shutdown area procedure??

JimG

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
what is the preferred procedure after you have crossed the traps?
braking and D?
braking and OD?
braking and neutral?
Many thanks
Jim
 
I am by no means a pro, but I leave it in D and brake. I think neutral would be very careless. OD would not help slow down either. I leave my TC locked until I make the turn to come back.
 
My shutdown area procedure.

After going through the traps, I leave the car in drive and slowly apply the brake. About this time I'm lowering my window to get some cool air in the car. As soon as I've cleared the track, I drive to the time slip shack to have them remove my wrist band and give me a lecture on why ten second cars should have rollbars and other cool stuff. About this time, I can hear the cold beer that I have stashed back in the pits calling my name.

At this point I consider myself "shut down".:eek::D

Happy spooling.

Mike Barnard
 
I'm with Mike. But the alternative plan if you are in the 11.50 crowd plus, get by the boards in time shots and coast/brake to the offiicial. If it's eliminations, don't let up until you think you can safely get by the official.:biggrin::biggrin:
 
DO NOT PUT IT IN NEUTRAL after trap. Trans will try and sling it self apart inside.

IMO shift to OD and brake. This is the easiest on the drivetrain.
 
i have done it 2 ways.

one leave it in D and brake.

two let the rpms come down some in D, press the accelerator some and go to OD then brake. now with a faster car it seems to be choice 1.

NEVER NEVER GO TO N. As posted above it can blow your trans real quick. and at that speed taking the trans out is bad real bad
 
After going through the traps, I leave the car in drive and slowly apply the brake. About this time I'm lowering my window to get some cool air in the car. As soon as I've cleared the track, I drive to the time slip shack to have them remove my wrist band and give me a lecture on why ten second cars should have rollbars and other cool stuff. About this time, I can hear the cold beer that I have stashed back in the pits calling my name.

At this point I consider myself "shut down".:eek::D

Happy spooling.

Mike Barnard

Sounds like a winner.

I just leave it in drive and apply the brake taking my time to slow down.
 
After going through the traps, I leave the car in drive and slowly apply the brake. About this time I'm lowering my window to get some cool air in the car. As soon as I've cleared the track, I drive to the time slip shack to have them remove my wrist band and give me a lecture on why ten second cars should have rollbars and other cool stuff. About this time, I can hear the cold beer that I have stashed back in the pits calling my name.

At this point I consider myself "shut down".:eek::D

Happy spooling.

Mike Barnard

Haha. That's a great procedure. :cool:
 
...and never cut across the track in front of the other car in the shut down area, unless he's/she's obviously yielding to you, or is so far behind you that the danger is non-existent.

Stay in your lane till you are certain all is clear and then move over to make your turn off the track.
 
...and never cut across the track in front of the other car in the shut down area, unless he's/she's obviously yielding to you, or is so far behind you that the danger is non-existent.

Stay in your lane till you are certain all is clear and then move over to make your turn off the track.

Good point chicken, sometimes that part is overlooked.

In an effort to cool the car back down after a pass, I pull the hood release so the front of the hood pops up a few inches then I coast or cruise slowly back down the return road. Depending on outside air temps or 1/4 vs 1/8th mile the cooling may not be necessary, but in the middle of summer after a good 1/4 mile pass I always thought it was a good idea.
 
Good point chicken, sometimes that part is overlooked.

In an effort to cool the car back down after a pass, I pull the hood release so the front of the hood pops up a few inches then I coast or cruise slowly back down the return road. Depending on outside air temps or 1/4 vs 1/8th mile the cooling may not be necessary, but in the middle of summer after a good 1/4 mile pass I always thought it was a good idea.

During a shake down pass, a buddy of mine about got put into the wall be some nub a few years back...he let off a little past the 8th, the kid went by by the 1/4....and then the chuckle head cut right in front of him just after they went through the lights and hit's his brakes.

Moral of the story....Be first, then you don't have to worry about the above.:biggrin:
 
Good point chicken, sometimes that part is overlooked.

In an effort to cool the car back down after a pass, I pull the hood release so the front of the hood pops up a few inches then I coast or cruise slowly back down the return road. Depending on outside air temps or 1/4 vs 1/8th mile the cooling may not be necessary, but in the middle of summer after a good 1/4 mile pass I always thought it was a good idea.

How do you pop the hood while driving, I have to pull the hood release and give the hood the old Fonzie bang with my fist. How do you do that from inside the car????
 
How do you pop the hood while driving, I have to pull the hood release and give the hood the old Fonzie bang with my fist. How do you do that from inside the car????

Spray your hood release with some WD-40 or other lubricant/cleaner....that'll loosen her up a bit and the hood should pop as designed at that point.
 
How do you pop the hood while driving, I have to pull the hood release and give the hood the old Fonzie bang with my fist. How do you do that from inside the car????

Spray your hood release with some WD-40 or other lubricant/cleaner....that'll loosen her up a bit and the hood should pop as designed at that point.

chicken answered, that is probably the best way. Make sure the latch and everything is lubed up, as well as the hood hinges. Also, make sure the hood is centered/aligned where it should be, but that should go without saying. ;)

I used this method when I ran some 1/4 mile passes in the high heat back in summer in Kansas. Was probably 90-100ish I would guess, but even if the engine temp didn't get too hot, it helped everything cool down, including the turbo.
 
I DON'T trust the safety latch at all ! But if I was in the market for a new hood and a laugh or two I might try that .She's got plenty of time to cool going back to the pits
 
I DON'T trust the safety latch at all ! But if I was in the market for a new hood and a laugh or two I might try that .She's got plenty of time to cool going back to the pits

Not much to trust, considering our return road speed was only 15-20 MPH. And if you were going faster and it came up, you would need more than a new hood I would imagine. :eek: :D
 
When I had a 200 4R I would also leave it in Drive but before I pressed on the brake pedal I would pray that the PM would actually apply the brakes like it was suppose to.
Jeff
 
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