A little help with track times...

cepowers18 · Mar 22, 2008

Hey everyone,

So I wanted to get some opinions on track times. I go to Mason Dixon Dragway in Hagerstown, MD b/c that's the closest one to my hometown. I have a 94 5.0 with the following mods:

-BBK CAI
-BBK equal length shorty headers
-O/R Prochamber midpipe
-Magnaflows
-Pro 5.0 shifter
-Centerforce DF clutch
-3.73s w/posi
-31-spline axles
-upper and lower control arms
-subframes
-Eibach Pro Kit (springs, shocks, struts, sway bars)
-Aluminum underdrive pulleys

Before last fall, I had run mid to low 14s with a best of 14.2 @ 96 mph. After I put the Eibach Pro Kit on there, I went last fall and this was my best time:

60': 2.076
1/4: 14.535
1/4 mph: 97.80

I'm very consistently running mid 14s with this setup, but after reading other people's posts I feel like I'm doing something wrong and should be running a tad quicker. My 60' times are always 1.9 or 2.0 on street tires (sometimes I drop down to 20-25 PSI in the rear), so I know I can launch the car well. Usually I shift at 5,000 RPMS (ending in 4th gear).

Does anyone have any comments or recommendations? Am I shifting too early? Am I really just crazy and these times are actually accurate?

Thanks for the help!

AaRoN · Mar 22, 2008

The only real way to find out, is to take it there and find out. :thumb:

justinschmidt1 · Mar 22, 2008

they sound right to me....maybe get some slicks and try launching harder since you upgraded the axles...
knock that 2.0 60 down to a 1.8 and you should be looking at 14.0 maybe even high 13s

you dont really have many power upgrades...just exhaust and under drives.

your trap speeds look right but your times seem slow

Venom351R · Mar 23, 2008

You have 31 spline axles its beyond me why you are not running a sticky drag radial, and no I dont mean the POS Nitto's. If your serious about doing some track time get some drag race rims like weld Pro Stars and some MT ET Streets that you use just for the track. Say hello to 1.8-1.6 60' times and digging into the 13's. Your street tires are whats killing you. Its an oxymoron to use street tires at the track but at the sametime trying to improve your 60' time. You have upper and lower control arms and subframes, your car is set up well for making good launch's but your hurting yourself by using street tires. The car took two steps forward and 3 back, see what Im getting at?

justinschmidt1 · Mar 23, 2008

Venom351R said:
You have 31 spline axles its beyond me why you are not running a sticky drag radial, and no I dont mean the POS Nitto's. If your serious about doing some track time get some drag race rims like weld Pro Stars and some MT ET Streets that you use just for the track. Say hello to 1.8-1.6 60' times and digging into the 13's. Your street tires are whats killing you. Its an oxymoron to use street tires at the track but at the sametime trying to improve your 60' time. You have upper and lower control arms and subframes, your car is set up well for making good launch's but your hurting yourself by using street tires. The car took two steps forward and 3 back, see what Im getting at?

i was thinking the same thing...just didnt feel like typing it..

you have a good drag setup ...just need some sticky tires.

with a 1.6-1.8 60 foot time you should be 13.5-14.0

CanaryGT · Mar 23, 2008

I still dont know how u ran a 102 justin.... I amazes me,,,

Venom351R · Mar 23, 2008

CanaryGT said:
I still dont know how u ran a 102 justin.... I amazes me,,,

fix that 60' time and he could have mid/high 13's running at 102

justinschmidt1 · Mar 23, 2008

CanaryGT said:
I still dont know how u ran a 102 justin.... I amazes me,,,

lol...I guess it is fast for still having npi heads/npi cams and an auto huh.

I dont know...but I ran 101-102 a bunch of times so It wasnt just a fluke.

Im gonna try and get some more out of it haha..

remove the dogbone, rear seat, passenger seat, the front sway bar, and I want my friend to let me run his 15 inch stock rims...theyre 37 pounds with a tire...so that should be lighter than what I have.

Maybe I can get 103 mph...and a 13 second time slip haha.

its interesting to see how fast I can get this weak thing to go.

My tuner tunes on the street...which is more accurate than dyno tuning..theres real load..not a set load.

my tune helps I believe.

Venom, as far as the 60 foot...I know this....but im not gonna drop the money on drag radials/slicks or anything to hook any better.

its just a number...you can see the potential is there.

Venom351R · Mar 23, 2008

You could always run Nitto's, they are not expensive they are on lthe low end of sticky but you can cut a 2.0 or maybe a 1.9 w/ them depends on your track.

justinschmidt1 · Mar 23, 2008

Venom351R said:
You could always run Nitto's, they are not expensive they are on lthe low end of sticky but you can cut a 2.0 or maybe a 1.9 w/ them depends on your track.

yea..that is definately true...I might buya set of them once I get the blower on.

They are 136 bucks each from discount tire direct...which isnt that bad.

But I dont really want to spend 300 bucks on tires that are gonna last 5k miles

Venom351R · Mar 23, 2008

Yeah thats the down side if its your daily driver to, once you get your blower on though say good bye to any traction at the drag strip w/ street tires.

justinschmidt1 · Mar 23, 2008

Venom351R said:
Yeah thats the down side if its your daily driver to, once you get your blower on though say good bye to any traction at the drag strip w/ street tires.

Yea...I know haha

I wonder if I could hook with some Nitto drag radials then?

Venom351R · Mar 23, 2008

Better then street tires but the nittos are the low end of whats considered to be Drag Radials. It all comes down to how well your track is to. I just dont really like Nittos all that much so take my opinion for what its worth but Ive used them and MT ET Streets and the Nittos make me do this :rollinglaugh:

justinschmidt1 · Mar 23, 2008

Venom351R said:
Better then street tires but the nittos are the low end of whats considered to be Drag Radials. It all comes down to how well your track is to. I just dont really like Nittos all that much so take my opinion for what its worth but Ive used them and MT ET Streets and the Nittos make me do this :rollinglaugh:

yea...O well...Im not so concerned with track times anyways.

Venom351R · Mar 23, 2008

If your not going to the track enough for it to be worth getting a seperate set of rims and DR's or to run DR's on your rims you have now that wont last all that long then just sticking w/ street tires is fine. Your going to be dumping enough into a supercharger and the rest of the supporting mods for it.

Paul · Mar 23, 2008

Are you powershifting? My '95 runs 13.99s with less stuff than what you've got. It's a 100% full-weight '95 GT, completely stock suspension, stock clutch, full tank of gas, and 275/40/17 Nitto DRs. Modifications are 3.73 gears, exhaust, CAI, shifter, 70mm TB, and Edelbrock intake. 134,000 miles, broken rear swaybar, burns oil, leaks oil, and I think it even burns a little coolant.

Last time I was at the track, I only made three passes:

1st: (I don't know why my first run is always the best)
R/T .185
60' 2.001
ET 13.988 @ 97.181 mph

2nd:
R/T .187
60' 2.006
ET 14.152 @ 96.127 (I think I over-revved first on this run)

3rd:
R/T .006
60' 1.995
ET 13.993 @ 96.277 mph

I would definitely try shifting a few hundred RPMs higher. Try 53-5400 - I think that may help your times a bit. Make one change at a time and see what works best for you.

Paul.

justinschmidt1 · Mar 23, 2008

Paul said:
Are you powershifting? My '95 runs 13.99s with less stuff than what you've got. It's a 100% full-weight '95 GT, completely stock suspension, stock clutch, full tank of gas, and 275/40/17 Nitto DRs. Modifications are 3.73 gears, exhaust, CAI, shifter, 70mm TB, and Edelbrock intake. 134,000 miles, broken rear swaybar, burns oil, leaks oil, and I think it even burns a little coolant.

Last time I was at the track, I only made three passes:

1st: (I don't know why my first run is always the best)
R/T .185
60' 2.001
ET 13.988 @ 97.181 mph

2nd:
R/T .187
60' 2.006
ET 14.152 @ 96.127 (I think I over-revved first on this run)

3rd:
R/T .006
60' 1.995
ET 13.993 @ 96.277 mph

I would definitely try shifting a few hundred RPMs higher. Try 53-5400 - I think that may help your times a bit. Make one change at a time and see what works best for you.

Paul.

thats what I was thinking....are you granny shifting?

seems like you should be faster...

Paul · Mar 23, 2008

Nope. Powershifting.

I could go quicker (probably not much faster) if I practiced, and was more willing to break stuff - but I just don't care enough. It runs 13s. Yay.

Paul.

Venom351R · Mar 24, 2008

Ive made 55 runs between my 95 GT and my 94 Cobra. 33 last summer w/ the Cobra. Ive never broken anything, your not at the power level (running low 14's high 13's ) to break anything. About the only thing you can do is power shift the T5 b/c they dont like that very much.

If I was at 14.1 (justin) it would drive me insane until I got 13's I just wouldn't be able to let it go until I did it. I was stuck at 13.3 and 13.1 much of last summer towards the end and 12's were eating away at me so bad I went out and up graded the rear end to 31 spline axles threw in some 3.73's and ran Micky Tompson ET Streets and then I got my 12's . That was my whole goal the entire summer and on my last night at the track I got it. I duno I guess were just different but I couldn't be that close to the next level and not care to get to it. You have made the point a few times of not really caring to go fast at the track or dont care much about getting 13's so Im just confused on why you want to get a supercharger?