Heat the tires?
 

Going to the SLP event at Texas Motorplex in 2 weeks. 1st time on the track with this car. Should I avoid the water or roll thru and heat the tires a little? A lot? Will tire pressure make much difference and if so, what is recommended? I just wan't to see how it runs, don't wanna tear anything up, so I don't plan on any bonzai 5500 rpm slip your foot off the clutch launches. Advice?

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02 Z28 DARK METALLIC BLUE M6 HURST QTEC STB GLB SLP-Lid K&N Trailerin hitch

I must assume you are running stock rubber, correct? If so;

1) Avoid the water like a plague! Drive around!
2) Do a short dry burnout to clean tires off only! It does no good to heat stock rubber to the melting point. The rubber is not designed to get softer as it is heated.
3) Adjust tire pressure so you get a nice even contact patch accross the entire tread surface. You can check by doing a few short burnouts in the staging lanes or pit roads. Just be sensable about it, SHORT tire spins.
You might try 25 lbs as a starting point. Going lower than 20#'s probably will do no good! It's a street tire not a drag tire!

This is my opinion but heck... I'm pretty darned smart!! http://web.camaross.com/bb/wink.gif

Good Luck!! Have FUN!

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---God Speed, Good Luck and Fast Times to You!---
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[This message has been edited by Redbird (edited August 15, 2002).]

Don't do burnouts in the staging lanes. That will get you kicked out quicker than anything...and you'll look like an idiot. http://web.camaross.com/bb/wink.gif Experiment with different tire pressures before you get to the track or adjust the pressure between runs to see what works best.

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'97 Z28 6 speed - Cayenne Red Metallic
CC305 - 112 LSA, Crane Gold 1.6 RRs, Crane 10308 springs, K&N CAI, SLP Shorties, custom offroad y-pipe, borla, Motive 3.73s - TA girdle & stud kit...

13.384 @ 107.42 - 2.186 60' and 90*

Don't question the great...just enjoy us

My '97 Z28

Thanks for the input. Yes, stock tires still. I thought about playing with the pressure and trying a few launches before going but then wondered about it being much stickier at the strip due to all the rubber down. I didn't want to think I had it figured out and then be surprised. What about staging? Should I stop as soon as I see the light on or go a little deeper? I assume I should shift just before the rev limiter?


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02 Z28 DARK METALLIC BLUE M6 HURST QTEC STB GLB SLP-Lid K&N Trailerin hitch

When I say staging lanes, I mean at the entrance to or very far away from the exit of the lane onto the track surface. NOT where cars are packed in, by any means. I also said a SHORT tire spin, you only need a foot or so to see the contact patch! You can do one of them darned near anywhere without calling attention to yourself as a newbie idiot. And... it doesn't have to be a 6000 RPM banzai launch, just a quick 3000 rpm dump and clutch back in type of thing. "OOpps, foot slipped off the clutch: http://web.camaross.com/bb/wink.gif

I knew what I meant, should have been more explisive, sorry!

HInk

[This message has been edited by Redbird (edited August 16, 2002).]

If you pull up and get the first lights to come on (prestage), then pull up a little bit until you just get the second lights to come on (stage), then you will be shallow staged, and it will help your ET by some microscopic amount. If you are deep into the staging lights and the prestage lights go out (deep staged) you are closer to the finish line, and might win the race by this microscopic amount. For your case, you should shallow stage, because you want a small ET.

While it's not as much fun, you can also mist the tires with a spray bottle, roll the car forward and then 'read' the tracks. Heavy in the middle = too much pressure. Heavy on the edges = not enough pressure.

most radial tires work best between 26-30psi any lower they tend to cup in the middle which means less tire on the track less traction. usually try and get there before all the big tubbed cars have been out. they lay down big gobs of rubber that is almost like grease to a radial tire. try the 3000rpm side step the clutch launch and it will bog a little then feather the throttle as she comes out of the whole and if that produces to much tire spin then hold it about 3500 slip the clutch but hold it at 3500 til the car rolls out strong then dump and floor it. just a few things I did when I ran some concrete hard 245-50-16s on my car stock and it ran 13.87 at 100mph