Helpful advice for first timer?

[tony1966]

Planning to get my fed out for the first time tomorrow for some very easy passes to get used to the car. Hope to get my license later this summer. Any helpful advice? 

The car i bought ran 7's and the fastest ive gone is high 9's so i am going to tread softly at first. Looking past the bug catcher (see pic in avatar) will be a challenge for me and I ran in to fogging glasses (blind as a bat without them though). The car has a big block mopar on alky, powerglide.

Thanks!
Tony

[masracingtd1167]

Tony take your time and only go as fast as you feel comfortable with . The more laps you make the easier it will be ! More than anything have fun ! Bill

[dreracecar]

Motorcycle shops carry an anti fogging spray for your glasses and only keep the visor down when going foward. Do not steer the car - only make corrections. When you are on the track---you own every inch of it, take your time and let nobody rush you. Play out what you are going to do many times and also inform a crewperson so they can help when you forget---Push tranny brake button in order to back up

[Oldschool]

Motorcycle shops carry an anti fogging spray for your glasses and only keep the visor down when going foward. Do not steer the car - only make corrections. When you are on the track---you own every inch of it, take your time and let nobody rush you. Play out what you are going to do many times and also inform a crewperson so they can help when you forget---Push tranny brake button in order to back up

Good advice !  My car will be done toward end of month and very excited and a few butterflies, but can't wait. This will be my first in a dragster and a FED at that. I have driven and Altered and learn to take your time and think,focus and no rush. I have great memory's of Great Lake Dragway ,when I was a kid. Good luck and have fun !!

[GlennLever]

Planning to get my fed out for the first time tomorrow for some very easy passes to get used to the car. Hope to get my license later this summer. Any helpful advice? 

The car i bought ran 7's and the fastest ive gone is high 9's so i am going to tread softly at first. Looking past the bug catcher (see pic in avatar) will be a challenge for me and I ran in to fogging glasses (blind as a bat without them though). The car has a big block mopar on alky, powerglide.

Thanks!
Tony

I have both issues you talked about, (seeing by the bird catcher and glasses fogging).

I have tried every spray and liquid I can find to stop the fogging, but none have worked. I have found that a head sock helps. I keep the visor up until I start my burn out and flip it back up to back up. I flip it back down just before I put the first blub on.

Visibility down track is not so bad once you get used to it. Look as far down the track as possible at the center of your lane , do not look at your front wheels and the wall as you will find you go where you are looking.

When backing up, back up until just before the water, then pull forward getting your self straight (this is very important). Gentle touch on the wheel, the FED should go straight make small corrections if needed.

First launches should be short, if the FED does not go straight check the circumference of your rear tires, they should be equal, adjust air pressure if needed, don't make a full run until the launch is straight.

Finally, TAKE YOUR TIME, you need to be comfortable and safe.

Let us know how you make out.

[msundstrom]

I use some stuff called Zoi, think it is spelled right. I use it on my visor and both sides of my glasses and fogging has not been a problem.
Mark

[Totally T]

I agree with the others....only go with what you can still feel comfortable with. Learning to look around the injector will get easier and you will start using the horizon more to help.

As far as the fogging it happens to both glasses and visors. I used to use shaving cream on my visors and it will work on glasses too. All the circle trackers here used to do it. In the age of anti-fogging lenses, I have not had to use it for years.

I have also heard about using a fresh air source plumbed in to the helmet helps the visors...could possibly help with glasses.

[hemidakota]

Its all about how comfortable you are. I went 7.93 on my second hit during lic. runs. but I worked on the car for a few years and knew all about it before driving. You will be surprised how fast comfort comes. Fastest I ever went before fed was 10.50's in a door car and now 7.90's are not fast enough. As long as you are having fun, that's all that matters! Good luck and remember if you see the 1/8th mile marker on you first burnout it was long enough. lol I got a little excited the first wack of the throttle.

[Tim Jones]

Looks like you've gotten plenty of great advice, So Have fun and have somebody take pics,,  Tim Jones

[tony1966]

Thanks for all the advice.  I picked up some anti fog stuff at the store, I'll try it out this afternoon when it gets hot out.  I'll definitely be keeping the visor open as much as possible, though.

I'll let you know how it goes.

thanks again!

Tony

[JrFuel Hayden]

I agree with taking it easy, and comfortable. My 1'st time driving a FED in 1963 [ before RED] I had some visual experiences. You see your brain is your computer, your eyes are lens, and your ears are microphones. So what happens is your brain is not used to  [ programing] for taking in all that data so fast. Each pass you'll feel more comfortable as you brain gets reprogramed, plus the affects of adrinalin [sp?]

Some racers I know had fogging problems until they installed a helmet breath guard, from a motorcycle/ snowmobile shop. It keeps your hot breath off your shield.  Check the M/C snow shop for anti fogging stuff. When I was driving at night I would put my goggles under my shirt before putting on my helmet so the goggles were the same temp as my face, ala no fogging. Of course that when open face helmets were legal.

The best would be to go to a Frank Hawly driving school, and they have you take it in steps, launch 1'st 2'nd 330', 3'rd 1/2 track, etc.
I always practiced each step of a run, sitting in the car, to program my actions/ reactions, so I did each step automatic.  Don't worry about the blower visual issue, you'll drive it looking down the track just keeping the car in the center of the track. My worst visual was my dual engine BBC Top Gas Dragster, were I sat low enough behind the motors so my line of site was in the middle of the blowers.
 A 6 foot tall person could stand at my front axle and I could not see any part of him. But then again nobody should be standing there before I make a pass.

I hope this all helps !   

Jon Hansen, Hayden Wheels

[wideopen231]

Still to make a pass in FED. With my TA/D I did pretty much the same a license deal.Stage drop hammer and shut dwon around 60' then 330 and then I went full track ,well about 100o foot and popped blower. DO IT AT YOUR PACE and forget what everyone else thinks.They did not pay for it and any idiot can hold a throttle down, it takes adriver to know when its time to lift and bring her back for next run.
 I use to sit in car and make practice runs doing every thing just like a run from firing to hitting chutes .Might seem stupid to some,but it does seem it should help program brain for automatic reflex.


 Have fun this crap cost too much money and work not to enjoy it some.

[masracingtd1167]

Chris did you make motor sounds too!!!!

[wideopen231]

yeap and she sounds bad a  oops almost got introuble there.LOL Was affraid might not have enough to win that round so I hit the laughing gas button. Ok now back to the original programing.

[GlennLever]

Chris did you make motor sounds too!!!!

Making motor sounds is a requirement.