Went to the drag strip today with my 08 EVO X with 800miles and let me just say that I did horrible..I know it was driver error but would like to post my best run for the night and see where I went wrong. I've never launched an AWD before and took advice from the forums. I launched using 2 step and let the clutch off slowly and most of the time the car bogged down and lost power but my last run with my best time felt like I finally did it right but still with a slow time.

South Texas
Weather 85 degrees
ASC off on Tarmac

Reaction: .211
I1: 2.128
I2: 6.038
I3: 9.353 (MPH 75.150)

1/4: 14.587
MPH 95.611 (why so low?)

All night long I did not hit anything higher than 95.89MPH on my trap speed. I would like to improve my times when I go back and would like to ask for advice as far as where i'm going wrong. I pretty much sucked at the launching and all runs were shifted right before redline of 7K

 

The 60" needs to be around a 1.6-1.7 and your 1/8 should be around a 7.6-7.7 then you will be running high 12's low 13's at about 109 depending on how well your driver mod is.........dont take this the wrong way, but from the looks of it, you have some work to do. You should also be holding your gears till about 7400 not 7k.

 

thanks, i'll give that a try next time..so it's ok to hold the gears to redline at 7400?

 

Letting the clutch out slowly is not helping, just burning up your clutch.

 

Not really letting it go slowly but using the 2step only enough to let the car rolling then let go..what's the proper way to do it?

 

Well there is the proper way and the way that yields the best ET.

I'll give you guys a little piece of drag racing knowledge that you either will or won't agree with.....

To achieve the fastest ET and the highest mph with any car at the track you must do the following:

1) Drop the clutch off the line like its a 2 dollar hammer from walmart. (assuming you have traction ie AWD, slicks, DR's)
2) No lift throttle shift every gear.
3) Stop caring whether you break it or not....

There are generally 2 types of drag racers. Some go to the track just to have fun, not break their car, and drive home. These folks aren't willing to sacrifice drivebility, expensive parts, etc etc etc for a little piece of paper with numbers on it.

Then there are some folks that will do anything and I mean absolutely anything no matter what might break or hurt drivebility to get that little worthless piece of paper with numbers on it.

The later will always be faster.......

Obviously this is a generalization of 2 extremes so you have to find that balance between the two that makes YOU happy.

I am personally the guy that is always fixing things because I constantly break stuff. Guess which archetype I am. LOL

Thanks for reading,
Rob Josvai

 

I have driven other cars of mine like there's no tomorrow but that was after I have gotten used to them..I haven't pushed the X like that due to the fact that's it's only Three weeks old and I still haven't gotten used to launching the AWD yet..however launching badly and shifting right on the red the car seems to loose power on the top end all of my traps were bellow 96mph

 

basically what your doing right now.. letting out the clutch slowly the entire way is just burning and eating your clutch alive. I myself have only went to the track once and my times are in my sig. and this is my very first manual trans. car.... but anyways. Once you feel the clutch grabbing at all thats when you let the clutch out all the way, almost like your dumping it.. but your not because the clutch is already starting to grab, and when you dump the clutch the rest of the way... your on your way.
Also, (if your already doing this.. just dis-regard) you may want to just keep your foot on the floor while two stepping, so you make sure when your launching after you've dropped the hammer your already at WOT.
The driver mod. is the cheapest, most effective way of getting a good time.. just learn your car and it will come

 

yeah, I might not have been doing it correctly, thus burning my clutch..but that was the concept I was trying to do..1st gear then gas all the way down till 2 step kicks in, angage the clutch then enough to where the car goes forwards and then let go all the way. I need more practice. hehehe

 

Shifting at 6900 or 7000 will really bog the Evo X. Shift at 7300ish like the other guys said and your time will improve.

 

Have you raced the 1/4 mile before in your X? If so, let's see your times.... Please DO NOT shift at 7,300.

I am no longer stock, but when I was you did not want to shift over 7,000 rpm. In fact, my best mph came when I was shifting around 6,800rpm. The powerband is lower on the stock tune. No need to shift at that high rpm.

As for the launch, it seems you are on the right track. Bounce off the 2-step, let the slack out of the clutch just about until it grabs, then let it slip quickly. Once the slack is out, bring it back quick. Do not try and slip it, as you will just burn it up.

A good 60' is in the 1.8's for the stock power level and clutch. If you can get that, then you will get some better times. Don't even worry about reaction time, it means nothing. Just focus on your launch, the rest will come.

Good luck.

 

is my 60' affecting my trap speed? i'm just wondering why it's so low.. it should be in the high 90's and low 100's

 

It shouldn't affect it by much but if you are bogging hard then you can probably pick up a couple mph. Stock should trap 101 or so.

Get some more miles on the car and try it again.

 

I don't really think i'm bogging hard. All 7 runs no matter how I launched were all 95mph..even when I miss shifted to 3rd gear, my trap was still 95mph..you think the mileage has something to do with it?