I went to Milan Dragway this morning. The event got rained out, but I got nine runs in before they called it, and we had nice cool air all morning (~50 degrees).

I have a new best 60' time of 2.149 (previous best 2.201), and a new best MPH of 108.93 (previous best 107.8). The run with the good 60' also gave me my best ET for the day, 13.231, just a hair behind my 18-month-old personal best of 13.219.

I credit the improvement in 60' time to increased tire pressure. The last couple times I've gone drag racing, I've experimented with lower pressures (20-25psi). After discovering that my tires don't make good contact even at 32psi, I bumped them up to 40psi. This yielded an improvement, as did warming them up just a little in the burnout box.

Obviously 2.149 isn't anything special, but it's an improvement and that means I'm on the right track. I need more practice to see if I can make it better. I'd love to see 2.0x on my street tires (245/50/16 Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3s).

I credit the trap speed improvement to my powershifting. Every time I've gone drag racing before, I was completely lifting off the gas pedal when I shifted. On the 108.93mph run I ripped off three successful shifts without lifting at all.

As soon as a few thousand dollars fall out of the sky, I'm getting headers, a Dana 60 with 3.73s and a set of ET Streets. Hello 12's!

 

Here are the relevant timeslips:

60' 2.1493
330' 5.7652
1/8 8.6672 @ 85.05
1000' 11.1402 @ 98.93
1/4 13.2312 @ 107.87

60' 2.4518
330' 6.1259
1/8 9.0249 @ 85.38
1000' 11.4920 @ 99.09
1/4 13.5701 @ 108.93

Oh yeah, and I made a note at the bottom of the timeslip with the good MPH: "A/C on"

 

yea headers and tires would help you a lot...

 

Great times.

Edited * Sorry for elaboration of consistancy.

 

Don't know where you got that impression. Here are my ET's for the day, in order:

13.58
13.56
13.48
13.57
13.23
13.76
13.41
13.43
13.64

Not consistent enough to get past round two of any bracket competition I've ever been in.

If you factor out the launch (1/4 mile ET - 60'), I'm still not very consistent:
13.58 - 2.39 = 11.19
13.56 - 2.37 = 11.19 *
13.48 - 2.19 = 11.29 *
13.57 - 2.45 = 11.12
13.23 - 2.14 = 11.09
13.76 - 2.26 = 11.50 **
13.41 - 2.15 = 11.26 *
13.43 - 2.22 = 11.21
13.64 - 2.38 = 11.26 *

* = I missed the 3-4 shift.
** = I missed the 2-3 and the 3-4.

I've never missed so many shifts on a day of drag racing before. I'm concerned that I've thrown a syncrho out of alignment or something.

So anyway, as you can see, if I could nail down my 60, I still wouldn't be very consistent. I need to work on my shifting (and possibly get a better shifter and/or rebuild my T56), too. If I keep missing shifts like I did today, I should probably get a set of chrome-moly pushrods, too. And of course, while I'm in there, I'll want to install better springs and stronger rockers... there's no end!

Besides, I'm in this strictly for fun. My Z28 is my daily driver, and I go drag racing a couple times a year just to see what I can do. I have no interest in racing for points, and I know that it'll never be a profitable endeavor. My only goal is to find the car's shortcomings and upgrade it accordingly, and find my shortcomings and practice accordingly.

 

Congrats on the new best!

You should never run your A/C on the track or just before getting on the track. It will drip water on the track

 

I know... I just forgot to turn it off.

 

Not a good idea keeping the air on before a run, the car will run warmer and the officials frown about dripping water. the good news is, the air shuts off at WOT.