Track Tech, 1/4 mile 101, Bracket Basics, 1/8 to 1/4 converter, Burnout how to. FAQ
12-12-2006, 01:51 AM
#1
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Track Tech, 1/4 mile 101, Bracket Basics, 1/8 to 1/4 converter, Burnout how to. FAQ
Q. What do I need to run at the track?
A. On most cars that are slower than 13.99 all you need is a radiator overflow, and your battery needs to held down properly (if everthing is pretty much stock you will fine). However I would bring a helmet (M90 is the current standard but that will change at the end of the year). You will also need to have long pant (no shorts or and, no Sidewayz6.0 capris are not OK ) and at least a T-shirt, also no sandles. As you car gets faster the safety requirments get tougher, I suggest you pick up a current NHRA or IHRA rule book, they run about $10 or they are included if you join one these organizations. Other things to bring are maybe a cooler, a folding chair, lunch (track food usually sucks) and maybe some very basic hand tools.
Q. How should I do a burn out?
A. If you are on regular street radials, I suggest that you do not do a burnout. Drive around the water box and just spin the tires for a second, the goal is to clean them off, not smoke them or put heat into them. Regular street tires have a different compound rubber that does not get stickier when heated the way a racing tire does, street tires will become 'greasy'. Now if you have a drag radial or a slick then you can pull through the water as directed by the starter and proceed to do a burnout when he or she gives the OK. I like to get the tires smoking for a few seconds and then roll out of the water untill I just feel the tires grab, then let out of the gas. This next part might get mixed opinions but DO NOT DO A DRY HOP, dry hopping just peels off the layer of hot you just made, making your car less likley to hook.
Q. Does my reaction time affect my elapsed time?
A. No the clocks do not start untill your tires break the staging beams. However if you are bracket racing then reation time is very important, but I suggest going to test and tune a few times before trying your hand at bracket racing.
Q. How do I read the numbers on my time slip?
A. 1.The first number is your reaction time, it will look like .530 or some other number. Depending on the type of bulbs in the tree either a .500 or a .000 is a perfect light.
2. Next is the 60 foot time, this is a very important number as it reflects how well your cars tires stuck to the track, or "hooked" as the racers say. A good 60 foot for a car on regular tires is around a 2.0-2.1. If you are on a a sticky tire like a drag radial, look for a 1.78-1.99 (these are just rough estamates for fairly stock cars.
3. Next is the 330 foot time, this number get more important as your car gets faster, it tell you how the track is reacting beyond the starting line and what you cars suspension is doing after the launch.
4. 1/8 mile ET. One 1/4 mile track this is your half way point, this tells you how the car performed over the first half of the track, i.e. did it spin going into second, did you miss a shift etc.
5. 1/8 mile MPH. This will reflect how much power the car made on the first half of the track.
6. 1000 foot ET. This is the amount of time it took to go 1000 feet. this number can tell if the car is running out of gear or if you shift late or early.
7. 1/4 mile ET. This is number of truth. The better your car hooks and the more power it makes the lower this number will be.
8. 1/4 mile MPH. MPH is usually a good indicator of how much HP the car is making. This is a good number to use to tune your car as it is less affected by your 60 foot time.
When comparing these numbers, remember that you need to get several passes on the car in order to have a fair comparison.
A. On most cars that are slower than 13.99 all you need is a radiator overflow, and your battery needs to held down properly (if everthing is pretty much stock you will fine). However I would bring a helmet (M90 is the current standard but that will change at the end of the year). You will also need to have long pant (no shorts or and, no Sidewayz6.0 capris are not OK ) and at least a T-shirt, also no sandles. As you car gets faster the safety requirments get tougher, I suggest you pick up a current NHRA or IHRA rule book, they run about $10 or they are included if you join one these organizations. Other things to bring are maybe a cooler, a folding chair, lunch (track food usually sucks) and maybe some very basic hand tools.
Q. How should I do a burn out?
A. If you are on regular street radials, I suggest that you do not do a burnout. Drive around the water box and just spin the tires for a second, the goal is to clean them off, not smoke them or put heat into them. Regular street tires have a different compound rubber that does not get stickier when heated the way a racing tire does, street tires will become 'greasy'. Now if you have a drag radial or a slick then you can pull through the water as directed by the starter and proceed to do a burnout when he or she gives the OK. I like to get the tires smoking for a few seconds and then roll out of the water untill I just feel the tires grab, then let out of the gas. This next part might get mixed opinions but DO NOT DO A DRY HOP, dry hopping just peels off the layer of hot you just made, making your car less likley to hook.
Q. Does my reaction time affect my elapsed time?
A. No the clocks do not start untill your tires break the staging beams. However if you are bracket racing then reation time is very important, but I suggest going to test and tune a few times before trying your hand at bracket racing.
Q. How do I read the numbers on my time slip?
A. 1.The first number is your reaction time, it will look like .530 or some other number. Depending on the type of bulbs in the tree either a .500 or a .000 is a perfect light.
2. Next is the 60 foot time, this is a very important number as it reflects how well your cars tires stuck to the track, or "hooked" as the racers say. A good 60 foot for a car on regular tires is around a 2.0-2.1. If you are on a a sticky tire like a drag radial, look for a 1.78-1.99 (these are just rough estamates for fairly stock cars.
3. Next is the 330 foot time, this number get more important as your car gets faster, it tell you how the track is reacting beyond the starting line and what you cars suspension is doing after the launch.
4. 1/8 mile ET. One 1/4 mile track this is your half way point, this tells you how the car performed over the first half of the track, i.e. did it spin going into second, did you miss a shift etc.
5. 1/8 mile MPH. This will reflect how much power the car made on the first half of the track.
6. 1000 foot ET. This is the amount of time it took to go 1000 feet. this number can tell if the car is running out of gear or if you shift late or early.
7. 1/4 mile ET. This is number of truth. The better your car hooks and the more power it makes the lower this number will be.
8. 1/4 mile MPH. MPH is usually a good indicator of how much HP the car is making. This is a good number to use to tune your car as it is less affected by your 60 foot time.
When comparing these numbers, remember that you need to get several passes on the car in order to have a fair comparison.
12-12-2006, 01:52 AM
#2
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RE: Track Tech, Bracket Basics, 1/8 to 1/4 converter, Octane basics. FAQ
The Track
The dragstrip is a 60 feet wide strip of specially prepared asphalt. Concrete safety guardwalls line both sides of the racing surface from the starting area to far beyond the finish line. The starting area has a concrete surface 150 feet long to withstand the harsh wear from spinning tires.
The Tree
A drag race is started using a device called a "Christmas Tree" that stands 42 feet ahead of the start line. As the vehicles approach the starting line the drivers are signaled to stage their vehicles and start the race by watching the colored bulbs light up in sequence.
Each side of the "tree" has two small yellow bulbs at the top that signals a driver when the vehicle is on the start line. The first bulb lights when the vehicle is almost on the line, "pre-staged", followed by the next bulb lighting as the vehicle moves forward to "staged" position on the line.
The "tree" has three larger amber colored bulbs on each side followed by a green bulb and then a red bulb. Once both vehicles are staged, the "tree" is activated and the first amber colored bulbs on both sides of the tree light up. Then ½ second later the next amber bulb lights up while the first amber bulb goes out. Another ½ second later the last amber bulb lights up. And one-half second later the green bulb lights up signaling the drivers to start the race. If either vehicle leaves the start line before the green bulb lights up, the red bulb will light up instead. This indicates a foul start for that vehicle thereby giving the other driver an automatic win.
While both vehicles may leave together on the green light, a driver's reaction time from when the green comes on will become a factor in the race. If one vehicle remains on the starting line after the green comes on, the other vehicle will gain an advantage making it possible for the slower vehicle to win the race.
More About Reaction Times
Keep in mind that the tree counts down at .500 second (five tenths) intervals. The reaction time announced is the time that the vehicle took to move off of the starting line compared to when the last amber bulb lit up.
Example: A reaction time of .543 means the vehicle left the line exactly .043 seconds after the green came on (.500 after the last amber plus .043 = .543). And a reaction time of .410 means the vehicle left .080 seconds before the green bulb lit which activated the red light instead…a foul start. A perfect reaction time is .500 seconds. A reaction time over .6 seconds is considered marginal and over .7 is slow. Also on the newer LED style bulbs a .000 is perfect.
The Race
With each racer leaving the start line together, the finish line decides the winner. A series of infrared beams across each lane measure incremental times during the race as well as top speed.
The total time of the race for each lane is recorded and announced as the elapsed time, or E.T., followed by the top speed for each vehicle. The clock starts when the vehicle leaves the start line, not when the green comes on. The reaction time is recorded separately to show how long a vehicle waited to leave while the E.T. shows how long the race was. Adding these numbers together as a "package" will show the mathematical winner every time.
The E.T. is displayed on finish line scoreboards in seconds, tenths and hundredths. The top speed of the vehicle displayed in full numbers followed by tenths and hundredths. Example: E.T. = 9.43 (seconds) at 88.31 (miles per hour).
The Finish Line
After crossing the finish line, the driver lets off the accelerator and slowly applies the brakes in the coast down area while staying in his own lane. Drivers should avoid skidding. The vehicle in the right lane makes a right turn exit first followed by the left lane. This allows a safe exit for both vehicles. No driver should ever turn around on the track since there may be another pair of vehicles ready to start the next race.
The Return Road
After the vehicles exit the track, they return to their pit area using the return road. Racers can stop along the return road at a station called "Time Slips" where a track official will hand the driver a printed slip that shows the results for both vehicles. The speed on the return road is usually around 10 mph don't horse around here.
The dragstrip is a 60 feet wide strip of specially prepared asphalt. Concrete safety guardwalls line both sides of the racing surface from the starting area to far beyond the finish line. The starting area has a concrete surface 150 feet long to withstand the harsh wear from spinning tires.
The Tree
A drag race is started using a device called a "Christmas Tree" that stands 42 feet ahead of the start line. As the vehicles approach the starting line the drivers are signaled to stage their vehicles and start the race by watching the colored bulbs light up in sequence.
Each side of the "tree" has two small yellow bulbs at the top that signals a driver when the vehicle is on the start line. The first bulb lights when the vehicle is almost on the line, "pre-staged", followed by the next bulb lighting as the vehicle moves forward to "staged" position on the line.
The "tree" has three larger amber colored bulbs on each side followed by a green bulb and then a red bulb. Once both vehicles are staged, the "tree" is activated and the first amber colored bulbs on both sides of the tree light up. Then ½ second later the next amber bulb lights up while the first amber bulb goes out. Another ½ second later the last amber bulb lights up. And one-half second later the green bulb lights up signaling the drivers to start the race. If either vehicle leaves the start line before the green bulb lights up, the red bulb will light up instead. This indicates a foul start for that vehicle thereby giving the other driver an automatic win.
While both vehicles may leave together on the green light, a driver's reaction time from when the green comes on will become a factor in the race. If one vehicle remains on the starting line after the green comes on, the other vehicle will gain an advantage making it possible for the slower vehicle to win the race.
More About Reaction Times
Keep in mind that the tree counts down at .500 second (five tenths) intervals. The reaction time announced is the time that the vehicle took to move off of the starting line compared to when the last amber bulb lit up.
Example: A reaction time of .543 means the vehicle left the line exactly .043 seconds after the green came on (.500 after the last amber plus .043 = .543). And a reaction time of .410 means the vehicle left .080 seconds before the green bulb lit which activated the red light instead…a foul start. A perfect reaction time is .500 seconds. A reaction time over .6 seconds is considered marginal and over .7 is slow. Also on the newer LED style bulbs a .000 is perfect.
The Race
With each racer leaving the start line together, the finish line decides the winner. A series of infrared beams across each lane measure incremental times during the race as well as top speed.
The total time of the race for each lane is recorded and announced as the elapsed time, or E.T., followed by the top speed for each vehicle. The clock starts when the vehicle leaves the start line, not when the green comes on. The reaction time is recorded separately to show how long a vehicle waited to leave while the E.T. shows how long the race was. Adding these numbers together as a "package" will show the mathematical winner every time.
The E.T. is displayed on finish line scoreboards in seconds, tenths and hundredths. The top speed of the vehicle displayed in full numbers followed by tenths and hundredths. Example: E.T. = 9.43 (seconds) at 88.31 (miles per hour).
The Finish Line
After crossing the finish line, the driver lets off the accelerator and slowly applies the brakes in the coast down area while staying in his own lane. Drivers should avoid skidding. The vehicle in the right lane makes a right turn exit first followed by the left lane. This allows a safe exit for both vehicles. No driver should ever turn around on the track since there may be another pair of vehicles ready to start the next race.
The Return Road
After the vehicles exit the track, they return to their pit area using the return road. Racers can stop along the return road at a station called "Time Slips" where a track official will hand the driver a printed slip that shows the results for both vehicles. The speed on the return road is usually around 10 mph don't horse around here.
12-12-2006, 01:54 AM
#3
Pro. B.S. caller outer
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2004
Location: IL
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RE: Track Tech, Bracket Basics, 1/8 to 1/4 converter, Octane basics. FAQ
1/8 to 1/4 conversion
http://www.fastnuf.com/QMC.html
These are not always 100%, but it will give you a ballpark idea.
http://www.fastnuf.com/QMC.html
These are not always 100%, but it will give you a ballpark idea.
12-12-2006, 01:55 AM
#4
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: IL
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RE: Track Tech, Bracket Basics, 1/8 to 1/4 converter, Octane basics. FAQ
ORIGINAL: Ride Of The Month
a few things...
i had linelock, and i was specifically told not to use it for the launch. line lock isnt like a transbrake, and it wont always hold you...thats with an automatic...its obviously different with a stick..
consistancy is the second biggest deal with bracket racing, and your reaction time is the biggest. When you do bracket race, youll want to pay extra attention to WHERE you stage...be very careful when entering the staging beams...as how far into the beams can make a big difference in your launch style, and reaction time..
"leave on the third yellow" is advice in the right direction, but not really the right advice. you need to figure out where your car best launches. If i launch on the third yellow (unless i spin hard), i will redlight with my white car, but with my slow *** DD, i can almost launch before the third yellow. next time that you go to the track, concentrate the most on just barely lighting the stage bulbs, and pay CLOSE attention to when you hit it. I have run my car so much in the brackets that when i launch, i know how my car will launch, so i have a sort of rhythym in my head, and once the first amber lights, i count it out, and launch. you need to launch at a given point, and see how your reaction time is...if its red, or too slow, leave eariler or sooner, obviously. get a routine to your launch. you car seems very consistant, but even with dead on consistancy, youre going to get smoked. last time that i bracket raced my slow DD, i ran no more than a tenth off my dial all night, and i think that my worst light in 4 elim rounds was a .515 (thats an .015 for those with the new light systems) i had .501 in the two rounds before losing, and i lost in the finals with a .499 red. As a rule of thumb, if you cant at least consistantly be in the 500s, dont bother bracket racing...or youll end up being that guy that everyone who runs alot, wants to run in the first round.
also, when you get to the track for test n tune, i imagine that you tinker with things in order to try to get faster. when you bracket race, you will often (at least at a track like PRP) only get two maybe three time trial runs if your REALLY lucky, so you have to make them count. get to the track, and let it cool down as much as possible from the drive, and try to make sure that the car is in the same conditions for both/all of your time trials. say that i got there, and got two time trials...if i ran a 12.701 and a 12.691, then something like a 12.88, i would dial around the lowest number...also, you have to keep in mind that the car will tend to run quicker as it gets cooler..or if there is a head wind or tail wind. if i run two 12.68s in time trials with a slight head wind, during the day light hours, and when we start elims it has gotten dark, a bit cooler, and the head wind has died, i would dial a 12.65. being consistant on the tree, with a consistan car will win you rounds...being consistant on the tree, with a good consistant car, and being able to know what the changing conditions will make the car do, will win you events.
one other thing...you have to keep track of where the other car is...and you need to be able to judge whether that car is going to catch you. say that you run someone in a 12.00 cobra, and you dial 14.36. you pull what you feel is a good light, and when you cross the 1000 foot line, he doesnt seem to be close enough to catch you, but you stil run wide open through the quarter, and you run a 14.359....and he runs way off his dial..you lose. you always have to expect that you are going too fast...not that they are going to slow. if im ahead of the other car, i will always let off the throttle on the top end, and maybe tap the brakes. i will then check my 60 foot times, my 8th miles and 1000 foot to see how it compared to my other, wide open runs. say that i barely run over my dial...like a 12.75 on a 12.70 dial, but i was on the brakes top end, and only went 90mph, there is a good chance that i was going to run better than a 12.70, so if the conditions are the same, i will drop the dial a bit.
i could go on and on..if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask...[8D] my class was a 12.00+ class, so it was a bit easier to judge, because even the "really fast" cars, who were sandbagging, were only in the high 11s..its not like i was trying to stay ahead of 8 second cars, but i have run against cars that quick, and when you do, you dont have much chance to judge how fast theyre coming, so you just stay wide open, and hope for the best...but most places wont be putting you against 8 second cars. if youre running in the street bracket at PRP (for example), you probably wont run many cars faster than the low 11s...
a few things...
i had linelock, and i was specifically told not to use it for the launch. line lock isnt like a transbrake, and it wont always hold you...thats with an automatic...its obviously different with a stick..
consistancy is the second biggest deal with bracket racing, and your reaction time is the biggest. When you do bracket race, youll want to pay extra attention to WHERE you stage...be very careful when entering the staging beams...as how far into the beams can make a big difference in your launch style, and reaction time..
"leave on the third yellow" is advice in the right direction, but not really the right advice. you need to figure out where your car best launches. If i launch on the third yellow (unless i spin hard), i will redlight with my white car, but with my slow *** DD, i can almost launch before the third yellow. next time that you go to the track, concentrate the most on just barely lighting the stage bulbs, and pay CLOSE attention to when you hit it. I have run my car so much in the brackets that when i launch, i know how my car will launch, so i have a sort of rhythym in my head, and once the first amber lights, i count it out, and launch. you need to launch at a given point, and see how your reaction time is...if its red, or too slow, leave eariler or sooner, obviously. get a routine to your launch. you car seems very consistant, but even with dead on consistancy, youre going to get smoked. last time that i bracket raced my slow DD, i ran no more than a tenth off my dial all night, and i think that my worst light in 4 elim rounds was a .515 (thats an .015 for those with the new light systems) i had .501 in the two rounds before losing, and i lost in the finals with a .499 red. As a rule of thumb, if you cant at least consistantly be in the 500s, dont bother bracket racing...or youll end up being that guy that everyone who runs alot, wants to run in the first round.
also, when you get to the track for test n tune, i imagine that you tinker with things in order to try to get faster. when you bracket race, you will often (at least at a track like PRP) only get two maybe three time trial runs if your REALLY lucky, so you have to make them count. get to the track, and let it cool down as much as possible from the drive, and try to make sure that the car is in the same conditions for both/all of your time trials. say that i got there, and got two time trials...if i ran a 12.701 and a 12.691, then something like a 12.88, i would dial around the lowest number...also, you have to keep in mind that the car will tend to run quicker as it gets cooler..or if there is a head wind or tail wind. if i run two 12.68s in time trials with a slight head wind, during the day light hours, and when we start elims it has gotten dark, a bit cooler, and the head wind has died, i would dial a 12.65. being consistant on the tree, with a consistan car will win you rounds...being consistant on the tree, with a good consistant car, and being able to know what the changing conditions will make the car do, will win you events.
one other thing...you have to keep track of where the other car is...and you need to be able to judge whether that car is going to catch you. say that you run someone in a 12.00 cobra, and you dial 14.36. you pull what you feel is a good light, and when you cross the 1000 foot line, he doesnt seem to be close enough to catch you, but you stil run wide open through the quarter, and you run a 14.359....and he runs way off his dial..you lose. you always have to expect that you are going too fast...not that they are going to slow. if im ahead of the other car, i will always let off the throttle on the top end, and maybe tap the brakes. i will then check my 60 foot times, my 8th miles and 1000 foot to see how it compared to my other, wide open runs. say that i barely run over my dial...like a 12.75 on a 12.70 dial, but i was on the brakes top end, and only went 90mph, there is a good chance that i was going to run better than a 12.70, so if the conditions are the same, i will drop the dial a bit.
i could go on and on..if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask...[8D] my class was a 12.00+ class, so it was a bit easier to judge, because even the "really fast" cars, who were sandbagging, were only in the high 11s..its not like i was trying to stay ahead of 8 second cars, but i have run against cars that quick, and when you do, you dont have much chance to judge how fast theyre coming, so you just stay wide open, and hope for the best...but most places wont be putting you against 8 second cars. if youre running in the street bracket at PRP (for example), you probably wont run many cars faster than the low 11s...
1/8 to 1/4 conversion
http://www.fastnuf.com/QMC.html
These are not always 100%, but it will give you a ballpark idea.
http://www.fastnuf.com/QMC.html
These are not always 100%, but it will give you a ballpark idea.
04-01-2007, 02:31 AM
#5
Pro. B.S. caller outer
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2004
Location: IL
Posts: 9,644
RE: Track Tech, Bracket Basics, 1/8 to 1/4 converter, Octane basics. FAQ
From member doodad: Burn out how to
with slicks / drag radials:
-drive around the waterbox
-back up and put your rear tires into the waterbox.
-Rev it up high and dump the clutch and get on the brakes right away (be gentle on the brake, you don't wanna stall the car)
-Burn it up for like 10 secs. and let the brake go and roll to the tree and stage.
With street tires:
-drive around the waterbox
-rev it up high
-dump the clutch
-Do not get on the brakes just let the tires roll to clean the dust/dirt
-roll to the tree and stage
Nothing hard. for the first couple of times, it might be hard but you will get used to it!
_____________________________
with slicks / drag radials:
-drive around the waterbox
-back up and put your rear tires into the waterbox.
-Rev it up high and dump the clutch and get on the brakes right away (be gentle on the brake, you don't wanna stall the car)
-Burn it up for like 10 secs. and let the brake go and roll to the tree and stage.
With street tires:
-drive around the waterbox
-rev it up high
-dump the clutch
-Do not get on the brakes just let the tires roll to clean the dust/dirt
-roll to the tree and stage
Nothing hard. for the first couple of times, it might be hard but you will get used to it!
_____________________________
11-17-2008, 04:56 AM
#6
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Overland Park, Kansas
Posts: 536
I don't think it's always true about street tires & the water box. I could not get my 60' below a 2.1 but then I started going through the water box & spinning the tires a little. Cut a 1.994 after that as well as tons of 2.00x's.
12-30-2008, 11:21 PM
#7
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Slidell, Louisiana
Posts: 5,726
good info, but a 10 second burnout seems a little excessive to me. I was watching one of my vids and a burnout that I thought was good lasted for about 4 seconds before I let off the brake and rolled up.
03-11-2009, 12:03 AM
#8
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Palmdale, CA
Posts: 254
In addition to your burn out technique might I suggest to do your burn outs in 2nd gear. That way when you do your burn out (especially if you're doing a 10sec one like suggested in the thread [I agree with 01GT4.6]) you won't be hitting your rev limiter while doing the burn out.
Example (this is on M/T drag radials):
I pull through the waterbox and set my line lock
Put the shifter into second gear
When I get the okay to spin I rev up to about 5grand then let it drop a little then rev it up one more time
When I hit around 5grand again I drop the clutch and let the tires spin (about 4 to 5 seconds. I have noticed that some brands like to be smoked longer than others)
The I turn off the line lock and burn foreward a ways (stopping BEFORE the staging beams)
Then Stage and wait for the lights to drop
Example (this is on M/T drag radials):
I pull through the waterbox and set my line lock
Put the shifter into second gear
When I get the okay to spin I rev up to about 5grand then let it drop a little then rev it up one more time
When I hit around 5grand again I drop the clutch and let the tires spin (about 4 to 5 seconds. I have noticed that some brands like to be smoked longer than others)
The I turn off the line lock and burn foreward a ways (stopping BEFORE the staging beams)
Then Stage and wait for the lights to drop
05-27-2009, 08:22 PM
#9
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Hollister, CA
Posts: 2,041
