I run on a track with a short shutdown area so I always leave it in drive.

However.....

I have accidently put a car in reverse running thru the 1/4 at a test and tune session at MMP.
Apparently my shifter linkage had gotten out of adjustment and I didnt realize it till I put it in neutral > too late....
Luckily for me I didnt damage anything but the driveshaft and it was only slightly bent :shock: .
It locked up the rear tires for a sec and killed the motor instantly, as soon as I realized what had happeded I shifted it back into drive, maybe that saved me some damage, scared the pee out of me though. :lol:

I never even think about putting a car in neutral now, short track or not, just not worth the risk IMO.

Cp

Thanks for the input everyone. I have heard about the tranny possibility failure, but never seen it happen. I have see a car shoved into reverse and slam into the wall, but no lockout on the shifter to save this. I had a new B&M pro stick shifter that if you did not have the handle fully pulled in it would go into reverse from 2nd gear. I will start keeping it in gear for safety sake to avoid the possibility of hitting reverse and to slow it down a bit sooner.

if you go to MADCAP racing they have a reason for putting it in neutral, i have done it both ways, my engine seem to like it better going to neutral

When I bought my last 2 trans they told me not too put it in Neutrel, because it may cause severe trans problems, Now that is from Coan when i bought my th400, and then again TCI said the same thing when I bought my powerglide. Leave it in high gear.

madcaps reason behind it..


http://www.madcapracing.com/instruct...your-run.shtml

Sounds crazy to me .. they should invest in some R&D to get a good oil pan, pump and pickup problem solved. Mine doesnt drop and doesnt look nothing other then new bearing wise when it does come apart. I would rather take my chances of leaving in gear and hurting a motor rather then hurting myself. :D

Ditto.

During shutdown at over 100 mph hard on the brakes 'in drive' my oil pressure never gets lower than 40 PSI, and I've just have a plain 'ol econo hamburger oil pan, trap door, nicely baffled nothing fancy> $198 @ Jegs


Cp

I run the same type of cheap pan but a Moroso ... I've owned the "high" end stuff and it drops fast ! sometimes back to the basics is a good thing.
Our pans may not make the extra 20hp as some others but we also dont have other issues they can casue :D

well hammer you may not see a visual drop on the mechanical gauge going thru the traps at 140+ mph..but its safe to say you not staring at it very long either... :D ....

another thing if anyone thinks oil in the pan doesn't move forward in the pan away from the pump on a hard deceleration...think again.

thats why many top notch racers use dry sump oiling systems..( for this reason)

again whatever works for you...both shut down procedures are used succesfully thousands of times each weekend across the country

ANOTHER point of view on this---if you have power steering on your car--AND you throw it in nuetral AND shut the engine OFF YOU HAVE NO POWER STEERING[ AND ON SOME CARS THAT CAN GET YOU KILLED :oops: :oops: ]
and i wasn't going 140 mph's :shock: :shock: :shock:

I ALWAYS HAD 4 SPEEDS AND WOULD LEAVE IT IN GEAR [MOST OF THE TIME]
LIVELY