playing the ladder

henrys57wagon · 04-27-2016, 10:58 AM

I have seen a few comments on playing the ladder and would like to get more knowledge about it. Once you have made your 1st time trial is that not the base for your ladder position, which you can only change with a quicker ET on the next run(s). Please help me understand how you play with the ladder.

Bryan Worner · 04-27-2016, 12:11 PM

Its pretty easy actually. You set your car up to run slower than its capable of for that time run, or, you hit the brakes or lift at some point prior to the finish line.

GTOMayhem · 04-27-2016, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bryan Worner

Its pretty easy actually. You set your car up to run slower than its capable of for that time run, or, you hit the brakes or lift at some point prior to the finish line.

Right Bryan, I think the "how" is easy enough to decipher from the posts on here. I, for one and maybe henrys57wagon, would like a little more insight to the logic. Are you trying to run against a slower car? Do you look at the entries and know someone who is not seasoned and aim for a pairing with them? What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

Thanks
Rick Thomason
GTOMayhem

MR DERBY CITY · 04-27-2016, 01:17 PM

Usually, you are trying to avoid a Heads Up run......there are other reasons though....

Mike Pearson · 04-27-2016, 01:34 PM

Either trying to get or avoid a heads up run depending on if you are the faster or slower car in the class. Trying to position yourself for a bye run at some point in the competition. Trying to position your self to knock out another competitor in the points battle. There are other reasons some try to play the ladder. Its not real easy to do as there are usually a number of racers doing the same thing and it is difficult to land in the spot that you want. Personally I am not that good to be able to do that so I just run all out every run.

Dave Muller · 04-27-2016, 01:36 PM

What I don't understand is how you can have very much control over where you end up on the ladder given that others are also changing their qualifying positions in what seems to be to be unpredictable ways. I can see how I could choose to move up or not move up on the ladder, but unless I'm currently facing a heads up run against a faster car I'm not sure why I'd want to.

I guess this might clear up part of it: Do most racers stand pat with what they run in the first session most of the time, or is there normally a lot of reshuffling. If there's usually lots of changes in the ladder after Q1 it seems like the effect of me going faster would be extremely hard to predict.

Paul Precht · 04-27-2016, 01:44 PM

It seems like Russian Roulette to me with multiple people doing it.

04-27-2016, 10:58 AM	#1
henrys57wagon Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Carleton Place, On. Canada Posts: 107 Likes: 5 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	playing the ladder I have seen a few comments on playing the ladder and would like to get more knowledge about it. Once you have made your 1st time trial is that not the base for your ladder position, which you can only change with a quicker ET on the next run(s). Please help me understand how you play with the ladder. __________________ old 1608 stock racer

04-27-2016, 12:11 PM	#2
Bryan Worner Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Duncannon, PA Posts: 823 Likes: 133 Liked 525 Times in 84 Posts	Re: playing the ladder Its pretty easy actually. You set your car up to run slower than its capable of for that time run, or, you hit the brakes or lift at some point prior to the finish line.

04-27-2016, 01:17 PM	#4
MR DERBY CITY VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Derby City, USA Posts: 3,639 Likes: 1,083 Liked 7,938 Times in 1,519 Posts	Re: playing the ladder Usually, you are trying to avoid a Heads Up run......there are other reasons though....

04-27-2016, 01:34 PM	#5
Mike Pearson VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,450 Likes: 615 Liked 1,930 Times in 580 Posts	Re: playing the ladder Either trying to get or avoid a heads up run depending on if you are the faster or slower car in the class. Trying to position yourself for a bye run at some point in the competition. Trying to position your self to knock out another competitor in the points battle. There are other reasons some try to play the ladder. Its not real easy to do as there are usually a number of racers doing the same thing and it is difficult to land in the spot that you want. Personally I am not that good to be able to do that so I just run all out every run. __________________ Mike Pearson 2485 SS

04-27-2016, 01:36 PM	#6
Dave Muller Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 497 Likes: 162 Liked 223 Times in 73 Posts	Re: playing the ladder What I don't understand is how you can have very much control over where you end up on the ladder given that others are also changing their qualifying positions in what seems to be to be unpredictable ways. I can see how I could choose to move up or not move up on the ladder, but unless I'm currently facing a heads up run against a faster car I'm not sure why I'd want to. I guess this might clear up part of it: Do most racers stand pat with what they run in the first session most of the time, or is there normally a lot of reshuffling. If there's usually lots of changes in the ladder after Q1 it seems like the effect of me going faster would be extremely hard to predict.

04-27-2016, 01:44 PM	#7
Paul Precht Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Elysburg, Pa Posts: 733 Likes: 358 Liked 327 Times in 121 Posts	Re: playing the ladder It seems like Russian Roulette to me with multiple people doing it.