first time...
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 220
From: Waterford / Clarkston Mich.
first time...
ok guys im goin to run my Grand am on the strip this commin up saturday just for the hell of it...i know i not goin to run 8's or 9's...or 10's.....i just want to go out and have fun..im thinkin it will hit in the high to mid 16's......this will be my first time out on the track....could you guys give me some tips on what i should be doin and what i shouldn't be doin. what i should look for so forth and so on....Mind you my Grand Am is FWD with a 4 banger...
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 2,037
From: 51°N 114°W, 3500' elevation
Re: first time...
Leave everything you don't need at home
Check with the track to see if you'll need a helmet or not. Some tracks require a helmet at all speeds
If possible, drive to the inside of the water box to keep the tires dry. Street tires pick up water and carry it to the starting line. They sweep the dirt and rubber towards the outside.
Do a short dry hop burnout just to clean the tires off. Street tires are not designed to heat up and doing a burnout just makes them slippery.
Ignore whatever is in the other lane. You're running your own race.
Don't move in to turn on the stage light until both prestage lights are on. That's just a courtesy stage procedure and should be done at all times. Once both cars are prestaged, move in enough to just turn on the stage light.
When the tree comes down, ignore everything except the last yellow light. As soon as you see it come on, go. By the time you and the car react, the light will be green and you'll get a better reaction time.
Since your car is stock, hold your foot to the floor until you cross the finish line.
Make sure you know what lane has the right of way. If the turnoff is on the left side then the left lane has priority. That means the car in the right lane should not take the turn off until the right lane is clear. Some people have cut across the lane only to have the other car fly past down to the end. There have been accidents so just be carefull.
#1 rule. Have fun. You're not in competition, speed means nothing. There will always be faster cars that you no matter how many improvements you decide to make.
Check with the track to see if you'll need a helmet or not. Some tracks require a helmet at all speeds
If possible, drive to the inside of the water box to keep the tires dry. Street tires pick up water and carry it to the starting line. They sweep the dirt and rubber towards the outside.
Do a short dry hop burnout just to clean the tires off. Street tires are not designed to heat up and doing a burnout just makes them slippery.
Ignore whatever is in the other lane. You're running your own race.
Don't move in to turn on the stage light until both prestage lights are on. That's just a courtesy stage procedure and should be done at all times. Once both cars are prestaged, move in enough to just turn on the stage light.
When the tree comes down, ignore everything except the last yellow light. As soon as you see it come on, go. By the time you and the car react, the light will be green and you'll get a better reaction time.
Since your car is stock, hold your foot to the floor until you cross the finish line.
Make sure you know what lane has the right of way. If the turnoff is on the left side then the left lane has priority. That means the car in the right lane should not take the turn off until the right lane is clear. Some people have cut across the lane only to have the other car fly past down to the end. There have been accidents so just be carefull.
#1 rule. Have fun. You're not in competition, speed means nothing. There will always be faster cars that you no matter how many improvements you decide to make.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 220
From: Waterford / Clarkston Mich.
Re: first time...
thanks man....that give me a lil bit more insite of what i need to do and make me feel more safe....
Last edited by MotorCityNova572; Nov 6, 2005 at 10:22 PM.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 220
From: Waterford / Clarkston Mich.
Re: first time...
Originally Posted by tnthub
A buddy of mine finished third in Street Eliminator a couple of years ago with his low 17 second Grand Am...
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