Well the track season is on it's way here and my girlfriend wants to run her car at the track. I did some searching and read a lot of stuff about pulling the stoplamp fuse and all kinds of stuff like that but couldn't find a direct answer to my question. She has a stock Z with Potenzas on the rear. Is it worth it for her to heat up her tires or is she going to be fine with just avoiding the water and going right to the line?

 

I usually just avoid the water and do a minor burn out to clean the tires off a little.

I think most people heat up drag radials and slicks. I've heard its not as necessary with street tires unless its cold weather.

 

That is correct...No need for a burnout

 

Agreed, just make sure you drive around the water box. Even if you run drag radials and regular radials up front, you should drive around the water box and back up into the box if you intent to do a burnout. There is nothing worse than dragging a bunch of water on the front radials up to the line. Skinnies don't collect much water, so a drive through the box is OK.

Maybe someone should start a do's and don'ts thread that can be stickied...?

 

Good info

Thanks!!!

I am hopefully going to the track in a month or so!!

 

Typically, for a non-slick tire, doing a simple, short burnout can actually heat the tires to a temperature that is above it's operating range. Watching people burnout at the 1/4 on street tires makes the Fluid1 chuckle. (the fluid1 was born in MI. Go blue)

 

I have ALWAYS had better 60' when heating street tires. I am talking about 3-4 sec and staying out of the water. I have an AT5 so I know its not just my launching technique.

I think street tire have changed since the olden days when this applied.

 

3-4 seconds is not a burn out, Id call that a quick spin...

 

Thats because you have experience. I just wanted to give a more descriptive idea of that. I used to think a quick spin was a quick romp on the throttle.

 

Gotcha...

 

Michelin Pilot Sports hook up better if you fry them before you get to the line.
(5AT Pop charger and Borla.) Car #88

 

here is a vid.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e74_1172558473

 

+1 to what blasian said. Just do a small one to clean them off before you stage. THats what i did when i ran street tires. Now i run Nitto's so it's a different story :]

 

I wouldn't do that to just any street tires. the Michelins get stickier when they get hot.

 

There are some tracks where going around the water is just not possible.
aka Atco raceway.

So there is no option.

 

But that track also gives you faster times than other tracks. You win some, you lose some.

 

definitely do a nice 5 second burnout. you need to see a little smoke. too hot and most street radials get slick though. i heat mine and pull mid 1.8s in my cobra

 

Doing a burnout is ALL SHOW and NO GO on street tires.If you want to look like an amateur then go ahead and drive thru the water box and have at it.
I have a strong suspicion that Z GAD,Alberto,and Fluid know what their talking about..IMHO

 

Did you happen to notice my 60' times. That is with street tires. Each tire is different, but obviouly heating my tires is working for me. Not many people doing 1.9 sixty feet with a relatively stock 5AT Z.

Yup if you drive through the water box you are an amateur, I back into it.

No one at Infineon Raceway considers me an amateur bracket racer.

 

No disrespect intended and with a 60 time under 2.0 in a 5AT,thats impressive.In your sig you have JWT, does that mean your TT'd. Do you shift manually or full auto?If you have a relatively stock 5AT with no FI,no VB,etc. I bow down to you as a non amateur racer running those kind of times.
Good Work....