I need pointers!!

[63dartman]

I am going to the 1/4 strip here in albuquerque this Saturday. I have never raced in my life......well not at the strip. I need pointers. I think I got the basics as far as who to watch and what goes on. I have a 63 dart in street trim with radials.( 360/904, 225/60/15, 8 3/4 3.23 gears with posi) I will be driving around the water and from there I'm lost.
When I'm at the line I am going to just leave it in drive a few passes to get used to it. I noticed from my last visit to the track that the cars actually launch before the light is green? What's the best way to time it? Just hit the gas on the last amber? I believe I will have to feather the throttle since I will probably have traction issues. Alright let's have some pointers please.

 

[Mark Benson]

When I take my '78 Aspen to the track I go through the wet box. I let the tires heat up for about 6 seconds and stop at the starting line. I wait till the last amber light turns on and take off. Just my $0.02

 

[ocdart]

63 Dartman -
For sure you'll find yourself all alone at the line if you wait for the 'green' to show. This is due to both your own personal eye-thru-brain-to-foot reaction time and the reaction time of your cars suspension. It kinda also depends on what type of 'tree' their running in Albuquerque. If it's a 'pro tree' where all ambers come on at once prior to the 'green', then I suggest you leave as soon as you see any hint of amber light. If it's a progressive tree where the ambers count down to the 'green', then start by leaving when the last 'amber' comes on. The type of bulbs used in the tree also make a difference. Incandescent bulbs are much slower to light and go out than LED bulbs (watch the tail lights of the next semi you're following for an example as many of them are now equipped with LED tail lights).
Depending on the combination of reaction times, you may need to fine-tune when you leave. If your leaving when the last amber comes 'on' and the reaction time on your time slip is still too high, try leaving when the next-to-last amber goes 'off'.
Above all, HAVE FUN. Once you do this, you'll be hooked!!!

 

[63dartman]

They have a progressive tree, so I'll try the last amber trick. How about what to do when I'm staged? Do I just hold the brake with one foot and hit the go pedal when it's time or should I be giving it some gas and foot braking it at the same time? I don't have any lock or such. Just two feet.

 

[BblockAbody]

On my first pass I plan on leaving at about 1200 RPM, if I don't spin the tires I'm going to bump up the launch RPM until I do then back off 100 RPM or so.

 

[ocdart]

They have a progressive tree, so I'll try the last amber trick. How about what to do when I'm staged? Do I just hold the brake with one foot and hit the go pedal when it's time or should I be giving it some gas and foot braking it at the same time? I don't have any lock or such. Just two feet.

1st thing is don't forget to let off the brake! You may be just a bit nervous your first pass, but you'll calm down with experience. Kinda depends on your motor and converter combination. Suggest you let the converter 'flash' on your 1st pass to see what it does, then modify your leave from there.
Are you running any type of pinion snubber?
You can also play with your timing to see what your engine really likes performance wise(just don't forget to reset it for the drive back home).
One more thing - if you drive around the water, make sure you're lined up straight down the strip and your wheels are pointed straight ahead. Stop and back up a bit to make sure, but not far enough to get into the water if don't want to do a burnout. Don't need you to be making a hard turn either left or right 'cause your steering's not centered. If you drive through the water, stop and do a burnout to both clean and heat up your tires for better traction. Depends on the rules for street tires at your strip.
Just before staging, pop the tranny into neutral and rev the engine to clean your plugs good.
Pre-stage slow, stage even slower to just make the 'stage' bulb flicker. A 'shallow' stage will give you more rollout room to help prevent a red-light if you're bracket racing. It also lets you leave just a hair sooner to get that momentum going.
Let us all know how you did.

 

[mopowers]

Go around the water if you have treaded tires. Back in to the water box and blip the gas to get the tires a little wet. Then pull forward out of the water and wait for the sign to start your burn out. Do not do your burnout in 1st gear!!! Then pull forward and prestage. Dont double bulb the other guy. After you stage, try to lean on the converter a little leave on the last yellow. Some tracks have a rule where the car in the lane where the turn out is has to turn out first.

HAVE FUN!!!!