Would you take the numbers out????

[H.A.A.C. Racing]

Originally Posted by Dave Steltz

In all seriousness, most have a range on the tree (for any given day)...its pretty tough to be within .003-5 every light, cause there are so many variables...track, staging, light, etc...

So doesnt it seem like sometimes when you take out or add, your light doesnt change as much, or changes more ?

Lets say your normal spread is .010...so if your set up for a .020, you might be .012, then .017, then .026, then .015 again....then now if you add or take away from the box, your spread will change to reflect that...

Actually Pete, I give you alot of credit for staying with your settings and racing to win !!! You would feel like crap if you took out .020, then went red....or stayed the same cause you missed it a little and took out more...Jim had a great package and thats it...

Go to Drag Race Central and look in the later rounds for any given racer and look at his/her light over 5-6 rounds...very rare to see someone within .005 for every round...

You went to the final in a National Event....I know tons of guys who havent even been close, so take some credit for getting there....Even if you had a duck in one of the rounds....

Thank you, there has been plenty of times I have changed #'s and didn't react to the change. Hell sometimed I took out and went slower like final round @ E-Town. I just always thought it was me and not a ratio. I really would like to talk to a delay box builder and ask them about this.

[racerhead]

The delay box adjusts time at a 1:1 basis. Unlike a throtle stop, there is no ratio involved. When deciding whether to take time out, a driver must consider his fastest reaction (in this case the .013) as his 'zero.' (assuming no other changes) He knows that taking any more than .013 out is for certain the danger zone unless he's confident that the track has changed. How close he's willing to get to his zero depends on how much he feels like risking.

Often a driver will take time out and end up doubting the decision, fearful of going red. That sense of doubt leads to muscle tension, which adds to his reaction time: ie: take .010 out, then tension makes him react .030 slower...end result .020 slower than the previous reaction.

I consulted with a new team in Texas last year in which the driver was .023 red on her last time run after going .040 and .020 green. I suggested they add at least .023 for first round to bring her back up to zero. The husband was very reluctant, concerned that they coud go .060 something. I said any less and she will be afraid of going red, and if she's afraid of going red she's not going to hit the tree. They added .023 and she went .000 in the first round...she cut the exact same light as her last time run.

The lesson, no matter what you do you've got to commit to it 100%.

Bruce Deveau

[sc1153]

Originally Posted by racerhead

The delay box adjusts time at a 1:1 basis. Unlike a throtle stop, there is no ratio involved. When deciding whether to take time out, a driver must consider his fastest reaction (in this case the .013) as his 'zero.' (assuming no other changes) He knows that taking any more than .013 out is for certain the danger zone unless he's confident that the track has changed. How close he's willing to get to his zero depends on how much he feels like risking.

Often a driver will take time out and end up doubting the decision, fearful of going red. That sense of doubt leads to muscle tension, which adds to his reaction time: ie: take .010 out, then tension makes him react .030 slower...end result .020 slower than the previous reaction.

I consulted with a new team in Texas last year in which the driver was .023 red on her last time run after going .040 and .020 green. I suggested they add at least .023 for first round to bring her back up to zero. The husband was very reluctant, concerned that they coud go .060 something. I said any less and she will be afraid of going red, and if she's afraid of going red she's not going to hit the tree. They added .023 and she went .000 in the first round...she cut the exact same light as her last time run.

The lesson, no matter what you do you've got to commit to it 100%.

Bruce Deveau

Makes Sense .... I try to do that same thing however making my perfect .000 actually .005 so there is a buffer area. If I could do it I would like to be .010 every time down the track. Also I take into consideration my variation. If I make one pass and I am .008 many people would add delay, I will not assuming the next pass I could be .013 averaging my .010----- If I am .004 or better I will be adding delay the next round.

[Chris Williams]

There's a lot of good information in this thread. The only thing I would add is to remember the difference between qualifying/time runs and eliminations. I find that there's -.010 just from the adrenaline in eliminations, no matter how hard the concentration in qualifying.

IMHO, if you're getting .00x in qualifying, put something in the box...

[jim1761]

A good idea to find out if you are really hitting the tree consistently, obviously not during eliminiations is to have your wife or friend put your delay in and never look at it. That way you will not know if numbers were added or taken out. This will eliminate the mental factor of knowing which way the numbers were put in (hence afraid of going red).

[GaryGoFast]

Originally Posted by jim1761

A good idea to find out if you are really hitting the tree consistently, obviously not during eliminiations is to have your wife or friend put your delay in and never look at it. That way you will not know if numbers were added or taken out. This will eliminate the mental factor of knowing which way the numbers were put in (hence afraid of going red).

I like that idea but most delay times are prominate on the screen ie: mega 400 which I have.
But I do take advantage of the reaction time tester built into it to see if my release of the button is consistent.

[H.A.A.C. Racing]

Originally Posted by jim1761

A good idea to find out if you are really hitting the tree consistently, obviously not during eliminiations is to have your wife or friend put your delay in and never look at it. That way you will not know if numbers were added or taken out. This will eliminate the mental factor of knowing which way the numbers were put in (hence afraid of going red).

That's an awsome Idea, will you do my box @ the next race, I hear your pertty good with the #'s.

Notice how Jim left out another very important tip....... If you want to win a national event, race a guy that has been cutting .040's all weekend and it to much of a wuss to roll anything out!