First time drag racing in the Viper

[Snakester]

I took the long 3 hr drive out to Sacramento to a grudge night yesterday and had a great time.

I've got a 2000 R/T10 with smooth tubes, roller rockers, high flo cat, Corsa cat back (2.5),Ripper shifter,VEC-1, 3.55 gears, and I dynoed at 437RWHP/461RWTQ. And here were my times:

Run R/T 60' 1/8 mile 1/4mile MPH
1 .666 2.225 8.573 13.042 111.72
2 1.03 2.265 8.509 12.765 117.38
3 .436 2.144 8.346 12.588 118.12
4 .612 2.060 8.240 12.464 118.99
5 .794 2.068 8.259 12.466 119.22

My first run was against Ben T. With his twin turbo V12 uber-sedan with slicks.
I spin in first, hit the rev limiter in second and missed fourth. He left me in his dust with a 12.0@117MPH, and even got an 11.68 later in the evening.

My second run I was distracted, and heard the guy in the next lane's tires squealing before I realized that I needed to get going. This race was against a supercharged, H/C LS1-Firebird, and he also spun badly in first, but still had a 1 1/2 car lead on me. But then with each gear shift I would gain on him until I passed him 7/8ths down the track.
It felt particularly good to reel him in and pass him like that because he was so far ahead of me to start with.
He ended up running [email protected].

On my third run, I was playing with how to time the launch. Some people recommended leaving when the second yellow was still on, before the third, but this ended up being too soon for me, and I red-lighted with a 0.436 time. I later started going with a solid third yellow light, but my timing still needs some work.

With the 4th run I decided to rev the engine up a bit (to around 2000RPM)and modulate the takeoff with the clutch more.
This worked pretty well with some wheelspin, but a better launch and 60' time. But I spun badly in second, and had to let off of the gas to catch some traction again in 2nd gear. But I still ended up getting my best time of the night and beat a Z06 who got a 13.18@109MPH.

The 5th run was against a friend in a cam/intake modded C5 Corvette with slicks (who has a Vipers taste like chicken license plate frame). He was running similar times to me this night and asked me to run against him.
I started again revving at around 2000RPM and spun in first, and again badly in 2nd. At this point he was well ahead of me and I was sure that I was going to lose. I edged him out with a 12.466 to his 12.49@114MPH, but he had a better reaction time, cutting a 0.607 light, winning the run.

Overall it was great fun! There was a huge mix of cars there with the bulk being Mustangs and F-Bodies from the LS1/Ford grudge event before the open track runs. I was surprised at some of the supercharged Mustangs and Firebirds which sounded like rocket cars, but ran mid-low 14s. There was a twin-turbo V8 Grand National that was running 8s, and an amazing ratted looking Mustang with a basketball covering the intake that ran a 7.7@174MPH!!
There were a couple nice Datsun 510s that were running mid-high 14s, and a 350Z which ran low 15s, high 14s.
One of the supercharged/intercooled Corvettes (that I had dynoed with a year ago) ran a 11.3@131MPH even missing 2nd!
There was a full-race Camaro that lost it, and then recovered, just glancing off of the side rails. It looked bad, like he was going to flip the car, but the driver pulled out of it enough to just mildly graze the side of his car.

In a couple weeks I'll be adding a 150 shot of nitrous, with a window switch and progressive controller, which should be enough to get me well into the 11s (and probably kicked off of the track).
And I'm already looking forward to my next track visit, soon.

-Dean.

 

[Daffy Duck Viper]

Nice, Dean. Thanks for sharing the fun. Quite a variety of techniques to launching. Depending on the mods on a Viper, I imagine that would have to influence what launch technique is best, as well. A launch technique that works well for one Viper could work lousy for another, right?

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[Vic]

Dean, I know, and you know, (and I know that you know!)that you can get a better 60 foot time. I think that is the area where most newbies can improve their performance.

From my vast personal experience of three runs (!), my best 60' was 2.11. I wonder what pro drivers do, with a stock Viper? Maybe 1.8, or?

You had some great reactions there. I'm still figuring out what green means, with a .825, best of three.

 

[Snakester]

Yep Daffy, it definately depends on the driver, mods, and the car.
I have a little more than stock power, with 3.55 gears, but old tires. But I still did do a bit better 60' time than the C5 with drag radials, so the Viper does launch relatively well.

One part that made me feel good was that even my worst time in the Viper was faster than my best time in my previous 6spd convertible Corvette, with 4.10 gears, intake, Corsa cat back, and a 100 shot of nitrous (also on street tires).

Vic,

The better drivers are getting 1.9s and 1.8s which definitely help put them around 12.2 or quicker.
There really is a balance between bogging and spinning that will take some time to sort out.
Happily I was able to improve my times and speed in each run, and I'm sure that if you had a 4th and 5th run, as the air cooled and maybe the track got a bit stickier, you would have seen even better times too.

It's hard to force yourself to leave before you see the green light, but my best reaction times were leaving on a solid third yellow. Still it's going to take MUCH more practice to get that AND the throttle modulation down better.
But I'll be happy to give it another try soon.

-Dean.

 

[Vic]

Thanks Dean....

 

[Snakester]

I'm just starting too, and I've learned a lot from the posts here on the VCA forum and other driver's experiences.

-Dean.