shifting at the strip

[scotts95sierra]

im getting my truck ready for the drag strip to open and im wanting to know the better way to shift. ive been told to shift it by hand only. then told to put it in drive or does it really mater. its a 95 350 with a 4l60e

[96ImpSS]

Until you've done enough experimenting to know if higher shift points help or hurt (higher will probably hurt your ET unless you've done at least headers and exhaust),
your best bet is to let the PCM command the shifts.

[scotts95sierra]

ive drag raced before on the street but i no longer do. after a good friend of mine was killed racing. ive never been on a drag strip and i dont want to look like an a**

[2500ak]

The 60e still has the final word on when it shifts. Unless you've added a shift kit that has a manual gear hold feature (plug in the ATF feed circuit at the end of the manual valve), or have changed the manual hold settings in the PCM.

I've done both to my 80e, yes I can hold the shift until it hits the rev limiter. Does this make the truck go faster? No, not really. Peak torque is made at 4000 rpm, peak horsepower around 4400. Unless you've got a bigger cam it just doesn't make a lot of sense.

[CustomChevyGuy]

ive drag raced before on the street but i no longer do. after a good friend of mine was killed racing. ive never been on a drag strip and i dont want to look like an a**

to be honest if its your first time at the track, I'd recommend you focus on the basic things.. a nice spin in the wet box (if you choose to), lining up in the groove, and setting up at the staging lights. In addition to the track workers, and the competition working on your nerves, you'll have plenty going on to keep you busy.. make several passes and get comfortable with everything going on before you try shifting manually. Practice your timing with the lights until you get consistent reaction times.. Master the basics, then play around with shifting

if you have any routines to help you focus - do them! on the way there, in the pits, in staging, and at the light - dont let people in the crowd get into your head, dont answer your phone, dont worry about anything but the green light and the gas pedal

i've made probably around 100 passes at my local track, and if i haven't run in a while, the nerves come right back, then come the little things adding up to mistakes...

that being said - have fun too! Let us know how it goes and good luck! :burn:

[scotts95sierra]

thanks everyone there opening this week. hope to have some fun and get some times to put up. being this truck is big and heavy then stock to i dont see it being fast.

[hammer137]

When you line up, go around the water. IF you feel like warming your tire up, back into the box rather then driving through the water. Leave it in "D", and mash the gas when you see the last yellow.

[scotts95sierra]

At this track u have to back in to the water. They have to spray water on the tires for fwd. ill try both ways I'm looking at some street slicks for my friends race truck. Would it even help to put them on my be a ext cab

[transplant]

At the track you are basicly racing against yourself. To win you need to be consistant. The best way to do this is to put the trans in "D" & mash the gas when the last yellow light comes on. Do not wait for the green light to come on or you will have at least a 1.0 reaction time.

I just saw you live in Yazoo City. I lived there in the 80's. Has someone built a track locally? We had to drive to Jackson to race legal

[scotts95sierra]

Nope have to drive to byram. I think yazoo likes the tickets to much. What helps is I know the son of the track owner.