RE: 1st Time to track....Help ???

From: Bob Tom (tigers@bserv.com)
Date: Fri May 05 2000 - 18:33:22 EDT


At 02:55 PM 5/5/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Auto...

Before you race, check to make sure that your fluid levels
(rad, oil, tranny, etc.) are aok and check tire pressure
... fronts as high as rated by your tires ... rears will
have to be experimented with ... about 5 lbs less than
recommended tire pressure usually works.

You'll have to go through tech line before you're okayed
to race ... procedure is generally different for each track.

It's ideal to run each race with the truck fairly cooled.
Touch upper rad hose and fuel rails carefully with hand.
If just lukewarm, then go racing.

Take overdrive off. Put into 2nd and drive around water pit.
Back up to damp ground after the water pit (pit crew usually
guide you back). As you back up, try to line up the truck
with the two dark, solid, black strips on the ground (left by other
vehicles leaving the line) at and just after the start line.

Put into 2nd, hold brake pedal tightly, bring rpm up to
2500 rpm, let rear tires spin a second or two, put gear
into D and release brake.

As you approach the staging line, use left foot to slow truck
to a crawl until you have triggered the top two amber lights
of the staging tree on. Hold brake hard, bring rpms up to
1200-1500 rpms. (Since it's your first time at the track,
I would suggest that you leave it in Drive and let the tranny
do the shifting.) There will be other times, once you feel
comfortable with the above routine, to start in 1 and upshift
manually. When the second of the next three ambers goes ON
and goes OFF (only .5 sec between these), release the brake
pedal and floor it until the end of the track (or you feel
the truck is not running aok). Most importantly, enjoy the
moment (things happen quickly from water pit to leaving the
staging tree).

Good luck!!!!

Bob Tom. Ontario, Canada. '97 Dakota CC, 5.2L, 3.92 SG, auto.
Corrected max. rwhp = 227.4 Corrected max. rwtorque = 335.0 lb-ft
Measured max rwhp = 231.2 Measured max. rwtorque = 340.0 lb-ft
PB 14.85 sec @ 91.67 mph



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