"Curious Newbie Goes to the Track" by Texas04silverGT

I have finally taken my mustang to the drag strip. My very first time to drag race.......ever........and I have to say, im hooked. I had a blast! Lots of fast cars and VERY COOL people. EVERYBODY was willing to help me out. Traction was an issue for everyone on street tires. I was hoping to get better times, but I was satisfied that I didnt make a fool out of myself or smack into the wall.

2004 GT 5 speed, all stock except Motive 4.10's. on stock gatorback rubber. I got 9 runs in. Won a few lost a few(beat an 06 mustang gt! he had a horrible launch).

I know little about drag racing, so let me know how I did. Dont hold back, I can take it . I thought I did ok.

My best time(hotlapping...go figure):

r/t: .215
60': 2.144
330: 6.168
1/8: 9.393
mph: 76.86
1000: 12.164
1/4: 14.491
mph: 97.12

lost to modded srt4 by .1466

My best before above

r/t: .110
60': 2.076
330: 6.128
1/8: 9.389
mph: 76.43
1000: 12.206
1/4: 14.545
mph: 96.85

thank you for your input!

edit: I plan to make the MGW short-shifter my next mod. I mean, who misses the 3rd-4th shift right before the finish line?!.......two different times!? hahahaha

Looks decent. Congrats. Which track did you go to? I go to Houston Raceway Park. Its always fun to run in the same lanes as the big dogs like John Force. Keep practicing; You can improve on those numbers with your current set up.

thats what I run with a lot of boltons But I'm high altitude. Good first time runs, keep hitting the track. The shifter is a good mod, but get more practise before you mod to much or you have to relearn the car everytime.

Decent times. It gets more addicting.

Red River Raceway near Gilliam, LA (its the only 1/4 track remotely close).
http://www.redriverraceway.net/

I wanna race with Ashley Force...well I wanna do more than race with her.

Im positive I'll get better....once I get comfortable on the track. Im still a little tenced(sp) up and jittery out there.

It was hard to get traction out there because it is impossible/near-impossible to avoid the damn water-box(water-ditch) they spray down for EVERY pass, even when both cars are on street tires.

I was getting my best times launching at or just above idle.

Where in Colorado? I was born in Colorado Springs.

Also, im assuming high 13's is about the absolute best I can shoot for.....but what about 60' times? Should I be sub 2.0?

with street tires and only 4:10s I'm thinking very high 13s very ow 14s is the best you are going to get for a while. I'm in the Springs

You know, I pride myself on attention to detail Riiiiight.....I missed it in your location.....still a little cool up there?

yea high 13's is the best youll get, i ran a 13.98 with a 2.1 60ft time at 99.8 mph

One more question, and I'll try to leave everyone alone..........

When launching a five speed with 4.10's, is it suggested to run first gear near redline, or shift once the RPM's are high enough to put 2nd gear at like 3200+?

Thanks again to all that have given input!

i ran a couple of times at redriver, when i lived in texarkana. it always seemed that they would get one lane really hooking and the other they just forgot about it.

good times...work on that launch, and powershifting.

i got consistent 14.3's out of my stock GT there, so you should be faster with those gears in there.

good luck

Shift at 5500RPM, these motors make their power in the upper RPM so by shifting close to redline you'll put the next gear in the highest RPM you can.

i cant ever avoid the damn water box

Not bad at all man! I ran a 14.4 @ 96.50 with a K&N and my ram air, back in the day.

I got a 2.24 60' and a lower trap...somewhere your loosing ground. Shift every gear @ 5500RPMs, that should give the best results. Good luck...and if you werent so far away, id come up there and run with ya sometime. But thats a LONG ways....freegin texas is BIG

Glad you had fun!! Hitting the track for the first time was probably the most addicting thing I have ever done. Once you hit the staging lanes and you start getting the butterflies....... it just gives me shivers, i miss it so bad. You did really well for your first time, street tires, and full water box. Go out a few more times and you'll be nailing better 60ft's and 1/4's. The point is to have fun!!

Wow! Thanks for all the input! :SNSign: Rules!

Shermie: HAHAHA I was thinking that myself! I got my best times in the left lane! I wasnt going to say anything though. I think the launch is where I have the most improvement to make. And I was doing absolutely no powershifting, so I guess I need to incorporate that. Where are you now?

Mustang5L5: Good, I guess.....I was shifting at around 5800 rpms in every gear. This week Im going to get her on a dyno so I can study my particular cars powercurve and base my shifts off of it.

deftsound: Its frustrating! Is the "water-box" a "water-ditch" all the way across each lane at every track?

hotmustang331: Im glad youre here! I love your car, and have based my modification plans off of it and a "this is what you need for 300rwhp" reply you made here I believe! Thanks for the tips! Id love to go to the track with you someday. Ill be in San Antonio May 11-May15. I wont be in the stang though.

Oh, hook me up with the N/A Club!

TweekedGT: Yup! My cherry has been popped! My track-viginity was sent over the leftfield wall! ba-dow! I feel like a woman now.....er...huh? Really though, I had a blast. The whole experience was exciting. Found that "new hobby" my wife has been wanting me to get.

Sorry for the long post, but thank you for all the input!

most tracks have a bypass, because the correct way to use the water box is to drive around and then back into it, roll the tires over a time or two, pull forward OUT of the water and smoke em.

But with Street tires, avoud the water at all costs... do I mini burn out (like 1-2 full revolutions max) because street tires hook best cold. You do the mini burn just to get the rocks and crap off.

And once again, welcome to your new addiction.. Time Slips = MOD money needed = New Time Slips = New MODs wanted but can't afford..... and it keeps going and going

hey texas04, if you can help it, NEVER GO TO LITTLE RIVER AGAIN! that track is horrendous. did you happen to notice the "dip" halfway down the track? not cool. the only place i ever race now is san antonio raceway in seguin. much much better. and those are some pretty darn good 60' times if you ask me. those 4.10s really help huh? your car has a lot of potential. i ran a 13.72 @100 w/ a 2.0 60' with just 4.10s and an o/r x pipe. tires were worn kuhmos. but that was done at SA raceway. best ever at little river was a 14.2 w/ the same mods.

EDIT: btw, not every track has a water box that every car must roll through. at good tracks you can drive around the box. i remember at little river when i was sitting in the staging lane, water was trickling down the little hill and puddling up under everyones tires. very very bad quality track. i guess its ok for the once-in-a-blue-moon racer, but if you ever wanna get some decent times, skip LR for SA

I see. There was no bypass @ this track. There is a perpendicular depression/trench/ditch at the beginning of each lane. Before nearly every race, they would spray it down with a hose. The only way to sort of avoid the water was to pull into each lane on the inside. You would think the guy would see two cars on street tires coming up and at least NOT spray it down for that race, but, oh well. A regular up there suggested I do about a 10 foot rolling burnout, then a short 1 sec standing burn, then stage. It seemed to work....got my best time on that run.

Tell me about it! Ive already made an Excel spreadsheet for all the mods I cant afford! Between the mortgage, a daughter, wife, 2 car payments, and bills.........Im lucky I can even fill the tank up.