petegz28

Anyone have any tips for a first time runner for getting off the line quick in an automatic? I have heard to power brake until the point the wheels are ready to turn and once the last yellow lights up to stomp it down? Any other ideas?

95GRNZ

I'm sure this same question is being asked very often at the Drag Racing section. You might want to do some searching over there.

All in all, sounds like you pretty much got the idea anyway.

Later!

TS

V6toZ28

That method will pretty much guarantee a spin and probably pull to the right - then it will be a matter of how well you keep your cool ... saw a rookie in a LT1 T/A do that the other night, over corrected to the left, then over corrected back to the right, hit the brakes and t-bone the wall ... all within the first 60 feet.

Power brake and bring it up to about 1300 rpm, then at the third light roll into the throttle, as you feel it hook take the throttle all the way to the floor. If at any time it doesn't feel right or the car is going anywhere other then straight, back off the throttle, if straightens out, go ahead and get back in it, if not just cruise on down the track ...

Good Luck

psychocabbage

I used to have an auto.. Was getting 1.9 short times..

#1 nothing will work unless you have decent tires.. Not great, but decent.. Also, it may look kewl to burn out, but on street tires you arent helping yourself so dont do it...
Go around the water box.. straighten up the car.. do one or two dry hops (blip the gas hard so it surges.. no brake)
Line up and put one foot on the brake the other hovers over the gas.. when you see the last yellow light switch them out so you are off the brake and mashing on the gas.. this will "flash" your tranny in effect giving you a little more stall than your stock stall has.. then just keep your foot in it.. if it spins, it should only do so momentarily.. or just when it hits second.. dont ever get out of it unless its starts to turn.. as long as the car is going straight with stock power it will power through it and gain traction.. I usually hit 2nd and would break loose for a sec then regain.. but i had gear in that car...

I also firmly believe in leaving the car in OD.. no need for any other gear choice in an auto since you cant shift it..and you cannot out shift an electric tranny.. it is always faster.. You should look into some programming and a dyno to find out when to do your best shifts.. i put my car to shift just after it peaks in hp...

jd13

In my IROC (hey it's auto) I would brake torque it to 1500 or so. Then I would roll into the gas quickly. Never stomp it, you'll just spin. If you got 2.73 gears then I guess you could stompt it. 3.23s or higher (number) you'll just spin and thats from experience.

So I'd say a combination of the two above. When I first started racing the IROC I would do what Psychocabbage said. It's a hit or miss though, too much gas = spin, too little = blah. Of course you can get good at it, as obviously he did, and I did too. But with experience I've been much more consistant at 1.9x 60 foots(on street tires) with the brake torquing method.

z top

if you have trouble hooking up at the track you could try some traction compound which is what im going to try soon. JEGS sell vht track bite for about $30 for a gallon of it and its supposed to be easy to apply such as using a paitbrush to apply it. i personally have never tried it but as i said i will soon as i am curious as to how much this will actually help. and also i've achieved my best times using the powerbrake method and for me atleast it was easier to achieve a quicker reaction time thus making me more consistent.

35thanniv.SS

If you have a stock converter.. there is no need to power brake off the line.

psychocabbage

oopps! i will add that i did have an air bag in on that car.. always forget about the airbag.. the airbag is a bladder that preloads the right rear so traction is increased.. It does help ALOT! I suggest you look into that. If you go halvsies with someone its about $35 each..