vehicle weight

[mxnuke]

How does weight effect a car in the standing mile? With the car still pulling past 1 mile, is less vehicle weight better ? If you have traction. I'm new to this so i hate to ask but i want to give this a try [ i did a search first ]. Thanks

[fredvance]

In the standing mile, on pavement, less weight is better. The longer the track the less important weight is.

[55chevr]

The paved courses are basically a long drag race. I suggest launch hard and hold the higher gears to the red line before shifting.  The salt flats are another matter.  With 2 miles to get speed you can recover from a short shift and vehicle weight is less of a factor.

Joe

[greenjunk]

Not sure how much experience these guys have with cars, but i have not seen weight really matter.  I've seen 3000lb cars run the same speed as 4000lb cars.  What matters is aero, and traction.  Now I'll say i'm talking about cars capable of running over 190mph in the mile.  I can run within 1mph of a car with little aero and huge power as my car with lots of aero and little power.  I know this because we proved it each running 4 passes over 200mph in one meet.  Under 175 what actually matters is having the appropriate amount of tire spin off the line.  I don't quite understand the physics of it, but just like drag racing wheel spin yields MPH.  As much as 10mph could be had in a 150-160mph car.

[fredvance]

At the last Texas Mile, Brenda Sue, on one run, spun the tire pretty much most of 1st gear. It was her slowest speed of the meet.

[mxnuke]

Thank you guy's for your input.I'm sure you get lot's of questions from newb's like me,but the long winter gives me time to think [ not good ].My car is power limited,ran 124 mph in the 1/4 last fall.So now i have to update safety equipment and tires,but i'm working on it.Would love to be done in time to run the 1/2 mile event to sort out car and get my feet wet.Keeping the front to rear weight bias may be better than the overall weight to a point,but i hope to get car to 3200 lbs.Any input will help,thank's

[Jack Gifford]

... wheel spin yields MPH...

At Maxton, I was told that ECTA frowned on any tire spin. [Was I too naive to realize someone was 'jes a foolin' wit' me?]

[jacksoni]

... wheel spin yields MPH...

At Maxton, I was told that ECTA frowned on any tire spin. [Was I too naive to realize someone was 'jes a foolin' wit' me?]

True- tends to spray the cars lined up behind you, not to mention staff and spectators with gravel/sand etc.

First time at Wilmington with my current car did not have a limited slip- and the usual LSR skinny tires. When given the go signal, I gently let out the clutch and fed it gas. Didn't move. I went "oh crap, the clutch is slipping". Gradually started to move and then made the run without further incident. My crew member in support truck behind me said I disappeared in a cloud of smoke as I lit up the right rear.  Nobody said anything but this is frowned on.   

[55chevr]

What is frowned upon is burn outs to heat tires.  There are people staging behind you and this will shower them with whatever is kicked up.

[redhotracing]

What is frowned upon is burn outs to heat tires.  There are people staging behind you and this will shower them with whatever is kicked up.

x2

"Launching" the car (ie drag racing) is frowned upon, given the propensity to spray rubber, gravel, et cetera towards those lined up behind you.
Coming off of a push truck (or under your own power) "HARD" enough to spin the tires is okay... You're usually 100 ft or so down the track at
that point, anyways. I was VERY sideways for the first 1/10 mile on my last 203 run, no one said anything except "add weight!"

[entropy]

At the last Texas Mile, Brenda Sue, on one run, spun the tire pretty much most of 1st gear. It was her slowest speed of the meet.

Fred,
(about bikes)
we have had this discussion before , we agreed to disagree... 
Simply spinning the tire doesn't do anything. 
But with big hp, spinning it correctly, using rpm correctly, riding correctly, can make a big difference.
AND weight can make a big difference in the Mile, if the bike is ridden correctly
Karl

[fredvance]

Us disagree! Are you saying less weight is better or vice versa?

[Stan Back]

It takes less power to accelerate less weight.  So -- as long as you're hooked up, less is more better.  So how much do you need -- well try this . . .

Vehicle weight (in stones) x tire contact patch (inches wide / mm long) x number of drive wheels x final gear ratio (to third decimal)

over

coefficient of drag x frontal area (in decimal hectares) x peak horse(gelding)power

equals terminal speed (not taking in clutch slippage, tire growth, traction slippage nor intent).


You're welcome.

[Geo]

Hey Stan,

Applying this to your car I get about 285. Is that about right?

Converted that's 1,995 Henweigh.

Geo

[Stan Back]

What's a henweigh?