street racing tips?

[wilby34]

ok,

so I got beaten by a 69 chevelle yesterday. It was kinda embarrasin, but I have a couple of things that I think I did wrong that I am looking for help to fix.

1)my start wasnt that good, so if anyone could give me some tips on how to get a good start from a light that would be cool.

and

2)my shifting wasnt very fast (every time i shifted, I felt them moving away from me)

and

3)I think I fell out of the power range everytime I shifted. maybe I should let the engine rev higher before shifting it.

comments/input are greatly appreciated

[hmsports]

Is your car bone stock or souped up? Consider the HP/Weight ratio of your car to the car you are racing and be realistic in your expectations.

A lot will depend on how much you feel like tearing up your machinery.

There's a definate power band for your car... in each gear. Best thing to do is find a safe place to do some experimenting. Rap up your car in each gear to learn the sound of the engine and the feel of the pull. You can tell when the engine gets flat and is no longer in the power band. Try shifting up at different RPMs (say in 100 RPM increments) down from these realistic maxes for each gear. Listen and feel how the car accelerates from each of these shifts to determine the optimal max RPM for each gear.

Never slam the gear shift. Cup the shift knob in your hand - don't have a death-grip on it. Practice counting in your head... 1 as you disengage and go through neutral and then ...2 as you slip it into gear - this will help you get into a rythm - almost two distinct motions. I've been taught to treat the gear shift knob like it was an egg. You will be surprised but as in all racing - smooth is fast.

If you have a good clutch - and don't mind a lot of wear on the tranny and engine, rap the car up and dump the clutch. Practice this to find the best RPM where you don't end up just spinning your tires. Be careful not to slip the clutch too much. Again, be smooth.

Remember... racing is hazardous - not just to your car, but more importantly to you and others - and should be kept on the track.

Now, this is just my opinion - that, along with $3.25 will get you a small Starbuck coffee - so take it for that. You will get a hundred different opinions on this one...

[AxtellZ]

First things first. Street racing is not advised nor condoned. If you feel compelled to, DON'T BE AN IDIOT! I too have been known to drive on the edge, but i risk myself and my property only- I make damn sure other people are not in harm's way.

Please, please, please- Be careful. If someone were to harm my family driving like an idiot- I'd hunt them down!

(steps down from soapbox)

That said- basically practice brings quick starts off the line.

You probably could benefit from the calculator here:

http://www.geocities.com/z_design_studio/

The powerband seems to be 3000 to 5000rpm in my cars, the Z engine will rev to 6000 easily, so i'd guess perhaps you're shifting too soon. You can find shift points at RPM/speed for your drivetrain with the calculator to keep you at max power.

Hope that helps! Remember- don't be stupid, we can't afford it!

Zya, Jeremiah

[carguyinok]

Keep it on the track & off the streets

Rember if you race someone and they hurt someone else you are just as much at fault. Strang & freek things go on at high speeds that you wont want to deal with on A track. No less A city street with other people or parked cars around.:dead:

[2ManyZs]

Street racing is not only a good way to hurt someone, it's also a good way to lose your car! If caught you can be subject to having your car impounded and sold at auction in most areas of the country. Hard to buy it back if you are sitting in a jail cell awaiting trial for vehicular manslaughter if your are involved in an accident.

TAKE IT TO THE TRACK, NOT THE STREET!

[Mr Camouflage]

ok,

so I got beaten by a 69 chevelle yesterday. It was kinda embarrasin, but I have a couple of things that I think I did wrong that I am looking for help to fix.

1)my start wasnt that good, so if anyone could give me some tips on how to get a good start from a light that would be cool.

and

2)my shifting wasnt very fast (every time i shifted, I felt them moving away from me)

and

3)I think I fell out of the power range everytime I shifted. maybe I should let the engine rev higher before shifting it.

comments/input are greatly appreciated

1) Just get used to your car. see how high to rev the engine an how quickly to let the clutch out, without either staling it or geting too much wheel spin. clutches were invented for a reason. hold first gear right up to 4000rpm, at least.

2) it was probably an auto. there's a reason professional drag racers have autos, not manuals, and there's no reason to take your foot off the gas in an auto.

3) again just get used to your car, workout where the powerband is. peak power will probably be between 4500 and 5500 rpm, for a stock engine, so that's when you'll want to be changing gear.

4) Get a bank loan to pay for all the new parts you'll be needing when the old parts start breaking

And

5) Get life insurance so your family can bury you when you kill yourself.:dead:

It's fun to beat someone off the line at the traffic lights, but when you get up to the speed limit the race is over.

what's a chevelle?

Mr C

[hmsports]

Late 60's and early 70's muscle car from Chevrolet...

[shock96]

I think I speak for all the moderators on this site:

STREET RACING IS A BAD IDEA.

I have seen to many accidents and even deaths in scene over the years. After I starting going to the track, there is no way I will race on the street.

Get your car prepped for the track and hit it. You will find plent of folks to race against both road racing and bracket racing.

GO KICK SOME arse!! but on the track...

Mike

[grantman240z]

just take a look at my old baby...think twice before you race again. Your car may look like this and u wont be as lucky as i was. At 17 i didnt need to flip a car...man i wasnt even racing...but $h!+ happens and u can prevent it. Take a look on my post in the CAMPFIRE STORIES section...entitle "a horrible weekend...." That twisted hunk of yellow WAS a Z...now its a little cube somewhere in the crusher

[E Train]

street racing might seem like the coolest thing to do, but lives are at risk here. Think about it this way. You are going 120 and plus and a kid walks out in the middle of the road, or anyone for that matter. Realistically it is not so easy to stop a 120mph car so now either you or the guy is prolly gonna die. So way to go, wont you feel good when you killed someone just so you could race. Please keep it on the tracks. That way all the fools in harm way know what they are putting themselves up to.

[Akir-ra]

....Is both dangerous and stupid. Putting lives at stake for the sake of beating some idiot in a V8 hooptie is just not worth the risk. I agree with e train.. I know that I'd feel awful if I ran into someone and/or wrecked my car..But I'd feel a vigilate coming on if someone else did it to me or mine..

:devious:

[dero]

ive been into the streetracing scene for the last 2 years and dont regret it, yes it is very dangerous which is why i stick to private runs which are much safer, just too many newbies thinking its the cool thing to do that mess it up for everybody. this wasent me in that z but i attended this block in.......