wreckwriter
11-25-2012, 12:14 PM
Once again, if you see errors, let me know...
Now that we've done our burnouts its time to get down to business. The next thing we need to do is get to the starting line and get lined up properly. This is known as 'staging'.
If you look at the Christmas tree you'll see 2 smaller yellow or white lights at the very top on each side. The top light is known as the pre-stage light, the bottom is the stage light. When you are properly staged both lights will be lit. The staging lights are controlled by infrared beams or photocells at the outside of each lane. When you front tire breaks the beam, the light comes on. At some tracks you'll find markers on the pavement indicating where the beams are; at some you can see the housings the beams are in. The beams are about 1.5 inches off the track surface.
OK, let's get staged. Approach the first beam slowly, ensuring that your car is lined up 'in the groove'. The groove is that area where the most rubber is built up, obviously there are 2 sides to the groove, one for each tire. The groove is darker than the middle or outsides. At this point verify your car is in the correct gear. In most cases this will be D unless your tuner has specifically set up your Sport Mode for drag racing. If that's the case, put it in Sport.
OK, as I said, approach slowly with your foot on the brake ready to stop. Once you estimate you're a few inches from setting the pre-stage light you want to start 'bumping' the car forward using the brake. When the pre-stage light is lit, stop.
OK, now let's see where your opponent is. If he has neither light lit yet, wait for him (or her) to light his own pre-stage bulb. This is known as 'courtesy staging'. Its a requirement at some tracks and a good plan at all. He should be doing the same if he gets into pre-stage first. If he doesn't, if he just rolls up and lights both lights, then we're going to make him wait for a few seconds. This is called 'double-bulbing' and is the mark of either a rookie or a jerk. Never rush your staging to accommodate some bozo who doesn't know or care enough to do it right.
Most tracks have a program called 'autostart' built into the timing system. Autostart will do a countdown, generally 7-10 seconds, starting from the time that one car is fully staged (both lights on) and the second car is pre-staged (top light on). If the second car doesn't fully stage within the allotted time his red light will come on and the other cars tree will start. The car that failed to stage is disqualified and loses the race.
When both car's pre-stage lights are lit you want to bump your tire into the staging beam. Go very carefully, move your car as slowly as possible. Use the brakes, not the gas. When the stage light is fully lit, stop and get ready.
The other facet of autostart is that when both cars are fully staged, the tree will automatically start very quickly, so be ready. The time is actually random to prevent drivers anticipating the tree but it will be quick, a second or so. That means you don't have much time to get yourself and your car ready to launch.
One other thing we should touch on is the concept of 'deep staging'. In deep staging you will continue to move forward after both lights are lit until the pre-stage light goes out leaving only the stage light lit. Some tracks don't allow deep staging. Some allow it but require that you put the word "DEEP" on your windshield so the starter and tower will know you're going to do it. Deep staging will give you a quicker ET by minuscule amounts but will also greatly increase your chances of red lighting (leaving too soon). I don't recommend deep staging but there are racers who are very good at it and use it to their advantage.
As far as launching, there are a lot of ideas and theories. The easiest way to launch is to simply hold the brake with your left foot and rest your right on the accelerator. At launch, release the brake and mat the accelerator. This is sometimes called 'flashing the converter'. On some cars this will yield your best launch and fastest 60 foot time. This was my launch technique when I had the 6L80 in my car.
Depending on your car and your comfort level you may want to bring your RPM up a bit for launching. Be sure you firmly press the brake pedal while doing so. The stock converter has a stall speed of approx 1800 RPM. This simplistically means that at that RPM your converter will turn your rear tires. The highest RPM you'll be able to hold at launch is about 1500. Higher stall converters will allow you to hold higher RPM. Keep in mind that stall speeds are rarely perfect. A 3200 converter may actually stall anywhere between about 2800 and 3400. You just have to play with it and find the sweet spot. If you want to launch this way, and most folks do, be ready to get to your RPM as soon as the second car's stage light comes on.
Once you're ready, or before, the tree will start. There are 3 amber lights, then a green and a red. In most cases the ambers will come on in descending order, 1/2 second apart. This is known as a 'full tree' or a 'sportsman tree'. Basically want to go on the last amber. Depending on how well you, and your car, react, you'll need to find that sweet spot. Some people have very good reaction times and will need to wait a split second after the amber, others may need to launch sooner. A perfect reaction time is .000; an excellent reaction time is anything starting with a .00; a good reaction time is anything starting with a .0.
There is also a setting called 'Pro Tree'. On a pro tree the 3 ambers will all light at the same time. When they do, go! Pro trees are not nearly as common as full trees. But all trees can run either way, its up to the track. They will let you know if they're using pro tree starting.
You're on your way down the track. Unless you feel the car getting loose, wheel hop or something else that feels wrong, keep the pedal down until you hit the finish line.
Now that we've done our burnouts its time to get down to business. The next thing we need to do is get to the starting line and get lined up properly. This is known as 'staging'.
If you look at the Christmas tree you'll see 2 smaller yellow or white lights at the very top on each side. The top light is known as the pre-stage light, the bottom is the stage light. When you are properly staged both lights will be lit. The staging lights are controlled by infrared beams or photocells at the outside of each lane. When you front tire breaks the beam, the light comes on. At some tracks you'll find markers on the pavement indicating where the beams are; at some you can see the housings the beams are in. The beams are about 1.5 inches off the track surface.
OK, let's get staged. Approach the first beam slowly, ensuring that your car is lined up 'in the groove'. The groove is that area where the most rubber is built up, obviously there are 2 sides to the groove, one for each tire. The groove is darker than the middle or outsides. At this point verify your car is in the correct gear. In most cases this will be D unless your tuner has specifically set up your Sport Mode for drag racing. If that's the case, put it in Sport.
OK, as I said, approach slowly with your foot on the brake ready to stop. Once you estimate you're a few inches from setting the pre-stage light you want to start 'bumping' the car forward using the brake. When the pre-stage light is lit, stop.
OK, now let's see where your opponent is. If he has neither light lit yet, wait for him (or her) to light his own pre-stage bulb. This is known as 'courtesy staging'. Its a requirement at some tracks and a good plan at all. He should be doing the same if he gets into pre-stage first. If he doesn't, if he just rolls up and lights both lights, then we're going to make him wait for a few seconds. This is called 'double-bulbing' and is the mark of either a rookie or a jerk. Never rush your staging to accommodate some bozo who doesn't know or care enough to do it right.
Most tracks have a program called 'autostart' built into the timing system. Autostart will do a countdown, generally 7-10 seconds, starting from the time that one car is fully staged (both lights on) and the second car is pre-staged (top light on). If the second car doesn't fully stage within the allotted time his red light will come on and the other cars tree will start. The car that failed to stage is disqualified and loses the race.
When both car's pre-stage lights are lit you want to bump your tire into the staging beam. Go very carefully, move your car as slowly as possible. Use the brakes, not the gas. When the stage light is fully lit, stop and get ready.
The other facet of autostart is that when both cars are fully staged, the tree will automatically start very quickly, so be ready. The time is actually random to prevent drivers anticipating the tree but it will be quick, a second or so. That means you don't have much time to get yourself and your car ready to launch.
One other thing we should touch on is the concept of 'deep staging'. In deep staging you will continue to move forward after both lights are lit until the pre-stage light goes out leaving only the stage light lit. Some tracks don't allow deep staging. Some allow it but require that you put the word "DEEP" on your windshield so the starter and tower will know you're going to do it. Deep staging will give you a quicker ET by minuscule amounts but will also greatly increase your chances of red lighting (leaving too soon). I don't recommend deep staging but there are racers who are very good at it and use it to their advantage.
As far as launching, there are a lot of ideas and theories. The easiest way to launch is to simply hold the brake with your left foot and rest your right on the accelerator. At launch, release the brake and mat the accelerator. This is sometimes called 'flashing the converter'. On some cars this will yield your best launch and fastest 60 foot time. This was my launch technique when I had the 6L80 in my car.
Depending on your car and your comfort level you may want to bring your RPM up a bit for launching. Be sure you firmly press the brake pedal while doing so. The stock converter has a stall speed of approx 1800 RPM. This simplistically means that at that RPM your converter will turn your rear tires. The highest RPM you'll be able to hold at launch is about 1500. Higher stall converters will allow you to hold higher RPM. Keep in mind that stall speeds are rarely perfect. A 3200 converter may actually stall anywhere between about 2800 and 3400. You just have to play with it and find the sweet spot. If you want to launch this way, and most folks do, be ready to get to your RPM as soon as the second car's stage light comes on.
Once you're ready, or before, the tree will start. There are 3 amber lights, then a green and a red. In most cases the ambers will come on in descending order, 1/2 second apart. This is known as a 'full tree' or a 'sportsman tree'. Basically want to go on the last amber. Depending on how well you, and your car, react, you'll need to find that sweet spot. Some people have very good reaction times and will need to wait a split second after the amber, others may need to launch sooner. A perfect reaction time is .000; an excellent reaction time is anything starting with a .00; a good reaction time is anything starting with a .0.
There is also a setting called 'Pro Tree'. On a pro tree the 3 ambers will all light at the same time. When they do, go! Pro trees are not nearly as common as full trees. But all trees can run either way, its up to the track. They will let you know if they're using pro tree starting.
You're on your way down the track. Unless you feel the car getting loose, wheel hop or something else that feels wrong, keep the pedal down until you hit the finish line.