Drag racing experience - 15 or 17 inch rear wheels?

[Red-Candy-Metallic]

June 15, 2024, New England Dragway, ET Street bracket racing. Car number 1113 (Time-trial, first and second round (buy-back) eliminations).
2012 Mustang GT, MT-82, 3.73 axle, Steeda CAI and 93 octane tune, M/T ET Street S/S 275/60R15 tires.
1/4 tank of fuel, no weight reduction, approximately 3750 lbs. DA ranged from about 1150 ft to 1450 ft.

My first round R/T was poor and my opponent "treed me" pretty well. Once I realized I couldn't take the stripe, I was on the brakes in case the other car broke out.
Bought back in and dialed according to my previous run, but then ran much stronger than I thought. I waited too long to look for my opponent and didn't realize how far ahead I was. I should have eased off the throttle much sooner and braking at the end couldn't save me from breaking out by a couple of tenths.

While bracket racing is certainly the sum of many things (R/T, dial, driving the finish line, etc.), given the inconsistency of my ETs driving the manual transmission, I am finding that I need to improve my finish line driving most of all.

 

[429244]

...While bracket racing is certainly the sum of many things (R/T, dial, driving the finish line, etc.), given the inconsistency of my ETs driving the manual transmission, I am finding that I need to improve my finish line driving most of all....

Maybe but bracket racing a stick car is very hard and adds a significant level difficulty. Your short times are inconsistent. Unless you are trying to slip the clutch, that probably isn't you. If your intervals are consistent, your shifting is consistent. I bet it is still fun.
On a side note, is the right lane sponsored by Sig Sauer, the gun company?

 

[JC SSP]

You are correct! An automatic will be much more consistent than a manual trans car, but the thrill of banging gears is AWESOME! Funny, I remember when autos (slush box) were an option on cars and the manual was cheaper and much much quicker. Now, with 8-10 speed auto's they will outperform most 6-7 speed manuals. Heck most kids don't know how to drive a stick car...

Good catch on the time slip... I prefer to run in the Glock lane.

 

[Red-Candy-Metallic]

Maybe but bracket racing a stick car is very hard and adds a significant level difficulty. Your short times are inconsistent. Unless you are trying to slip the clutch, that probably isn't you. If your intervals are consistent, your shifting is consistent. I bet it is still fun.
On a side note, is the right lane sponsored by Sig Sauer, the gun company?

You are right about my 60-foot times and also that I am trying to slip the clutch. Obviously, the 1.7x 60-foot times are more "dump" than "slip". I also find it harder to shallow stage the manual, which would also affect the R/T and 60-foot times. You raise a great point with regard to intervals, and that is a part of the spreadsheet I maintain to monitor my consistency (or lack thereof). These times are from May 25.

ET	12.619​		12.843​		12.844​		12.982​
1000	10.593​		10.775​		10.764​		10.933​
difference	2.026​		2.068​		2.080​		2.049​
1000	10.593​		10.775​		10.764​		10.933​
1/8	8.144​		8.326​		8.263​		8.473​
difference	2.449​		2.449​		2.501​		2.460​
1/8	8.144​		8.326​		8.263​		8.473​
330'	5.278​		5.434​		5.346​		5.576​
difference	2.866​		2.892​		2.917​		2.897​
330'	5.278​		5.434​		5.346​		5.576​
60'	1.778​		1.891​		1.833​		1.939​
difference	3.500​		3.543​		3.513​		3.637​

I have owned this car since it was new and I have always enjoyed rowing through the gears, but as you pointed out, my recent interest in bracket racing adds a new perspective.
I'm not sure about the gun company, but your probably right about that. Hunting must be popular in New Hampshire, so that would make sense.

 

[JC SSP]

Just looked at the side of my new P365 and it's made in Newington, NH. My old P229 made in Germany and P226 is made in West Germany! LOL

 

[Red-Candy-Metallic]

July 7, 2024, New England Dragway, ET Street bracket racing. Car number 1113 (Four rounds of eliminations).
2012 Mustang GT, MT-82, 3.73 axle, Steeda CAI and 93 octane tune, M/T ET Street S/S 275/60R15 tires.
3/4 tank of fuel 1oz/gal K&N octane booster, no weight reduction, approximately 3750 lbs. DA ranged from about 2150 ft to 2900 ft.

Accurate dial-ins seemed to be elusive for both me and my opponents. In round 1, we both broke out, but I ran closer to my dial. It took me the whole track to catch them and then I tried to cross the line just barely ahead. In round 2, again we missed our dials, but this time we dialed too low. We both had pretty good lights, but he really ran slower than he thought he would. I was on the brakes before the line, but probably took more than I should have. In round 3, I dialed too low, but my opponent broke out and gave me the win. My light was better than his, so that helped. In round 4, I fouled out, but didn't realize it until I got the slip. I was focused on looking for my opponent and couldn't understand why he was so far back (he already saw his win light). I was on the brakes because I didn't know I had already lost. The red light for me was probably a stagging issue, having rolled too deep into the beams, which the higher 60-foot time (compare round 3 with round 4) suggests.

On a side note, the guy who gave me the win in round 3 is the points leader and has been runner-up 3 times in 6 events. The guy who I lost to in round 4 went on to win the event, but he had only won a single race in the prior 5 events. Although some drivers may be better than others, happenstance is never out of the picture.

 

[MrBhp]

Are you running a wot box?

 

[Red-Candy-Metallic]

Are you running a wot box?

No, but I am occasionally using the neutral rev limiter as a poor man's two-step, set at 4500 RPM. I usually try to hold the RPM around 4300 for launch. Assuming that's what you're asking me.

 

[MrBhp]

The wot box is a two step rev limiter and nitrous window switch. AND gives you the ability to do no lift shifting. It will blip the throttle when you go up against the clutch safety switch. You hold the accelerator on the floor and just smash the clutch pedal at each shift. You set how long you want the timing cut for shifting. I have mine set at 250 milliseconds. It has greatly improved my consistency. It's easier on your transmission as well.

 

[Red-Candy-Metallic]

The wot box is a two step rev limiter and nitrous window switch. AND gives you the ability to do no lift shifting. It will blip the throttle when you go up against the clutch safety switch. You hold the accelerator on the floor and just smash the clutch pedal at each shift. You set how long you want the timing cut for shifting. I have mine set at 250 milliseconds. It has greatly improved my consistency. It's easier on your transmission as well.

That sounds like a great tool, but the Street class rules state the following:

No electronics allowed (this includes, but is not limited to; TransBrakes, Air Shifters, Two-Steps,
and Delay Boxes). No disabled electronic equipment may be left in a vehicle during competition
(disconnected air shifters, two-steps, etc.)

250 would be a large improvement for me, as the data logs have me at any from .400 - .500 from WOT to WOT.

 

[Red-Candy-Metallic]

July 13, 2024, New England Dragway, 12.5 Index, .500 Pro tree. Car number 185 (two time-trial runs and two rounds of eliminations).
2012 Mustang GT, MT-82, 3.73 axle, Steeda CAI and 93 octane tune, M/T ET Street S/S 275/60R15 tires.
1/4 tank of fuel 1oz/gal K&N octane booster, no weight reduction, approximately 3750 lbs. DA ranged from about 2200 ft to 2750 ft.

This was my first index racing and pro tree experience. I managed to win a round, but I definitely struggled with the pro tree. Although the car ran a 12.500 ET and a 12.52 ET on June 15. I couldn't repeat that performance at this event. I encountered a good deal of tire spin launching against the neutral rev limiter (4500 RPM), feeling rushed to dump the clutch instead of my typical easy engagement on a sportsman tree. My attempts to shallow stage probably weren't the best either.

 

[429244]

... My attempts to shallow stage probably weren't the best either.

You're beating yourself up for the wrong reasons again! You don't shallow stage a 12.5 second car on a pro tree. You deep stage to reduce your reaction time. You may have a harder time hitting the 12.50 index based on those time tickets.
I'm glad you are trying different events. I hope you are having fun with it.

 

[Red-Candy-Metallic]

You're beating yourself up for the wrong reasons again! You don't shallow stage a 12.5 second car on a pro tree. You deep stage to reduce your reaction time. You may have a harder time hitting the 12.50 index based on those time tickets.
I'm glad you are trying different events. I hope you are having fun with it.

Now that you point that out, deeper staging does make sense with the pro tree, but the rules for this event don't allow that. Also, to your point, I managed to win the first round based on a better light, as my opponent certainly killed the index with a 12.502 ET. I was trying to get closer to the index.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge with me, I do like the competition and the challenge of learning and striving to improve.

 

[MrBhp]

Not allowing deep staging is odd. I don't think they can do that. How would they know how you stage? Another thing that bugs me as well, is not allowing a 2-step or a wot box. (I would probably cheat) They are becoming factory equipment on new cars. Probably trying to prevent a basically stock Helcat or Shelby from smoking quite a few purpose built race cars. Lol

 

[MrBhp]

That pro tree is a bitch the first time you hit it. Especially when the jerks in the tower (old racing buddies) throw it at you as just a goof. It was hilarious. Especially since it was a money run. Turns out the other driver was in on it too. It was all in fun. But I was really pissed at the time.