I have had this weird traction problem when doing a burnout, since I put the car together in 2013. I've tried different brands of drag slicks and now put new rear shocks and still does the same thing. 1978 Firebird 3400 lbs. Calvert springs and traction bars. The car works and it repeats. I was running 10.60 in it with other motor; I put a smaller motor in that runs 11.60 and it still seems to do the same thing. When doing your burnout, you let go of the line lock button to pull forward and the car just sits there like you're on ice you can just roast the tires. The car hooks when staged but the burnout thing is strange. Was thinking the rear shock setting could help me. I have double adjustable Viking rear shocks. I have Afco (BRC) double adjustable front shocks on the car. Any ideas
May 18, 2026, 03:25 PM
Top355x
Are you sure line lock and brakes are releasing
May 18, 2026, 04:44 PM
Mike Allred
I’ve had that happen on occasion when there is a lot of water on the slicks. Water pools in front of the slicks on burnout and when you release the line loc you get into the puddle created when you started the burnout. I never worried about it, but I do carry the burnout as far as possible without going through the lights to dry the tires.
Mike Allred
May 18, 2026, 09:15 PM
markemark
Try moving further out of the water box to start your BO. I’m always 10’ out of the box doing my BO. I have a mirror on the inside of the door and hold door open when driving out of the water box to know where I am prior.
May 19, 2026, 08:29 AM
ski_dwn_it
all the already mentioned..plus does it do it at other tracks. Does that track have divots or slope.
3700#+210lb driver, FULL interior, through mufflers, 10.5 tire. 60'-1.333 (IN 4000ft DA! Joisy Math excluded; 1.25sec using JOISY MATH.) 1/4 - 9.60@144MPH
May 19, 2026, 08:52 AM
Big Steve
Either your line lock isn't releasing or your sitting in a puddle of water
May 19, 2026, 09:07 AM
Lenny5160
Try a day without using the line lock. On my small tire car with Caltracs, I haven't used the line lock in 20 years or more. Low gear just to get them spinning, shift to High and lift when it starts to bite or you run out of space before the starting line.
Tony Leonard
May 19, 2026, 01:03 PM
Triple Nickel
Loosen all the shocks up full loose and try again. It's hard to say you need to put more bite in it if it's already working.
I had similar experience going from bias to radials, they seem to never want to hook.
If changes are not in the cards or not needed try a few things: 1. Ensure you pull up clear of the water box and beyond the end of any water trails the folks in front of you may have left. You will likely have to adjust your position further forward or further back depending on the length of trails the people in front of you leave on the racetrack. The water trails are never perfectly consistent. 2. Start the burnout in high gear. 3. Set line lock, obtain your desired RPM, release button soon as you reach steady burn out RPM, keep rpm constant and burn till it starts to hook.
May take a few tries but should work.
May 19, 2026, 02:09 PM
markemark
quote:
1. Ensure you pull up clear of the water box and beyond the end of any water trails the folks in front of you may have left. You will likely have to adjust your position further forward or further back depending on the length of trails the people in front of you leave on the racetrack. The water trails are never perfectly consistent. This.. avoid getting behind a dragster running previously if possible. Some can drag water 20’ or more from the end of the water box. ( they do that special dance of driving through the box, slamming on the brakes, skidding to a stop, and then matting it). When I encounter this, I drive through the water box and stop where they skidded to a stop and start my BO at that point. If it was good enough for them to start at that point I follow suit. Always a clean BO.
2. Start the burnout in high gear. AGREED! 1st gear is for driving the pits and starting line WOT.
3. Set line lock, obtain your desired RPM, release button soon as you reach steady burn out RPM, keep rpm constant and burn till it starts to hook. THIS. If you see smoke it’s time to go
May 19, 2026, 04:08 PM
Big Steve
Here is something polar opposite. This past Saturday I roll well past the water like usual. Waited on a staging duel in front of me. When I went to do my burn out I pumped the brakes, set the line lock and as soon as I brought the RPM up the tires hooked and pushed thru the line lock. Stopped, pumped the brake again pushed the line lock and again tires hooked instantly. Obviously the tires dried off waiting for the staging duel. Starter looked at me funny wondering why I did 2 dry hops Went ahead and staged the car, let go of the button and had my best 60ft of the day with no burn out This message has been edited. Last edited by: Big Steve,
May 19, 2026, 04:30 PM
markemark
^^^^^ Hoosiers for the WIN!!!!
May 20, 2026, 06:04 AM
Curly1
Does sound like you may still be in some water. But if your car is consistently hooking up good that is all that matters. I had one car / tire combination that required a John Force style burnout to hook up good. Others do not. Point is if it is working good keep doing it, if not change and test until it does work good.
I would not change shock adjustment or anything for the burnout, I do not care about the burnout, all I care about is how the car hooks up and goes on the track.
I agree with others to try it with out line lock and see what it does. I agree with doing a burnout as far forward as possible with out going into lights to make sure you are not still sitting in water. These guys have gave you a lot of good advice here but to me bottom line is do not care how big or little burnout is as long as it hooks up good and goes straight.
https://postimg.cc/gallery/np3zpruo/ "Dunning-Kruger Effect" -a type of Cognitive bias where people with little expertise or ability assume they have superior expertise or ability. This overestimation occurs as a result of the fact that they do not have enough knowledge to know they don't have enough knowledge.
Before you argue with someone ask yourself, "Is this person mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of a different perspective?" If not there is no point to argue.
4X NE2 CHAMPION. 2020 TDRA NE2 Champion
May 20, 2026, 09:18 AM
Lenny5160
quote:
Originally posted by Big Steve: Here is something polar opposite. This past Saturday I roll well past the water like usual. Waited on a staging duel in front of me. When I went to do my burn out I pumped the brakes, set the line lock and as soon as I brought the RPM up the tires hooked and pushed thru the line lock. Stopped, pumped the brake again pushed the line lock and again tires hooked instantly. Obviously the tires dried off waiting for the staging duel. Starter looked at me funny wondering why I did 2 dry hops Went ahead and staged the car, let go of the button and had my best 60ft of the day with no burn out
I've had that kind of thing happen many times. Just stage it up, and never an issue.
I also never do a second burnout if something causes a delay after I've already done one.
Tony Leonard
May 20, 2026, 09:26 AM
CURTIS REED
quote:
Originally posted by Lenny5160:
quote:
Originally posted by Big Steve: Here is something polar opposite. This past Saturday I roll well past the water like usual. Waited on a staging duel in front of me. When I went to do my burn out I pumped the brakes, set the line lock and as soon as I brought the RPM up the tires hooked and pushed thru the line lock. Stopped, pumped the brake again pushed the line lock and again tires hooked instantly. Obviously the tires dried off waiting for the staging duel. Starter looked at me funny wondering why I did 2 dry hops Went ahead and staged the car, let go of the button and had my best 60ft of the day with no burn out
I've had that kind of thing happen many times. Just stage it up, and never an issue.
I also never do a second burnout if something causes a delay after I've already done one.
Went ahead and staged the car, let go of the button and had my best 60ft of the day with no burn out 
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Big Steve,