Hey,

Since we are going there for our Michigan hondaprelude.com com meet, I'm going to make a run with my 91 Si. I don't have much done on it: air intake, Magnecor plug wires (yes I know, it probably doesn't do **** unless I have extensive mods already!), and I will have a Thermal R&D catback exhaust system on it by then also. The clutch is still healthy, but it's a fabulous B21A oil burner. Also, Daytona all season tires won't be helping me any either. Anyway, can you guys offer some tips?

I know that I should probably get it up to 3,000 RPMs and just dump the clutch, but is there any other starting tips? Should I shift as close to my redline as possible, or should I shift according to what the motor and acceleration is doing? All I want to do is get a solid 16 time and not embarass myself! Thanks.

 

shift at the redline exactly to get the best times.
launching at 3000rpm should be fine if you do it right.
also, lower the pressure in your front tires a bit for better traction.
get a typeR sticker and you'll do 13's for sure
good luck

 

Do not dump the clutch on street tires, you'll get made wheelspin and crappy times. You need to ride the clutch out. You may also want to try checking the drag racing forum.

 

This is a good one. Don't just drop the clutch. Thats the number 1 mistake that people make the first time out. Let it out quick, but keep as much traction as possible.

If it is your first time... here is my biggest tip. Go watch a few cars run before you get up there and learn the rules of the track. NOTHING is more frustrating at the track than someone who has no clue what is going on and makes no effort to learn. Here are some other tips (many are obvious, but you asked for racing for dummies so)....


1). When you arrive in the pits, find a spot that isn't going to interfere with the more serious racers (the people with trailers, electric hook ups, etc). Remember, those people are regulars and have earned their spots. I usually take a spot off of the beaten path.

2). Find the tech and know what you need to run. Remember you have to have a catch can for your coolant (the factor one is just fine). You can't have any fluids leaking at all. None. You have to have seatbelts and all windows up usually. You also MAY need pants. Many tracks require pants, some don't. If you don't know, take them to be safe. If your battery has been relocated, you need a kill switch that kills all of the juice, or you need to disconnect the alt and run on battery only before going to tech. Be sure to have everything just as you'll have it on the track when you go to tech because they won't just tell you to go correct something. They'll make you retech if you have something to correct.

3). Go to staging lanes and wait your turn. Don't leave you car even if it looks like its going to be a while before you line goes. Sometimes they switch things up and your line goes out of turn. People aren't happy when they're sitting behind a parked car in the staging lanes with no driver around.

4). When its your turn to pull from the lanes to the prestage area, watch only the guy who is telling you where to go. He (or she) will point to which lane they want you to take. They may give you choice. Just pick one fast... don't hesitate. Its only time trials and if you're going to win, you need to try both lanes anyhow before eliminations.

5). Pull to the prestage area. Watch for the guy in the middle to let you know when its ok to burn out. Since its your first time, I'd wait for the other person to burn out or go around, or whatever. On street tires, skip the burnout. It only heats up the motor and wastes rubber to burn out on streets. Instead, while the other guy is burning out, drive around the rubber.

6). Assuming that the other people have finished and its ok to pull to the line, dry hop the car by just chirping the tires. Try to get one full turn out of them to get any water that you may have picked up off of the tires.

7). Pull to the line. This is where people usually turn in to retards. You should be able to drive straight toward the line at about 3-4 mph. When the first set of double lights comes on, hit the breaks. By the time the car stops the second and first set should both be on. If not, creep forward until both sets are on. It helps to know that there are 2 beams about 1" or so apart. Your front tire needs to break both of them. The first is the first set of lights, the second is the second set. They both need to be lit.

8). If your stage lights are lit and the other person's are too, prepare and do it quick. Use the e-brake to hold you if the track isn't level enough. Hold it up with your hand with the button depressed. It doesn't need to be up far, just enough to hold you. Hold the clutch in with the car in 1st, and rev to around 3000 for streets.

9). You're going to see YELLOW lights go in order... go as the last yellow light goes out. If you see the green light come on at all and you aren't already moving, you're getting a reaction bad time. You HAVE to go before the green light is lit or you'll never get a good r/t. Don't jump the gun too much and get a red though. Be smart.

10). When you leave the line, don't just drop the clutch as mentioned above. Let it out fast and ride it to keep traction. This will come with practice.

11). Shift quick and at the highest rpm you can. Its a straight line, so you don't have to watch where you're going too much (obviously you need to keep an eye out). Your main focus should be your tach and other gauges. Shift at redline.

12). When you cross the traps you're done. Don't stay in to it because the end of the track may come up quick.

13). Watch the other person. Pay attention to where they're turning in at especially if they're behind you. DON'T CUT IN FRONT OF THEM if they're behind you. You might turn in to the first return road and they might be turning in to the second and hit you. Be careful!

14). Don't turn in like mario andretti and floor it back the return road. There is a limit there usually and its there for a reason. Its a safety area. People who feel the need to prove something on the return road are the ulitmate chumps. There is always someone, and its usually the guy that just got beat. This also goes for the pit area. No need for reving etc there. Its a safety area, and noone is impressed.

15). Collect your slip. Learn what the different things mean, and try again.

*** R/T --- a .500 = perfect on a normal tree. Thats your goal. Anything that is a 1.xxx is horrible. If you get a 1.xxx, pay more attention at the tree.

*** 60' time --- This makes a big difference in your time. On street tires you should be in the 2.1-2.3 range depending on the tires. Anything over 2.3 is hurting your over all time quite a bit.

All of the other times are your times throughout various points on the track. These are good for later comparisons between slips more than anything.

1/4 time and trap speed --- I'm sure you know what this is all about. That's why you're there. A high mph but bad et usually means poor traction, poor driving, but high potential. A low et but high mph usually means you did all you could. That's real general, and its too early in the AM for me to think if I said that correct. If you think about it though you'll figure out what makes sense.

16). Don't be dissapointed if you don't do as good as you hoped, and try try again.

CLIFFS: Watch ahead of time so you know what your supposed to do. Prepare you cars for their rules. Be respectful and don't act like a stunna (reving, burning out, flying through pits, etc). Leave on last yellow. Respect officials even if their rules suck. Analyze time slips and use them as a tool for improvement.

 

Wow, thank you so much for giving me such an in depth response. I definately plan to keep level headed and respectful. I'm gonna embarass myself enough with my 1/4 mi time, the last thing I need to do is make it worse by pissing people off or looking like an ***!

Jason
91 prelude Si

 

Don't be embarassed. Its all in fun. Have a good time!

 

good post realcivic. thats gotta be one of the most helpful ones ive read. thanks!

 

yeah, I'm sure I will have fun. I don't think I'd race it otherwise, but since this is a meet where other slow bastard child 3rd gens will be racing I'm not so self-concious. Hopefully, they can set it up so I can race another one like mine. I have an air intake and catback now, and a friend of mine who is going has a home made air intake, and exhaust w/ header. That might be a decent one.

Jason
1991 prelude Si