Problems getting traction at the track
 

So I have been to the track the last two days and have done 10 runs combined. But my best time is a 14.434 @98.71. My R/T was 0.184 and my 60' was 2.453. The problem is a cant get started correctly. I either spin or else bog out. Any idea what I should do next time? Could that be what I should be running with my mods? I hope not!!

Some suggestions:

1. Air down your tires to around 18Psi...then tweak them up or down to see if you get better traction
2. Either remove your front sway bar, or at least disconnect it for the track
3. Practice your launches some more
4. Practice your launches some more
5. Did I say this? Practice your launches some more. You just need to find the "sweet spot" to launch at.
6. Get rid of the jack and spare tire for track duty
7. Practice your launches some more.

Are you granny shifting or power shifting? A bone stock 99-up GT will run low 14's straight out of the box with no weight reduction. All of the stuff I listed above has the benefit of being free to do. Don't worry about your R/T too much...it has no bearing on your E/T or 60' time. You could have sat there for five minutes after the light turned green and ran the same time. Oh yeah...practice your launches some more. :D

YOur 60' sucks ass. you need to learn to launch the car. i recomend 3-3,500rpms and sliping the clutch out of the hole and shift at 5,500rpms.

And dont use 18psi its way to low for stock tires and will just cup them. something around 28would be as low as i would go.

You just need practice. You trap is on par with your mods, so you seem to be making the correct amount of hp. You problem is plain and simple: bad launch.

In fact, I would say don't remove any weight from the trunk. Loosing weight in the back will only make launching harder for you. Once you get your 60 foot times down, then take out some weight to help at the top end.

Are you just spinning? Or, are you getting wheel hop? Wheel hop is a different issue all together and with a 2004 GT might indicate something broken with you rear suspension. If you are just getting tire spin, then you just need to learn to hook.

Are you driving through the water box? If so, don't.

If I were you, I would rev the engine to about 3,000 rpms, then slip the clutch out while adding gas at the same time. If you start to spin, then push in on the clutch a tad. Don't lift up the clutch completely while in first and definately, do not "pop" the clutch out. You need to feather it.

Find a parking lot somewhere whe you can practise. in fact, Don't try to launch fast, just try to launch well.

If you can drop that 60' to 2.0x, you will be trapping at about 13.8 @ 100 mph or so.

Godo luck.

I ran my best 60' times on street tires at 18 psi. Experiment and see what works best for you.

wow that is a disgustingly low psi for street tires.

Spike I did alot of experimenting with the tire pressure trying to get traction. 18 - 20 psi worked the best for me. Any lower than 18 and they started to cup as you suggested. Any higher than 20 and they would spin too easily. Alot of it depends on your cars suspension set up, you just have to play around with it and find out what works best for you.

i know that, but wow 18psi seems way to damn low, mine hated anything under 25psi.

Same with me. May be the goodyear's construction. I'm sure different brands like different PSI's.

I also just found out that my x-pipe came loose at the headers earlier in the week. I had heard it earlier in the week and thought nothing of it. Last night it came off good and I was driving a nascar. It was loud as sh*t.