TriniTuner.com | Latest Event:
Moderator: 3ne2nr Mods
Sinister_Audio wrote:Hayden's Tercel: 12.5
honda hoe wrote:Nice pics cycles
wagonrunner wrote:when you plagiarize text, it's good etiquette to post the source.
http://www.kennedysdynotune.com/Track%20Etiquitte%20Tech%20Tips.htm
schooled! wagonrunner wrote:when you plagiarize text, it's good etiquette to post the source.
http://www.kennedysdynotune.com/Track%20Etiquitte%20Tech%20Tips.htm
4everstock wrote:Drag Strip Info and Etiquette
Staging:
Watch the track officials, do not move until they motion you forward. You should keep your AC off in the staging lanes, it will drip water that will get on tires and ruin traction. Your windows should be closed (and parking lights on if it is nighttime) as you approach the starting line.
As you approach the starting area, you will reach the "water box", an area that is kept wet by track officials. If you have street tires, drive around the water. You may back up a little to straighten the car out and get your rear tires onto the damp area just past the water box. If you drive through the water, your tread will spread the water into the starting area and other competitors will hate you for it! The water is there to allow cars with race tires to do a proper "burn out". Street tired cars should not do a big smoky burnout. The rubber in street tires is designed to operate best at typical ambient temperatures. The tires get slipperier, not stickier, when they get too hot. Just wait for the official to give you the signal to advance to the starting line. At that point, just briefly spin the tires while you accelerate out of the damp area and pull up to the lights. If your car is an automatic, hold the brakes on while you press down on the accelerator and your wheels should spin when you release the brake. For a stick shift, just bring the revs up and "pop" the clutch to get your wheels to spin for a few revolutions.
The "Christmas Tree"
The start of a drag race is controlled by the "Christmas tree", often called just the "tree". It has multicolored starting lights and the name comes from these. On each competitors side are seven lights: two small yellow lights at the top of the fixture, followed in descending order by three larger yellow lights, then a green and a red bulb. Two light beams cross the starting-line area and are wired to the Christmas tree and electronic timers. When the front tires of a vehicle break the first light beam, called the pre-stage beam, the top yellow light (pre-stage light) illuminates and indicates that the car is approximately seven inches from the starting line.
Rolling further forward into the stage beam causes the second yellow light (the stage light) to illuminate, indicating that the vehicle is ready to race. When both vehicles are staged, the starter will activate the tree, and each driver will focus on the three large amber lights on his side of the tree. The three large yellow light will illuminate consecutively 0.500sec (1/2 second) apart, followed in 0.500sec by the green light. This sequence of lights is called a "full tree". There is also a "pro tree" in which all three yellow lights illuminate for 0.400sec. As a newcomer you will want a full tree.
The Starting Line
As you approach the starting line, watch the starter and the "tree" as you creep forward. When the top yellow light illuminates, you are "pre-staged". If you are first to the line, wait for the other car to pre-stage before you "stage". To stage, advance just a little further until the second yellow comes on. If you go too far, first the top and then the second light will go out. If that happens, back up past the line and creep forward again until both lights are illuminated. You are not yet ready for the controversial technique of "deep staging" where up pull far enough forward to extinguish the first light but still leave the second light illuminated. After both cars have staged, the tree will start. Each of the three main yellow lights will come on in succession 0.5sec apart. You should launch when the last yellow illuminates, the green light will illuminate 0.5sec later and you need to anticipate this to get close to the perfect 0.500sec reaction time. If your reaction time is less than 0.500sec you have "red lighted". You can still make your pass for testing purposes, but you have lost the race unless your competitor red lights first!
Here’s some more Drag 'Racing' etiquette that should be noted:
1) Do not start your burnout while the guy in front of you is still staging.
2) Unless you have a car that seriously needs to lay down a rubber strip, do not pretend like you are John Force and do a burnout through the timing lights.
3) Do not sit in the staging lanes with your a/c running.
4) DO NOT DOUBLE BULB your opponent. Some of you might be scratching your head as to what I mean. (I actually watched quite a few people do this quite often) Let me break it down as to what you're suppose to do:
A) Pull up to the line and roll into the first bulb.
B) Sit there and WAIT.
C) Do not pull forward yet.
D) Sit there and WAIT.
E) Do not pull forward yet. You should still only have one bulb lit up.
F) Now you see his bulb come on.
G) You are NOW allowed to pull forward.
I don't care if you have a turbo and need to start spooling it up. I don't care if you need to purge your nitrous. I don't care if you have a Transbrake and want to get ready. Whatever you have going on inside your car really makes no difference. DO NOT DOUBLE BULB your opponent.
However, if you are the Second car... and you see that your opponent already has one bulb lit up... you are permitted to pull forward into both bulbs... But, only if the other guy already has one bulb lit up. In other words, if you are the second car pulling in, you don't have to pull into one bulb, then wait for his second, then pull into your second. (That's typically what I do, but you don't have to). If he already has one bulb lit, he's telling you he's ready so you can stage however you like.
5) Do not be unsportsmanlike and takes forever to stage. You see the other guy's ONE bulb is lit up. You should be ready to go... pull forward.
6) Do not try to 'burn down' the other guy. What this means is... you've activated one bulb, your opponent has both bulbs activated and he's over there on his two-step or Tbrake, and you're just buying time pulling forward with the purpose of hoping his tranny gets hot, etc.
Can you tell I don't like it when people DOUBLE BULB the other guy? In a true sanctioned race (and if the starter is doing what he's suppose to), if you pull up and double bulb... the starter will walk over to you and tell you to back up and re-stage 'properly'.
Please feel free to add to the list. The purpose of this thread is to educate those that were never taught proper drag racing etiquette.
(addition:)
The Courtesy stage
In drag racing your car there is a thing we call courtesy stage. What this means in the nut shell is, the first car to the line. Pulls up far enough to light the PRE STAGE BULBS ONLY! Then WAITS for the other driver to do likewise. Don’t just go roaring up to the line, light the pre stage, the stage, and then go straight to deep stage ALL AT ONCE! If you do everyone will know you are a rank amateur
Return to “Ole talk and more Ole talk”
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests
