Well, i'm new here, hi, hehe, just pretty much left the Stereo competition scene because i have a feel to take a car such as the tC and just Drive...

My last car was an 88 Crown Vic Auto, I only drive autos and it had so much HP loss my lawnmower would of had it's own time slip against this car.

Ever since i drove a new car again, i went ahead and bought an 07 tC, everything is stock and will continue to be for quite sometime.

I will be taking it out for the first race at an 1\8th mile ever. I've never dragged before but have watched in person for several hrs from bout 3 visits.

I have raced on the street but since this is new to me, maybe someone can help me out on "Drivers Skill" before i go into parts. I need skill before parts...Yea, I'll admit it!

Ok, i'll be racing a 97 Dodge Avenger and only mofification is a K&N air filter, wow! hehe.

anyway-

What i am lookin for is the following-
Should i keep the car in Drive the whole time because if i do, i notice a shift lag that will probably hurt my score, opinions?

What rpm should i be setting at before i let off the brake from takeoff?

I have been told to start take off in 3rd gear then throw it into drive right at\before redline. Is this the best way or should i start in 2nd?
If i am suppose to keep the car in drive the whole\majority of the way, what tips might one suggest when car switches gears?

If i am missin any questions that i should have answers for for this particual thread, please all by means fill me in..

I have been told to go to the track with no more than half a tank(i live 45 min away from track) and have as much high octane fuel as possible(91-93 octane) as this is suppose to help me out racing??

 

high octane in an na does nothing. trust me. i been raving 1/8ths.

throwing from 3rd to drive is bad.. i found that out..

as for the brake holding issue.. iv never tried that.

my best time when my car was stock(i had only lowering springs) was 10.0 flat.. my reaction time isnt all that great though..

 

you have never held the brake before take off?

All take offs should have some rev to it other than 700-800rpm or idle speed during take off.

What was your experience from 3rd to drive?

I have been racin a couple people on the street and i throw it from 2-3-drive all the time.

going from 2-3 is a joke... takes TOO long. i dont throw it into 3rd until 65mph and thats when it hits just below 6kprm.

Once it's in 3rd, i wait til it hits bout 5500-6000 before it goes in drive.

This si what i have been doing. Now, obviously from ur response, that's not a good idea so i need a better approach evidently.

 

from 3rd to drive seems very long...... but it accelerates pretty good. i have taken my car to its limit before..and it has no problems.

i was on the street and a hemi truck wanted to race... long story short... from a 20mph roll, the hemi launched.. but we went for hours it seemed like... at about 50mph i launched pass him... and just to make him mad.. i never let off.. i hit 140 and the car sounded like it could go much more.. but i ran out of road! lol.

anyway.. heres what i raced on the track.
stage 2 turbo integra & civic, lost to both by a .9 sec
98 trans am, lost by 1.3 sec
civic w/legend engine swap, lost by .9 sec
xb... blew it away...

id like to go back now w/ my exhaust and intake...

 

you race times like that, that's not stock. Although stockor no stock has nothing really to do with this post, it does in a way as it helps me talk with people with stock setups that know what the car does at certain rpms.

 

The tC is not capable of 140 mph. It's electronically limited to 127, even if your speedometer read higher.

 

I'd avoid shifting through the gears on and auto. You'll just end up ruining your tranny in the long run. Just let the car make the shifts, espically if your inexperienced. Trust me, I've been there.

Put it in Drive, hold the brake, rev it up a little, and when the light turns green, hit the gas and let off the brake. Brake torqueing is only gonna get you so much. Your still limited by the torque converter. This is all IMO.