I was just wondering how much difference it makes if I run with my windows up or down. In the summer especially, it gets hot as h*ll at the track and I almost always run with my windows down. Does this hurt my times at all? Like, does it affect my drag coefficient or something like that? Just wondering.........

Your windows have to be up..period

Windows have to be up...it's a safety rule...keeps your head and arms inside in the event of a crash.

Now see, that is funny. Anytime I have run in the summer, I have had a window down. Now that I think back, those might have all been test-n-tunes, but still, no one said anything. At least now I know. Thanks.

Well, to keep down on drag, blah blah put your windows up. But, the part about your arms flying out, etc...when the glass breaks...then what? Unless you have a safety net or something holding your arms in, your arms are going to be all over the place anyway.
Think of it this way...how many cars in the NHRA and IHRA have you seen with their "windows" down? ;)

Originally posted by Georgia69:
Windows have to be up...it's a safety rule...keeps your head and arms inside in the event of a crash. I don't see how it's going to do that....you'll go thru the glass.

You didn't hear this from me........but I say have them rolled up when in the staging lanes....and maybe roll them down a bit before you launch or after you've launched. Just don't let the track guys catch you.

[/QUOTE]

You didn't hear this from me........but I say have them rolled up when in the staging lanes....and maybe roll them down a bit before you launch or after you've launched. Just don't let the track guys catch you. [/QB][/QUOTE]

I must be doing something wrong....when I launch its all I can do to think about everything thats going on..if I had to try and roll down a window...lol...I would be in the stands

It won't affect your drag coefficient enough to change your times. Maybe I could do a project on that for my senior Aerospace Engineering degree ;)

http://www.engr.sjsu.edu/mae/

Yeah, windows up has always been a rule at the dragstrip I go to. They are VERY particular about that. I know a couple guys who couldn't take their cars to the strip because they didn't yet have windows in the car.

I wouldn't try rolling your windows down durning the run, or right before it. Most likely if they see you do that, that will be your last run....at least it would be where I go. Just my .02

Windows up. Helps to keep you focused on your car. It's all about being in the zone. :cool:

Originally posted by Junkyard Dawg:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Georgia69:
Windows have to be up...it's a safety rule...keeps your head and arms inside in the event of a crash. I don't see how it's going to do that....you'll go thru the glass. </font>[/QUOTE]I didn't say I agreed with the rule...I was just pointing out the rule. But, a woman driver lost control of a 13-sec street car at Atlanta Dragway this past Saturday and hit the wall hard. The side window did not break, so it's conceivable the window could help keep head and arms inside the car. Joe Weatherly was killed in a NASCAR race at Riverside in the 60's because his head flew out the side window and impacted the wall in a relatively mild crash. So I guess it all depends on how much you care about your head. Personally, I'm enjoying having full use of mine smile.gif

Yikes! I didn't mean to stir nuthin' up, haha. I certainly realize the safety issue now (which was not even my original concern). Thanks for all the replies. I hope to make it to Capitol Raceway in Maryland this Saturday, and trust me, my windows will be UP the whole time!! haha!

My local track is real strict about having the windows up. One time I rolled into the burnout box with my window only like 3" down the first thing the guy motioned was the crank up the windows before I did a burnout.

Another thing, having the windows all the way down feels kinda strange to me when I'm doing like 80+mph. Might just be my flimbsy car but with all the wind coming in I can feel the car trying to jerk back and forth.