Where did you get this info from? I've NEVER been allowed on a track around here, with slicks, and no driveshaft loop... I don't have my rule book at hand, right now though, so I can't quote... HAVE FUN!!! Whatever you do, expect a long learning curve...you won't be good at it overnight...I'd wait until a smaller event, too, but, that's me... Some good info here, but, even unarmed with it, you will eventually figure it out...watching everyone else helps A LOT! Ask questions, pay attention to the track personnel, and don't even worry about your light right now. Worry about the handling of the truck, the staging sequence, and getting a "feel" for it... Every car reacts differently, worry about your light and going rounds later. FIRST, make an easy pass for acclimation. I imagine at an event of this size, you will only get one time shot, and one pass, because I'm assuming its brackets, AND, I just told you not to worry about your light! You would get MUCH better spent seat time at a T&T early in the year... If you don't come down the return road with shaky hands, you might not be alive!
Some good advice here.. and some funny stuff. The ones who have said to start slow, to let the other guy go first, etc.. good advice. Here's a couple pennies from me I haven't heard. Once you get the hang of going down the lane and are ready to launch with the lights, say the words and see the letters in your head Yel-low, Yel-low, Yel-low. Depending on your chassis and how your vehicle launches / hooks up you will need to decide when to launch... for me it is the second "L" in the last word Yel-low. Also your vehicle sounds much different on the steet than it does on the track from under a helmet so trust your tach and or light. Last, minor changes in tire pressure can make big differences in launch as well as trap speed. Will probably need to experiment. But now that I have just read it back... it's all a bunch of BS. Just take it easy, stay safe, and have fun!
Good on ya for having a go and asking 1st. I was shit scared about it before I did it but after a couple passes you'll feel comfortable. Does your local track have any informal street nights where you can rock up and have a go, great place/time to learn BEFORE racing at a big event. That way you can get plenty of passes in and your confidence up. On the 1st few passes Id leave the box in D and just let it change so you can concentrate on the rest. If it was me I'd even also forgo burnouts etc and just get staging etc right. To stage ease fwd until the 1st yellow comes on, then VERY slowly creep fwd until the second comes on, then STOP. Then get ready to go as the lights go If you break out of stage when going in, reverse a long way back then come back forward into it. Dont reverse back until both lights are lit as you may forget in the heat of the moment to put the car back into 1st and launch backwards ..... I had hoped no one saw me that night..... Be warned..... its addictive.
OK, first off, pay attention to all track personel and you will not get yelled at on a regular basis! Only burnout when instructed and unless your name is John Force or Jungle Jim, do not burn out past the starting line. Only a few spins of the tires will clean them up. Drive Shaft loops are required if you are running slicks, regardless of bracket! If you are running street tires, go around the water box as the water will pretty much be useless on them and will only get dragged out onto the track. Make sure all your lug nuts are tight and you have no broken studs as this might get you bumped out. Make sure you have a DOT approved helmet! I know those old 60's metal flake jobs are cool, but they are not legal anymore! Wear pants, no shorts! Long sleeves are good! No tank tops! No Sandals, huaraches, stilletos or barefeet! Trust me, I have seen the it all! Make sure your tech card is properly filled out before you give it to the tech man and do not fill out the parts that say official only or tech your own truck! Just the basics are to be filled out by you and the rest by the tech man. When in the staging lanes, do not leave your vehicle! We hate chasing people down to get them in their cars to run! I just would sometimes run folks around them and make them wait till the very end to run as their punishment!! Pay attnetion!!! Nothing worse that folks who do not pay attention!! I could save you life or gear!! Or Both!! Go to the drivers meeting and listen. Find out what lane has right of way if the track has a weird turn off. Do not haul ass in the pits!!! Well, besides my ramblings and the great advice from others, that is it! So, Be Safe and Have Fun!
GoodGuys DRIVELINEDriveshaft loop required on all cars utilizing slicks, except vehicles running 11.49 (7.35*) seconds or slower equipped with street tires. In all cars where the driveline passes any part of the driverʼs body, the driveshaft must be completely enclosed in a minimum 1/8-inch-thick steel plate securely mounted to frame structure, bellhousing,and/or rear-end center section. See General Regulations 2:4. NHRA General Regulations Section 16 2:4 "Driveshaft loop required on all cars running 13.99 or quicker and utilizing slicks; except vehicles running 11.49 seconds or slower equipped with street tires"
Dual throttle return springs, needed. Is your battery relocated, need master kill switch at rear. You need a NHRA rule book. I hope you pass tech. The rest is fun and easy.
not planning to run the slicks unless I get the driveshaft loop installed...forgot to mention that, sorry. btw, the rules Goodguys follows at their events are from the NHRA Heritage Series for Hot Rod Eliminator. I figure that's where I'll have to start out. p.s. the more I read and think, it looks like a good idea to do the fairgrounds thing this time and t&t later before trying the big time. but thanks for all the info, and I'll still let you know how it shakes out the following weekend. need fiberglass hood for 53-56 f100
With that rowdy bastard you drive.. there is no finesse required . P.S. My homeowners association is still pissed at you bro.. haha
after all the fuss, Goodguys is a rain-out (at least for me), so I'm going to go to t&t at London dragway as part of Somernites cruise next weekend, weather permitting. we'll see... everything was great...check, please!
Yes, it appears that between the efforts of "Mother Nature" and "Old Man Winter", this October isn't proving to provide favorable weather for many of us drag racing enthusiasts... The big heads-up SHAKEDOWN AT E'TOWN event scheduled for this weekend has been declared a "rainout"... Taking the truck to a "test 'n' tune" date for its drag strip debut is probably for the best anyways, as opposed to the Good Guys event... Needless to say, I enjoyed reading all the many friendly tips and suggestions from board members, folks 'round here really go out of their way to be helpful, certainly a refreshing departure from the kindergarten fighting nonsense we see elsewhere on the internet... Let's face it, trucks are definitely gaining more popularity with hardcore gearheads with each passing day, all you have to do is watch the popular TV auction shows to see that folks are aggressively bidding for vintage trucks like never before... You're lucky to have such a groovy truck-- And once you get comfortable with it on the drag strip, I'm sure that you'll have plenty of magical moments with it in the future... "The Doc" (Celebrity Drag Racing Authority & Visionary)...
Bad weather, thats a killer. BG is such a special place. I read where you had changed your mind anyway and decided to do some t&t at another track, good decision. There was one other consideration i didn't mention and that was to earn the right to be there and to have respect for that event. All those guys you see out there having at it have earned that right. A couple years ago while helping the Ramchargers push the 'High and Mighty' thru the staging lanes we had the Nanook II beside us with Chris Karamasines pushing one tire, Bob Stange pushing another and Ron Capps giving them a hard time. You don't go out and break your bones infront of people like that. You earn the right to be there and you'll know it when you are ready.
really have enjoyed reading all the helpful info...it reinforces my contention that hot rodders are some of the nicest people on God's green earth. keep it up, guys (& gals). thanks if we had some ham we could have ham & eggs...if we just had some eggs. Dad
and cars with slicks running 13.99 or quicker (09 nhra rule book. you only need the frt loop and within 6" of frt ujoint btw, if you're worried about looking stupid or foolish, you MAY want to do something else besides drag racing...cuz EVERYBODY has done something dumb once or twice and anybody that sez they haven't is a liar
got the loop, but may not get it on this year...looks like the season is over bc of the cold. where is Al Gore when we need him?
FIRST,before going check over your car!,no leaks,everything tight,enuff gas,,,, i would find a nice road out of the way and do a little short bursts,staging,launching etc.,,, when ya get to the track go watch others race,see what they are doing,, stay with your car at all times in the lanes,get ready early,helmet,seat belts,windows up,hood closed etc.,not when you are pulling into the burnout box, dont do a burnout if you are running street tires and go around the water!!,it makes the tires slick watch the workers and what they want,look for the beams on the side of the track,that will tell ya how far up to go, pull up to the lights slow, watch the first yellow light turn on and stop,,watch the other guy light his up,,,take a deep breath,inch up with the gas on and brake,bring the rpms up,,(you practiced that on the sreet,remmember),,,,dont look at any other lights but the last yellow bulb(put your visor down it helps for the first time to block the lights),,, when the last yellow bulb starts to light to the floor,automatic leave it in drive,,,pass the finish line start to brake look for the turn off and look for the other guy,,,you dont have to make a 8 second pass the first time!!,,work your way up to it,,,after the first pass it will get easy,,and you wont have to think about it,,,,dont forget about your time slip,,, try a test or tune night first,,, most of all have fun!!!!,,,,,,,,,
A couple of tips. Get a rule book and follow the safety rules, don't be too easy on it in the burn out box, and leave on the last yellow or you'll be late. Oh yeah one last thing, have fun!!!!!
Just go out and have the time of your life ! Just remember , once you start you will keep coming back with a BIG grin on your face ! It is fun a hell and there is nothing like it . We are all nervous when we come up to the tree , that's racing ! Just check to make sure everything is safe and lugs are tight and your right foot is very heavy ! Get past the tech station and you are ready to have fun DRAG RACING ! Get there early to get some practice runs in . You better have a big bucket because you will be back doing it again & again & again ! Now go out and have some fun ! RetroJim
guess I'll find out this weekend...supposed to warm back up. london dragway has a t&t from 10pm-2am this friday in conjunction with Somernites cruise. we'll see. each of the others is both the same, except for the differences.
hey PASTOR... sure my friend, stand where you can watch the xmas tree. to learn how the lights work. and don't be concerned about the snakes, not the tires but you. hell man the first time is nerve racking. but after the first pass. your hooked, like hooked on drugs hooked. man you will wear that old truck out, and i'am talking about that day! HA! O yea the shakes never go away. but if they do, it's time to start bowling or some other crap. call me POP...or the old FART!
got rained out of the last t&t of the season...guess I've got a few months to shape the old beast up b4 the spring drags. thanks, everyone! if it don't go chrome it.
_______________________________________________________________ If you can, spend a weekend just walking around a track looking, asking questions and basically pay attention. Try and maybe hook up with somebody that has raced, have them walk you through the motions. I got the same apprehensive feeling when going to a track I was never at before. Relax and go have fun...... your only regret will be you never did this much earlier...........good luck....have fun jkm
Check over your car. Make sure everything is the way it's supposed to be. Usually if I see an old car break, it's the driveshaft/u joint or the rearend. Driveshaft loop required for 13.99 and quicker, and it's a very good idea. Helmet is also required for 13.99, though you never said if you think your ride will run quicker than that. Also for NHRA track, need long pants, decent radiator overflow, and the battery needs to be well secured. Spend some time at the starting line to get a feel for things. Usually a track does not have a car start a burnout until after the cars that are staged have left. If you have street tires up front, drive around the water. If you do run a slick or a drag radial, I would back into the water, do a super short spin, and pull to the front of the water box. Then I'd do your burnout (slicks or drag radials only) for 10-15 seconds for the first one, and about 5 seconds thereafter. Keep the rpms up and make sure you get some smoke off the tires. As you leave the burnout, take foot off gas and don't continue burning your tires as you leave the water box. Can be bad for the rearend. Honestly for your first pass, I'd leave a little off idle, and baseline your combo. I'd come back around whenever it makes sense, and try to get the ride to leave as well as possible. You'll be working on two things, traction/60ft and shift points. Keep track of what you change, and then try to find the best et/mph for your combo. Don't hot lap if you don't have an electric water pump. Risky. Trans usually doesn't like it either. It usually takes me about 4-5 passes to really start maxing out a combo. I've had a number of OT cars over the years that have run anywhere from 9.40@143 to 13.73@101 with bolt-ons. 60 ft times anywhere from 1.35 to 2.15.
Once I had the inside lane, and lost to a dragster. He crossed over into my lane to the exit road. I locked up my brakes (to avoid hitting him) and slid sideways off the track,right next to him. No accident thank god. Rule of thumb, if you have the outside lane and your competitor is behind you (out of sight) wait for him to turn off the track before you cross over his lane. Life is good.
mt nephew got all wound up about this ....as i was making him make "easy" passes , when we got my chevelle out last month. 1st one to just make sure it was going to go down the track without anything falling off , then a 2nd one with some more throttle. had something break on the 3rd so it was good that it happened after the burnout. the next weekend he took it out and was going 7.0's / 11 teens with a 1.51 60' .... it was worth the wait for me ....he's still antsy for that 6.9 pass
The Jalopy Journal
