Can a Clutch Car be Competitive in Bracket?

[33 IMP]

But you are talking some of the best racers in the world, In very scienced-out full-on race cars in stock eliminator, not brackets. (Yes, I realize stock/superstock is just very expensive bracket racing.) Your exceptions prove the rule. The VERY BEST are competitive, the average has no chance. If stick shifts were the way to go, why are 99 out of a hundred bracket cars automatics?

 

[Budnicks]

Pass me a cigar...

 

[66Satellite47]

My very biased opinion, hard core bracket racing displayed much tighter work at the tree than the NHRA legal classses. The class cars were more expensive & drivers tended not to make nearly as many runs as a regular bracket racer.

 

[padam]

But you are talking some of the best racers in the world, In very scienced-out full-on race cars in stock eliminator, not brackets. (Yes, I realize stock/superstock is just very expensive bracket racing.) Your exceptions prove the rule. The VERY BEST are competitive, the average has no chance. If stick shifts were the way to go, why are 99 out of a hundred bracket cars automatics?

How do you know I'm not also one of the best? (VBG)

 

[biomedtechguy]

By the way, what is FBO?

https://www.manciniracing.com/fboignition.html
If you want to talk to Don, "the MAN" behind the technology and the source of the products, get in touch with him..
A word of caution, he is very smart, has proven himself and his products, and knows it. I don't mind, because he is very helpful, but there's his opinion and everything else is wrong.
http://www.4secondsflat.com/Ignition.html

 

[69sunfireGTX]

If stick shifts were the way to go, why are 99 out of a hundred bracket cars automatics?

Because most people cant drive worth a ****.

 

[66Satellite47]

I knew I couldn't drive the 4 spd, put the 727 in right away. Took a couple of years before I learned how to win bracket race. Did good after that.

 

[BanginGears]

I find my reaction times ar a lot better racing with a 4 speed.

 

[padam]

I find my reaction times ar a lot better racing with a 4 speed.

Are you just using a stock type clutch setup?

 

[383man]

My take is yes you can be competitive in bracket racing with a stick car. It can also depend on how fast the cars is because with power adders and all on cars today they can have so much power to make it tuff to get consistent 60 fts. But I bracket raced a 340 Dart back in the 70's and 80's and was very consisdent. I even ran the same et three times in a row a few times but it was only a low 12 to high 11 car. And it broke alot of driveline parts so if you run a stick car you need a very strong driveline if you drive like I did as I put the gas pedal on the floor when the clutch comes out. And I broke many parts in the 5 years I raced that 4-speed Dart. In my 63 thats much faster but is an auto I have not broke any driveline parts at all so its cheaper for me in the auto car. And last you just have to be a good stick driver as many are not as good as they think they are. You can tell a good stick driver watching and listening to a car go down the track. Ron

 

[66Satellite47]

If you like the manual trans, run it. Enjoy your racing!

 

[dvw]

From 6 brlflash on Moparts

I normally launch at 5,000,,,,,,,shift at 6,500 and trap about 6,800.

It works pretty good, but is killing the clutch at this current style of run.
However it is a bracket killer.
At Keystone in 4 rds.

009,,
009,,
.030,,
.009 reaction times.
Ran .11 off my dial in the semis and lost by .004 due to the clutch going away.

 

[65Fury440]

My junk is just a street car that I race. 520 RB/ 4 speed/ 4.10 gears.
I run 10.5 bias ply M/T ET streets, and traction is always a problem.
The things that make me more consistent are-
I do a 4 second 2nd gear burnout.
Launch at the same RPM, shift at the same RPM
Run the same rear tire pressure
Stage the same
Run the same gas and tune up.
Every time I do something different to the car, it's an educated guess how to adjust for that modification, and the sorting out begins over.
2 clicks of a shifter is a lot easier to do than launching, clutching, and shifting a clunky old A833, but the more practice you get, the better you will be.
Electronics and driver assists have their place, but I'm just a low tech gearhead chasing time slips. Here's a video of my fastest run to date, spinning through the tires in 2 gears. Needs more cowbell.

 

[padam]

From 6 brlflash on Moparts

I normally launch at 5,000,,,,,,,shift at 6,500 and trap about 6,800.

It works pretty good, but is killing the clutch at this current style of run.
However it is a bracket killer.
At Keystone in 4 rds.

009,,
009,,
.030,,
.009 reaction times.
Ran .11 off my dial in the semis and lost by .004 due to the clutch going away.

I think the heat builds up in them, mine fades off in the latter rounds also.

 

[padam]

My junk is just a street car that I race. 520 RB/ 4 speed/ 4.10 gears.
I run 10.5 bias ply M/T ET streets, and traction is always a problem.
The things that make me more consistent are-
I do a 4 second 2nd gear burnout.
Launch at the same RPM, shift at the same RPM
Run the same rear tire pressure
Stage the same
Run the same gas and tune up.
Every time I do something different to the car, it's an educated guess how to adjust for that modification, and the sorting out begins over.
2 clicks of a shifter is a lot easier to do than launching, clutching, and shifting a clunky old A833, but the more practice you get, the better you will be.
Electronics and driver assists have their place, but I'm just a low tech gearhead chasing time slips. Here's a video of my fastest run to date, spinning through the tires in 2 gears. Needs more cowbell.

People sure get up and watch though!

 

[65Fury440]

People sure get up and watch though!

Used the steering wheel way too much on that run.
Hopefully be able to get out soon with the new traction bars. On the street they seem great, hopefully they dont smash the rear tires.

 

[padam]

You know you're having fun when the spectators back away from the fence!

 

[BanginGears]

I 1st went with a McLeod clutch setup and now switched to the high end Ram clutch setup.
Much different than the old Ram clutches and Hays.

 

[BanginGears]

Doesn't even compare to the Centerforce dual friction for street / strip.

 

[biomedtechguy]

I just got a RXT 6923-05 dual disk clutch from McLeod. While the "800 horsepower" power handling capacity of the RST is certainly adequate for the 541 stroker I have planned, McLeod tech support said the ceramic metallic friction material was the best choice for my application, especially with the HitMaster launch control system and its "optimal clutch release pressure over time" design, and the heat that will naturally impart. For my part, I had already decided that a dual disc clutch would spread the wear and heat over more surfaces than a single disc clutch.
I expect a lot from the HitMaster and my new clutch.