Launching without destroying trans

Ok i'd like to go down the 1/4 mile but i'm not at all thrilled about my first attempt as soon as i let out the clutch i dropped the counter shaft in the trans an left me with 5th gear only i didn't even make it off the line. This was the first time I had ever been on a track didn't know what to expect only knew what i had heard from others or had read on launching. i had tried a no boost 4wd 3rd gear launch from about 2.5k it was the heat of the moment the other guy rushed to stage an i wasn't even pre staged yet so i felt rushed an jus jumped right into the stage reved the motor an dumped the clutch an the rpm's went to the roof an there i sat i was afraid to get out of the seat i push the clutch in an could hear the clutch disengage hauled it home an now im back with another trans in the truck. But i still have the itch to see what my truck can do but i want to be better prepared next time i go an try. So i'm asking with whats in my signature how should i approach trying to drag again with minimal breakage, and is there anyway to practice that would allow me to perfect my launch that would be easier on the transmission until i can build it into a gorilla G-56