Launch RPM?

**WS6ICK2K** · 04-27-2008, 07:00 PM

I was wondering what rpm you M6 guys usually launch your cars at the track. My car just has a few bolt ons with a soft compound 275. Plan on taking it to the track for the first time this summer, Suggestion?

**Wesman** · 04-27-2008, 07:54 PM

Start around 2,000RPM and work your way up from there. If you launch at 2,000 and it hooks well and bogs down a little, go up to 2500RPM. Basically you want to launch as high as you can while still hooking up without too much wheelspin.

Also, don't drop the clutch. At the last yellow lights up (right before the green) just ease off the clutch quickly while feathering the throttle right around your desired RPM. That should produce the best results and be the least abusive to the drivetrain.

**fraz1le** · 04-28-2008, 12:07 PM

3000 is usually the best but you need to start lower and work your way up.

**Bottesini** · 04-28-2008, 12:13 PM

If I can get good traction at the track about 3000. If it is not so good closer to 2500. I would prefer higher, but my BGFs do not have the gripping power (which saves my 10 bolt) to handle a higher RPM launch which would help my time.

On the street almost always I would launch from idle unless it was a really nice concrete road. For me it was a great help getting used to launching from the street, even though the traction is usually no where near as good. It does give me seat time and experience in dealing with my car out of the hole. Especially, when with my current set up I need to just haze the tires enough to keep my car in its power range.

**fraz1le** · 04-28-2008, 05:39 PM

Its just a feel on any car, practice and seat time is the only thing that helps. Theirs no quick fix.

**WS6ICK2K** · 04-29-2008, 12:18 PM

Thats about the RPM range I was thinkin around. 2500 is about perfect for my car, mods and tires. Cant wait to see what it runs, Ill keep you guys posted.

**jrc1122** · 04-29-2008, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by Wesman

Start around 2,000RPM and work your way up from there. If you launch at 2,000 and it hooks well and bogs down a little, go up to 2500RPM. Basically you want to launch as high as you can while still hooking up without too much wheelspin.

Also, don't drop the clutch. At the last yellow lights up (right before the green) just ease off the clutch quickly while feathering the throttle right around your desired RPM. That should produce the best results and be the least abusive to the drivetrain.

I am going to take this advice when I go to the track tomorrow- because I launch horrible.

**Twixter08** · 10-17-2015, 08:25 PM

My 02 bogs so hard it almost stalls at 2k rpm and the other guy is already gone and if i hit at 2500 it just breaks the tires loose. I cant launch my car worth a f. 2002 ws6 ta. I roll race like a king though lol 20mph hit i out run alot of things. Shift at 5500rpms. Anything after 5500rpms car falls on it face it seems like.

**Firebirdjones** · 10-19-2015, 05:19 AM

Practice practice practice. Racing from a dig is where it's at, seperates the men from the boys.

If you are racing on stock rubber with a stick car, a little tire spin is very likely, not necessarily a bad thing if it's controlled and not excessive.
Finding the happy spot and learning how to modulate the clutch and throttle to minimize it without bogging is where practice comes in. Every car is different and track conditions change constantly so what worked last week may not work this week. Most tracks on test and tune don't even bother with the traction compound, or use it sparingly.

Easy trick I find when running stock tires, is to keep a full tank of gas at all times, keep the spare tire and jack, and sometimes I even add a bit in the trunk, like a small cooler packed with ice etc... The added weight to aid launch far outweighs the disadvantage of carrying that weight down track. In other words, it'll run quicker when you improve the 60 foot times regardless of carrying the extra weight. Lots of experimentation with tire pressures, lining the car up in the groove, and practice.

Other more involved tricks like loosening the front sway bar, changing instant center, adding an air bag to the right rear or if rules don't allow, stiffen the spring on that side. There's many more tricks in front suspension and other areas that will keep leaning the car more towards race than street. How far do you want to go....

**Twixter08** · 10-19-2015, 04:24 PM

Im on nexun street tires stock rims in a m6.

**ShelbyGLHS** · 10-20-2015, 08:27 PM

Wow!!! After years of dragging a 270WHP 2400lbs FWD turbo car the Camaro is a piece of cake. 2-2.5k on street tires, weight transfer (in the correct direction

, gone!)

**Firebirdjones** · 10-21-2015, 04:30 AM

With a few subtle suspension tweaks and some practice, I've gone 1.8x 60 foot times on original Goodyear F70-14 bias ply tires in the classic cars. Most guys in the pure stock class are much quicker than that now, so my time doesn't reflect what's capable.

I've hit 1.90 60 foot times in a couple of 4th gens with bone stock suspension (no tweaking) on stock 275/40-17 tires. Quite a bit of rubber on the ground with this size tire so it helps. There's more in it with tweaking if you wanted to spend the time with it.

**DarrenWS6** · 10-24-2015, 06:03 PM

I tend to do 1800 - 2000rpm clutch drops. Next year I will take the above advice ( from 2008 haha ) and let out easier on the last yellow light. With a stock 10 bolt I want it to break loose on the launch, but I don't want to replace the clutch anytime too soon.

Here is what my stock other than SLP lid & GMMG catback M6 did.

**jakez28** · 11-20-2015, 11:30 PM

3000-3500 RPM. Anything below that rpm, the engine will BOG. The concept of partially engaging the clutch on launch is the hard part to grasp. It's feels more like of a slow lift of the left knee. The only way to learn how to do this is...practice.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 11-21-2015, 06:10 AM

FBJ - what about when you're running an aggressive drag radial and have a 9" out back?

**jakez28** · 11-21-2015, 09:50 AM

FWIW
You will almost always have better results with a Bias ply type rear slick...(not a drag radial)
On a manual car you CAN get a radial tire to work, but bias plies are MUCH more forgiving. Bias slicks like a little wheelspin as radials dont.
my .02
My stock ls1 m6 with a lid and 4.10 gear pulls 1.85 60's all day and thats even with a M/T ET street radial
Going to buy a set of 26x11s et street BIAS PLYs next, looking to get the 60s in the 1.6-1.7 range with a little work and practice.

**35th-ANV-SS** · 11-21-2015, 11:27 AM

I could have sworn my buddy has gotten 1.59 60' times with M/T ET Street Radials...which is what I bought to use. These tires will be mainly for street use though. I was hooking extremely hard once rolling at low speed with just Nitto drag radials and I have a 4.11 gear with about 500rwhp.

**Firebirdjones** · 11-22-2015, 10:07 AM

Jon, it really has a lot to do with the car and how well it's set up.

Nothing wrong with drag radials, they'll get the job done. 275 drag radial classes out there with plenty of cars running sub 1.3-1.2 60 foot times and dragging the bumper.
I've run the MT 275 radials on my chevelle for years, and at a 4100 lbs race weight it lifts the wheels and runs 1.50's 60 foot times, and this is a 95% street car with very few suspension tricks. It takes experimenting with setup.

The problem you run into with these 4th gens is that everyone wants to keep the stock 17" wheels or go even bigger. Even though they do make drag radials for this application, it's not ideal. For them to work at their full potential you need more sidewall. More sidewall the better. That's why you see a lot of 4th gens that switch to 15" wheels at the track. Then you can easily fit a 28" tall 275 with plenty of sidewall. The MT's in this size will wrinkle the sidewall pretty good, just like a slick, and work excellent.
Here's a shot of my fathers car doing just that.