch).

I ran 3 times this time...the DA's are listed on the time slips, and were similar to last year's. I had one hell of a time trying to figure out the new clutch, and the track shenanigans didn't help much with that one either (note the 3 hour time difference between run #1 and run #2 on the time slips due to people breaking shit on the track). I would start to slip the clutch, but then it would grab hard, so I ended up with this bogging/spinning thing that made for a bit of a wild ride. I also had to add another shift (3-4) with the 3.55s, and my shifting still isn't great. Sadly, the first run was my best run of the night:



My next pass was even worse getting off the line, and to top that off, I also missed the 3-4 shift which I've never done in my entire life. Why show it? Two reasons:

1. It's interesting to note just how much speed you lose when you miss a shift
2. I'm all about full disclosure, including my failures. I have nothing to hide...learn from my mistakes so you don't have to make the same ones:



The car in the left lane was a modded A8 C7Z (E85, ported blower, 19" DRs, etc.) - he let off early on that run, but said he normally traps in the upper 130s, and that the car has gone a 10.3x. Always sad to lose to a Vette, but that was a well-sorted one that ran hard, and the owner was a really nice guy to talk to.

Sadly, my GoPro battery died just before the last run, but the launch was even worse on that run.

The time slips:



So I've learned some things:

1. Getting into the 10s is not going to be as easy as I had hoped - I have new found respect for those that have done it, and made it look easier than it really is.
2. 3.55s help some, but hurt in other ways - my 1/8th mile times and traps this time around were definitely better, but that wasn't translating to anything useful on the big end where I needed it. I'm now crossing the traps at around 5,500-5,600 RPMs instead of closer to redline in 3rd like I was with the 3.07s on my current 28" tires. I'll run these tires for the rest of this year and probably some portion of next year, but the next set of drag radials I get will be a 26" Hoosier which should help get me back closer to peak HP crossing the traps, and hopefully get my traps above 130.
3. Launching with this clutch isn't easy - I'm still trying to find the sweet spot where I can get it to slip at least some, but I need more seat time. 3 hours between passes certainly doesn't help.

At this point, it's time to work on my driving. The car certainly has more than enough power to get into the 10s, but it doesn't have enough driver right now. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get back out to the track this year or not, but I'm going to try my hardest. I'll be sure to update this thread regardless of the outcome.

[Stealth78]

Great write up and thanks for the update. I truly hope you find time to get more passes in this year. My concern is once I get my ass to the track and I run under an 11.49 NHRA is going to require a cage, I believe. How are you getting around this? Is your local track very relaxed with it's rules? There is the fact that 2008 and newer cars are allowed to run down to 10 seconds flat without a cage but it is only if the car is 100% stock.... I'm not sure I'm going to be able to sneak this one by them. Gears, they can't see. My intake swap, well it is a factory intake so I doubt tech inspection will even know the difference. They can't see HPT. I doubt they'll see my UD pulley. The one thing I am worried about is that my car does not remotely sound stock. I can try and play the dumb card and put emphasis to the tech that it has factory exhaust manifolds and tell him this is how I bought the car and was told it is 100% factory....???? Guess I'll find out once I get there. Lastly, I hate these P-ZEROS! Now with extra power and 3:55's this car will not hook up. Thinking a trip to the track on these will be useless.

[viperBase1]

Thanks for the write up Steve and congrats on all the mods and upgrades you wrenched yourself!

[Redx]

Great write up and thanks for the update. I truly hope you find time to get more passes in this year. My concern is once I get my ass to the track and I run under an 11.49 NHRA is going to require a cage, I believe. How are you getting around this? Is your local track very relaxed with it's rules? There is the fact that 2008 and newer cars are allowed to run down to 10 seconds flat without a cage but it is only if the car is 100% stock.... I'm not sure I'm going to be able to sneak this one by them. Gears, they can't see. My intake swap, well it is a factory intake so I doubt tech inspection will even know the difference. They can't see HPT. I doubt they'll see my UD pulley. The one thing I am worried about is that my car does not remotely sound stock. I can try and play the dumb card and put emphasis to the tech that it has factory exhaust manifolds and tell him this is how I bought the car and was told it is 100% factory....???? Guess I'll find out once I get there. Lastly, I hate these P-ZEROS! Now with extra power and 3:55's this car will not hook up. Thinking a trip to the track on these will be useless.

Do a couple warm ups to get your launch down, then just hit it hard till you get punted. They have the rule here too but haven’t been bothering too many guys unless they are 10.5 and lower.

[Steve M]

Great write up and thanks for the update. I truly hope you find time to get more passes in this year. My concern is once I get my ass to the track and I run under an 11.49 NHRA is going to require a cage, I believe. How are you getting around this? Is your local track very relaxed with it's rules?

Agree with this assessment:

Do a couple warm ups to get your launch down, then just hit it hard till you get punted. They have the rule here too but haven’t been bothering too many guys unless they are 10.5 and lower.

The only thing they ever get after me about is needing a fire jacket (required for 11.49 or quicker) - notice how a fire jacket magically appeared between my first and second runs?

The track I frequent is a stickler for a couple things, but a cage doesn't appear to be one of them. If you pay very close attention in the second vid, there was a yellow GTR in the left lane that made a pass just before I did my burnout - he ran a 10.2 in the upper 130s. He didn't have a cage, but that's not why they asked him to leave after that pass; he got booted for not having a fire jacket. The dude in the C7Z? His car clearly wasn't stock, and certainly didn't sound stock. He also didn't have a cage, and they left him alone. The newer your car, it seems like the more lenient they are about that particular rule. I don't expect them to really give me much grief if I do get into the 10s about not having one, as long as I have my fire jacket on. If you are on P-Zeros, you likely won't have to worry about any of those rules at all, regardless of how strict the officials are at your track.

My advice: if you are truly worried, just go out there to watch and walk around the staging lanes...chat up the fast guys in late model cars, and ask them about their experience. Chances are that you'll find some regulars that are in the know and can give you a good, honest assessment of the track officials. Most tracks are more interested in the revenue than following the rules to the letter...mine charges $25/car to run at Test & Tune, and there are always tons of cars there, some of which are well into the 10s with no cage. Booting cars on the regular would severely cut into their bottom line IMO.

Thanks for the write up Steve and congrats on all the mods and upgrades you wrenched yourself!

You're welcome...I hope someone is getting at least some useful information out of this. And doing my own wrenching is the only way I can afford to mod this car

[TrackAire]

I'm not a drag racing expert, but here is what I've concluded from my limited time at the strip.

Most of the hero runs I've seen are usually at a private track rental where you can hot lap if you wish, control your launch and not worry about reaction times, prep the track to your specs, etc. I stopped going to my local Wednesday night bracket racing at Sonoma years ago because you had to "win" your round to advance. Screw up one round and sometimes you'd get as few as 2 runs in one night total (one practice and one bracket race). The crowds are huge which meant even less track time and god forbid if somebody dropped oil or crashed....you'be be sitting in line forever. Sonoma would be warm in the afternoon and downright chilly when the sun went down and the wind picked up. You can't be consistent or get a good run when the track changes temps drastically, car is either too cold or too hot due to waiting, track prep is inconsistent between rounds, etc. It's hard enough to launch our cars in good conditions, but when everything changes every half hour, good luck.

Regarding your clutch, nothing aftermarket that is like an on/off switch is going to work great at a prepped launch pad. IMO finding a very durable organic clutch (maybe even stock) that you can slip the crap out of and just look at it as a consumable part that you'll need to replace every 12 runs or so. Also, figure out how to keep your clutch fluid as cool as possible to keep it consistent for good launches.

My 3.55 gears hurt my 1/4 mile drag times due to extra shifting....maybe a 3.33 with a tire diameter sized to get you through the traps at peak hp in 3rd gear is key for lowest times??

From what I've experienced, it's all in the 60' time when dealing with a high horsepower manual shifted car.....get that perfect and you're on your way to a 10 second run. Looking forward to your next outing.

[Steve M]

Regarding your clutch, nothing aftermarket that is like an on/off switch is going to work great at a prepped launch pad. IMO finding a very durable organic clutch (maybe even stock) that you can slip the crap out of and just look at it as a consumable part that you'll need to replace every 12 runs or so. Also, figure out how to keep your clutch fluid as cool as possible to keep it consistent for good launches.

That's the weird thing about this particular clutch - on the street, it is one of the smoothest clutches I've ever driven. Once you figure out its slightly lower engagement point, I'd dare say it is even smoother than the stock clutch was, and I'm very picky when it comes to that kinda stuff. You can get the car rolling off idle with absolutely no throttle whatsoever. I know at least one person on this board that's described this clutch as an on/off switch, but that's not been my experience at all, at least not during normal street driving. Could have been an installation issue, could have been a bum clutch...who knows.

Unfortunately, that didn't carry over to the track. I think it is a combination of two things:

1. The hotter the clutch gets, the harder it grabs
2. The unsprung discs - any shock generated goes straight through the drivetrain, making it much more likely to break the tires loose

I might try doing some lower RPM launches to see if it likes that any better. On my first pass, I left around 3,500 or so RPMs, and it netted my best 60' of the night. Trying to launch at 5,000 RPMs seemed to generate more tire spin than forward motion - that's what I tried on my last run, and it netted my worst 60' of the night.

Drag racing might not be this clutch's forte, but it does everything else exceptionally well, and the lighter weight assembly has a huge impact on shifting, throttle response, and how fast the car feels on the street. I'll see if I can get it to do what I want though...might just take some fancy footwork.

[Stealth78]

Where is the best/cheapest place to buy a fire jacket? I'm going to need to get a cheap helmet too as the only helmet I have left with a non-expired date is my bike helmet, which I don't even have a bike anymore but I know bike helmets don't qualify unless you get a clueless tech. This is seemingly going to be a very expensive trip to the track seeing that if I get there this year it will probably only be once.

[Steve M]

Where is the best/cheapest place to buy a fire jacket? I'm going to need to get a cheap helmet too as the only helmet I have left with a non-expired date is my bike helmet, which I don't even have a bike anymore but I know bike helmets don't qualify unless you get a clueless tech. This is seemingly going to be a very expensive trip to the track seeing that if I get there this year it will probably only be once.

I went with this fire jacket: https://www.amazon.com/RaceQuip-1110.../dp/B004QI1IDU

That's all that's required for 11.49 or quicker.

As for the helmet, I went with a Simpson Bandit...certainly not the cheapest option, but it fits my head well, and looks pretty decent.

This is another one of those "you need to visit your local track" things - every time I've been, they know I need a helmet, and have always asked if I had one. As soon as they see it sitting in the passenger's seat, they don't ask any other questions, and have never looked to see if it is SA2010 or SA2015 rated (mine is SA2015). As long as it doesn't look like a bag of ass, they just assume it's good enough...they don't have time to go over everything with a fine tooth comb. Act like you know what you are doing, and they'll generally assume that you do.

[Stealth78]

Following that link shows me an x-large, assuming that's what you bought. How is the fitment, small, big, just right? Sorry if that sounded a little bit like the three bears. Lol! After losing some weight over the past year or so I have recently found myself juggling between large and x-large. I'd rather not feel tight and restricted but I don't want to be wearing a parachute either. Currently I'm 5'8" about 205lbs.