Went to the track Sunday to run the brackets. I dialed in at 9.290 and ran the following in the first round.

RT = 0.500
ET = 9.294

So, my "package" 0.004 seconds! Man was I pumped. Needless to say, I won that round and then went three rounds more. I am getting pretty good at this bracket thing. I hope I don't ruin the consistency when I add a bit more hp for next year.

Rich

 

nice, but i thought the r/t played into the overall time too. ( .500 + .004= .504 ) vs whatever your opponant had?

 

Makes sense, maybe my terminology is screwed up? I just called a buddy who has been bracket racing for decades and he confirmed my concept. Anyone want to clarify?

Rich

 

I think what you are seeing is an old way of reading reaction times. Most tracks today show .000 as a perfect light. The old way was .500 (the time between each light) as a perfect light. If your track is still using .500 then your oponent also had at least .500. A .499 would be a red light...

So Rich I think your still right you still had a .004 package... I might be wrong but I am pretty sure you track is just still using old way of timing.

BTW, bracket racing is a ton of fun. I ran 8 races last year in the Summit series and never won a single round

 

ah, that explains it. i only heard of the .000, not that i bracket raced yet, still learning. i was just curious. either way, awesome run rich

 

Yup. Some tracks also run a "pro tree", where the tree lights up in 0.4 seconds instead of 0.5, and the yellow lights all come on at once. (if you've seen it, you'll know what I'm talking about). Some tracks, when running a pro tree, will show a perfect reaction time of 0.400.

I think that the 0.000 way is a lot less confusing, and it seems like more tracks are moving in that direction.

 

Here is a philosophical question related to bracket racing; Is it better to be good, or is it better to be lucky?

I’ve concluded you really need to be both (good and lucky) to win in bracket racing. I’ve watched the number one and two points leaders “go out” without a win two races in a row. Bracket racing can be that tough!

Also, I’ve had some interesting experiences myself. A few months back, first round I drew a lady in a Ford Lightning pickup who I’d never seen before at the track. She cut a perfect light on me (.000) and ran her dial exactly. Needles to say, she won that round. I was really impressed, so I watched her next round. 2nd round she cut a horrible light (maybe a .265) and lost big-time due to the bad light. But she got lucky on me 1st round wouldn’t you know!

Even though my first engine (LT1 350) “let go” early season, I still won enough rounds and with a back-up car I still qualified for the NHRA Div-4 Bracket Finals at the Texasmotorplex next month (Oct). And, I now have my 1997 Z28 back in action with the new engine for the bracket finals. I’m really looking forward to the Div-4 finals and have a bracket race both weekends before to keep current with my driving.

WD

 

BTW, bracket racing is a ton of fun. I ran 8 races last year in the Summit series and never won a single round[/QUOTE]


It can be fun, unless all the tracks in your area goto 1/8th mile all the time. 1/8th is ok for a few races a year but gets old after a while.

 

The last time I went bracket racing, I was disappointed to be ousted in the first round by a sandbagger. The guy had a car that had been running 10's all day, but he had dialed in at 12.00 and was running in the 12.00-13.99 class.

This allowed him to easily catch me, get right next to me in the last third of the track, let off so that he didn't pass me, and then blip the throttle right before the finish line, thus practically guaranteeing him the win.

That's just not cool. Where's the fun in that?

 

In bracket racing there are two types of racers; The sandbaggers and then there are the losers!

I got tired of losing too, so I built me a really fast car, became a sandbagger and started winning at bracket racing!

However, sandbaggers can also lose if the other car cuts a better light and runs their dial.

WD

 

Exactly. The alternative is megadollar class racing. No thanks to either. Just grudge racing and test/tune is fun.

Ryan

 

Brackets are still fun. If you get a good reaction time and run your number, you will be hard to beat. I do agree though that heads up racing is the most exciting. Thing is, that turns into a contest of who can spend the most pretty quickly. The dilemma exists even in professional motorsports. In the amatuer ranks, it's a huge problem. Most fun I ever had racing was back when I was a road racer running Spec Renault (now called Spec 2000, I believe (I am out of the RR loop)). With a "spec" class, all the cars are identical. The engines are dynoed to be identical and are sealed. Wheels and tires are also identical. It's all in the setup and the driving.



Rich

 

in bracket racing..... dont u set in ur dial in time and the slower time will leave first and if the faster car catches him and beats him at the line without breaking his dial in wins?.... im kinda confused....like thats how i thought it worked but i have seen cars win diffeently i dn i just need clearification

 

You are right, so it would seem that the slower car is not at a disadvantage. But it's very hard to run your dial in exactly, and of course if you run faster, you break out and loose. So, what some people do is dial in MUCH slower than the car is capable of. They will then leave way before you, launch hard and hustle down to the end of the track where they will slow down and watch for you, just spurting across the line milliseconds (literally) in front of you. This insures a "win" for them unless they break out (or red light), which will only happen if YOU run very close to your dial-in. Get it?

Another variation depends on having by far a faster car. You dial in a little slower than you can run and leave later than your opponent. When you catch him, you stay just ahead to ensure you will cross the line just barely ahead for the same reason as above.

My car is very consistent, and I just try for a good reaction time and to run my number. Consequently, I win some and lose some. When I win against a "sandbagger" it's usually because I force them to break out. But clearly sandbagging works and it is usually what goes on in the last couple of rounds.

Rich

 

Glad she is up and running man!



I gotta tell you. I love NOTHING more then to get a bagger in the other lane! Unless I screw up the light they are going out every time!

Last time to the track I ran a 10.32 and THREE 10.34s!

Baggers are easy to beat if you have done your job and the car is consistant. Making a car consistant is easy. Get it dailed in and don't screw with it in between rounds.

Then Dail the right number. Most baggers dail a tenth or two slower then they can run. So they are real easy to beat!

At this point all you have to do is cut a decent light and the race is pretty much over. Never look in the other lane just run your car and never lift. They will hang a fender and stay there. When you go through the trapp's you will run you number and they will break out...You win!

The only real exceptions are if they are over two cars back 100-200ft from the line. I will usually blip the throttle to kill about .020 or so and make sure "I" don't break out

Good luck guys and happy Bag hunting!