| Drag racing, a contest between two cars | | | | tires after the launch, lower the launch RPM and |
| beginning from a complete stop over a distance | | | | try again. |
| of a 1/4 mile (1320 feet) depends heavily on first | | | | When launching a car with a manual transmission |
| 60 feet of the race, or the launch. The technique | | | | come to a complete stop after the car is |
| used for launching varies greatly depending on the | | | | properly staged. Press the clutch in all the way |
| how the car is equipped. The type of | | | | with one foot while pressing the accelerator |
| transmission, which wheels are being driven, tires, | | | | peddle down with the other foot, raising the |
| power, suspension and track preparation all play | | | | engine RPM to a constant moderate level for the |
| key roles in how to go about getting the best | | | | first launch. Lift up on the clutch peddle to the |
| launch possible from the car. | | | | point where the car is just about to start moving |
| Improvements on the time it takes for the car to | | | | and hold both peddles still. When the christmas |
| travel the first 60 feet down the track have | | | | tree lights reach the last amber before the green, |
| significant implications on the final ET (estimated | | | | slowly release the clutch while quickly applying the |
| time). As a general rule, improvements in the 60 | | | | accelerator peddle enough to launch the car |
| foot time, are magnified by 2x on your final ET. | | | | quickly, but not too much to induce a large |
| For example, a Dodge Viper GTS that runs a 12.2 | | | | amount of wheel spin. Start conservative with the |
| @ 120 MPH in the 1/4 mile with a 60 foot time of | | | | first launch and keep increasing the RPM at which |
| 2.0 can make significant improvements to it's 1/4 | | | | the car is launched at during the subsequent runs. |
| mile times by obtaining a better launch. If the | | | | If the car starts spinning the tires too much after |
| Dodge Viper GTS is able cut .2 (two tenths) of a | | | | the launch, lower the launch RPM and try again. |
| second off it it's 60 foot time, by covering the | | | | To obtain better launches and bring down 60 foot |
| first 60 feet in 1.8 seconds, it's final ET for the 1 | | | | times even more, the use of drag radial or full |
| 4 mile would be around 11.8 @ 119 - 121MPH. | | | | slick tires can be used on more powerful cars |
| More examples can be found by searching | | | | that have trouble launching at any RPM on regular |
| through the thousands of 60 foot records in the | | | | street tires. Drag radials and full slicks usually |
| drag racing database. | | | | require a burnout to heat up the tires and clean |
| The best possible launch is obtained by obtaining | | | | them from debris for optimum performance. A |
| the optimal balance of applying the most amount | | | | burnout is a rapid spinning of the car's tires while |
| of power to the ground with the least amount of | | | | the car stays relatively still. |
| wheel spin. If too much power is applied during | | | | All wheel drive cars (AWD) are typically the |
| the launch and the tires spin, the resulting 60 foot | | | | easiest to launch because the engine's power is |
| time will be poor. The same goes for not applying | | | | distributed to 4 wheels instead of two. Rear |
| enough power, thereby causing the car's engine | | | | wheel drive (RWD) cars typically launch better |
| to bog, and having the car limp off the line slowly. | | | | than front wheel drive (FWD) due to the transfer |
| When launching a car with an automatic | | | | of weight to the rear tires during the launch, |
| transmission, a technique called power braking is | | | | causing an increase in traction. If the car has |
| used. After properly staging the car at the drag | | | | aftermarket adjustable suspension, adjustments |
| strip's staging lane, tightly hold down the brake | | | | can be made specific for drag racing to increase |
| with one foot, while slowly applying the | | | | the weight transfer to the driving wheels. |
| accelerator peddle with the other foot. The car's | | | | The track's launch pad preparation also plays an |
| engine RPM (revolutions per minute) should slowly | | | | important role in how well and how hard cars can |
| increase to a point where the car will either start | | | | launch. The launch area is usually prepped with |
| to move or start spinning the tires. Hold down | | | | traction compounds to add to the stickiness of |
| both the brake and accelerator peddles just below | | | | the track. A well prepped track will definitely help |
| the point where the car is starting to move or | | | | drop 60 foot times and result in lower 1/4 mile |
| spinning the tires. When the christmas tree lights | | | | times. |
| reach the last amber light before the green, lift | | | | During the breaks and cool down periods between |
| off of the brake and slowly push the gas peddle | | | | drag racing runs, make detailed notes about how |
| all the way down. The correct RPM to launch at | | | | you launched on the back of each timeslip. These |
| will be different every car depending on all of the | | | | notes can help you diagnose launching issues, |
| variables mentioned earlier. Start conservative | | | | fine-tune subsequent launches and show |
| with the first launch and keep increasing the RPM | | | | improvements in the search for The Perfect |
| at which the car is launched at during the | | | | Launch. |
| subsequent runs. If the car starts spinning the | | | | |