Gettin Ready for Racing Season

[chevytrucks92]

All the tracks close to me start racing this weekend (except for the one I typically race at, it'll be a couple weeks untill it opens), so I've been gettin the car ready. Bought a new set of belts (for anyone else that has to use 5-way harnesses, don't get Y-type becuase they are no longer SFI approved for whatever reasons), cranked the car up (man I love that sound..think Slowprocess's truck and/or Mr.Lous's car with the cutouts, only louder and more cam) and checked everything. Cleaned it up and what not (man I've got the fever so bad!). Still got to change oil in the car before I race it, but other then that, its ready to go--for atleast a race or two, then it will just have to have new slicks, and the size and kind I use are just way expensive! They're like $257.99 a piece in JEGS. Whew, lol. Its got to have them though, sooner then later and I figure one or two races is all I can go with the ones on it.

Anyways, I think I'm the only one on here with a track only car, so I dont get to post up "kill" stories and what not all the time, but soon enough I'll be at a track (maybe as soon as this weekend or the next) and maybe I can pick up where I left off last season (closed the season with a win and a semi-final).

[CassiesMan]

Sweet stuff, good luck man, kick ass and take names during the season.

[Slowprocess]

Originally Posted by chevytrucks92

All the tracks close to me start racing this weekend (except for the one I typically race at, it'll be a couple weeks untill it opens), so I've been gettin the car ready. Bought a new set of belts (for anyone else that has to use 5-way harnesses, don't get Y-type becuase they are no longer SFI approved for whatever reasons), cranked the car up (man I love that sound..think Slowprocess's truck and/or Mr.Lous's car with the cutouts, only louder and more cam) and checked everything. Cleaned it up and what not (man I've got the fever so bad!). Still got to change oil in the car before I race it, but other then that, its ready to go--for atleast a race or two, then it will just have to have new slicks, and the size and kind I use are just way expensive! They're like $257.99 a piece in JEGS. Whew, lol. Its got to have them though, sooner then later and I figure one or two races is all I can go with the ones on it.

Anyways, I think I'm the only one on here with a track only car, so I dont get to post up "kill" stories and what not all the time, but soon enough I'll be at a track (maybe as soon as this weekend or the next) and maybe I can pick up where I left off last season (closed the season with a win and a semi-final).

Good luck to you this season!!!! I'm looking forward to hearing about your times this year and getting to see some vids! I wish I had a strictly track toy!

[chevytrucks92]

Originally Posted by CassiesMan

Sweet stuff, good luck man, kick ass and take names during the season.

Thanks. I'm gonna try! Some of the reasons I lost rounds last year that I should have won (inexperience) won't be a problem this year (like not lifting when I should, and just knowing how the car will react to certain conditions, etc.).

Originally Posted by Slowprocess

Good luck to you this season!!!! I'm looking forward to hearing about your times this year and getting to see some vids! I wish I had a strictly track toy!

Thanks. There want be any problem with hearing about track times, and even pictures, but seeing vids will be a stretch, lol. I dont have a digi-camcorder or know anyone that does, lol. But man I would love to be able to post up videos of it. When it leaves the line, it brings the left front tire about a foot off the ground, and the right about 4 inches or so (atlesat that's what they tell me, lol, I can tell it comes up, but I can't tell how much, and its hard to tell by just watching videos of it, and if you've ever seen a car wheelie in person, then see it on video, you know what I mean).

I'd really like to get an in-car video of it and post for you guys to see, lol. It sure doesn't take long to make a pass at the 330ft track I normally race at, lol. The car launches, your at the 60 ft lights, it shifts into high gear shortly after, and then I'm shuttin it down about a car lenght or two past the 330 line. That's literally what its like (well, just go figure, typically 4.4x seconds, lol--and there is cars there that run sub 4 seconds, lol). And even if I raced an 1/8th (will here shortly), then I'd only be holding it a little over 2 seconds longer, lol.

Since you bracket race and know you dont have alot of time to think in a 1/4 race, you can imagine how little time you have in a 330 ft. race, lol.

[Slowprocess]

Originally Posted by chevytrucks92

Thanks. I'm gonna try! Some of the reasons I lost rounds last year that I should have won (inexperience) won't be a problem this year (like not lifting when I should, and just knowing how the car will react to certain conditions, etc.).




Thanks. There want be any problem with hearing about track times, and even pictures, but seeing vids will be a stretch, lol. I dont have a digi-camcorder or know anyone that does, lol. But man I would love to be able to post up videos of it. When it leaves the line, it brings the left front tire about a foot off the ground, and the right about 4 inches or so (atlesat that's what they tell me, lol, I can tell it comes up, but I can't tell how much, and its hard to tell by just watching videos of it, and if you've ever seen a car wheelie in person, then see it on video, you know what I mean).

I'd really like to get an in-car video of it and post for you guys to see, lol. It sure doesn't take long to make a pass at the 330ft track I normally race at, lol. The car launches, your at the 60 ft lights, it shifts into high gear shortly after, and then I'm shuttin it down about a car lenght or two past the 330 line. That's literally what its like (well, just go figure, typically 4.4x seconds, lol--and there is cars there that run sub 4 seconds, lol). And even if I raced an 1/8th (will here shortly), then I'd only be holding it a little over 2 seconds longer, lol.

Since you bracket race and know you dont have alot of time to think in a 1/4 race, you can imagine how little time you have in a 330 ft. race, lol.

I couldn't imagine that short of a distance!!! Not alot of time to see if the other guy is going to break out or not. Also not alot of time to think about what you need to do. I have respect for you, man!!!

[chevytrucks92]

Originally Posted by Slowprocess

I couldn't imagine that short of a distance!!! Not alot of time to see if the other guy is going to break out or not. Also not alot of time to think about what you need to do. I have respect for you, man!!!

Lol! I'll tell ya, its really hard when you get the spot, and especially by a car that's alot faster then you, lol. This cost me a race last season and had I won, I woudl have made it to the finals in my 4th weekend of driving, lol. I was dialed 4.44 and the guy I raced was dialed 3.95. Now I treed him pretty good (had a .513 and he had a .527--.500 is perfect here not .000) and well its just like any place else, the really fast cars wont catch you untill the finish line, but it just seems like when they go by you at this track, they shake you, lol, if you know what I mean, and they dont seem to catch you but about 10 ft. from the finish line, lol. Anyways, I never lifted becuase in the back of my mind I knew he was coming, and coming fast (and just wasn't confident enough at that time to turn my head and look over my shoulder to see where he was--I can do that now) and I probably beat him to the finish line by half a car if not 3/4s a car lenght BUT I wound up breaking out 4.439 on 4.44! I was despressed but happy at teh same time you know, lol.

My car is about the middle of the class there I guess, so I do have to give the spot on occasion, and there is a few cars that run slower then 5 seconds (the cutoff is 5.49 for my class) and thats pretty tough too, lol. They look like they are at half track before I get to take off and it just seems like you're never goign to catch them lol (I guess that's how the sub 4 second guys feel about me, lol). And the reason that is so wierd too I guess is becuase I use a delay box (and crossover when I give the spot, and that basically means I can turn loose of the trans brake-which is what activates the delay box-when their top yellow light comes on--this makes it alot easier since I can concentrate on turning the button loose on the first light I see rather then havng to wait for mine) and so you can imagine, at times like this I've done and turned the button loose and am braced for the launch, but have to watch their side of the tree count down and watch them go down the track adn then have to wait for my side of the tree to count down, lol.

The most fun races are the ones where the dials are within a couple tenths of each other. I've raced guys dialed 4.20s or 4.30s and those are really awesome. I can see them pretty much as soon as we leave the line and they just always wind up being good side by side races.

[CivRacer95]

Originally Posted by Slowprocess

Good luck to you this season!!!! I'm looking forward to hearing about your times this year and getting to see some vids! I wish I had a strictly track toy!

Good luck to you mang! We have one ghetto track in SLC. Rocky Mountain Raceway. Meh, as long as we atleast have one, I'm cool with that. Atleast I'll actually be able to get some times this year. L8...

[chevytrucks92]

Originally Posted by CivRacer95

Good luck to you mang! We have one ghetto track in SLC. Rocky Mountain Raceway. Meh, as long as we atleast have one, I'm cool with that. Atleast I'll actually be able to get some times this year. L8...

I heard that and that's what I say about this track I normally go to. I mean its only like 35 minutes away, and I pay $40 for a chance at $1000 (unless the new management changes it). Plus, I only have to race against about 20 cars there, were if I go to the 1/8th mile tracks all the time, I have to pull about 2 and a half hours, pay $45 or $50, run for $1500 but run against about 60+ cars.

So yeah, lol, local tracks are where its at! If this track didnt open, then I wouldn't be able to race every weekend (still may not with the way gas prices are going, lol, shew) and for about all winter, we all had just sort of given up on somebody taking the lease. But, someone has, and I was told today by a track employee that they're going to try and open it in 3 weeks.

[CassiesMan]

How exacty does this kinda racing work?

[chevytrucks92]

Originally Posted by CassiesMan

How exacty does this kinda racing work?

Bracket racing is based all on time and basically not at all on who has the fastest car(although you do have to run certain times for certain classes and typically, the faster car gets lane choice). There are several different classes. Theres a bracket 1 (not always called bracket one, usually Top ET or Super Pro) which is what I run and this means you get to use all electronics (delay box, two-steps, trans. brakes, etc.). Usually, the time cut off for these classes are 0-7.99 in the 1/8th mile (don't see very many bracket 1 cars running a 1/4, atleast not where I'm from). Now where I race, the distance is only 330 ft, so the cutoff is 0.5.49, which would work out to abotu 0-7.99 for the 1/8th. There is a bracket 2 class (ET or Pro or something like that) where the times are usually unlimited, however you can't use any electronics (some do allow trans brakes thoguh). Sometimes these cars run the 1/4. And then you have a trophy class, which is usually street cars only, however, different tracks have different rules. You get the idea.

The difference in time is made up by giving a handicap to the slower car, or a spot. For example, I raced the fastest car at our track a couple times last season, and he usually was dialed within the 3.60 range (last time I ran him he dialed 3.58). Now I typically run in the 4.40 range (I was dialed 4.51 against him for that last race). So for that last race, he had to spot me 4.51-3.58, which is .93 seconds (about two lights on the christmas tree, which means when my bottom yellow light lit, his top yellow light was coming on). If both cars have perfect reaction times and both run dead on their dial in, then they will cross the finish line at the same time.

The idea is to "dial in" your car at what you think it will run. Usually, you'll get 2 or 3 time runs where you see what your car will run. Then, when eliminations start, you try and predict or guess what your car will run. This is the dial in. Now the object is to get as close to that dial in as you can without "breaking out", which means running faster then what you have dialed in. An example could be from the last race I run this year. I was dialed a 4.51 and I beat the other car to the finish line, however, I run a 4.488, which means I broke out of my time by .022 seconds (which is horribly bad BTW). So even though I beat the other guy to the finish line, I ran faster then what I said I would, and that's an automatic loss (unless the other person red lights or breaks out worse--incidentally, he also broke out, I think he run like a 3.588 on a 3.59 dial--he also had a perfect .500 reaction time to my .514).

Now the reaction time is more important IMO then the dial in. As you know you want to try and get as close to a perfect reaction time as possible without red lighting. The winner in a bracket race is determined by whoever runs the closest to a perfect run without fouling (red lighting or breaking out). What reaction time you get plus how close you are to your dial determines how close you are to a perfect run. If you get a perfect reaction time and run dead on your time then you cannot loose the race, and that of course is what we all try and do.

The closest I've ever came to a perfect run is .012 seconds. I was dialed 4.47 and cut a .512 reaction time and ran 4.470. The other person had like a .506 reaction time (better then mine) but run something like a 4.32x on a 4.30 dial. Even though he beat me by .006 on the lights, I beat him by .02x on the dial, so I won by .01x or .02x seconds (can't remember what the other car ran exactly).

Another example is from the night I first made it to the semi-finals (made it to 3 cars in my 4th weekend of driving). I was dialed 4.44, had a .513 reaction time and ran 4.439. The other car was dialed 3.95, had a .527 reaction time and ran 3.98x. Even though I was closer to a perfect run then he was, I broke out of my time by .001 seconds (which is more then heartbreaking) and he won.

So you see, in bracket racing, your really racing the clock and not the other car. Like I said before, if I'm dialed 4.45 and cut a .500 light and run 4.450, then you can't beat me. And when your playing with thousandths of a second, there is not a lot of room for error. In a bracket race, if you get out of shape on the track and have to let up, then you just lost the race. I've had this happen to me before. I was giving the spot to the other car, and something broke on his car. Well I caught him almost instantly and I jsut started peddling the gas at about half track. You see, he was done and out of the race, but if I woudl have held it flat out and broke out of my time, he woudl have won the round.

Hope that helps clear up bracket racing for you, which BTW is what you will always see if you go to a strip on Saturday night (even if you go to an NHRA event where John Force and company are racing, there is still bracket races going on).

[chevytrucks92]

And just to give you another example. Me and Slowprocess could race each other on a track. His truck runs 12.50s and my car would probably run 10.30s-10.50s. He wouldn't have a chance in a heads up race (like how I dont have a chance ina heads up race against the rails where I race, which BTW are what runs the 3.50s and 3.60s times, lol) but in a bracket race, he has the same chance at winning as I would (just like I do against thsoe really fast cars where I race, and I have beat them as many tiems as they have me, lol).

If there was an all run (everybody races everybody) at a strip, I coudl even race you in your BMW. If you have a mid 15 second car, then you're going to have a high 9 second car in the 1/8th. I'd have to spot you 3 seconds or more, but you could win the race, even though you had the slower car.

[CassiesMan]

Ahhh...makes much more sense now...thanks

[chevytrucks92]

No problem.


Its really fun and I think its actually harder then just a straight heads up run, although I could see having two cars that run within a hundreth of a second or two of each other would be equally hard. Thing is, you just dont see that much unless you're watching NHRA Pro Stock races (which are the most fun to watch IMO), lol. Even the Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny Cars vary as much as 2 or 3 tenths of a second, and in drag racing, that's 2 or 3 car lengths.

[speedthrill]

wow, at first i didn't understand a single word of the explanations, lol. But that's probably because i'm just one who speaks nor american nor english.

It seems to be one of the more excitement variables of trackracing, dragracing.
Would love to compete like that against superfast cars.

[chevytrucks92]

I like it, lol, and you got to start somewhere you know. John Force didnt just walk into a Top Fuel Funny Car, lol. He began by bracket racing.

Fans probably don't like it as much as heads up racing but it'd be impossible to have heads up races for all classes at the 100s of tracks. There is just too much difference in the performance of the cars to do that.