Quik Raceing Question

[DeusEx]

I would have asked this in the raceing forum, but i feel like i have sort of a family here in the camaro forum and i would have gotten made fun of or something over there..
I am only 18, just been starting to get into car performance for about a year and a half now, pretty much putting every paycheck into my 92 RS, really fun, im not into it for the showing off or any of that, just feels good doing stuff to your car on your own and learning.
On to the question..
I was sitting at a light today comming home, and this mid 90's riced out civic comes FLYING up to the light and slams on the brakes, turns down the music and looks over at me, the usualy "race me, im badass" scene going on.. bla bla bla, onto the question.. wile sitting there he starts to rev up his engine, and hold it at a certain rpm im guessing, i didnt do anything, just let it idle, and then slowly floor it, as to not spin the tires all that much, i win needless to say, witch isnt much to be proud of, but im just wondering.. what was he doing?
Ive been looking around the raceing forum, and see people talking about getting up to a certain rpm to "launch" what exactly is this?
What are some basic "need to know" things about raceing?
Im pretty clueless, i just like to have a fun time every now and again at red lights but id like to know what i was doing also.
I have a 92 RS lb1, if that matters at all

[tcfco2005]

great question.....here is a little bit someone posted on a topic i started about how to launch this will help.

Originally Posted by kmdracer

Hmm, sounds to me like he want's to learn how to launch his car properly, Yes?
What you need to do is go to the track on a slow night (so you can get alot of runs)
Take along a notebook or some other way of keeping track of changes and results. I use a form that I made with which I document the temp, wind speed/direction (up, down, left cross or right cross on the track)humidity, tire pressure, reaction time, 60' time, ET and speed, and last but not least, launch RPM.
I have played around with deep/shallow staging, but untill I get a little more consistancy, I'm going to just keep shallow staging.
All that is for you to know what you should be doing in order to judge any changes you make.
Now, to the basics.
In order to launch any car, you have to determine what it will respond best to by keeping track of the info above.
Start by keeping all the things you can the same, like tire pressure, amount of gas in the tank, and then try to go racing under similar weather conditions if possible.

#1 Start off at the line by holding you car at idle, one foot on gas, one on brake, the floor it at the light.

#2 Next do the same thing, but try only 1/2 throttle off the line, then floor it once you are moving.

#3 Keep doing this with varying degree's of throttle position until you determine the best result.
Note: changing the throttle position and degree's here is for right after the light turns green.

#4 Now try going up on your rpm's before launch. I like to try 100 rpm increments.

Once you determine what your car likes best, then you can work on consistancy. After you obtain consistancy, then try changing other things, like lowering tire pressure, lowering fuel load, removing weight, etc, etc...

REMENBER TO DOCUMENT ALL RESULTS!!!

Once you have it all documented, you will be able to determine how to launch you car best while dealing with a slick or sticky track.
If all else fails, take a look around and try to spot the guy running a stock car (could be any kind evean a beater) who is cutting great lights time after time. Go up to him/her and ask them if they could give you some pointers. Almost everyone at all the tracks I have ever raced on have been very friendly and ready to give advice or help

If you already know all of this, then sorry for the long reply. BUT, please don't under ANY circumstances "neutral drop" your trans!!!
KevinD

[DeusEx]

Ok, so basicly just play around with it?
Question though, i have an automatic, how do i "lanch" with that?
Its 1st, 2nd, d and over d, n, r, p i believe
Is it even possable to do this (get up to a certain rpm before throwing it into d) with an automatic?
The only thing i can think of to get it up there is to be in d and just hold the brake?
It wouldnt work to good if it was in neutral, getting it up to a certain rpm and then going down past over d into d...im guessing at least

[Savage Messiah]

Leave it in D, hold the brake... you wanna stall (raise the RPM) it high enough that you arent doing a burnout and won't s[pin your tires when you launch... then when you go, slam the gas to the floor and take your foot off the brake at the same time

[92zcamaroperson]

Originally Posted by 97CamaroRS

Leave it in D, hold the brake... you wanna stall (raise the RPM) it high enough that you arent doing a burnout and won't s[pin your tires when you launch... then when you go, slam the gas to the floor and take your foot off the brake at the same time

If your car has some power then dont slam the gas just give enough gas to where it dosent spin and gradually put the pedal down because youll just sit there spinning your tires while the other guy goes. Thats what i discovered when I went against a 2005 bmw m3. Not that i had a chance anyway but i did it anyways for the fun of it. At the start i wouldlve kept with him at least through first but i got jumpy and just spun my tires while he took off....that reminds me....i need more power......

[Rally Sport]

Yeah it's simple, just keep one foot on the brake and the other on the gas, giving it some high RPMs but not spinning your tires. I remember when I got a good launch, the back end of my Camaro was rising real bad.. felt nice.

Also never race in Over D or [D] if you will because its overdrive and obviously.. not going to with the race. so if you race put it in D then after the race go back to Over D and save some gas.

[Viper_Storm]

Originally Posted by Rally Sport 92

Yeah it's simple, just keep one foot on the brake and the other on the gas, giving it some high RPMs but not spinning your tires. I remember when I got a good launch, the back end of my Camaro was rising real bad.. felt nice.

Also never race in Over D or [D] if you will because its overdrive and obviously.. not going to with the race. so if you race put it in D then after the race go back to Over D and save some gas.

lol, i can put my foot on the break and floor the gas till red line and still not spin my tires, will most likely blow my engine tho.

[tcfco2005]

how do you pull that off.....really good brakes or no power.??

[Rally Sport]

Not alot of power is how.. I cant spin my tires.. my computer wont let me.. but MAN since it was cool outside today I decided to hit the gas because I was in a hurry and spun them like no tomorrow. GOTTA LOVE COLD AIR!

[tcfco2005]

even when power braking yall cant spin....Im sorry.

[Viper_Storm]

Originally Posted by tcfco2005

how do you pull that off.....really good brakes or no power.??

i drive a 96 cav with a 4 banger that has 136,300 miles on it, so its got roughly 110hp (maybe closer to 100) after all the years of wear and tear.

i did manage to break them lose today, but the ground was wet and i was at a dead stop and trying to turn.

[tcfco2005]

well that explains it.....i thought you drove a maro.

[Viper_Storm]

Originally Posted by tcfco2005

well that explains it.....i thought you drove a maro.

nope, shit didnt work out to well for me, i wish i had a mother that was willing to take me to atco to get that camaro, shit it was even cheaper and i found out that my aunts b/f has all the tools to fix it, even if it was a cracked block. now im so f-ing mad i spent all my f-ing money on this car and i was quoted on an 3rd gen camaro for 1500 for every 6 months and this is like 60 dollars every 6 months cheaper, im just so pissed off.

could have gotten a 3rd gen got a good job put in a twin turbo ls* engine and be ripping other ppl apart, but nope im stuck with this now.

[Savage Messiah]

Originally Posted by Rally Sport 92

Also never race in Over D or [D] if you will because its overdrive and obviously.. not going to with the race. so if you race put it in D then after the race go back to Over D and save some gas.

How do these foolish myths get started

A 4-speed automatic goes, 1 2 3 4. 3d gear is a 1:1 ratio, and 4th gear is less, makign it the overdrive gear.

Whether you are in D or OD, you will go thru the same gears in the same order,and most of the time you wont be racing long enough for it to shift into OD. FYI at wide open throttle, my car shifts into 4th gear at 101 MPH.

[Rally Sport]

Well when you're in overdrive your RPMs are lower.. when you're NOT in overdrive your RPMs are higher and obviously higher RPMS=more power (USUALLY) Anyway this would be true in most cars but OD for the 700R4 is at 3/4 throttle so who knows?