is this slow for a m3?

[brad horton]

first time at the drag strip in my all stock 1995 m3(plus h and r drop springs) and i feel my time was slow i only got 2 runs in but i 9.8 and 9.7 in the 1/8th mile at 74 and 75 mph.
60ft-2.378
330ft-6.479
594ft-9.810
mph-74.71
i have brand new 245-40-17s in the rear but was having big traction problems any help to get my 60 foot times better?

[m3chaser]

Yes that is painfully slow unless you are an auto. If you are a manual you should be running looooow 9's in the 1/8th at close to or a little faster than 80mph.

[BrenM3]

for a nicely worn 95 M3 s50 with 200whp I think that isn't that bad, if your 60 ft were 2.1 you wouldnt be far off with what other stock 95's run at my strip.

[m3chaser]

First some questions for you:

1. What rpms are you launching at?
2. Are you dumping the clutch or slipping it a little?
3. Are you rolling on the throttle or just mashing it?

Now then a couple tips:

1. If you are on street tires and the track is somewhat sticky then launch at no less than 3500rpms. I have launched at 4500rpms with my M Coupe on street tires and got traction because of the next pointers I am going to give you.

2. When you launch you need to slip the clutch ever sooo slightly and roll on the throttle instead of mashing it. If you mash the throttle even after you slip it a little bit you will get a lot of wheel spin.

The more you get the feel for the car and what you need to do it will make more sense. Only roll on the throttle in 1st gear and mash it the rest of the way. Even if you do a crappy launch like in the vid below it will still net you a 2.0 60ft. In the vid I should have got off the clutch sooner and revved a little higher and then the launch would have been better:


http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u323/jon2523/th_MVI_2952.jpg

[99GREENM3]

That's about the same that I ran my first trip to the track. I had heavy 18s on the car and a passenger that weighed 250 # though plus it was my first time :)

[brad horton]

the first time i did a clutch dump at 3,000 rpms, the second time i sliped it a little bit at around 2,500 rpms and rolled in a little. i looked back at older time slips i had from other cars and i was getting 2.0 sec 60 foot times in my stock rsx base and dodge shelby charger and around 2.3 secs in a mk3 supra. im going to try and get more track time with it soon and get alignment i may have decessed contact patch after lowering it.

[shaeff]

Wide street tires do not equal straight line traction. It's a common misconception. Wide tires = lateral grip. Tall (soft flexy sidewall tires, such as drag radials) = straight line traction.

And on street tires, do NOT do a burn out. Maybe spin them ONCE (as in let them lose traction for one rotation) to remove the debris stuck to them. When street tires get hot from a burnout, they get slick. When drag radials/slicks get hot from a burnout, they get sticky.

I love seeing guys on wide street tires roasting them off the rear wheels, and then wondering why they've got no traction. LOL.

[m3chaser]

Wide street tires do not equal straight line traction. It's a common misconception. Wide tires = lateral grip. Tall (soft flexy sidewall tires, such as drag radials) = straight line traction.

And on street tires, do NOT do a burn out. Maybe spin them ONCE (as in let them lose traction for one rotation) to remove the debris stuck to them. When street tires get hot from a burnout, they get slick. When drag radials/slicks get hot from a burnout, they get sticky.

I love seeing guys on wide street tires roasting them off the rear wheels, and then wondering why they've got no traction. LOL.

Ahahahaha sooo true. I don't have DR's or slicks so I just drive around the water pit and do a quick spin to get any crap that is on the tires off.

[MrBlonde]

That's about the same that I ran my first trip to the track. I had heavy 18s on the car and a passenger that weighed 250 # though plus it was my first time :)
You can't carry a passenger on a drag strip.


Wide street tires do not equal straight line traction. It's a common misconception. Wide tires = lateral grip. Tall (soft flexy sidewall tires, such as drag radials) = straight line traction.

And on street tires, do NOT do a burn out. Maybe spin them ONCE (as in let them lose traction for one rotation) to remove the debris stuck to them. When street tires get hot from a burnout, they get slick. When drag radials/slicks get hot from a burnout, they get sticky.

I love seeing guys on wide street tires roasting them off the rear wheels, and then wondering why they've got no traction. LOL.

So if I have really tall tires with a lot of sidewall and that are 3" wide I'll get fantastic straight line traction?

Street tires still need a quick blast for optimum traction but I agree that hazing them will reduce traction. It's impossible to spin your tires ONCE .. how would you measure that?


Ahahahaha sooo true. I don't have DR's or slicks so I just drive around the water pit and do a quick spin to get any crap that is on the tires off.
Bingo.


first time at the drag strip in my all stock 1995 m3(plus h and r drop springs) and i feel my time was slow i only got 2 runs in but i 9.8 and 9.7 in the 1/8th mile at 74 and 75 mph.
60ft-2.378
330ft-6.479
594ft-9.810
mph-74.71
i have brand new 245-40-17s in the rear but was having big traction problems any help to get my 60 foot times better?

Click on the link in my sig for Drag Racing 101 tips. It's all in the launch with a street car.

[99GREENM3]

You can't carry a passenger on a drag strip.


So if I have really tall tires with a lot of sidewall and that are 3" wide I'll get fantastic straight line traction?

Street tires still need a quick blast for optimum traction but I agree that hazing them will reduce traction. It's impossible to spin your tires ONCE .. how would you measure that?


Bingo.



Click on the link in my sig for Drag Racing 101 tips. It's all in the launch with a street car.

They let me plus I was not the only one with a passenger.:dunno This is where we went.
http://spokanecountyraceway.com/

[MrBlonde]

They let me plus I was not the only one with a passenger.:dunno This is where we went.
http://spokanecountyraceway.com/

Then it's not drag racing .. check your NHRA rule book.

[jfdmas]

Then it's not drag racing .. check your NHRA rule book.

you forget how loose things are here in the states kenny, i see it all the time on the tracks. Just like the helmet rule, its enforced heavily where your at but here unless your runnin 13's or quicker they dont care if you have a helmet or not.

[BadBoostedBmwM3]

you forget how loose things are here in the states kenny, i see it all the time on the tracks. Just like the helmet rule, its enforced heavily where your at but here unless your runnin 13's or quicker they dont care if you have a helmet or not.

Very true......

[MrBlonde]

you forget how loose things are here in the states kenny, i see it all the time on the tracks. Just like the helmet rule, its enforced heavily where your at but here unless your runnin 13's or quicker they dont care if you have a helmet or not.

Yeah it's good and bad. Good when some of the bigger hassles (six point rollcage) aren't enforced at the slower end of the scale but bad when you're risking not just your own life but that of a passenger.

[brad horton]

one of our local tracks thats a full 1/4 mile track has 0 rules no helmet rule no passenger rule(i have had 5 people in jeep on that track before) you can sit on the wall etc.btw I did do a burn out i drove around the water box.

[jfdmas]

one of our local tracks thats a full 1/4 mile track has 0 rules no helmet rule no passenger rule(i have had 5 people in jeep on that track before) you can sit on the wall etc.btw I did do a burn out i drove around the water box.

you need more practice then you will understand how to launch your car and what you think works best. Drag racing isnt as easy as everyone thinks.:)

[99GREENM3]

Then it's not drag racing .. check your NHRA rule book.

Ya so I did check :)

10.9 OCCUPANTS
No more than one person is permitted in any car during any run, except one co-driver permitted in 14-second and slower ET cars; co-driver must be a minimum of 16 years of age.



This was copied from the NHRA rule book. So he was my co-driver ;)
Also this is a NHRA sactioned racetrack.

[MrBlonde]

one of our local tracks thats a full 1/4 mile track has 0 rules no helmet rule no passenger rule(i have had 5 people in jeep on that track before) you can sit on the wall etc.btw I did do a burn out i drove around the water box.

I guess you've got it all worked out, have fun.

[brad horton]

i got it to my local 1/4 track and ran a 14.6 with a 2.6 second 60 foot and a 14.5 with a 2.2 second 60 foot.
i just bought a set of full adjustable coilovers coil air intake short throw shifter and im looking for a chip at the moment. im really hoping to bring my ets down into the high 13s. i was going to set the front coil overs high and stiff and set the rears in the middle as far as hight and as soft as they would go. is that the best set up? any clues what range ill be running in?
videos one of my buddys posted that include some of my runs:http://www.youtube.com/user/dumbell64833#play/all/uploads-all/1/SKJrO2acfYA

[KFeez]

I ran 14.6 at 93 in my 98 328is with only K&N intake and good launch.

Here is the Youtube Video

[95s52]

I ran 14.6 at 93 in my 98 328is with only K&N intake and good launch.

Here is the Youtube Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHxzrZtMVgw&feature=related)


define "good launch"

[KFeez]

watch and see, seems to be doing pretty well for an eleven year old car with a quarter million miles on it.?

[95s52]

watch and see, seems to be doing pretty well for an eleven year old car with a quarter million miles on it.?

whats your 60' in that run?

[stanksbeamen]

whats your 60' in that run?

OT but how did you do at that track a few weeks ago. Plan on going again? Sorry back on topic :D

[95s52]

OT but how did you do at that track a few weeks ago. Plan on going again? Sorry back on topic :D


Results are in me thread :shifty

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1048461

[dhinez]

thats what my 328i did stock. i run 9.2-9.3 now with the mods i have in an 1/8. get your 60 ft. down and you should be good to go. another thing is to know your shift points.