I'm going to be running my GS400 at the 1/4-mile track today! Need help!
03-11-03, 01:35 PM
#1
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I'm going to be running my GS400 at the 1/4-mile track today! Need help!
This is the first time I've ever run this car at the track and I need to know what you tried-and-true 1/4-mile race junkies have found to be the best method for getting the best times possible.
It's a 99 model with 35k miles and stock 16" wheels and absolutely no mods.
First of all realistically being a first time driver... what do you think my times will be? I ask because I want to find a comparable opponent so I don't get embarrased. I see some of you ranging from 13.9-14.2 but I'm sure that's with plenty of practice and great weather. Should I expect more like high 14s or mid 14s or what?
The big question here is what should I do to get the best times possible? Is it best to flip the "Power" switch on? What about VSC, should I turn that off and try to launch on my own without traction control's help? What about manually shifting with e-shift? E-shift won't let me into 1st gear... and it shifts WAYYYY too early on its own (about 800 RPM before redline even starts) so should I select first gear with the actual gearshifter coming from the center console and then do the rest of the shifting with e-shift?
Also, should I do little things like removing the spare tire and jack and maybe the air filter (just for one or two passes down the track it shouldn't hurt anything right?). Should I try to make sure I have a near-empty tank of gas?
Thanks for all your help... I've got a bunch of friends going with me to the track and I've been talking up this GS4 quite a bit.. so I want to convert these people to Lexus believers as well.
It's a 99 model with 35k miles and stock 16" wheels and absolutely no mods.
First of all realistically being a first time driver... what do you think my times will be? I ask because I want to find a comparable opponent so I don't get embarrased. I see some of you ranging from 13.9-14.2 but I'm sure that's with plenty of practice and great weather. Should I expect more like high 14s or mid 14s or what?
The big question here is what should I do to get the best times possible? Is it best to flip the "Power" switch on? What about VSC, should I turn that off and try to launch on my own without traction control's help? What about manually shifting with e-shift? E-shift won't let me into 1st gear... and it shifts WAYYYY too early on its own (about 800 RPM before redline even starts) so should I select first gear with the actual gearshifter coming from the center console and then do the rest of the shifting with e-shift?
Also, should I do little things like removing the spare tire and jack and maybe the air filter (just for one or two passes down the track it shouldn't hurt anything right?). Should I try to make sure I have a near-empty tank of gas?
Thanks for all your help... I've got a bunch of friends going with me to the track and I've been talking up this GS4 quite a bit.. so I want to convert these people to Lexus believers as well.
03-11-03, 01:45 PM
#2
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Put the POWER ON , VSC OFF, dont do a burnout on street tires, itll make traction worse. Go around the water, spin the wheels just a lil bit to get the debris off the tires.
E shift doesnt really matter, your times will not differ by much.
And every 100lbs you lose equals only .1 off your ET.
E shift doesnt really matter, your times will not differ by much.
And every 100lbs you lose equals only .1 off your ET.
03-11-03, 02:27 PM
#3
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low down the tire pressure a bit(rear tires), it will help you with the traction -->give you better time
Do a couple run, then you will figure out what to do or not do.
Do a couple run, then you will figure out what to do or not do.
Last edited by BananaGS; 03-11-03 at 02:28 PM.
03-11-03, 09:51 PM
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realistically for a first run you will be running 15. i have seen it go as low as16 for a gs300. but hey, just concentrate on having fun, you'll learn alot quicker. kinda like snowboarding.....offtopic sorry hehe ima snowboard junkie.
03-12-03, 01:59 PM
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When I bracket raced an automatic car, the trick on that was to have the car in gear, RPM's up to 1500-3000 (varies by model and stall convertor) and then just sidestep the brake in anticipation of the green with the last yellow light counting down. If you wait till you SEE the green light before releasing the brake, your competition may already be 0.3 to 0.5 seconds ahead of you ... aka REACTION TIME. This is how a slower car can actually beat a faster car in the quarter-mile! Obviously, if you release too soon and you break the light beam too soon, you red-light. Just have to get a "feel" for the car and your own reaction times... you'll get a time slip with this information on it at the far end of the track.
Bracket racing is about consistency, so on an automatic, by all means let the car shift for you... just leave it in D, not E-shift. The automatically shifted tranny will be exact, precise and predictable everytime.
Agree with power shift ON, but I would leave traction control ON as well, to eliminate wheelspin and hop which can decrease your times in some cases (and be cheaper on tires.) A big smoky burnout can cost $5 to $20 depending on how much rubber is lost on a good set of expensive tires! Do just a little to clear the tires (traction control off), and then switch TC on, and stage. I won't even get into the theories on "deep" staging. Don't worry about staging first or second, just know that once staged, you need to be focused on YOUR lights ONLY. Many people get freaked when the slower car may actually get a green light before your faster car (bracket racing rules), and get red-lighted when they launch by the OTHER GUYS GREEN! Wouldn't be the first time that ever happened! Being fast is not the only way to win. And being slow doesn't guarantee a loss!
Don't forget the white shoe polish and a helmet!
Hope this helps a bit,
Doc Rings
Bracket racing is about consistency, so on an automatic, by all means let the car shift for you... just leave it in D, not E-shift. The automatically shifted tranny will be exact, precise and predictable everytime.
Agree with power shift ON, but I would leave traction control ON as well, to eliminate wheelspin and hop which can decrease your times in some cases (and be cheaper on tires.) A big smoky burnout can cost $5 to $20 depending on how much rubber is lost on a good set of expensive tires! Do just a little to clear the tires (traction control off), and then switch TC on, and stage. I won't even get into the theories on "deep" staging. Don't worry about staging first or second, just know that once staged, you need to be focused on YOUR lights ONLY. Many people get freaked when the slower car may actually get a green light before your faster car (bracket racing rules), and get red-lighted when they launch by the OTHER GUYS GREEN! Wouldn't be the first time that ever happened! Being fast is not the only way to win. And being slow doesn't guarantee a loss!
Don't forget the white shoe polish and a helmet!
Hope this helps a bit,
Doc Rings
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