Decay

Well, first time at a track ever in any car. I had no idea what to expect so I just went out and did my thing...but deep in my mind I knew I would be dissapointed if I didnt hit 13s...

My car: 93 R1, 85.5k miles, all original and stock expect for Blitz Nurspec catback. I bought it in January from some dude and it came with some shitty "Defender Radial VRX" tires...dont ask cause I dont know . Anyway, it was crowded and I only got 2 runs in. So my first run I line up next to some Saturn. Expectations were high, tire pressures were low, and my clutch foor was trembling like a mother. I was soooo nervous at the line. I was concentrating sooooooooo hard, and the tree dropped and so did my clutch...I thought I had the best launch ever. The car felt quick as *****. So I'm shifting around 7k, then I miss the 2-3. ****. Stayed on it and the Saturn was still pretty far back, so I thought I salvaged a good run. Got to the ticket booth thingy and read 15.83. Great. This is what my slip looked like...

R/T----------.961
60'----------2.657
330---------6.865
1/8----------10.479
MPH---------67.94
990----------13.334
1/4----------15.837
MPH---------91.56

Way to represent for rotaries. I got back in the staging areas and everyone asked "Is that the one that ran a 15.8?" I was pissed and couldnt wait to get the 2nd run it. But as luck would have it some CRX would blow up on the track etc etc, and I wouldnt get my shot for another 2 hours. This time I'm up against a VTEC Teg with Altezzas, black wheels, mesh grill insert, and a silly looking touring wing. I staged again and surely the crowd was in for another 16 seconds of torture. This time I dropped the clutch at like 2700, the tires spun for a split second, then they HOOKED. I knew that was the way you are supposed to feel off the line in an RX7. I destroyed the Teg, hit all my shifts, and had a great feeling as I picked up my slip. It looked like this:

R/T----------.697
60'----------1.98
330---------5.829
1/8----------8.956
MPH---------80.22
990---------11.503
1/4----------13.823
MPH---------98.82



I almost fell over when I saw that 60'. I never thought I would see 1.xx on these shitty tires in a longgggggg time. That was for teh Mustangs I went with who were laughing after my first run, saying "Those are the most overrated cars ever." Rota Powa!

Needless to say, I was VERY pleased on the ride home...sorry for the long post, but I figured you guys could appreciate some

Jim Calandrella

I think thats' a great time. Congrats. The first time I went to the track , I was nervous at the tree as well. What a great adrenaline rush though. I didn't run as fast as I thought I would, but I still smoked everybody that I raced(including a modded NSX). My problem is hooking up. I can't do it. I know I need control arms and toe links though.
Next year i'll start hitting the track again. I need to pay off my **** first, before I break anything else.
Good job
Jim

RX7withNitrous

great story made me smile

RX7-2JOCK

I think everyone is nervous when they race for the first time...Great story, reminds me of when I was at the track for the first time, except I didn't have any tickets that said 15.8 Get some mods done and some good rubber and turn the boost up, 12's are not too for away for you....... A little hint of advise that somebody told me at the tracks, is to drop the clutch at the second yellow, that should help some on your reaction time....it worked for me at least......

Dragueur

1.98 for 60'??!?!?!
good runs....
my first time was OK(STOCK)...ran 14.0 at 101 mph..but 2.38 60' time...

rynberg

nice second run with a killer 60', your trap speed is a little bit low, are you making full boost? What was the temp at the strip?

I'm going to the track for the first time next Saturday, I hope I do as good as you (or better of course).

RX7withNitrous

you running stock boost

VFactor24

Yep the same thing happened to me. First time at the track, I didnt even launch my car cause i was so nervous and ended up with a 2.7 60ft and a 15.4. But i redeemed myself the next time up, ran a 2.057 60ft and ended up running a 14.1. I cant wait to go again to the track cause thats when i was stock.

Dr Wankel

Hmmm I guess I'm gonna have to try launching at a bit lower RPM next weekend at the track. My last time out at the track I ran a 13.09 @ 105 with a 2.09 60' talk about a slap in the face. Usually I launch at 3-3.5K and end up turning the tires to smoke when the second turbo hits in 1st gear.

12's are so close, yet so far

Decay

Thanks for the compliments guys! I'm still psyched about that run and I grin every time I think about the minute I looked at the slip and saw 13.xx. Thats all I wanted to see, those 2 stupid numbers next to each other.

Yeah, I am running stock boost...as far as my MPH and making full boost, on the street I check my gauge and it always reads 10-8-10, but I was concentrating so hard I didnt look at ANYTHING really except straight ahead I was surprised at that 60' time as well, but hey, I'll take it

Temp was a beautiful 65-68 degrees with mild humidity...my runs were at 9pm and 11pm. Cant wait to get back, as I plan to keep the car as is and try to hit some lower times, like 13.6-.7

Kiflin

Good runs

FD Seeker

Do you happen to know what altitude this track was?

I just ran last night for the first time - stock - and I sucked. Between lugging off the line and missing third, my times were consistently in the 15s with the best being 15.31. My best 60' was 2.1.

Do you all think that 2,700 ft. track altitude could hurt that much?

93TTRX7

Palmdale California is bullshit! And yes that elevation doesn't do much for anyone's turbo. Full exhaust and intake supra ran a 15.1...bpu supra running 19 lbs ran a 13.5...it's bullshit

vosko

iTrader: (4)

sub 2 is EXCELLENT. congrats

Decay

Thanks Jon

And BTW, I thought greater elevation increases the performance of boosted cars, yet hindered a piston engines performance

93TTRX7

how? the air is too thin...pistons rotaries alike, turbo cars don't do too well, in fact no car benefits from higher altitudes...might as well put a track on the rockies

ZeroBanger

Thats a GREAT time. I started going to the track on July 3 and have gone every Wed Test and tune since. My first time was an eye opener too. I went against an integra and laughed really hard. its a 4 banger right?

Well He was so fast off the line I could not even get a glimse of his tail lights. I ground 3rd and thew it into 4th and ran a sweet 17!. he ran a 13.3 with NOS.

My 2nd run I ran a 15.2 against a WRX that ran 15.78.

I got a new clutch and the next week I ran 13.64 @ 105. My times have changed alot since then , but its alot of work.

and for an 85K engine that is damn good!

David

Decay

Yeah you are right. For some reason I thought I read taht somewhere though...maybe it was just that all-motor cars suffer more than turbo cars at high altitudes???

David, thanks for the compliments; much appreciated.

13brv3

As long as excess boost is available, a turbo will not suffer from higher altitudes. Some aircraft use turbos to maintain sea level pressure (and power) at higher altitudes. This is called turbo-normalizing, and is what I plan for my current plane. When I'm done, my FD will be the slowest rotary that I own

Rusty

vosko

iTrader: (4)

you want close to sea level as possible for optimal performance

justin

Wait until you get to the point of surprising many camaros,mustangs ect...
If you do no other mods get a launch kit,short shifter and drag radials.Third gear is tough when you first
start going to the track and a short shifter almost eliminates the missed gear.
My first run netted a 2.6 60'time missed 3rd gear ect....
I now run consistant low to mid 12's all bolt on's stock eng.injectors,turbos @13lbs.
These cars will respond and stay together with the right upgrades.Good luck

Savington

Altitude affects turbocharged cars less than it would NA cars, but the effect is still there. Because the air is thinner at higher altitude, there is less of it, and therefore it'll affect all motors. But if there's less air, that means you can turn up teh boost