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Maybe we need to sticky a post about this since everyone keeps asking these same questions. And because of all of the variables, there is no 1 correct answer for you.
Here are the factors that'll influence your ET's:
1. Track elevation - the higher above sea level, the thinner (and worse) the air = slower ET's.
2. Weather - Includes: "relative altitude", which is a measure of how thin or poor the air is; temperature; and humidity- a major factor with fuel-injected cars.
3. Track Conditions - The quality of the starting line and the relative flatness of the track contribute towards the quality of your launch and overall speed/ET. Some tracks like Texas & Cecil County dip slightly just before the finish line, resulting in artificially faster/quicker numbers. NJ's Raceway Park is 100% level front to end.
4. Car Weight & Weight Distribution - The lighter the car, the quicker the ET, provided that the weight bias is towards the driving wheels (in our case the front tires, in the case of a Camaro the rears). General rule of thumb, ET's drop .10 seconds for every 100 pounds you remove from the car, all other factors remaining equal. Driver's weight also plays into overall vehicle weight. A 150lb. driver should be able to run a car quicker than a 300lb driver in the same vehicle under the same conditions.
5. Engine - Each engine model has its own unique power curves and will give significantly different results, all other factors remaining constant.
6. Auto vs. Manual Trans. - Manual transmissions are more efficient than Auto transes, which translates to quicker times for manuals relative to autos as long as both transmissions are shifted at their proper shift points.
7. Stock vs. Performance Mods - This one should be obvious. Performance modifications are for (duh!) improving perfomrance. Just be sure, though, that when you start making major modifications, none of them are countering any other mods and that all of the parts are compatible in terms of gaining the most amount of hp and torque for your application. Mismatching the wrong carb and intake to a short block can still improve ET's but not to the degree that a properly matched intake would.
8. Exterior Modifications / Aerodynamics - The more streamlined the car's exterior is, the quicker it'll go. For most dragracing applications involving street cars like ours, you'll actually do better without any rear wing as there will be less drag on the car. Unless you're doing sustained very high speed driving, the wing/spoiler is simply cosmetic. A bigger F1 wing will actually decrease performance for our cars as it does nothing to improve 1/4-mile acceleration or stability and downforce and may in fact destabilize the car at speed. Adding or subtracting body cladding will also affect aerodynamics.
9. Launch RPM - Rolling off the starting line will result in slower ET's than a nice launch carried out at 200-300 RPM below the car's Stahl Speed (for automatics). Launching too hard will result in wheel spin. You ultimately want to "bang the convertor" without overstressing it at launch, therefore you want to be 2-3 hundred rpm's below the stahl for optimum launch. For Manual trans cars, you also want to make sure you launch hard but don't run too high into the power band in gear is it's not good for the clutch, the trans, or the traction.
10. Engine and Trans Temperatures - Trnasmissions usually run more efficiently when they're cooler. Engines will run better when they're warmed up. However, the colder the incoming air into the engine, the faster it'll be, too, which can be counter to the warm engine theory. You have to find out where your car runs the quickest. Depending on the weather conditions, I'll either run the Daytona as close to dead cold as possible or warm it to the first middle indicator bar. Learn where your engine likes to run best, while trying to minimize trans temps. You'll frequently see guys running their engines in the staging lanes with their cars remaining stationary. This will result in a warm engine but since the car was not in gear the trans stays cool.
To get the best Reaction Times:
1. Be Prepared - when you pull up for your run, make sure you have your windows rolled up, your seatbelt securely fastened, your helmet on, and your car # and dial-in (if it's an elimination run) displayed on the proper sides of your car. the less you're fiddling with, the more focused you can be at the task at hand, which is getting the better RT.
2. Leave on the 3rd amber - You need to find the right point for yourself during when the 3rd amber is on for you to hit the gas and release the brake and launch. By the time you're brain reacts to the tree and translates that to foot actio, and then the car moves forward enough to break the starting beams, if you wait for the green light before you hit the gas you'll have a pretty crappy RT.
3. Know your car's launch preferences - Depending on the engine and trans that you have, your car will respond best to different launch rpm's than someone else's with a different combo. Knowing what point works best for your car can then help you find your "sweet spot" on the tree for that 3rd amber.
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2008 Summer Sport Compact Slam - ET Bracket Class Event Winner
2006 NHRA Sport Compact FallNationals - ET Bracket Class Event Winner
1990 Sunoco Super Challenge Points Series - Trophy Stock Points Champion
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