[slo 5.0]

hi- i just got a used set of nittos(drag radials) and need to know best way / how hard of a burnout to do. my car is an automatic. thanks-- slo

[samotrx7]

Go around the waterbox and light them up jus until you start to see some smoke off of them and than jus roll almost into the beams. You're basically doin your burnout but don't jus let off, once you're finishing it let off the brake and once the car is rolling slowly let off the throttle in a smooth fashion. There's no need to kill them in the burnout box you'll jus be wearing down your tires.

[RLG34750]

It's impressive to show your car can do long, smokey burnouts. But all it does, whether street tires or some sort of drag tire, is take money out of your pocket and put it on the ground in a pile of rubber. Or you could just send it to me. I can always use a few bucks.

You're sitting at the head of the lanes, 1 of the next cars to pull out. They motion you out towards the bleach box. (Years ago, centuries ago, they would pour bleach on the track instead of water, hence the old term bleach box.) There will be somebody there, usually with a hose in their hands, motioning you into position and telling you when to stop.

But wait a minute! You're on street radials! That means avoide the water if you can. Even if you have to pull alongside the track till you're in front of the water, then back up stopping before you get to the water. If the car in the other lane is using the bleach box, wait till they start moving, then do your short, dry burnout. Then drive directly to the starting line. Don't stop and do any "dry hops" on your way. I'll explain this shortly.

Your front tires should have about 40 lbs of air in them, more roll out, quicker starting on the tree. Your back tires you'll need to play with. Performance tires vs touring tires you may get away with less air pressure. Have a friend look at your tracks. It should be even all the way across the rubber you put down. If not make adjustments up or down depending some on the "pattern"'. A good starting point is 30 lbs, then adjust up or down from there.

Get a good tire pressure gauge. When your sitting in the lanes usually the sun is hitting 1 side & not the other. The sun tire will usually go up in air pressure. Don't go below 20 lbs on street radials.

Now the other guy has started moving. I like doing a burnout in a manual shift mode with a street car. In 1st gear just get them started spinning and shift to second, bring the rpm's out & shift into third with your throttle about 1/2. Release the brake and when your car starts moving ease up on the throttle. Make sure you stop before the starting line.

If you are using a DOT drag radial or even slicks, it's different. Even size can make a difference. The top fuel dragsters, funny cars, pro stocks ect run very low air pressure. In stock eliminator we are limited to a 30" tall x 9" wide slick. We'll run usually 16 to 20 lbs air pressure. Much less than that and the softer sidewalls can make the tire ball up, almost like it's trying to run over itself.

You've just been motioned out to the bleach box. If it's dry or very little water, motion for them to wet down your box. Try to center yourself as you roll through the water stopping just ahead of the water puddle. If you want, as soon as you hit the puddle, blip your throttle to spin the tires over, but still stop just beyond the puddle. If you do your burnout in the puddle, you'll have excess water everywhere, spinning badly when you leave the starting line.

They motion you to start your burnout. Again, use 1st to get the tires spinning then shift to 2nd increasing you engine speed, shift to 3rd. All you really want to do is have a haze of smoke from the tires, not rolling billowing clouds of smoke. Drive your car out of the burnout under power with the tires still spinning. This will take care of any excess water (unless you stopped in the puddle). Make sure your engine speed isn't too high so you don't damage the engine or transmission. About 3,500 rpm will be sufficient, but that's just approximate.

Drive straight to the starting line to stage. Some people like to stop & do a "dry hop". The 1st hit of the throttle is when the tires will hook the best, so if you dry hop you just took that 1st hit & wasted it instead of using it to launch your car.

A burnout helps clean any unwanted debris from your tires, heats your tires, if done properly, to a good temperature, leading to a good launch. A short, lower rpm burnout will properly set your tires up for the launch. A long, smokey burnout, will, most of the time, overheat the tires making them gooey, not sticky, as well as incosistant. All a burnout does is prepares your tires for that launch.

If you've never run race slicks before, here's a little info. Because the sidewalls are softer and we don't use as much air as street tires, when you go down the track the rear end may feel kind of loose. Sort of like little fish-tailing, or rolling side to side. Most of that is normal, so don't panic. If it's too uncomfortable you can increase your air pressure. But check your 60' times & see which one is best. That's probably going to be your best rear tire pressure.

Just a little recap: street radials-no water burnout. Keep track of air pressure every run till you find out what is ideal. Short, low rpm burnouts just hazing the tires. No dry hops-go straight to the starting line. With DOT drag radials, radial slicks or bias ply slicks pull through and stop in front of the water.

Track personnel will tell you when to start your burnout. Keep records of every run you make, so you can see how your car was set up on its best passes.

[perfect light]

Sould have Gotten Mickey Thompsons....See you Guys In Atlanta at the Division 2 Finals....

[slo 5.0]

thanks for the replies-- unfortunately things didn't go to well. went to the strip last nite and tried your tips-- i am still getting the same 60 ft. times as with my street tires using drag radials!!!(2.25) and the car is going a full second faster now w/my new mods! (see sig. -no supercharger yet)i tried 20#,18#, and 15# of pressure with no significant difference!!! the tires are 245/50/16. my guess is 1-try to get them hotter 2-bigger tire 3-try half throttle launch then floor it 4-??? my car has a 2400 stahl converter now also.

[samotrx7]

Try the tire pressure a little higher at 25 psi and see what it does for you. That's what I usually run mine at, but every car is different...... Also rather than flooring it try rolling into the throttle.