Hello all!

Well I was at the dragstrip yesterday and I got 15.5s on my best run. I have a 6speed 3G TL Stock, just good engine mounts and new BFG tires. My time is bad... It could be the elevation? Here we are over 5100 ft of elevation. Could be that?

Reaction time was .5.

Thanks!

 

I just found these forums the other day:

Racing & Competition - AcuraZine Community

Need more activity in there .

 

Reaction time doesn't enter into the equation as the time starts when the car breaks the light beam. Many variables e.g.shift points and quickness of making a shift. Get good enough and you'll shift with your foot/gas pedal planted to the floor, never lifting.

 

Uhm, isnt power shifting bad for the clutch??

 

I never lift the 2/3 or 3/4 (or the occasional 4/5 on the highway) when racing and my clutch is holding strong at 117k. There are much worse things for a clutch.

And yes OP, 5100' elevation will kill your times. Check out Youtube to see how slow the cars run at Bandimere.

 

You're answer lies above, but if one is worried about the clutch, then racing in general should be avoided.

 

Yeah i guess.

Lol its just the very thought of power shifting in my car makes me cringe.

15.5 aint so bad tbh.

 

Kia/Hyundai cars will do it in @14.3 and no need to shift.

 

I won't get technical, but you would be close to a full second quicker at sea level. Naturally aspirated cars really get gasping at higher altitudes.


A friend of mine races a 75 Cutlass 4 door, painted like a cop car, (named Donutrun) at Bandimere. With his Olds 455, he has seen 12.86 @103.55. Would love to see that at lower elevation.

 

At 5100' the NHRA ET factor is.9354 and MPH 1.0675
Using the above factor, you would see a 14.49 ET and for the MPH multiply
your time by 1.0675.
This might make you feel better.

 

Mid 14's @ ~97 mph is roughly par for a stock base 6MT.

 

What is your trap speed? ET is more about putting the power down, trap is a better indicator of how much power you have.

First time I took my Chevelle to the strip, I ran a 16.96...at 95 mph. Drove through the water and even with horrible 2.56 gears, I spun my right rear tire halfway down the drag strip. 2nd run was a 16.90 at 96. Took several times out, plus ladder bars (for wheel hop) and better heads to get into the 14s...still at 96 mph though. Had the power to run in the 14s, just wasn't putting it down.

 

Hey! So many answers, thank you. Indeed makes me feel somewhat better.

The large car population here use forced induction, GLI/GTI Audis and so on, our NA engines are well respected but can't match a FI setup.

I'm wondering... I have the CEL on, the O2 sensors are gone, could that impact a full second on a drag race?

Cheers

 

That is one of the best examples of trap speed vs ET. Sadly this track does not support trap speed

Here is my run: