First time this weekend at HRP, Advice

[coopz06]

I have just bought a 2003 Z06 and have gone through the recommended 500 mile break-in. I have had the oil changed and went to MTI and bought Weld Racing rims and ET Street 26x10.5x16 tires. I would like some advice on racing at Houston Raceway Park for the first time. Ex. - Launch techniques, will ET Street tires hurt the differential or clutch off the line, type of helmet, purchase 110 octane gas at track, shift points, active handling on or off, performance driving mode on or off. I'm a novice, so my questions might sound elementary but I want to have a safe and exciting racing weekend.

[case2307]

Try to get in touch with Z06 Dust or J-rod. They should be able to help you out or just do a search for drag racing.

Good luck

[Zeaux6]

Coop,

I see you found the sight!!! I won't be able to make it HRP this weekend. Stace told me you were going. We'll do it another time.

How's the car?

Mike K

Zeaux6

[coopz06]

The car is great, this is going to be my new summer hobby

[Zeaux6]

How much did the wheels set you back?

[coopz06]

$544.00 for two.

[ZO6 DUST]

Hey Coop,

Welcome to the board bro, you'll like it around here, lots of good members. So you wanna be a track star!

Your fortunate, Houston has one of the most consistentlly well prepped tracks around, HRP. All you really need to do is pick a day, and post it. I'm sure several members would be more than hapy to join you. Also, should no one go, there are always drivers at the track who are willing to help out. Look for the Vette guys. JRod & Alexws6 are very good and have much more seat time than myself......JRod walked me through launching my first time out. I was able to run a 12.387 on F1's (good teacher)

Wednesday/Friday/Sunday nights you can run street cars.

Wednesday:
Wednesday night times are shown to the public as you cross the finish line, perfect for a digital recording of your run. Regardless if your wanting to put your car to test against the quarter mile clocks or test your skills in a little bracket racing or just wanting to have some fun, Houston Raceway Park's Wednesday Bracket Racing program is sure to fit your shoe. GATES OPEN AT 5 p.m., TIME TRIALS BEGIN AT 6 p.m., ELIMINATIONS BEGIN AT 8 p.m.----$8 TO
WATCH, $12 TO RACE (includes car and driver)

Friday:
A unique feature of the Friday night program is that the racers receive a time slip with just there run on it; not the other lane's. The racer receives only their time slip (computer read out of a vehicle time performance at 60 feet, 330 feet, 1/8 mile, 1000 feet and the 1/4 mile) with their cars elapsed times. This makes the racer the only one knowing the performance of their car.

Sunday:
Instant Green Street Racing has an atmosphere all of its own; similar to Friday Night Street Racing. The name says it all. There are no ambers on the starting line tree, just a green light. The racers pull up to the pre-stage light, then turn on the staged light and the next bulb on is the green light. With the elimination of the amber lights, there are no excuses for cutting a bad light! It's grudge racing at it's best!

Wednesday night seems to be the least busy, you should get quite a few passes, and before you know it, you'll be bracket racing.

Good Luck!

[alexWS6]

I agree, Wednesdays during the summer are the best.

Originally posted by coopz06
I have just bought a 2003 Z06 and have gone through the recommended 500 mile break-in. I have had the oil changed and went to MTI and bought Weld Racing rims and ET Street 26x10.5x16 tires. I would like some advice on racing at Houston Raceway Park for the first time. Ex. - Launch techniques, will ET Street tires hurt the differential or clutch off the line, type of helmet, purchase 110 octane gas at track, shift points, active handling on or off, performance driving mode on or off. I'm a novice, so my questions might sound elementary but I want to have a safe and exciting racing weekend.

Are you Welds the XP series?? Those are the only ones I know of that could work on the vette I believe.

To try and answer a few of you questions...
-Et streets are harder on parts, but shouldnt be too big of a problem with a stock car and occasional track visits.
-type of helmet? your call, dirtbike/motorcycle helmets, open face ones. they are pretty lenient on which kind until you start moving really fast.
-High octane can't hurt, just make SURE its unleaded.
-shift points, I havent experimented that much to know which exact rpm produces best et/mph, J-Rod can definently help you there.
-Put the car in Comp. mode every time.

[coopz06]

Thanks for the information, the only thing I'm worried about is the ET Street tires. MTI says they work great but I've read many posts about half-shafts coming apart and problems with running radials up front and ET Streets in the rear. MTI is further investigating my findings, but would like an independent opinion from members. It seems like most members prefer the BFG drag radial as compared to the ET STREET. Please Advise. Thanks.

[ZO6 DUST]

I know car drivers who run ET Street and radials up front..JRod for one, and he has never had a problem. I have ET Streets (Slicks & Skinnies) but have yet had the opportunity to run on them, so we are in the same boat. I honestly feel you will be fine as long as you don't dump the clutch at launch, then again I have seen JRod dump the clutch at 6K rpm's with no problem. SO what is my point, there is none, you never know. All you can do is try to be as careful as possible. Good Luck.

[coopz06]

Thanks for all the information, I will be at HRP this Friday as long as the rain holds off. I will be in the electron blue Z06 running 14's in the quarter. Please stop by and say hello.