Drag Race Shifting Tips?

[Gotalbots]

I got beat good by a porshe this weekend from a dead stop at a traffic light (empty stretch no access highway). I've got a 392 stroker w/tremec 5sp and feel I should have beat him or at least done better. I think the problem was that he was a friend and we were chatting when the light turned green. I started in 1rst gear and hit it hard which caused loss of traction up to 3rd gear. All my spinning allowed him to put space between us. Seems 1rst is geared to low and with all the torque and little weight the car just breaks loose.

I often start from dead stop in 2nd gear, not under race conditions, and it pulls fine. Do you think starting out in second when drag racing would help? Would it be a danger to the tranny?

I want another run at this guy, but need to improve my technique if I'm going to prove that cobra's are as fast as they look.