What do you real racers do to keep consistant off the line when footbrake racing? As far as:
1.leaving at the same rpm,
2.when to leave on the last yellow( when you first see the yellow or when you get a full yellow)
3. how to consistantly shallow stage
I do alright when I run against someone who dials slower than me but get anxious when I run against someone with a quicker dial in.

 

I have a practice tree which does help with training my eyes as to when toleave the line. It does not help with the feet unless you get the full deal with pedals.

I do ankle lifts and knee exercises to keep m leg muscles and reflexes in top condition.

Once you know how the car leaves, the rest of it is body control and doing the exact same thing every time. I alsways launch at 1200, 14.5 pounds in the rears and 40 pounds in the fronts. I always flash the converter. I always bump into the stage beam the same way each time. I always just focus on my side of the tree. I always focus at the same point on the bulb. I always check my breathing, eyes, stretch my neck, before I head up to do my burnout.

It is about doing every detail the same way every time and if I am not launching quick enough I make one change to the car, and continue with the same driving habits. It is always easier to change the car than the driver. Each driver has their own rituals.

If I get really off my game, sometimes I take a rental car to a new track and run it in a couple of street nights because then I have to go through all the actions necessary to learn a new ride and often I will find something simple that I have overlooked that helps me in my regular car.

 

1. try to listen to the rpm. I mounted a second pod tach just for launching. Some people put in a lever or switch to raise the idle rpm to the desired launch level. You can tell these cars because they don't "search" for the rpm, just boom its there.

2. try to go on the flash. It's more consistant. you have to set the car up to get the correct RT. IE raise front tire pressure and or launch rpm. Higher front pressure and higher launch rpm will make the car launch guicker. Lowering will slow the car down. If you cut a .490 slow the car. .590 make the car launch quicker.

3. Practice. Control. Practice. Clear your head, just nice and easy just forward enought to put on the stage light.


Just after my burnout I bang my helmet on side of the car, close my eyes, take a long breath, let it out and relax, then stage. I don't do anything different if I chase or run.

 

Skip,

The only time that you need to worry about the other guy is at the finish line.
I shallow stage because it is easier to judge that I am in the same place each time. I leave as soon as the last yellow comes on (I have found that sun glasses with yellow lenses help).
Remember that roll-out at all tracks is not the same. I either adjust the air pressure in my front tires or switch to taller/shorter ones.

Good Luck!

Daren

 

1. Use a 2 step. If they don't allow it in your class, use an rpm switch to turn on a shift light letting you know when you're at the rpm you want to launch at.

2. Everyone is different. It depends on how your car reacts. The new LED lights are difficult but the incandescent lights you can watch them getting bright then dim as the come on and off. Training helps you decide when the best time to launch is. I usually launch when the light is at it's brightest.

3. Move ahead slowly until the stage light just comes on then stop. That's the only way to know you're staged in the same place every time. As soon as you move forward once staged, there's no way of telling how many inches you've moved ahead each time.