Do you have a spare tire and related eqiupment. If so, remove it if you want, it's probably 500 hundredths. :smack: I've done a lot of research from lots of people of the years, and the consensus (at least for relatively powerful RWD V8s) is that even on street tires take the pressure down to roughly 25psi hot. Also, a very light burnout can be useful, not for heating the tires or getting them sticky, but for knocking off a layer of smulkus. Since you're a FWD, you probably can't do that without a line lock.

When I use to race the Chevelle on street tires (BFG Radial TA's) it did best with 27psi and a little spin to clean the tires. I tried heating them and that just makes them spin more. That was back when it was running mid 13's.

Makes sense.

Oh, and drive AROUND the water box if you aren't going to do any burnouts. You're in a stick. Look online for a tree simulator and explanation of how the tree works. You'll be using a standard tree, NOT a pro tree. It's now big deal, since you probably aren't trying to cut double zero lights yet, but knowing a little can make a big difference in getting a jump against other drivers, which is ultimately where a lot of the art and fun of it is IMO

There are two types of Christmas Trees that the NHRA uses, Sportsman and Pro. The Christmas Tree pre-stage lights are connected to an infrared beam about two inches off the ground and about six to eight inches from the starting line. When the edge of your front tire rolls forward and "breaks" this beam the pre-stage lights will illuminate.

A second infrared beam is mounted on the actual starting line...When the edge of your front tire breaks this beam the stage lights illuminate. You can "nudge" forward at this point and "deep stage" which shortens the distance to your tripping the clocks. When the rear of your front tire clears the starting line infared beam, your time starts.

With the Sportsman Tree the three ambers march down in a .5 second sequence with the green illuminating .5 seconds after the third amber light. The goal is to "cut" a perfect .5 second light by anticipating the green. Anything under .5 seconds is a red light.

Your vehicle's reaction time (VRT) could be anything from .2 to .5 seconds and is obviously influenced by "how deep" you stage. In the real world this has to be factored into your strategy. The driver's reaction time (DRT) plus the VRT is your universe in Drag Racing. Races are won or lost on the starting line. It's not as simple as it looks!

Hehe, you forgot a few things...

Food (although there is a hotdog stand on site (which charges you $$$) and carls jr, jack in the crack, ampm, and some other joints the other direction)
Water
Jacket (5am is ASS cold)
Blanket
Something to keep your hands busy while you wait

I might have even still forgotten a few things

God I can't wait till I'm modded... no spray for me though. big turbo + accessories, good tuning, good clutch and tranny, suspension, engine mounts and some DRs should put me in the low 12s...

then I can check my tire pressure and go LOL

for my first time I'll probably clean the whip, pack up whatever I need to bring along and maybe some higher octane fuel... I run 91 all day maybe I'll find something higher somewhere for the day. It'll be fun! I still don't know how fast she is...

I get those things together in the morning before I leave otherwise the ice is melted. Things I do that morning are make a good breakfast usually eggs or an omelet and a protein shake, pack the cooler with drinks for the day, get together some snack foods (my wife usually come in the afternoon with my daughters and they bring me lunch), get my SFI race jacket (also a sweatshirt if it's really cold), go to the gas station to get 3 to 4 gallons of 91 to mix with the 5 gallons of VP 110 I added the night before and pick up ice for the cooler. Then I head to the track.

Don't waste your money on race fuel unless you plan on bumping up the timing or adding a little boost and are worried about it detonating. The higher the octane the harder it is to burn the fuel. If your car doesn't detonate on 91 then there is no reason to run anything higher. You may even run slower with the race fuel.

good to know!!!

ya dude actually in evo land its been way over proven that just hopping up the boost, or throwing race fuel, or just doing both will make u slower because ur not tuned for it!, and im sure the same holds true for your car and every other car out there!

but ya dude like these guys said just slean out ur entire car, and if you want toss the spare tire and rear/passanger seats if your desprite lol, and just go at it. especialyl with your first time you should just go out there and get a feel for things and have a fun time with friends and people on here man.

that's the idea! it's going to be rad