Going to the track tomorrow to get a baseline before mods. Use LC or not?
 

Would like to get a nice time tomorrow if possible and not sure if I should use launch control or not, car is a stock A8. Are you guys using the launch control to get good times or launching at idle or holding the brake and keeping rpms up yourself and going?

Why do people call the drag strip the track?
I always click on these posts thinking it is road course. (Not interested in drag racing)

Drag strip

Drag track?
Road strip?

Tracks are road courses with curves. Drag racing takes place on a strip, not a track.
(Unless it has changed?)

Sorry, just a pet peeve of mine.

To me a track is anything that you go to to do things that are illegal on public streets, plus this was in the drag racing section of the website. :iono:

We are in the Drag Strip and launching Discussion section. Why would you think this is a road course discussion?

People that come into a specific section of the fourm then complain that it's not the content they were expecting. Sorry, just a pet peeve of mine.!!




Now to answer the question. My car responded best to foot braking it to about 1500-1600 rpm then flooring it. I'm on Drag radials and they dead hook. Others will tell you to leave off idle to flash the converter.

Of the 5 runs i made last week, foot braking it gave me the best two ET's amd MPH.

Sorry to upset you, it’s just how I read this entire forum.
By selecting “new posts” all new posts show up and I read the subjects. I don’t read what forum it’s in.
I’ll try to do better from now on.

So I take it it's a no on launch control?

So a guy that can't get into the 11s with drag radials and negative DA is giving launching advice........got it.

Launch control works well with poor track conditions and an itchy foot. Computer controls (nannies) work well when things go wrong, but in my experience if the car hooks then you want the least amount of hand holding as possible.

In short, try your 1st run with launch control. If you feel that the car had sufficient traction without the computer pulling power, then progress to turning it off. Also, stock tires spin easily so a quick roll into the throttle instead of an idle smash may work best. Good luck :thumb:

Just off idle works best in my opinion. I've tried them all.

OP This^ I just ruined a guys night who was learning to drive his A10 ZL1 by telling him how I launch my ZL1 after over 100 runs.

There are several factors to consider in my view and number 1 is seat time.

Number 2 is track prep which can change depending on how many cars ahead of you are putting water on the TRACK. Prep can also vary by lane and the "good" lane may change over time. Also for me anyway the decision to leave off idle or load it a little is track prep. You can get a feel for this by watching other cars run before you do.

Third is your car. A Stock SS is different from a stock ZL1 or V6.

As Snowblind said start with the nannies on with LC and get used to having the same procedure for each launch. LC will not give you 11s stock. But it gives you an electronic cushion to get started and will make you more consistent.

Then maybe the next step is launching with just TC OFF. Now you are more in control. But you won't floor the throttle waiting for the lights to come down. The computer can still reign you in if things get dicey. No 11s here either. You can try loading a little or go just off idle.

Then once you are comfortable hold down TC for 20 seconds. Now you are mostly on your own. If you are going to get an 11 you will get it here. But is a steep hill to climb. 11s are very rare for a stock A8 SS and there has not been one posted in a while. (Maybe A10s will be a little faster!?) And to get there you will need some really good air.

It's good to have a dream. :thumb:

Well I tried the launch control and all it did was turn the tires over very slowly at the light, pretty embarrassing. I held the rpms about 1500 to 1800 and let off of the brake and nailed the accelerator and it went 12.24. The track got worse the more I ran it and couldn't get it to hook anymore after that.

Very respectable ,let the mods begin

Personally ran a 12.11 in a bone stock A8 (245/40/20 all seasons) foot braking at 1500rpm. Car wheel hopped a little which killed my 60ft. Ran 12.11 @ 116 with a 1.87 60ft.

I was satisfied with the time just embarrassed about the launch control doing what it did.
Mods will be commencing this week.

So have you found launching off idle or foot-braking it onto the converter to show the best results? Maybe it depends on the car and tires?

I had pretty good luck with foot braking at 1800 RPM or so in my lightly modified ZL1 on ET Street Rs, though I never tried leaving from idle speed.