Okay, I have been following the threads with everyone talking about going to the track. I have come to the conclusion, that I am a bit "race challenged" on terms. So, could some you well informed expereinced track racers out there help me (and others like me) out with defining certain terms and why they are imprtant?
Although I know some of the terms, I will add all terms for others. Feel free to add to terms I forgot here. What are:
1) trap speed?
2) 60' time?
3) 1/8 mile?
4) 1/4 mile?
5) 0-60
6) 0-100
7) 0-100-0
8) launch
9) power band
Now since I do not race, I am sure I am forgetting a ton of lingq. Please feel free to add to the list. Do include not the definition, but why that term is important.
Now since I do not race, I am sure I am forgetting a ton of lingq. Please feel free to add to the list. Do include not the definition, but why that term is important.
I'll give it a shot for you.
1. The trap speed is how fast the car is going at the finish line. We also call it the "Big End" of the track inversely the beginning of the track is called the "Small End" or "Short End". The trap speed is also a sign of whether the motor is healthy. If a car runs a decent pass but it's MPH are down then you may have a motor issue or need to refresh the motor. If it runs a high MPH compared to its normal speed but the time was worse it usually means you "blew the Tires" or spun somewhere down the track or at the start.
2. 60' time is the time the car takes to break the beams at the starting line and reach the 60' mark on the track. This is important because it tells you whether the car is "Hooking Up" or getting traction. Whether the car is "Nosing Over" or leaving with too little power. It's also indicative of what the rest of the run will be. Time lost or gained in the 60' will multiply itself at the "Big End" of the track resulting in better or worse times.
3. 1/8 th mile. Some tracks are only 1/8th mile long. However, on 1/4 mile tracks the 1/8th mile is marked and recorded for many of the same reasons as above. So you can tell when you had a problem or if you have to abort the run you have an idea of what kind of pace the car was on.
4 1/4 mile is exactly that. It's a 1/4 mile and that's what most Drag races occur on. However, there are classes that only run 1/8th or 1000'. This is done for safety in many cases because the cars are so fast or to save wear and tear on the cars.
8 Launch is when you leave the line on a drag strip. It's how you start out. You can leave from an idle just what it sounds like. You can foot brake the car stand on the foot brake while applying gas and there by loading the torque converter. Or you can leave on a transbrake a mechanical device in some transmission that puts the car in reverse and drive simultaneously while putting the gas all the way to the floor. When released it throws the car into drive releasing all the stored energy.
Here are a couple more of my more favorite racing terms.
Shaking the tires=much like a massive case of wheel hop!
Hazing the tires= not quite blowing the tires off as explained above but having more spin then you would like on launch.
Wheel Speed= Most cars do not "Dead Hook" that is when the tire does not spin at all but immediately grips and propels the car forward. Wheel speed is that optimum range when the wheel spins just enough and the car has just enough power to "Leave" with power and not just "Blow the tires off".
Dead hook= When a car doesn't have enough power and the tires grip but there is no "Wheel Speed" in most cases the car will "nose over" after dead hooking.
Nosing Over= the action a car makes when it "Leaves" hard lifting the front end but the front end then immediately drops and doesn't return smoothly.
Leaving= how a car "Leaves' is basically it's characteristics upon a good launch.
OK I'm tired of typing someone else do some!
__________________
2007 Mustang GT Vista Blue 740RWHP/motor 904RWHP/spray 9.01 @ 152 mph 1/4 mile, 1.40 60' 2008 Clash of the Titans World Finals Champion 2009 Strictly Street Points leader/ET & MPH Record Holder
2009 GT500 Grabber Orange Vert 594 RWHP 11.5 @ 120mph it's my slow car!
Since you didn't cover number 9, I'll take a shot at it.
A power band is a rock group that plays hard rock or heavy metal music.
Or, a power band is the flattest part of the engine's torque curve. Gearing of the transmission and rear end should be configured to get the car into the powerband and through each transmission gear as quick as possible. An engine built for good low and mid-range torque may perform best between 2,000 and 5,000 rpms. An engine with shorter intake runners and huge ports may perform best between 3,000 and 6,500 rpms. These two examples require different gearing to make each of them perform their best.
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2008 Shelby GT500 torch red with black stripes + sequentials
2001 Cobra mineral grey with 2003 Mach 1 shaker hood
1996 Cobra color-shifting mystic paint + sequentials
Since you didn't cover number 9, I'll take a shot at it.
A power band is a rock group that plays hard rock or heavy metal music.
Or, a power band is the flattest part of the engine's torque curve. Gearing of the transmission and rear end should be configured to get the car into the powerband and through each transmission gear as quick as possible. An engine built for good low and mid-range torque may perform best between 2,000 and 5,000 rpms. An engine with shorter intake runners and huge ports may perform best between 3,000 and 6,500 rpms. These two examples require different gearing to make each of them perform their best.
Thanks Gary! Much more concise and precise then my explanation would have been!
__________________
2007 Mustang GT Vista Blue 740RWHP/motor 904RWHP/spray 9.01 @ 152 mph 1/4 mile, 1.40 60' 2008 Clash of the Titans World Finals Champion 2009 Strictly Street Points leader/ET & MPH Record Holder
2009 GT500 Grabber Orange Vert 594 RWHP 11.5 @ 120mph it's my slow car!
Saleen S/C 3.2 pulley tuned by JDM Engineering, GT500 pumps, CHE goodies on the rear, 4.10's, KOOKS/ high flow catted X pipe with PYPES Violators, Spydershaft, TCI 3500 stall, PA deep tranny pan. Meziere w/p,M&H 325/45/17 DRs.
future mods.... a 3.0 pulley
WATER BOX:the the beggining of the track where cars with slicks or drag radial roll into. They wet the tires and then burn out to heat the tires.
Cars with street tires go around the water box to the line. If you want to do a burn out , which is not what I would do. You have to back up almost to the water box about 2-3 feet away. Then do your burnout there. I would not waist your street tires though.
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Airraid CAI/BAMA tune,moto blue pullies,3:73`s,LPW girdle;Powerhouse DS,CHE safety loop,CHE LCA`S & Adjustable UCA,Kooks LT`S & O/R X Pipe,prothane MM`s,Steeda CMDP`S,Eibach springs,Tokico D specs,Polished TB(by Me),Steeda radiator support,MT DR`S,Zex kit 100 shot. Taylor Relocation batter kit and cut off switch
11:933 ET, 1.674 60`,111.877 MPH 5600 feet above sea level 6900 D/A
Short Shifting= To shift the car before your through the power band effectively lossing some of it's power. Can be a mistake or done on purpose. You may short shift if you start to blow off the tires, dropping you out of the power band for an instant and allowing the car to get back in "shape". You might also do this if your dragging the bumper on a wheely leaving the line and you need to get the car back in control, it's risky and can cause the car to slam back down if not done right.
Long shift= To shift the car outside of it's upper power band sometimes causing the car to bang the rev limiter.
out of shape= The car gets loose on the track or isn't going straight as it should.
Lifting= or "Getting out" is when you let off the throttle. You may do it in a index class to keep from "Breaking Out" or if the car gets out of shape or has a problem.
Chopping the throttle= Quickly lifting off the throttle then going WOT again. Sometimes done to correct a car that is out os shape, much more risky then letting out.
Grove= Is the spot in the track that all the cars go down. The track is wide but all the cars try to go down the same area called the grove.
Okay, my fingers are tired again!
And if I ever say anything you don't understand (in the context of racing) just ask!
Always glad to help!
__________________
2007 Mustang GT Vista Blue 740RWHP/motor 904RWHP/spray 9.01 @ 152 mph 1/4 mile, 1.40 60' 2008 Clash of the Titans World Finals Champion 2009 Strictly Street Points leader/ET & MPH Record Holder
2009 GT500 Grabber Orange Vert 594 RWHP 11.5 @ 120mph it's my slow car!
Although I am not quite into racing my ride, for I really do not want to spend a lot of money just to replace everything when it breaks.
However with that said, I would like to take my car to a legalized track and see what she can do. I do plan on getting my supercharger in by the end of this year so I would like to have the numbers (it adds to my showability..).
Although I am a rather skilled driver, I would love to take my car to one of those performance driving courses and put my car and driving skills to the test. It would be fun. My dream vacation would be to go to the Richard Petty Race school/camp for a week. (yes, I know there are other race camps too). That would be a blast.
Although I am a rather skilled driver, I would love to take my car to one of those performance driving courses and put my car and driving skills to the test. It would be fun. My dream vacation would be to go to the Richard Petty Race school/camp for a week. (yes, I know there are other race camps too). That would be a blast.
have you tried Autocross racing? thats when they set up a track with cones in a giant parking lot, its a great test of driving skills and its affordable and fun! Its more about braking, turning and finding the right angles for apex', you wont really break 50 - 60 mph at any given point, No walls or other cars to hit so you can safely push your car to its limits.
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2007 GT Convertible Premium 5 spd || FRPP HotRod Cams || Full Steeda Suspension w D-Specs || Brembo GT500 || Steeda CAI & Delete plates|| Flowmaster || Magnaflow catted X Pipe || MGW Shifter || Tuned by RealSpeed ||
Have you tried Autocross racing? They set up a track with cones in a giant parking lot. It's a great test of driving skills that's affordable and fun! Its more about braking, turning and finding the apex; you don't usually exceed 50 mph. No walls or other cars to hit so you can safely push your car to its limits.
A lot of those pesky orange cones tend to get caught under the car or stuck between the tire and the fenderwell, though. When my buddy Mark was building his Cobra roadster kit car we went to the annual Run 'N Gun meet held at Gateway Racetrack and watched as the officials walked the drivers (on foot - not in their cars) through the maze of cones set up in a huge empty parking lot, so they could familiarize themselves with the layout before beginning the timed competitive runs. They got to the extreme far side of the course before it started pouring down rain. The drivers ran not only to get out of the deluge, but to get in their roadsters (that were parked out in the open at the near side of the lot) and drive them back to the covered garage area as fast as possible.
__________________
2008 Shelby GT500 torch red with black stripes + sequentials
2001 Cobra mineral grey with 2003 Mach 1 shaker hood
1996 Cobra color-shifting mystic paint + sequentials
Although I am not quite into racing my ride, for I really do not want to spend a lot of money just to replace everything when it breaks.
However with that said, I would like to take my car to a legalized track and see what she can do. I do plan on getting my supercharger in by the end of this year so I would like to have the numbers (it adds to my showability..).
Although I am a rather skilled driver, I would love to take my car to one of those performance driving courses and put my car and driving skills to the test. It would be fun. My dream vacation would be to go to the Richard Petty Race school/camp for a week. (yes, I know there are other race camps too). That would be a blast.
Wednesday nights at Infineon or Sacramento Raceway would be your best bet as far as taking your ride down the 1/4 mile. Fairly inexpensive and usually quite a few first timers- so no reason to feel intimidated.
Help with racing terms 
) just ask! 
