Down to experience really - as with most things in life
It also depends on the strip your racing at ( Santa Pod is glued - york / crail isnt )
I always lower my tyre pressure's ( standard rubber about 18 - 20 psi ) or if your using Slicks around 12 - 14 psi. Always go 36 - 40 psi at rear. When you approach the start line warm you tyres up by performing a burn out for at least 5 - 10 seconds. Once youve done this reverse and do it again. Traction is very important. Warm tyres give you it - cold tyres dont.
Approach the start line and line your car up. Put the car in first gear and lift your handbrake whilst letting your clutch out - build revs to around 2000 rpm with your clutch biting so the car is itching to go. Keep your hand on the hand brake and your foot on the accelerator. Your 0 - 60 foot time is very important and can affect your terminal by 1 - 2 seconds if you mess up.
When the lights change let off the handbrake and plant the accelerator - get the combination perfect with practise as if the Revs drop on attempted acceleration this will mess your time up and affect your terminal. Your reaction time is also very important. Practise it.
Get the car on a rolling rd and find out what peak power is in each gear. Write this down and stick it on your dash. Memorise it or glance at it with your peripheral vision as your accelerating. I always install a second rev counter with a peak revs change indicator on my cars.
Keep the car light - seats out, no luggage and £5 quids worth of fuel.
I ran a 13.9 in my Clio back in 2003 ( 2.0 16v F4R 736 ) and a 13.4 with a 50 shot of gas. I was using michelin racing slicks ( £10 each from Oulton park - ex clio cup racing tyres ) the car had no interior.
Been looking on You Tube and every video I've watched Clio wins (just) so hoping should be able to pip them ;-). May have to get a remap before to make sure!
Thanks for responses guys, any tips about how best to launch at Pod???
Better be a good remap then! Maybe one of those turbo remaps.
Take your own, the burger stands are gash!
^^ in fairness to the GP driver most polos don't have that type of power!! can't blame him for thinking he was onto to a winner,
I love a good sleeper car though!
Sounds like I stand an ok chance, will a JMS remap give me the advantage I might need to win???
My mini cooper s JCW GP i had would make mince meat out of my 172 i have now, I miss it alot!!
Call me thick but what is the point of turbo'ing a Cooper S if theres still no gains?
Im not mechanical minded but i didnt even think an S could be Turbo charged!? :S
Call me thick but what is the point of turbo'ing a Cooper S if theres still no gains?
Im not mechanical minded but i didnt even think an S could be Turbo charged!? :S
^Haha - I didnt know they had started turbo'ing the new ones!
So there is no such thing as the Cooper S these days then?
Yes but it's now turbo charged. f**k me. Go back to bed, close your eyes, open them and start again x
Some gay Mini weirdo says on their forum said:BMW & MINI have said it once before and will say it again and again. The S does not mean anything. The liked the design of the S because it looked like a sweeping road. Anyway it can be interepted as Sport or Supercharged. But it means nothing.