I attended the same drag event as a few people on the forum last Saturday. A coupe 997.2's and a lot of 991's. Was gearing up for what I thought was going to be a good event since it was a private track rental (more lax on enforcing rules) and DA was lowest it's been in a very long time (negative even at 600 feet altitude) and we had tail winds. Just finished getting plugs and coils and rear 18's with Mickey Thompson ET streets.

Trap prep is usually best early so I skipped the drivers meeting to get in line early. Dropped rear tire pressure on the MT's to 18 and front r888's to low 30's.

Pulled around the water box and got right into the groove left by a larger tire car and it was on. Launch control enabled.

Tree starts going and third yellow foot off the brake and I felt the most violent launch ever on my car which from my vantage point, went skyward for an instant. And that's all it had. Launch was all but a few feet before stopping. I drive back to the pits but the car was making a grinding sound from the rear drivers side and called for a tow back.

Just to illustrate the conditions, I showed up with a couple buddies who got records on their platforms so it was terrific to see them do well. Buddy Ram went high 139's in his F10 M5. My buddy Eric with basically stock GTR just tune, exhaust and e85 fuel system went 138.5 and we were neck and neck on a 60 pull on the way up and I was on pump. We are freezing on the west coast and back east it's sunny and 70. Complete opposites.

I won't speculate but I'm pretty confident I would easily beat my previous ET and trap but oh well these things happen. My buddy with the 138.5 trap GTR went with me to Fontana in August. He trapped 133 and I trapped 134.4. It was hot like 90 deg with a headwind and Fontana is a 1% incline. So who knows.

Found out today it's just s minor item - outer CV joint is broken. Part has been ordered and should be fixed quickly. Thanks to Thomas at Emmanuele Design for the quick diagnosis.

But I think I'm done drag racing for a while. Never something I really cared about but my friends who can't turn like it. Trying to get them out a race track where the real fun is. Speaking of which, been looking at GT3's. Got a ride in a nice track prepped one with GMG last Wednesday and can't get it out of my mind.

I've had a great time with this car. Just maybe getting close to the end of my fun with it.

Cheers.

 

Track the Turbo.


Just don't tune it so aggressively. Its a blast to run down GT3's while cornering better than them with a few mods..


Road Tracking the car is a whole new budget line though. Just be warned!

 

Good to hear it was only a CV joint.
You've got to try it one more time!!! 9's must be where you are at!!!

 

I disagree with Ken. (sorry Ken personal opinion here.)


9 sec of fun sounds great but, 20-30 mins of track time at once will teach you much more about the car as it was meant to be driven. In the corners.
Rear engine will scare the hell out of you. Once you understand the car's front end balance "drop", you'll get it.


Go out and get beat by a boxster in one lap. (At first, I did.) You may start to rethink your HP choices are completely useless without knowing when to use them and when to not use them.


The track I run requires less power usage so cornering focus is prime.

 

Damn dude....sorry to hear!

 

Adam, glad to see it wasn't anything serious. I can't imagine how strong it would have ran had that part not failed at launch.
I understand where you are "over it" as I've been there too. Basically what kept me from selling was realizing there wasn't a car (for me) that was more practical and well-rounded that could put a smile on my face such as this one. I looked at gt3s but need boost in my life. Maybe look at a 991 turbo and keep it simple.
After I get my car back and to Atco once to see what it will do, I'll likely stick with just occasional roll racing and enjoying it on the street. Puts less stress on the car imo

 

Its just an axle. Talk to DSS to build you a set, they're very unlikely to break. It should be the first mod for anyone taking their car to the drag strip and they were on our shop car among the first modifications.

We had broken an axle on our 997.2 during a launch as well on MT ETs It HOOKED!

The other advice if your serious about drag racing, don't lower your car especially not on just springs. Leave the OEM suspension geometry alone.

Dzenno@PTF

 

Dzenno, who is DSS and how do I get in touch with them. I've got a 991 and I was at this event with Adam, I ran M/t also while the car was launching well it still wasn't fully hooking up and I was in the 10.1"s I'm thinking this would be good insurance to install before bumping up power.

 

Mark,
DSS is Driveshaft Shop, one of the best axle builders out there. We use their axles on our BMWs as well as 997.1 and 997.2. We haven't yet had a 991 locally to take to the drag strip but when we do we'll be pulling OEM axles off and sending them down to DSS. We can work with you to get a set of 991 axles made, just email me at dzenno@protuningfreaks.com and we'll go from there. Everyone going to the drag strip should have these on their car, bottom line.

997.1 Turbo:
http://www.protuningfreaks.com/colle...-level-5-axles

997.2 Turbo:
http://www.protuningfreaks.com/colle...-level-5-axles

Dzenno@PTF

 

Here you go Mark, Drive Shaft Shop http://www.driveshaftshop.com/


They make 1400hp axles for the 997.1s already. Here are the current Porsche offerings http://www.driveshaftshop.com/import-axles/porsche

 

I guess my advice to run 18psi worked too well

Oh man don't give up on drag racing...just run a little more psi on the reartires next time...like 22psi, or foot brake it instead...NO LC; sometimes lessis more. A tad bit of wheel spin willnot be the end of all be all. Remember, you have 60' to make up what could be yourpotential Elapsed Time - you do not have to make it all up within the first 5feet.

Everyone have their preferred racing flavor: drag - airport events - roadracing - Hwy and so on. I've tried themall, and usually find that most who race at 1/2 or 1 mile events are those who haveway too much power to do anything else. And then you find those who can't driveand find it best to just do roll races where they can simply floor it.

Breaking and/or replacing parts more frequently is part of racing - AT ANY typeof racing.

Good luck next time and remember, practice, and more practice makes perfectand as you improve on your skills, you’ll find yourself not breaking orreplacing parts as often.

Hope this helps

Thanks,
E-Gear

 

I know how disappointed you must be Adam! But look on the bright side, it's not something major and should be a relatively easy fix. I have to admit though, it would have been awesome to see you and Chris' car battle it out. That might have been the highlight of the event.

As for the stronger axels...I'm always a bit torn about whether or not that's such a great idea. Sure, they'll be rock solid and never break, but you have to remember that if you put in strengthened axels, you're just moving the weak link further up the chain. In that case, it's the transmission. If you were devoted to drag racing I'd say do it, but since your priority is mostly roll racing I'd say leave stock axels in there, to protect the transmission. Just some food for thought.

 

+1 to all of the above
I have no intentions of doing axles because I would rather break an axle than grenade the pdk.

 

Tough going Long...I read a passing comment about mishaps with your car on one of the 991 turbo threads and I'm glad to hear that it wasn't anything more serious. Pity as I'm certain your car might have been in the high 9's given the conditions you describe.


I would give drag racing another shot. A time slip in the 9's with a trap speed at or around 140mph would be a great achievement...and you're practically there right now!

 

Good advice Tom

I much rather brake axles and not a tranny case

Again, run a little more psi and/or foot brake - test and tune - trying different techniques.

I'll give one of my old school practices: buy a bottle or two of VHT at your local speed shop, next go to Lowe's or Home Depot and get you a couple of those blue bottle propane blow torch...I often used them to heat up my C6Z NOS bottles. Find your favor run test spot(s)....I'm sure you have a couple of spots where you play with your LC. LOL Get with a buddy or two, heat up your rear tires with the torch - then put down some VHT and see how the car reacts with higher psi and no LC; work down the psi and up the launch aggressiveness. Once you find that nice little grey area, then you're there.

I know this sounds back-woods, but man it works, especially if a track is not near or closed. I've tried the above back-wood testing with my GN, Turbo Supra, TT Gallardo and so on and it works - it gives me data to apply once at the track.

Just my 0.02 cents.

Thanks,
E-Gear