Drag Strip Advice Please Heads can 09 Coupe 3 55 Gears R888R s

[06SRTCoupe]

Greetings!

Just like the title says, looking for some tips when I head to the 1/4 this Saturday. Car put down 638/588 SAE, has an Nth Triple Carbon clutch, 3.55 rear, and R888R's.

Looking for launch advice, PSI recommendations, and burnout info.

Thanks in advance!

[Steve M]

There have been some decent threads on how to launch a Viper over in the Gen 5 section, this being probably one of the most helpful posts from slowhatch (you can obviously ignore a couple of the steps that just don't apply):

This is what I do, everyone has their own flavor.

1. Set NT05R pressures to 19psi cold. (Will be around 20-21psi after small burnout)
2. Sit your seat straight up so you are not thrown off of the wheel/shifter/etc at launch.
3. Turn off your AC to eliminate chance of the condenser dripping on the track. Roll up the windows, helmet on.
4. While stopped hold the ESC button on your wheel for 5 sec to fully disable trac/stability control. Do NOT use launch control, this is not a burnout contest.
5. If GT/GTS or so equipped with bi-mode shocks, set shocks to "RACE". Firmer rear suspension will shock the tires more but lessen the chances of wheel hop. Wheel spin > Wheel hop.
6. Do not drive through the waterbox if you're not on skinnies up front. You will drag water up to the staging area and piss everyone off.
7. Drive around the water box and back in (use your backup camera to gauge when your rear tires are in the wet).
8. Slowly move a few ft out of the water box. Do not be that guy to do the burnout in the box.
9. Stop. Rev to 4500rpm, abruptly dump the clutch while flooring the gas and jump on the brake with your left foot. The car will momentarily lurch forward and then should be stopped by the front brake pressure. Modulate the pressure between your feet to keep the rpm up, while keeping the car from moving. Too much brake and you will stall. Not enough brake, and you will drag the car forward doing a rolling burnout.
10. Do a burnout only until you see smoke. Always remember you are not John Force.
11. Doing a lengthy burnout will do nothing but waste tire; and in some cases, if the compound is overheated and becomes greasy, impair traction. You are also cooking the clutch fluid as you sit motionless at high rpm. Your header primaries pass directly next to your clutch line. They will not tolerate extensive burnouts without impacting clutch engagement in your subsequent pass.
12. When you see smoke roll off of the brake while still on the gas and you should feel the car really dig in and launch forward toward the staging area.
13. Try not to hit the poor bastard sweeping the track at the staging light as you roll out of the burnout.
14. As you roll towards the staging lights, pump the clutch a few times to try to circulate the fluid.
15. Trip the first yellow staging light (pre-stage).
16. Stage as shallow as you possibly can. ie. army crawl the car up as slowly as you can to trip the second staging light (fully staged). This will allow you the maximum amount of roll-out (around 3 inches) before the 2nd beam is "untripped" and the clock begins. If you stage "deep", ie. roll any distance past whats required to light the 2nd staging light, it will mean you have less roll-out and it will negatively affect your ET.
17. Once you and the adjacent party is staged the man with the "button" will drop the tree. If you are here to turn times, ignore the guy to the left, ignore the tree, and ignore the crowd. Let him go, focus on your driving.
18. Launch rpm will vary with track prep, atmospheric conditions, tire temp, tire compound, tire pressure, on and on. I usually start at 4k rpm on my first shakedown pass and work my way up to see what the track will hold.
19. Bring the rpm up to the desired point.
20. I usually "pre-load" the clutch. As I'm staged at launch rpm I will back off the clutch right up to the engagement point, and hold there. This allows me to the smoothest possible exchange between clutch and throttle when its go time. Since the engagement point likes to move around in the clutch travel as the fluid heats up this keeps things consistent and ensures you are starting to grab the flywheel the instant you start to feed additional throttle. If you hold the clutch to the floor chances are you will feed more rpm than desired by the time your left foot actually backs off to get to the engagement point. Again, this is just my experience. Do what works for you.
21. Smoothly exchange throttle and clutch. The stock clutch will slip before the drag radials do at 1st gear torque levels if you're hooked up. So as she starts to get moving you can come off of the clutch completely and go WOT.
22. Shift like you want to go home on a trailer.
23. Profit.

Practice, practice, practice. The dragstrip is usually quite humbling for those who either expect a magazine number on their first pass, or those who like to tell people drag racing is "easy". "Just hit the throttle and go man, nothing to it!". The people on this board who turn the times have hundreds of passes under their belt and probably a decade+ of experience. You will learn with every pass you make.

A lot is going to depend on track prep, and you aren't on drag radials, which is going to make things harder. I can assure you that street tires at street tire pressures even on a well-prepped track aren't going to cut it if you shift like you want to go home on a trailer...tried it, got some nasty wheel hop, and said I'd never go back on anything less than a drag radial ever again. Your tires are at least R-compound, so you might stand a chance, but it's probably going to be an uphill battle. I'd start at 24-25 psi and go down from there as you see fit. I run 20 psi in my 18" Mickey Thompson drag radials, and they hooked just fine, but my local track has pretty good prep.

As he suggests, I'd try launching around 4,000 RPMs or so on the first pass (maybe lower if it is your first time)...I've not had a chance to have my car at the strip after my Nth Moto clutch install, so I don't know what will work for that combo quite yet.

As for a burnout, I just clean my tires off with a quick first gear dump. You want to get the tires warm, but if you heat them up too much, they'll get greasy on you. Mickey Thompson doesn't recommend anything more than a quick clean-off, but every tire is going to be different. Some folks have had weird issues trying to do a decent brake-stand burnout with the Gen 4/5 cars, so I've tried to avoid it if at all possible.

If you've never done this type of racing before, prepare to be humbled...it ain't as easy as it looks. If you have, the Viper is definitely a challenge to drag race well. You at least have the right gears (3.55s) and a good clutch working in your favor...I've already found out the hard way how lacking the Viper is at the strip on stock gears and a stock clutch, and my car is way closer to stock than yours. I've detailed my trials and tribulations in my own drag racing results post in this section, and have plenty of embarrassing YouTube vidoes to back it up. I'm hoping to redeem myself later on this year by finally getting this thing into the 10s like I know it should be. If you can cut a decent 60', you shouldn't have any issues getting there with the power you're making.

Good luck, and either way, post up your results. Not many heads/cam Gen 4 guys out there, especially ones that have actually been to the strip.

[06SRTCoupe]

Steve! I just got back in town so let me first say thank you for the tranny tips.

Yeah I'm hoping the R888R's fare better than the Pirelli's.

I know I really need to just get some old oem wheels and 18's...lol.

[Stealth78]

Unfortunately I can't pass along any helpful information but I'm definitely intrigued by this post. I've been to the strip a few times but never in either of the Viper's I've had/have. Once this heat and humidity is gone I do want to get to the strip this year. I do know I don't even want to bother on the P-zeros. I actually want the R888R's. I think I will be happy with the street/strip compromise of that tire.

[Ninjakris]

I ran the 1/4 with R888's a few times in my Gen 5. I don't make as much power as you but I started at 34 and worked all the way down to 22 with 28-29 being the sweet spot. I kept the front tires at 36'ish. Best I ran was 11.2@131 with a good DA and ~570whp. I'm horrible at launching but until I get a sweet clutch like you have, I don't know how much more I have in it without ruining my OEM clutch. Good luck and have fun!

[2001gts]

Really great post above but almost, remember this is actually two people so add a little commendatory or intimidation. Everything I agree with and a great write up to be followed almost exactly. My changes;

14. Trip the first yellow staging light (pre-stage).
15. Pump the clutch a few times to try to circulate the fluid.

No to this one 16. Stage as shallow as you possibly can. ie. army crawl the car up as slowly as you can to trip the second staging light (fully staged). This will allow you the maximum amount of roll-out (around 3 inches) before the 2nd beam is "untripped" and the clock begins. If you stage "deep", ie. roll any distance past whats required to light the 2nd staging light, it will mean you have less roll-out and it will negatively affect your ET.
(This one depends on your driving style how your car reacts etc, and in a race situation make you loose b/c your increasing your distance by admittedly only a few inches.)

(NOPE depending) 17. Once you and the adjacent party is staged the man with the "button" will drop the tree. If you are here to turn times, ignore the guy to the left, ignore the tree, and ignore the crowd. Let him go, focus on your driving.

Why pickup bad habits or not race every race like your money depends on it.
Staging both bulbs early is not friendly to the other guy, which you can use to you advantage to play head games etc.
Typically take the first blub then wait for the other guy to get ready etc, take the second stage appropriately when your ready.
Always leave on the bulb minimize you reaction time get the best ET possible.

Do you want to win or brag... I love beating cars that are a half second faster b/c. I leave well with a sub 0.5 RT. this only happens with practice.

[Steve M]

Always leave on the bulb minimize you reaction time get the best ET possible.

Your reaction time has no impact on your ET.

[06SRTCoupe]

Thanks for the input guys. I just bought a set of NT05R's so I am going to run those instead.

Anyone have a set of rear 19's they want to part with? They just have to be round...do not have to look good.

[Steve M]

Thanks for the input guys. I just bought a set of NT05R's so I am going to run those instead.

Anyone have a set of rear 19's they want to part with? They just have to be round...do not have to look good.

Can't help with the wheels, but good call on the drag radials...you're going to have a much better time on those.

[Stealth78]

Thanks for the input guys. I just bought a set of NT05R's so I am going to run those instead.

Anyone have a set of rear 19's they want to part with? They just have to be round...do not have to look good.

Damnit.... Lol! I was actually interested in seeing your 60' with the R888R's.

[06SRTCoupe]

Damnit.... Lol! I was actually interested in seeing your 60' with the R888R's.

Lol! Sorry brother. I figured with the few times a year it will see the track, a set of NT05R's will last me for 5+ years.

[Stealth78]

Lol! Sorry brother. I figured with the few times a year it will see the track, a set of NT05R's will last me for 5+ years.

The compound of those tires will change so quickly that they will likely start to harden after 3 to 4 years max. When I use to go to the track with my SRT Ram I had bought a set of M&H DR's that we're in great shape but we're already 4 years old and I wasn't able to get them to stick that well.

[06SRTCoupe]

Honestly, if I get 4 solid years out of them, I would be good with that.

[99RT10]

Greetings!

Just like the title says, looking for some tips when I head to the 1/4 this Saturday. Car put down 638/588 SAE, has an Nth Triple Carbon clutch, 3.55 rear, and R888R's.

Looking for launch advice, PSI recommendations, and burnout info.

Thanks in advance!

The best advice I can provide is to let me drive your car if you want to get the best time out of it. I have seen you drive,

[99RT10]

The compound of those tires will change so quickly that they will likely start to harden after 3 to 4 years max. When I use to go to the track with my SRT Ram I had bought a set of M&H DR's that we're in great shape but we're already 4 years old and I wasn't able to get them to stick that well.

Do a longer burnout..........................

[Stealth78]

Do a longer burnout..........................

I was actually doing a full stop, wide open 2nd gear burnout for a solid 3 seconds before letting off the brake and rolling out. They were hot! And no I wasn't over heating and greasing the tires either. 4+ year old drag radials are toast in my opinion. Can they still be used? Yes. Are they nearly as good as they were in the first year or two? Not even close!

[TooBlue]

Greetings!

Just like the title says, looking for some tips when I head to the 1/4 this Saturday. Car put down 638/588 SAE, has an Nth Triple Carbon clutch, 3.55 rear, and R888R's.

Looking for launch advice, PSI recommendations, and burnout info.

Thanks in advance!

Not to derail your thread..... but are you using a VVT cam or fixed cam.
If a fixed cam, what ECU are you using? (reflash, HPTuners, Motec etc?)