Tips For The Drag Racer.
04-08-2004, 07:45 AM
#13
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Jensen Beach, FL / Sylva, NC
Posts: 2,934
I believe at an actual event once the first car rolls from prestage to fully staged the other car has a set amount of time to stage or he fouls out.
That is why it is not cool to stage when the other car has not even pre-staged. He will have to rush to the line and it will **** him off. Its sort of like playing dirty.
That is why it is not cool to stage when the other car has not even pre-staged. He will have to rush to the line and it will **** him off. Its sort of like playing dirty.
04-08-2004, 09:25 AM
#14
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Dover DE
Posts: 989
I did not mention this little tidbit in my tips because it varies from track to track, you need to attend the drivers meeting or get the local track rulebook and read it prior to lining up. These tips were for general reading, and are basically the same at all tracks. If you have a specific question you need to ask the track officials in the staging lanes, or during your tech inspection.
03-06-2006, 08:30 PM
#15
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 2,871
How to find your local track if you don't already know where it is.....
http://chasinracin.com/track-locator/
http://chasinracin.com/track-locator/
11-27-2006, 08:12 AM
#16
Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 94
Just an Update on the lights...
NHRA implemented two significant changes on the starting line for national events. First, the numerical value of a driver's reaction time will be modified. The modification simplifies the process of understanding a driver's reaction time to activation of the green lights on the Christmas Tree. Previously, a perfect reaction time for all Professional and some Sportsman drivers was .400-second. For the remaining Sportsman competitors, a .500-second light was considered perfect Now, the timing system will be modified to display a perfect reaction time as .000 for all categories. This change applies only to NHRA's 23 national events.
On the traditional Pro Christmas Tree, a .399 light or quicker is considered an early start, activating the red light, which results in disqualification. Under the new system, a 399 will be displayed as -.001, a .398 as -.002, and so on. Anything from a perfect reaction time of .000 and above will be a legal start The new timing system in no way affects any driver, vehicle setup, or other significant aspect of competition on the dragstrip.
Also, as previously reported, NHRA will implement the use of LED amber lights on the Christmas Tree starting system, replacing the traditional yet damage-prone incandescent lights.
"The biggest advantage is that the vibration, especially that caused by the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes, won't cause the LED bulbs to burn out like it will an incandescent," said NHRA Senior Vice President-Racing Operations Graham Light. "Amber bulb failures, especially during full Tree countdowns in the Sportsman classes, lead to reruns and other problems. We are trying to avoid that problem as well as step up our technology.
"We tested the new bulbs without problem during preseason testing in Tucson," added Light. "Racers who attend the Winternationals and subsequent events are advised that the LED lights illuminate quicker, by about three-hundredths of a second, than the incandescent lights."
Anthony
Once the track official begins the countdown timer the track computer will begin counting down to light the countdown lights. These lights are designed to light at .500 seconds apart from each other. Your main focus is the last yellow light on the tree, the final countdown light. When you see this light come on, launch. If you wait until the green light you will already be at a loss in your launch. The reason for this is that the human body needs time to react to the things it is doing. By the time you see the light and start to release your clutch to launch the green light is already lighting and your reaction time is begining to count against you. Look at it this way, there is .500 seconds between the lights, by the time you see the yellow and begin reacting, the green will be lit. From the moment the green light is lit and your tires move away from the beams is what is called your reaction time. A perfect reaction time is .500 of a second, what this means is that from the time the third yellow lit, till the tim your tires start to cross the starting line was .500 of a second. You left the line exactly at the moment the green light came on. On your first attempts do not be surprised to see 1.04 or higher as you get used to launching this way.
NHRA implemented two significant changes on the starting line for national events. First, the numerical value of a driver's reaction time will be modified. The modification simplifies the process of understanding a driver's reaction time to activation of the green lights on the Christmas Tree. Previously, a perfect reaction time for all Professional and some Sportsman drivers was .400-second. For the remaining Sportsman competitors, a .500-second light was considered perfect Now, the timing system will be modified to display a perfect reaction time as .000 for all categories. This change applies only to NHRA's 23 national events.
On the traditional Pro Christmas Tree, a .399 light or quicker is considered an early start, activating the red light, which results in disqualification. Under the new system, a 399 will be displayed as -.001, a .398 as -.002, and so on. Anything from a perfect reaction time of .000 and above will be a legal start The new timing system in no way affects any driver, vehicle setup, or other significant aspect of competition on the dragstrip.
Also, as previously reported, NHRA will implement the use of LED amber lights on the Christmas Tree starting system, replacing the traditional yet damage-prone incandescent lights.
"The biggest advantage is that the vibration, especially that caused by the Top Fuel and Funny Car classes, won't cause the LED bulbs to burn out like it will an incandescent," said NHRA Senior Vice President-Racing Operations Graham Light. "Amber bulb failures, especially during full Tree countdowns in the Sportsman classes, lead to reruns and other problems. We are trying to avoid that problem as well as step up our technology.
"We tested the new bulbs without problem during preseason testing in Tucson," added Light. "Racers who attend the Winternationals and subsequent events are advised that the LED lights illuminate quicker, by about three-hundredths of a second, than the incandescent lights."
Anthony
Originally Posted by TheCamel' post='408381' date='Dec 10 2003, 09:23 PM
Once the track official begins the countdown timer the track computer will begin counting down to light the countdown lights. These lights are designed to light at .500 seconds apart from each other. Your main focus is the last yellow light on the tree, the final countdown light. When you see this light come on, launch. If you wait until the green light you will already be at a loss in your launch. The reason for this is that the human body needs time to react to the things it is doing. By the time you see the light and start to release your clutch to launch the green light is already lighting and your reaction time is begining to count against you. Look at it this way, there is .500 seconds between the lights, by the time you see the yellow and begin reacting, the green will be lit. From the moment the green light is lit and your tires move away from the beams is what is called your reaction time. A perfect reaction time is .500 of a second, what this means is that from the time the third yellow lit, till the tim your tires start to cross the starting line was .500 of a second. You left the line exactly at the moment the green light came on. On your first attempts do not be surprised to see 1.04 or higher as you get used to launching this way.
11-27-2006, 08:24 AM
#17
Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 94
I posted this because I quizzed about 10 of my friends who drag race and asked what is a perfect reaction time, 9/10 responded .500 seconds. There is some confusion about this. Most track nowadays list a perfect reaction time as .000 We race at englishtown and etown is one of the track that list a perfect reaction time of .000
Any track that has changed their bulbs from incandescent to LEDs will reflect the new perfect reaction time of .000
Anthony
Any track that has changed their bulbs from incandescent to LEDs will reflect the new perfect reaction time of .000
Anthony
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