Heads up

[jmoneyfoot]

So everyone holds back a little?

[Jeff Stout]

Originally Posted by jmoneyfoot

So everyone holds back a little?

Its a bracket race all day with exception of heads up. Nearly every bracket racer holds. Fire suit on.

[Tim H]

more air in front tires, drain some oil, ice the intake, cool the fuel, remove air filter if using one, shallow stage,remove any extra weight, some or all might apply depending on circumstances

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by jmoneyfoot

So everyone holds back a little?

When you get close to 1.00 under runs, you've got to hold back some. Don't want to hit that trigger more than once per half season.

[Myron Piatek]

* Normally shift at a lower RPM, then shift at the optimum RPM during heads-up race.

* Swap out your normal oil for a lower viscosity. i.e.: normal 10w-30 conventional oil, heads-up 5w-20 or less special conventional or synthetic.(Consult your engine builder.)

* Rear end can usually have a quart or a bit more drained below normal capacity.

* Advance/optimize timing if running conservative.

* Make sure your jetting is optimized without a filter if removing it. Otherwise, removing the filter may lean out the carb if the filter has any restriction

* Add air to rear tires, IF it will hook with a smaller contact patch.

* If cutting weight close to minimum, remember to weigh EXACTLY what you take out and include the weight of any oil drained. Keep a little safety margin.

* Adding air to front tires will help minimize rolling resistance too, but it can also reduce rollout and quicken RTs. (Don't redlight.)

* Switching from same size bias ply slicks to radial slicks usually helps pick up ET as well as RT. But finish line RPMs will be a bit higher because radials don't grow like bias ply. (As long as your engine can handle it.)

Just remember that you have to be able to return to a predictable dial-in afterwards for the next run if you win the heads-up race.

[Jeff Stout]

* Make sure your jetting is optimized without a filter if removing it. Otherwise, removing the filter may lean out the carb if the filter has any restriction


^^^ This. We had a street car event and in the final round we needed a little bit more as it was heads up. I said take the air filter off and then proceed to run .1 slower in ET. and lost the race. Then realized car went lean with filter off. Ooops

[jimmyparker]

Some of you may remember Don Carter from South Carolina who ran C/SA in the nineties with a red 69 Nova, one way to remember him is he looked like one of the Oak Ridge boys. Anyway Don had a headsup first round at the GV divisional in that period with some one who had him covered a bunch. I asked him in staging if he had a plan and he stated he was going to pray, the faster car broke in the water.

[jmoneyfoot]

How does engine temp play a factor? I see everyone putting ice on the intake and fuel regulator, pushing their cars through staging. What is an optimal engine temp?

[MR DERBY CITY]

Originally Posted by jimmyparker

Some of you may remember Don Carter from South Carolina who ran C/SA in the nineties with a red 69 Nova, one way to remember him is he looked like one of the Oak Ridge boys. Anyway Don had a headsup first round at the GV divisional in that period with some one who had him covered a bunch. I asked him in staging if he had a plan and he stated he was going to pray, the faster car broke in the water.

Many, many years ago Lee Bannister was kicking Azz and taking names in stock eliminator. Lee usually qualified near the bottom of the ladder and one year at the Gators he had a heads up with a much faster car. The faster car just blowed the tires off at the hit.....Lee must know the same prayer....

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by jmoneyfoot

So everyone holds back a little?

If your fast enough to hurt your AHFS average, you need to slow it down. My car is fuel injected. I use a FAST XFI ECM (computer). They will hold more than one "tune up". They sell a selector switch. I just use a toggle switch. Race tune, and a Slow Down tune. I just flip a switch while the car is shut down. I found adding weight to slow it down effected my lights. Pull the weight for a heads up, and problems with red lights. Less timing & leaner is how I slow mine. Same lights. Bias to Radial tires effect my lights too. I stay on radials. Same lights. I had a restrictor plate, but guess I was ratted out. One of our tech guys found it in the staging lanes, told me he "Didn't ever want to see it again!" I considered simply leaving it out until after going through tech. He checked for it again between rounds in the staging lanes. LOL