Perfect launch?!

[DanPaul7]

So I had a little encounter recently while on my way home late at night. A Saxo VTR and a Corsa VXR were racing up behind me, only to overtake me and stop about 500 metres down the road, one in the middle, one in the left lane. So I thought what the hell why not join in on this madness and pulled up on the right lane.
Now I don't have any experience launching cars properly so assumed I would end up eating their dust but quite the opposite... They both rev up the cars fairly high and release the clutch while I, being scared of hurting my car, babied it off the line so the clutch was fully released before flooring it. Surprisingly I was well off into second gear pulling away while both these guys play catch up after their wheels finally stopped spinning.

This got me thinking, what is the best way to launch? Now i'm sure these pair were just as useless as I am, but were their methods the fastest when done correctly? I have looked this up but seem to find all sorts of contradicting information... What do you lot do?

 

[TURBO]

I find at least 5grand and just side step the clutch pedal :lol: :lol:

lots of pops bangs and instant whiplash :twisted:

 

[Rob_McLav]

I'd say rev to 3.5-4k then go for it. My mate has a vxr and its faster than my cup but not by much!! You would be surprised! 2nd gear motorway pulls and I have beaten him just.

 

[DanPaul7]

I find at least 5grand and just side step the clutch pedal :lol: :lol:

lots of pops bangs and instant whiplash :twisted:

lol you nutter, might have to try that one

I'd say rev to 3.5-4k then go for it. My mate has a
vxr and its faster than my cup but not by much!! You would be surprised! 2nd gear motorway pulls and I have beaten him just.

How would you release the clutch? Sidestep? Ride it slightly?

 

[TURBO]

launching is a bit*h coz u never wana stop practicing to get it spot on but the more u do it the sooner the gbox is coming out :evil:

like heaven, u imagine to to b perfect but u dont wana be there !!

 

[Rob_McLav]

Don't drive aggressive smoother is better for car but be quick with it. To practice I highly recommend a 1/4 day u will learn loads I done a few brilliant fun and legal!

 

[weebob]

Santa pod day maybe later in the year? May help stop some of the road antics

 

[pollard]

depends what tyres/ weather conditions you have. Dry and good tyres 4k ish with riding the cluch a little. wet with good tyres 3.5k riding the clutch a bit. if you got semi slicks in the bone dry then 5k side step and claim whip lash off your insurance.

 

[JoeRS133]

I can pull away from my mates RS megane in first gear as he can't turn his tcs off.

Second and third he mullers me in a big big way lol

 

[TURBO]

I can pull away from my mates RS megane in first gear as he can't turn his tcs off.

Second and third he mullers me in a big big way lol

Might have a little to do with the weight diff, gearing and turbo to name just afew

 

[DrDrew]

IIRC formula 1 teams say 7% wheelspin off the line is optimum for a perfect getaway. I imagine it varies based on traction and all sorts of tyre based co-efficients

 

[TURBO]

Tyre pressures can b a killer when dragging coz u need to calculate the amount of tyre twist so u get no actual wheel spin just grip

Altho some people would rather wheel spin than tyres bite and snap something

 

[DanPaul7]

May help stop some of the road antics

Just so everyone knows it wasn't like this happened in a built up area at rush hour, it was on a almost perfectly straight 1.5 - 2 mile stretch of road with no junctions and only fields to the left and the sea to the right so nobody was really in any danger.

 

[pollard]

May help stop some of the road antics

Just so everyone knows it wasn't like this happened in a built up area at rush hour, it was on a almost perfectly straight 1.5 - 2 mile stretch of road with no junctions and only fields to the left and the sea to the right so nobody was really in any danger.

What you mean to say is that it was performed by professionals on a closed road.