First time down the track

Where you leave the starting line at shouldnt make much if any difference. In the same evening racing two different classes i have left off the tbrake with chip at 4300, and left off the foot at 2000.
Car 60 footed and ran within a hundredth of the same.

To test, put the car in high gear moving just off idle and mash the gas. See where the needle went to on the tach

If he doesn't have a full manual valvebody that could be a problem