Competition Drag Racing Questions

[sanfordJ]

I’m planning on building a Diesel Ram for drag racing.

I’m not going to use my new 2006 until after the warranty is expired.

So I will be buying another truck.

The following is what I will get:



1994 – 2006

¾ ton

Regular Cab

8 foot bed

4 wheel drive

Automatic

Normal street tires



My questions are:

Least expensive way to get to 11. 500 quarter mile ET and why? (12v vs. 24v vs common rail, trans strength, axle strength, weight, other variables between years?)

Is 11. 500 too aggressive of a goal?

If so, least expensive way to get to 12. 000 or 12. 500?

I’ve seen Dodge Diesels run in the 10’s, 9’s, 8’s even 7’s, why aren’t they on the official ¼ mile list? (I know the one in the 7’s is a dragster and the ones in the 8’s are light weight tube chassis, but what about the ones in the 9’s and 10’s?

Do 4wd trucks race in 4wd setting vs. 2wd? (I think the owners manual says not to drive over 55 in 4wd).

Thanks for the advice.

PS - I did a lot of searching on the forum and so far haven't been able to find enough specific information regarding these questions.

 

[Timbeaux38]

You can bust 11. 50's pretty easily, but it will leave you either having to slow down to 12. 00 to run Quick Diesel, or speed WAAAAY up to run pro- street. The diffrence between an 11. 50 truck and being competitive in pro street is a good bit of change. With 700 or so hp, you should be running VERY low 11's if you keep it light.

Some 4wd trucks throw it into 2wd at the 1-2 shift, but the truck is still in 4wd till you let off.

 

[paulb]

I think at this time getting to 11. 50 is pretty even as far as cost goes. Getting to the 13's I think one will probably be cheaper then the other, but by the time you get to 11. 50, things have kinda evened out.



I run mine in 4x4 all the way down the track. As Tim said even if I move the lever out of 4x4 it won't actually come out until I let off on it.



What type of drag racing do you plan on doing? I race the NHRA bracket series as well as the NHRDA (diesel only). I can tell you that at a lot of NHRA races, smoke is not tolerated well. During the diesel only races, smoke is not as much an issue. If smoke is an issue then a VP44, or Common Rail truck maybe a better choice then a P pump.



Paul

 

[JVolpe]

I have seen just as many reg cab 2x4s with shortened beds in the pro street range. Just saw a new one Sunday that ran a 10. 991 @ 121 on first run. Looked like a fairly mild launch so it had more for sure.

 

[sanfordJ]

I don't care about smoke or noise.

I'll be bracket racing wherever I'm aloud to.