Augie

I hear ya but I should have qualified that:

 

My drag racing experience is strictly bracket racing. You sit at the light, you lose. The cars will almost certainly leave the tree at different times (unless they're dialed in exactly the same) but will cross the finish line very close. First one across wins. Slow reaction time equals a lost race. A bracket race starts when the light goes green and ends when you cross the line. Quickest time wins (unless you've dialed in a dishonest time). Therefore a poor reaction time equals a slower time.

 

Sorry about the confusion.

 

Pete

Again, reaction time has absolutely nothing to do with ET. What obviously changes is that, when you leave late, you arrive late, and lose the race. Your ET will be the same no matter when you leave the line, though.

Bruce

"Two separate performances are monitored for each run: elapsed time and speed. Upon leaving the staging beams, each vehicle activates an elapsed-time clock, which is stopped when that vehicle reaches the finish line. The start-to-finish clocking is the vehicle's elapsed time (e.t.), which serves to measure performance. Speed is measured in a 66-foot "speed trap" that ends at the finish line. Each lane is timed independently."

 

That should end the debate... taken directly from the NHRA website my friends. http://www.nhra.com/nhra101/basics.aspx

I think MY10_3.6L_Oz has taken the point, and I think it was an initial misunderstanding on his part.

Jeeezus!...I bet in all those years you STILL haven't won a race!!

 

Here's why?

 

Bruce:...Stages...2nd stage lights on (shallow)...Amber Amber Amber GREEN!..(pull out crossword as I have time to spare.....sound in the knowledge 'the trophy is mine!!!)....hmmm..whats that Offical screaming at me about???

What's with the nastiness?

So, you're saying that if you leave late you'll lose the race?

Wow. You get the Bronze Figligee with Oak Leaf Cluster award for stating the completely obvious. By the way, I've stated that in two previous posts in this string, so I get the award, as well.

The point is, even though you lose the race, the ET clock in your lane starts when your tire leaves the beam - not before, so even though you lost, your ET will not vary from what it would have been had you cut a perfect light.

What you have been saying, in effect, is that if Fati LGT had cut a perfect light on that run, he would've turned a 12.828 ET - which is clearly untrue.

I don't mind getting into pissing contests from time to time, but in this case, I believe there is a basic misunderstanding between us as to what we are actually discussing. Ease off a bit, won't you?

Bruce pull ya head in...R E A D what I wrote...climb down off your Hi-Horse before ya fall and hurt yourself.

WOW! Off your meds today?

I have been racing for a number of years and race approx 30 times a year....you?...watched NHRA on Cable?

Lately, I only visit the strip maybe once a year, mostly to check out how a given vehicle may be running with more miles on the clock, or establish a baseline for a new one. I used to be more interested until I got into running on road courses. Over the years, a few hundred passes at various strips. I would say almost definitely less than a thousand passes, although I haven't kept a count, obviously. I started in 1963.

But, how is this in any way important? Drag racing particulars are available to anyone who cares to learn about them, regardless of actual track experience. On one of my earliest visits to a strip, I visited the tower and asked stupid questions about how it all worked, and they were glad to explain it all - in detail.

I was talking about racing, not time trials...B I G difference...still some learning needed I see.

There is no, repeat no, difference between time trials and actual racing, bracket or otherwise. The ET clock in your lane starts when your tire leaves the beam - not before.

I do in fact watch the NHRA cars on TV from time to time, and if you do as well, you'll see that on any given Sunday that you have been laboring under a misapprehension. It's routine for someone, sometime during the coverage to be late on the lights (and thus probably lose the race), but his or her ET will be right in line with their other passes.

UM..it has EVERYTHING to do with your time when racing, 'heads up' 'dial your own' etc. Why dont you wonder out to Las Vegas Motor Speedway and watch n learn some?

No sir. You can hang around the starting line (after the green) until the sun starts to set, and you'll still turn the same time and speed as if you left precisely when the green filament began to warm up.

Reason: The ET clocks in your lane don't start until your front tire leaves the "Staged" beam.

Of course, you'll lose the race if you hang around.

However, Fati LGT would've still turned a 14.612 even with a perfect reaction time on that run.

You might want to lighten up a bit - and next time you're at the track, experiment a bit with when you leave the line so you can "watch n learn some", yourself.

Bruce