How to launch the autos

[ryan34]

Ok, i was sitting at a stop sign and decided to really punch the gas for the first time. Well i did and i spun(expectedly) without going any where and then it started to kick sideways. Well I would like to know how you would properly launch this thing at the track. I don't want to look like a fool, or get a crap time becuase my launch is sloppy. My old camaro had no problems because of lack of power (same as stealth) and my allante has traction controll which can't be shut off, so i just gunned that too(loaded the torque converter) So this is my first car with real power thats rear wheel drive. Thanks for any help guys.

P.S. I think i have 2.73's because i don't have a 1 on my shifter. If that helps. And stock (except a crap muffler)

[94formulaLT1]

well, ive never raced before because well i was underage and my dad said he wouldnt sign for me so i didnt race. I know what your talking about with the sudden rear end wippin to the side..i like to do it when im turning, having the car side ways on the road, i think its fun but i never get to carried away. anybody can correct me if im wrong but when your rear end kicks out could be the tires...not sticky enough...on pebbles or whatever and when taking a sudden launch (this is what i am unsure of) your whole rear end could twist a little bit, taking it out of alignment..this varies though. They make stablizers or whatever for your rear end to keep it aligned so every take off is straight. Also, the track and the road are two different things. the road has rocks dirt and pebbles that tires slip on, the track doesnt...or not nearly as much. that is how you can keep your car straight on the track, just because their is more traction to be found. but im no genius.

[ryan34]

Yeah i think i might've been on some gravel or dirt but i'm not real sure. It kinda felt like it.

[95TransAm]

Powerbrake! Powerbrake! Powerbrake!

Being that you are all stock, your torque converter should be a 1200 stall if i remember correctly. What you want to do is hit the brakes, but not too hard...maybe half way or so. After this, start hitting the gas, when you feel the tires start to spin is when you want to launch. Revving up to the point where they are about to spin should be done quickly though. What you also want to do is to do this right before the light turns green. The obvious objective is to be moving once that light turns green. The second that car moves, take your foot off the brake of course, and ease in to that pedal, depending on the altitude of course. If you are closer to sea level, once you start moving, if you just floor it, you'll probably spin 'em again. At a some higher altitudes, you can just floor it with no worries. You want to get that pedal to WOT as fast as possible without spinning the tires. Every car is different so it's gonna take some trial and error to find out how much you need to hold your brakes down, finding out how to rev it up perfectly, pressing that pedal to WOT correctly, etc...

[ryan34]

Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. What air pressure would you recomend?

[95TransAm]

Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. What air pressure would you recomend?

Depends on the tire, tire specs, etc....

I hope I don't get this one wrong or the wolfman might just take a chunk out of me

I would say at the track only of course, assuming you have stock tire sizes also, run about 35 front 23 rear

The objective is to have less resistance and friction in the front, and a nice contact patch in the back for traction and minimal tire spinning.

[ryan34]

Depends on the tire, tire specs, etc....

I hope I don't get this one wrong or the wolfman might just take a chunk out of me

I would say at the track only of course, assuming you have stock tire sizes also, run about 35 front 23 rear

The objective is to have less resistance and friction in the front, and a nice contact patch in the back for traction and minimal tire spinning.

yes stock tire size(best of my knowledge). I think that will help a lot too.

[Trash man]

im sry if this was mention be4 but if ur rear starts to go sideways its cuz u have posi/limited slip nothing to do with tires or conditions

[mr_durdan]

tire pressure

Air pressure corresponds to the car, not the tires. That same size tire also fits other vehicles that may weigh more or less than yours, which would dictate a different air pressure. In f-bodies, if you're on the street, it's 30 psi. By the way, except for drag radials, bias ply tires are the only ones that respond well to lowering the air pressure at the track. Radial tires can actually benefit from slightly higher air pressure at the track. I run 35 in the rears when at the track. Also, with radials, you don't want to do a smokey burn-out before staging the car because they can become greasy and hurt your launch. I recommend just spinning the tires long enough to clean the dirt and rocks off of them.