Hi everyone. So last friday i took my baby to a 1/4 mile track for the first time and i discovered that im a really bad driver! SO i need some advice on it. i did 2 runs and in my first one my tcs and dsc were on and i launched at 5000 rpms. the wheels spun forever and i my time was 18.4 at 80 mph yes 18.4. On my second run i took the tcs and dsc off and i launched at 4000 rpms and it was not perfect but way better than the first launch and my time was 17.4 at 83 mph which is till bad so i guess i really neeed to work on swithcing gears better so i was wondering what the right rpms to switch gears are ? i did it at 8500 and i think thats to latee thanks for the help

 

I dont consider a drag strip is a "track"

 

do you have a auto transmission or manual transmission?

 

He wasn't on a track...He was IN a track!

 

its a manual transmission

 

18.4?? Something seems wrong

 

He meant 2 one way street.

 

I know what your are doing wrong... Trying to Drag Race an RX-8

 

The drag strip is not the place for an 8, but if you want decent times:

Let a little air out of the rear tires.
Turn off DSC and TC
Don't burnout unless your on slicks or semi-slicks.
Launch at 7000 but don't completely drop the clutch, but don't feather it too much either. (This is very hard on your clutch and drivetrain)
Shift quickly but smoothly into the next gear when the car beeps at you or 8500. (Don't money shift though)

This should get you decent times unless something is wrong.

 

haha i know the 8 is not for drags! im not trying destroy every muscle car out there either im just doing this for fun and to get to know the car better!
If i launch at 7000 rpm wouldnt that make the car spin even more that when i launched at 5000? thaks for the help. And from what the mechanic said the engine is "perfect" right now. I took the car for a carbon cleaning a the dealer and a compression test after and all the pressures are back up so the car should be good

 

Wow i expected some awsome story of a first time experience at the TRACK with maybe even some cool pictures... instead i open it to find someone else trying to race an RX8 in a straight line...

im sorry these cars are not meant to do that!!!!... go get a mustang if you want to go in a straight line, they are roughly the same price...

 

you took your car to a strip lol

 

wtf is a money shift?

 

17.4 ?

was this your first time driving a stick shift?

Seriously though, its all in the launch. You have to practice getting the car moving at the very edge of traction without spinning.

 

When you try to shift into the next gear up way too aggressively at high rpm and force it into the next gear down by mistake. Usually it ends in some type of kablamo that can leave metal bits everywhere. ie: 3-2 instead of 3-4.

 

Ive never heard that "money shift" definition but....maybe it'll catch on!

 

Called a money shift because it will cost you a ton. I've heard it used quite a bit in numerous circles.

edig: Haha, just caught what you were saying after all, I'm slow tonight. Most of the people i know use it in terms of a botched downshift to the wrong gear at the track. Doesn't really apply in that respect to drag racing though.

 

That is genius. There's nothing like experience even if it is just drag racing. I wanted to see some track pics too but I think your mind is in the right place. Remember drag racing is all about building speed quickly. Two cars can race and both go 120 in the end but the car that got there first wins. As far as shifting at 7K, he said that you'll have to release the clutch slower and possibly feather it. This way you're making full power (and you'll need it with 130 lb/ft of torque). When you learn what percent the clutch needs to deliver the power and not over do it then you will launch faster and break that elusive 16 second mark.

 

Hold the revs to about 4K and feather the clutch out slowly (don't drop it, our diffs don't like that). Your drivetrain gains more and more leverage over your engine every time you go up a gear, so you want to leave your car in gear for as long as possible (9K). Keep in mind though that even if you do everything perfect to a professional driving level, you're still not going to go very fast. DSport Magazine tested a new R3 and ran a mid 16 I think at 89 mph. Just sad. I know the RX8 wasn't meant for drag racing but holy ****. I was personally disgusted with that time. The new RXX needs to have some ligit sports car power behind it. I can't justify spending over $30K for good handling.

 

Actually... launching the car at 9,500 rpm would make it spin the least.