Starting in 2nd gear (Automatic)

[jun10r]

Just wanted to get some feedback about this 'tip' from an AutoX pro. My first ever race was a few weeks ago, my GT Vert is an automatic and I chirped a bit coming off the start line, not a huge burnout or anything but I noticed it.

So next lap I had a PRO riding with me for tips and I mentioned this, and he had me put the Mustang into 2nd gear for my start. His point was that the goal of most cars was to get to 2nd gear asap and stay there. If I truly started in 2nd gear, is that wearing out the tranny, "slipping" since I am accelerating pretty hard off the line?

My question to you as a whole, if we do this, is the car really starting in 2nd gear, or starting in first as normal and then shifting up to 2nd but no further? I know some cars will actually start in 2nd, useful for snowy conditions, etc.

A follow up question or two as well for those with a bit more AutoX time under your belt, especially with an automatic. What do you recommend for starting gear? Should I turn overdrive off? (I know some cars the computer maps the shift points differently for OD versus OD off?)

Thx!

 

[jun10r]

Just updating my own thread, the car is starting in 1st gear and shifting up to 2nd and staying there by putting the auto into "2"

I am also turning off the O/D per a recommendation from a fellow AutoX / Mustang driver. Since this is AODE transmission, and the "E" is electronic, I suspect that the computer does start to come into play. Perhaps shifting from 1 to 2 at diff RPM but I have not tested this out yet.