What does the 60 ft time mean?

Jack B

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A lot of emphasis is put on lowering the 60' time and therefore, the overall ET. For a car running in the 11 second bracket, by dropping the 60' ft time by 0.10 sec, typically, you can lower the ET by .15 to .20 seconds.

There is a problem with that last comment, it is only true if you have 100% traction after the 60 ft light. I installed a set of double adjustable Penske's this year. After using them on both the track and in autox, I now know I should have installed them a long time ago. They give you the ability to tailor the suspension for the type of traction that is encountered.

I had made some engine changes in addition to the shocks. I lowered the 60' ft times, but, did not see all the gains that I anticipated in ET. I log most runs, but, in the past had not paid attention to the 1st gear/launch part of the log because there was not a lot of suspension changes (pre Penske) I could make that would affect ET. Adjusting the shocks takes a little knowledge and initially a little time. I am still experimenting, but, for sure. they can affect the ET. You absolutely need a record of what your changes/shock settings were and what the results were.

With double adjustable shocks on both the front and rear you can dial in more traction right at the start line or you can move the max traction to a point further down the strip. Most tracks (Ohio for sure) always VHT the first sixty ft, but, do not go any further unless there is some special high hp event. After looking at my logs I showed that the car would almost stall even when launching at 5000 rpm. That is max traction, but, as soon as I approached the 60' light it would lose traction. This is also a car with a metallic clutch, so there is no feathering.

In short, because of the viper's torque and the way most drag strips do track prep, you can have a good 60' time, but, that does not always translate into a much better ET. In other words, we have to pay just as much attention to traction in the latter park of first gear as we do to traction at the launch. However, with double adjustable shocks you can move that max traction point a little further down the strip, therefore maximizing the suspension and the ET for that strip. Keep in mind this is for an 10-11 second NA car, this all gets ultimately more complicated on a high hp car. A note of caution, unless you are somehow logging acceleration you are typically not going to be aware of the limits of traction.
 
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Viperless

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If you can't bang the second gear shift without wheel hop or slippage, you're not going to get a good time. Equally as important as 60' in my opinion.
 

Paul Hawker

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The reason most drag racers study 60' times is because that is what the track lights measure and include in print out.

No way for most drivers to study 70'-80' times is because that is not measured by the track.
 
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Jack B

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A couple of opinions: you should not wheel hop any time; whether the secend gear shift slips a little or not is inconsequential relative to losing traction in 1st gear after the 60' mark, the reason is that you are way past your peak torque when the rpm's fall back on the shift, plus, the time for that event is so short, relative to losing traction in first gear.

Again, we are talking about an NA car, it gets real complicated with high hp and you lose traction for longer periods of time in second or third gear. What I am poiningt out is a problem for all NA vipers on a track that only sprays VHT for 50-100 ft. In addition, unless you are logging acceleration or wheel slip you would never know how bad it is, or that it is even happening.
 

JonB

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The more HP you have, the farther down the track you must manage wheelspin. The 60' time is a baseline measuremenet for decades, that relates to 50-500 HP cars, but you are correct in yoru excellent analysis Jack.

Control everything that slips and flexes and you go faster!
 

Canyon707

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Drag racing, a contest between two cars beginning from a complete stop over a distance of a 1/4 mile (1320 feet) depends heavily on first 60 feet of the race, or the launch. The technique used for launching varies greatly depending on the how the car is equipped. The type of transmission, which wheels are being driven, tires, power, suspension and track preparation all play key roles in how to go about getting the best launch possible from the car.
Improvements on the time it takes for the car to travel the first 60 feet down the track have significant implications on the final ET (estimated time). As a general rule, improvements in the 60 foot time, are magnified by 2x on your final ET. For example, a Dodge Viper GTS that runs a 12.2 @ 120 MPH in the 1/4 mile with a 60 foot time of 2.0 can make significant improvements to it's 1/4 mile times by obtaining a better launch. If the Dodge Viper GTS is able cut .2 (two tenths) of a second off it it's 60 foot time, by covering the first 60 feet in 1.8 seconds, it's final ET for the 1/4 mile would be around 11.8 @ 119 - 121MPH


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Neil - UK

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there's a drag racer in our club who owns a 1000bhp S/C viper and a stock SRT8 Jeep, you can guess which has the fastest 60ft time
 

Slithr

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I was asked at a show last week, what does the Viper run in the 1/4 mile right off the showroom floor? I did not know the answer .... anyone? I think I guessed 12.1, but of course that would probably be a different driver (I've never drag raced)

Gen III - _ sec. @ _
Gen IV - _ sec. @ _
 
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Jack B

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Those numbers can be all over the map. Track prep is a huge variable as is what tire you are running.
 

Canyon707

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I was asked at a show last week, what does the Viper run in the 1/4 mile right off the showroom floor? I did not know the answer .... anyone? I think I guessed 12.1, but of course that would probably be a different driver (I've never drag raced)

Gen III - _ sec. @ _

My 04 runs 11.55 @119 mph 1.7 sec 60' Stock motor. Track prep, air density, tires, it all matters.
 

Roysviper

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I have only owned 1 Viper that was bone stock and I took to the track to play sometimes and it was my 1st Viper, a 1997 GTS.......as it came from the factory with factory tires, it ran 7,80s 1/8th mi times consistantly, with 1.90 60' times....It Dynoed 423 rwhp and 469 rwtq....My only time doing a 1/4 mi pass and it ran 12.29.....That car was so much fun.....raced it alot, and NEVER broke a thing.....:drive: :) :headbang:
 

Canyon707

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Well this is something my wife told me..... If you race you break. She is somehow bewitched as I have broken some parts from the large amount of torque these engines put to the ground and on the drive train. The weak link in these cars are half shafts and diffs. All pretty easy fixes on the 04 not to sure about earlier models. here is the list of broken parts to date both half shafts which Dodge designed in weak points. Now running solid shafts stronger but... Now the worst was my passenger side output shaft from my OSGiken diff. Not sure yet what happened there. I will be sending it to Unitrax for evaluation next week. That should not have happened...... Race and Break sounds all to familiar at the moment.

I have only owned 1 Viper that was bone stock and I took to the track to play sometimes and it was my 1st Viper, a 1997 GTS.......as it came from the factory with factory tires, it ran 7,80s 1/8th mi times consistantly, with 1.90 60' times....It Dynoed 423 rwhp and 469 rwtq....My only time doing a 1/4 mi pass and it ran 12.29.....That car was so much fun.....raced it alot, and NEVER broke a thing.....:drive: :) :headbang:
 
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