Good 60 foot launch time in a SRT-10?

[KaiPL]

I'm a newbie to drag racing.

I've run maybe 35 runs so far. Most often, my 60 foot times are right around the 2 second mark, perhaps a little lower, but not by much. Previously, my best launch ever was a bit over 1.9.

Last Saturday, I managed a 1.641 time for my 60 foot launch. It was the first run of the day, on cold tires (BFG Drag Radials with 18psi) with no burn-out.

I was faster out of the hole than the awd STI next to me.

On the strength of this launch, I ran a personal best 12.844 quarter mile (at 4800 feet above sea level) in spite of the fact that I bounced off of the rev limiter in 2nd and the run was my lowest mph of the day.

This experience has convinced me of the importance of 60 foot times if I want to improve my overall 1/4 mile performance. The only problem is that I can't for the life of me remember what it was I was doing when I made that good launch.

What do folks do to get the best launches? What is considered to be a good 60 foot time with a Gen III on drag radials? Should I be able to consistently post 1.6 second 60 foot times, or was this a strange anomoly?

 

[Don]

A 12.844 at Bandi is a good time regardless of your second shift problems. You'll get better! 1.6 on drags is a good time. I'm sure there are freaks that will be consistant on their 60', but with some practice I'm sure you can dial yourself in. It's not like you do this for a living Great run!

 

[Dash Riprock]

The 1.6 is a great launch. I have not been able to break 2.0 on street tires. What would the 12.84 equate to at sea level? I am consistent at 12.1 to 12.2 with 2.0 60' times. What was the mph? Mine varied anywhere from 117 to 121.


Dash
2004 SRT10

 

[Dave T (BADVENM)]

Where did you race? I thought Bandimere is closed. If it was Bandimere, elevation is 5800 feet. I checked a conversion to sea level from 5800 feet from an NHRA site (excluding density altitude) and it equates to right at a full second. My Viper did a 13.2 at Bandimere with a 12.2x at Topeka a few years ago. I'd love to race my SRT Ram a few times while in stock trim. Nice times either way!!

 

[KaiPL]

This was a Pueblo, not Bandimere. Pueblo is a bit lower (4800) than Bandimere (5800)

My altitude compensation tables for 4800 feet above sea level say multiply et by .9406 and mph by 1.0633

So, a 12.844 et would be the equivalent of 12.08 at sea level.

Because of banging the rev limiter, my MPH on this run was low (112.2 mph) which equates to 119.3 at sea level. My best mph was 114.25 which equates to 121.48 at sea level.

The interesting thing is that for my first (and fastest) run, I had forgotten to dial down the bump force on the rear Moton shocks, so I was running with a relatively high bump force on the rear shocks. I usually dial the rear bump down to 0, so I will get more immediate weight transfer to the rear of the car on launch. Maybe I will try leaving the bump force high, as that's where it was set when I ran my best 60 foot time.


My best time at Bandimere was a 13.095 @111.79 mph with a 2.145 60 foot.

 

[29OUTLAW]

I'm glad you made the claification about sea level vs. not sea level. I'm thinking about running my car but if I thought I could only run a 12.84, I wouldn't have even bothered. To find out that it equates to a 12.08 makes me feel a lot better. A 12.08 is great - far better than I expect to run.

 

[Dave T (BADVENM)]

I didnt know Pueblo had a track, sweet!! Are they open year round? You could def get in the 11's with some cooler air.

 

[Torquemonster]

You done well.

re ET and mph - you'd improve on your time if you short shifted slightly rather than rpm'd it almost to the limiter..

between say 5500rpm - 6000rpm depending on the gear. There is a calculation that can be done when gear ratios and tire circumfrance is known to work out ideal shift points - but you want to keep the motor between the torque peak and the top of its hp curve each shift.

For the Viper that will mean that redlining it will slow it down... in theory.

By comparison, in good top end cars reving higher than peak power can work well, but the Viper should be opposite - shifting earlier than you WANT to. Try shifting at 5500 just as an experiment, then move it up incrementally until you find the best points.

re the fastest 60 footer - it often comes when you are more relaxed and not trying so hard. Smooth and easy can be quicker than hard and brutal that fries the tires up.

 

[KaiPL]

I didnt know Pueblo had a track, sweet!! Are they open year round? You could def get in the 11's with some cooler air.

This week-end was the last drag race of the year. The road course is open for test and tunes year round.

The road course is actually the best track in Colorado (especially because we are losing 2nd Creek and PPIR.)

http://www.pueblomotorsportspark.com/

 

[Dave T (BADVENM)]

It ***** losing PPIR, I did the event a few weeks ago. What a blast!! I'll have to try Pueblo perhaps.

 

[98MODMTR]

anything below a 2.0 is fantastic!

 

[Cris]

The SRT is much different than Gen I or II. It wants shifts just before fuel shut-off. The closer the better.

 

[Eagle]

I ran a 11.96 at 123+ with a 1.99 60 foot time at NE Dragway on my only run on a 60 degree day with run flats, and i let it go through the traps in 3rd and hit the rev limiter just before the end. And i shifted at 5800 rpms each time.