Drag Racing Discussions > Front Engine Dragsters
Helpful advice for first timer?
janjon:
I think sitting in the car, visualizing and executing every action from starting the car to stopping at the far end, that you are going to go through on every run is EXTREMELY valuable and helpful. I drove a hundred passes in my mind before I ever went down a track in any car, many of them sitting in the car and going through the motions. I still do that to this day. I usually won't make the motor noises unless no one is around though... It's still not the same as at the track when the motor is lit and the heat is on, but it HELPS.
rooman:
I had not driven since 1971 (and then only an 11 second six cylinder FED) when I got my fuel ticket in 2010. As everyone else has said, make sure that you are comfortable in the car and practice until you can work the controls without thinking. I was lucky enough to get the very first burnout right, just enough smoke and did not zing the motor (no throttle stop). After the first launch it was easy, I then knew what it felt like and stepped it up run by run. I even pedalled it when it carried the front end and headed inside on the second hit. The third time was a half track shot (actually about 600ft) and it went 8.98. Another one of those and then a 1000 footer where it went 7.10 before nosing over rich. The first full pull it again nosed over on the top end but still ran 6.86.
I guess that I had a bit of an advantage having built the car and also having been around fuel cars for a long time so when things happened I thought "OK, that's what that actually fells like". The nose over deal was a prime example. The car was pulling hard and suddenly I was up against the belts (Big show speak "My head hit the dash"). Time to lift.
On the helmet fogging I do the same as Glenn. I leave mine open one click on the detent for the burnout and the first thing that I do when I stop from the burnout is to open it all the way. I usually close it right before I put the first light on so that my left hand is free to make sure the motor is on the high side before I bump into the second light. A twin eye port head sock helps and if you are running at night in cool weather putting the helmet under the heater outlet in the tow car also helps. Just place it so that the heater blows into the helmet (with the visor shut).
Roo
GlennLever:
--- Quote from: rooman on August 07, 2014, 05:18:12 AM ---I had not driven since 1971 (and then only an 11 second six cylinder FED) when I got my fuel ticket in 2010. As everyone else has said, make sure that you are comfortable in the car and practice until you can work the controls without thinking. I was lucky enough to get the very first burnout right, just enough smoke and did not zing the motor (no throttle stop). After the first launch it was easy, I then knew what it felt like and stepped it up run by run. I even pedalled it when it carried the front end and headed inside on the second hit. The third time was a half track shot (actually about 600ft) and it went 8.98. Another one of those and then a 1000 footer where it went 7.10 before nosing over rich. The first full pull it again nosed over on the top end but still ran 6.86.
I guess that I had a bit of an advantage having built the car and also having been around fuel cars for a long time so when things happened I thought "OK, that's what that actually fells like". The nose over deal was a prime example. The car was pulling hard and suddenly I was up against the belts (Big show speak "My head hit the dash"). Time to lift.
On the helmet fogging I do the same as Glenn. I leave mine open one click on the detent for the burnout and the first thing that I do when I stop from the burnout is to open it all the way. I usually close it right before I put the first light on so that my left hand is free to make sure the motor is on the high side before I bump into the second light. A twin eye port head sock helps and if you are running at night in cool weather putting the helmet under the heater outlet in the tow car also helps. Just place it so that the heater blows into the helmet (with the visor shut).
Roo
--- End quote ---
I thought for sure I saw you in and FED at Indy about 5 years back?
I'll have to try the helmet under the heater output
ricardo1967:
--- Quote from: GlennLever on August 07, 2014, 05:26:45 AM ---
--- Quote from: rooman on August 07, 2014, 05:18:12 AM ---...
--- End quote ---
I thought for sure I saw you in and FED at Indy about 5 years back?
...
--- End quote ---
Was Roo under a race helmet or his trademark Akubra hat?? :)
tony1966:
I made it out yesterday, and I can't thank you enough for all the helpful hints. Spend most of last night fooling around getting the valves set, going over the procedure with my helpers (two seem to be the minimum I can get away with) and going over in my mind what to do. Finally near dusk i got around to making a pass.
Burnout was good, but i seem to have an off idle stumble which helped a bit. Once the motor caught itself the rpm's came up and the burnout, according to my brother, looked perfect. The stumble caught me again on the line, but when the engine caught on, it was out like a rocket. I tried to shift to 2nd right away, but somehow bumped the shifter too far and got neutral. At this point i was out of the groove anyway, and I was NOT looking at the horizon any more, so i just idled the rest of the way. All I can gather from the run was "Wow, this thing is fast!". But I had a huge smile on my face the rest of the day, and not so nervous.
I didn't feel too good about making a run at night yet and the track gets dewey (is that a word?) so i packed it in. I'm going back tonite for hopefully a couple more runs after i fiddle with the injection.
I got a couple of thumbs up and the like from some of the folks there (that's at least some of the reason we do this, right?) and I had a great time. And I can't wait to get back in the seat now.
Tony
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