radials didn't work as planned

[LETZRIDE]

Rather disappointing night with the new radials and race rims...I ran slower then I did with street tires....

best run of the night was

60'...1.958
330.... 5.909
1/8... 9.242
MPH 73.73
1/4.... 14.608
MPH.... 91.35


I dunno whats goin on...I think my tire pressure gauge was off...I set the tires to 20 psi the other day...when I got to the track it read 13psi...didnt make much sense to me since the tire didnt look wrinkly at all...I went all the way down to 10psi accoring to the gauge...Car never bogged or anything...I just could not get a solid launch....my 60's suck for radials...

first run I didnt heat the slicks up enough because I missed the water box and skittered up to the line as I tried to burn em...2-3rd time I only got one wheel wet....so I had a one tire burn out...4th time I got both tires in the box...got nice burn out...but couldnt get a solid launch again...

The DA calculator doesnt seem to be working at the moment, so here is my numbers....

elevation 670 feet

Temp was about 68-69 degrees, Humidity was between 80-94% for the night with the HPA being 1013.

[bigbrian442]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

Are the tires burning across the entire tread now? How old are they?

[transamtom1]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

The air last night was terrible,and on Fridays the prep ay Cayuga is usual bad.

With that humidty it was probably like being at 3000/4000 feet.

[Shirl]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

Rather disappointing night with the new radials and race rims...I ran slower then I did with street tires....

best run of the night was

60'...1.958
330.... 5.909
1/8... 9.242
MPH 73.73
1/4.... 14.608
MPH.... 91.35


I dunno whats goin on...I think my tire pressure gauge was off...I set the tires to 20 psi the other day...when I got to the track it read 13psi...didnt make much sense to me since the tire didnt look wrinkly at all...I went all the way down to 10psi accoring to the gauge...Car never bogged or anything...I just could not get a solid launch....my 60's suck for radials...

first run I didnt heat the slicks up enough because I missed the water box and skittered up to the line as I tried to burn em...2-3rd time I only got one wheel wet....so I had a one tire burn out...4th time I got both tires in the box...got nice burn out...but couldnt get a solid launch again...

The DA calculator doesnt seem to be working at the moment, so here is my numbers....

elevation 670 feet

Temp was about 68-69 degrees, Humidity was between 80-94% for the night with the HPA being 1013.

If the PSI was that low, the tires just slow the car down (or bogs it). (Most tracks have an air compressor to fill the tires back up with air.) Did you buy these tires new or used? Now you see what I mean about doing a proper burnout?! ;)

What rpm did you launch at? Sounds like the car needs a better tune too. Your overall ET/mph is a bit low. Do you keep any data logs? The conditions looked ok, except for the humidity. I'd say get some skinnies, go back and practice, practice, practice! You're best times will come in the fall when it's cold out.

[Shirl]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

Btw, what was your best ET prior to this one? What were the conditions?

[LETZRIDE]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

Are the tires burning across the entire tread now? How old are they?

Yes, they appear to be burning right across now. I bought the tires used, but they are brand new...the guy said he bought it all last year....the tires still have all the nipple on them...they are soft and gummy...

If the PSI was that low, the tires just slow the car down (or bogs it). (Most tracks have an air compressor to fill the tires back up with air.) Did you buy these tires new or used? Now you see what I mean about doing a proper burnout?!

What rpm did you launch at? Sounds like the car needs a better tune too. Your overall ET/mph is a bit low. Do you keep any data logs? The conditions looked ok, except for the humidity. I'd say get some skinnies, go back and practice, practice, practice! You're best times will come in the fall when it's cold out.

My best ET before was 14.3

I need to buy a digital guage...I swear mine wasnt right last night...there was just no way...at 10 psi, my tire wall would have been wrinkled and it wasn't...it still looked fairly solid, but you could see a slight dent to it at the bottom, so it was a lower psi...but no way it was 10 I dont think...

I know it rained EVERYWHERE, except for the track...literally...it rained about 10 mins North, south, east, and west of the track...but not at this location...weird huh?...I know the humidity in the area was horrible...it didnt feel humid, but about 10 mins out from the track, you were driving through fog....

I managed to get two data logs in before my battery died on me...this is more or less the same tune on there that netted me 14.3...but it does seem to be going quite rich up top...

My mph was absolutly horrible...I was trapping 90.50 before the cam!!...91mph is brutal....


apparently the da is 1789 for the night...corrections show I would of had another 14.3 run.... which sounds about right considering I was only cutting 1.9 60' and that is what I cut when I got my 14.3 last time...

[LETZRIDE]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

This is a video of the verry very first run...as you can see, I missed the water box entirly...didn't get a good burnout at all...skittered off to the line trying.... this was a 1.9 60' run though...

you need to click/copy the link... http://b.static.ak.fbcdn.net/rsrc.ph...259000729&ev=0

[bigbrian442]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

The MPH was down because of the humidity. It kills power and is harder to drive through. You either need to power brake the car to heat the tires or get a line lock so you can sit in one place and heat the tires. The car didn't look to be spinning all that much in the video.

[LETZRIDE]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

The MPH was down because of the humidity. It kills power and is harder to drive through. You either need to power brake the car to heat the tires or get a line lock so you can sit in one place and heat the tires. The car didn't look to be spinning all that much in the video.

No I know...that was the very first run I had on them...I was watching the guy, and he told me to stop...I thought I was in the water box, but I hadn't gone far enough back yet...so the tires weren't wet...when I mashed the break and the gas, the car just pulled forward.... that was a 14.6 run....

[Shirl]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

That was more of a dry hop for street tires. ;) BUT it looked to be a perfect launch/run regardless.

What rpm did you launch at? If you want the best ETs, you have to beat the **** out of the car and launch it as hard as possible. You should take your time a little more too. There's no rush. Light the first set of bulbs, take a deep breath, pull up slightly, then bring the revs up as high as possible. It's tough when it's pro-tree. Just keep practicing.

[Shirl]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

Oh, yeah... and go on a nice cold, dry night!

[LETZRIDE]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

haha...I launched that one at about 3000-3200 rpm....

[Mighty Thor]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

This is a video of the verry very first run...as you can see, I missed the water box entirly...didn't get a good burnout at all...skittered off to the line trying.... this was a 1.9 60' run though...

you need to click/copy the link... http://b.static.ak.fbcdn.net/rsrc.ph...259000729&ev=0

I'm not a racer like you or most people here, but I see what you mean about not getting that burn out.

Since you have that shouldn't you play more with your launches. Like instead of launching at 3000 maybe you should try 2500-2700. I know someone who did it this way and got his best time ever.

I think with more practice and finding that sweet spot you'll get better.

[LETZRIDE]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

I'm not a racer like you or most people here, but I see what you mean about not getting that burn out.

Since you have that shouldn't you play more with your launches. Like instead of launching at 3000 maybe you should try 2500-2700. I know someone who did it this way and got his best time ever.

I think with more practice and finding that sweet spot you'll get better.

thats exactly right...the sweet spot of the stall is much lower I believe...I'll get it down eventually (I hope)

[Skinny]

Re: radials didn't work as planned

Don't brake-stall. Flash the converter at idle. Holding your foot on the brake and trying to hold the RPMs as high as possible is NOT the way to launch an automatic. You need a quick hit on the converter from a low RPM to flash it to it's proper stall speed for a good launch. Next time, pull up to the line, hold the brake, and either hold at idle or hold a very low RPM (1000-1200). Let off the brake and stomp the pedal to the floor on the launch.