Tips for first time at 1/4 mile track

[98SVTContour98]

So I'm hoping to go to the Gulfport Dragway track in early December and since I've never been down the 1/4 mile before I was looking for some tips and advice.

My '96 Cobra only has longtube headers, catted h-pipe and flowmaster exhaust on a nitto 555 tire.

What RPM should I launch at? Is it necessary to do a burnout beforehand? Should I worry about going on green or just launch soon after to make sure my RPMs are right?

Any track etiquette I should know about?

Any bets on what I'll run? lol

Thanks

 

[SonicDTR]

Don't be afraid to ask others for help at the track. I was nervous as hell my first time but just hit up the track officials and they've always been helpful. Some more so than others, but they want you to be safe and have fun as much as you do most times. Make friends with the other racers and get their input too. Check your drag strips webpage for rules and tips, they usually have an etiquette page.

As for actually driving your car, start slow and work up. Don't go out with a 5,000rpm clutch dump smoke show the first time. Watch a few races to see how things are going, then go line up!

Don't spin IN the water box.
Don't take forever to stage if the other guy is sitting there on his 2 step. Sure, they should know when to start too, but try not to lollygag.

Pay attention to your car, don't over heat it. If you don't have gauges then only do a few passes between cool offs until you're familiar with how its doing.

 

[98SVTContour98]

Don't be afraid to ask others for help at the track. I was nervous as hell my first time but just hit up the track officials and they've always been helpful. Some more so than others, but they want you to be safe and have fun as much as you do most times. Make friends with the other racers and get their input too. Check your drag strips webpage for rules and tips, they usually have an etiquette page.

As for actually driving your car, start slow and work up. Don't go out with a 5,000rpm clutch dump smoke show the first time. Watch a few races to see how things are going, then go line up!

Don't spin IN the water box.
Don't take forever to stage if the other guy is sitting there on his 2 step. Sure, they should know when to start too, but try not to lollygag.

Pay attention to your car, don't over heat it. If you don't have gauges then only do a few passes between cool offs until you're familiar with how its doing.

Thanks!

How long should I wait between passes to make sure I don't have any overheating issues?

I was thinking I would launch at around 2k, does that seem reasonable?

 

[SonicDTR]

Impossible to say without gauges, but you can see the mph dropping on your slips once you get consistent. Otherwise just watch your temp gauge.

Impossible to say what rpm to leave at too. Start at idle and work up from there. You don't want to "dump" the clutch, but a smooth fast release. Keep raising rpm till it spins and go back down. Be consistent, only change 1 thing between runs, if at all.

Also, you don't have to leave at the green light, your ET doesn't start till you take off, just RT.