What is the best way to launch an auto in a 1/4 mile race?

 

Stay in drive. Don't let anyone fool you by telling you it is faster to shift through the gears - that is not what those gears are for at all (it is not an auto-stick). To continue the process, accelerate hard, but do not floor it. Once you reach 30 MpH, now floor the pedal. The car should jump gears yet also pickup quickly. Now take your mind of the pedal and watch where you're going - your transmission should take care of everything else. Again, do not listen to anyone that tries manually shifting through the gears - ask any Car & Driver, Road & Track, or Automobile Magazine driver, and they will tell you this will only ruin your transmission. The only people who do shift through the gears either have no idea what they are doing or are trying to act as if they own a manual (rice). There is also another acceleration process known as Power Braking, which I am not very familiar with it (I found this way more effective). I am sure more people can brief you on Power Braking, but I do not want to comment on something I am not sure how to do properly myself. Just trying to help .

 

Thanks Vyrus..... Anybody has tried "power braking"? Actually I don't even know how...!!! Any feedback would be appriciated..., (I'll be racing an Audi this weekend)

 

Thanks Vyrus..... Anybody has tried "power braking"? Actually I don't even know how...!!! Any feedback would be appriciated..., (I'll be racing an Audi this weekend)

 

Put your left foot on the Brake and your right foot on the gas, hold your brake down hard and rev (in gear) up to 2k and when the tree is green let go of the brake and mash the gas to the floor....

 

Just a note...
Manually upshifting will not harm your tranny. It does exactly the same thing aas letting it do it itself. That's why it's useless....

 

I've actually tried power brakin it a couple times around here and i've found it to jet it off the line more than just hittin it hard at the green. I know it's bad for the brakes and the engine, but it's fun once in a while...that little extra oomph to the go... "Just trying to help" ...

 

burn that audi to hell
BURN EM TO HELL!!$@!$
^^ juss kidding.
Just do something that he will remmeber you and your maxima by.
I tried POWER breaking few times..
I don't really see the difference between that and juss hitting the gas.
sigh..

 

take o/d off. put it in first. mash on brake, rev to about 3k and let off. don't shift until you redline.

 

O/D does nothing, you will not get out of 3rd by the end of the track anyway. Put your tranny in First, Brake hard and rev to 1600 rpms with stock tires, 2500-3000 with aftermarket ones. When the tree hits the last yellow light floor the gas pedal and never let it up until you are 30 yards into the trap(the end of the course). When you hit 6200 rpms shift into second(the tranny will take a sec to do the shift and this will allow the engine to aproach redline but not exceed it). Then in 2nd, shift again at 6300 rpms for the same reason as is listed above.

Kirk

P.S. Whoop that audi's @SS!

 

DAMN RIGHT, it does nothing for acceleration!

 

Here is my humble, but what I feel, experienced opinion. I agree with Kyle and 1/3, not Vyrus. I strongly feel that manually shifting gives bigger gains. And I also don't think you are doing any harm - so long as you aren't driving around like that every day. In fact I read an article in Car&Driver about how they race automatics and they do, in fact, manually shift and power brake. I would decribe the shifting in detail but I think 1/3 did an excellent job. And no Mzmtg, it is not the same as leaving it in D because you are keeping the engine at higher r.p.m.s longer - for better performance. As for power braking, I can't say I've mastered it 100% yet or came up with perfect numbers so I will leave that for someone else. Good luck.

 

Thank you very much guys for feedbacks, I'll try different ways before the race...with the mods on my car I think I can beat the Audi with no problem (although he has a Big Turbo and an intercooler)...will keep you posted.