Quick summary:

Saturday T&T, got there late, didn't make a run until about 1:30. Only got 3 in before they shut down.

This was my first try with a 2-step. I considered tying it to the brake light switch, but I wasn't convinced the pedal would release quickly enough so the 2-step would disengage with the brakes. So, I put a 3-position switch in with the shifter button so I could switch between line-lock & 2-step (with "Off" in the middle, of course). My first run I forgot to let go of the button - I thought I had really messed up the engine when I punched it until I remembered what I was doing. 2.3 sec 60', 14.27 ET (almost a full second off of the best). But, RT was .056 even limited to 2500 RPMs for the first 50 feet or so.

I'll leave out some of the details of what happened between runs 1 & 2, but basically without any other changes I remembered what I was supposed to do and cut a .006 RT (that would have been a .05 redlight last year, going immediately on the last yellow like I did). 60' was up a tenth from last year's normal, and the car just wasn't pulling right. I thought the plugs were indicating rich, hadn't done a "proper" read of them but decided to jet down and see what happened (since it was jetted to the "standard" Proform mainbody sea level choices). 3rd run really ran crappy, wouldn't pull at all, RT was .021 and ET 14.1.

I think the secondary fuel circuits gunked up over the winter. Out to the garage to pull it apart and see what I can find.

Next opportunity to run is next Friday, the first race of the season. Hopefully it will at least be consistent, if not "right".

 

Wasn't gunked up, bad gasket and under jetted. Fixed both, went out for the first race of the season Friday night. (For the record, my T&T runs were 14.27, 13.70, and 14.10.)

First time trial, it runs a 13.84, 97 MPH. Still didn't want to pull completely to the shift point, so I jetted the secondaries up 4 more. 2nd TT, 13.70, 99 MPH. That's all the TT's we get, so I left it there. There were a lot of cars out, there were 3 oil downs in the first TT session, so it's going very slow.

First round, it has cooled off. I make my first run at 10:30 p.m. I dialed a 13.67, thinking it was even cooler still, but the car never runs quick the first round. I'm running a ratty '74 Nova dialed at 14.30. He leaves, I leave, both green, felt like a good light. I catch him before 1000', he stays with me but I'm ahead, I back off at the trap, take the strip, no win light. 13.62 to his 14.48. My RT .049, his .034. I make some rough calculations based on previous runs, it probably would have run a 13.56.

So, I'm out first round. Due to the late start, they only go 3 rounds, so I'm only 3 rounds out in season points (the class normally takes 7 rounds).

I think I'm getting the hang of the 2-step, just need to trust it to let go as soon as I see the 3rd yellow (that was a sure redlight in days past).

Next race, next Friday. . .

 

Well I would like to know how friday goes.

 

I remember the first time I used a 2-step. I had the button mounted on the steering wheel and did the same thing. Launched and forgot to let go of the button.

I've seen a few cars have it installed through the brake light switch. That way works fine.

Now that I use a delay box with a transbrake and 2-step, I launch off the top bulb. Even then, I have to keep telling myself to let go of the button when I see the first flash of yellow of the top bulb. Had a few slow reaction times because the delay box is still counting down to release the transbrake after the green has come on.

The nice thing about using the 2-step even with a footbrake car is that you can launch at the same rpm every time. Using a button just means releasing the button and brake pedal at the same time. The habit comes quickly.

I should be able to get some track time during the street legal races on the night of Friday the 18th (2-1/2 weeks away) but my first points race isn't until the fathers day weekend (6-1/2 weeks away).

 

Now I just need to get out of the habit of letting the 3rd amber get good & bright. The one time that I just let it go as soon as I saw light, I pulled a .006. Of course, it's running a little better now, but it shouldn't affect the RT that much. If it does, I just drop the RPMs down a hundred.

We'll see if it goes any better tonight. Forecast doesn't look promising, though.
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Oh, yeah, how did it go last Friday?

A mixed bag. First run .035/13.84. Jetted up the secondaries, .070/13.70. First round (we only get 2 TT's), .049/13.62 backing off on a 13.67 dial, other guy ran .034/14.48 on a 14.30 dial. Too much stripe - end of night. Good news is they shut down after the 3rd round (got late), so I'm only 3 rounds out.

 

Same thing here tonight. First night the track is open. Supposed to be a 'Street Legal' race. Here's hoping it dries up in time.

 

5kid, what class are you running? All our tracks switched to NHRA and the only classes allowing 2 steps is Super Pro/Pro/Trophey, they said that for ET finals NHRA was banning use of 2 steps in Sportsman class, so all our tracks just made the run mandatory throughout so guys would'nt freak at the end of the year.

I assume your running a street or sportsman type class with that ET since it's too slow for Pro/Super, just wondering if your track is allowing 2 steps in the street type classes, and you'll have to switch gears once your at et finals?

I remember years ago our street class allowed this, it was a GREAT way to adjust to leaving off a button even though we were limited to 4 wheel line locks, made the step to transbrake very fluid since it was business as usual. Running the 2 step off the brake switch is very common and guys have great success with it, might be worth a try so it's one less thing to screw up from a driver stand point, since we all know things like this will get you, just a matter of when.

 

i wired my 3step with the linelock.. 1 button and 1-2way switch to go from step2(burnout) to step3(launch).. i already used to use the line lock so now its just a matter of getting used to staging with the pedal on the floor..

 

I'm running in a "Sportsman" like class. DOT tires required, open exhaust allowed, single rev limiter allowed, no trans brakes or drive wheel line locks.

Racing was called for the night. Rain.

 

You could also wire it like I did where you just have a toggle that turns power on to the buttons. I have one button on my shifter that controls the front line lock for the burnout, and then I can (without touching anything else) go to the button on the wheel for the 2 step/staging....used to be set up for my 2 step and 4 wheel line lock, and no it's set for my transbrake and front wheel line lock to hold me once I'm bumped in. Was just a matter of wiring a diode into the power wire of the transbrake switch/leave switch so when doing your burnout it does'nt back feed.

Biggest thing is keeping your car so simple a monkey can drive it, less mental work for you, or if you "lease" your car out for a race anybody can drive it. Nothing I hate worse than getting in somebody's car that has more switches than the star trek enterprise...makes life waaaay to complicates since you have to memorize a routine. I've let out multi time track champ pilot my car on a few occasions and he was just blown away with the simplicity of the the set-up. Start the car and hit 1 toggle to activate the water pump/fans...the rest is good to go. That diode is your best freind for eliminating another circuit and making your life easier.

Per our tracks webiste:

Attention CFR Racers:

NHRA has notified us that in the Sportsman ET Class that two-step rev-limiter will not be legal at the Bracket Finals. Therefore, "Only Single stage rev limiters will be permitted in the Sportsman class". In Super Pro and Pro bracket classes, all vehicles must be equipped with racing slicks.

meaning no 2 steps, only high end rev chips allowed. 5 kid, hate to see you go a whole season kick'n tail, and then try to change up your game in the big show...something to keep in mind anyways