Someone on another message board said Rts only hurt your ETs if you are bracket racing. Isn't that a load of BS?

 

RT has nothing to do with ET. The timer starts only after you leave the staging lights.

The more subtle and controversial issue is the effect of shallow vs. deep staging when bracket racing. Each has their advocates. To me, it depends on your own (intrinsic) RT as well as on the RT of the car. If you have very quick reflexes and a car that gets out quickly, deep staging may result in redlighting, especially on a 0.5 tree. Especially on a pro tree, if you have slower reflexes and/or a slower reacting car, deep staging may help you cut a better light. So, the genralization of deep stage = quicker RT and shallow stage = longer RT is accepted by most racers.

In any case, deep staging will result in a marginally slower ET while shallow staging nets a quicker ET so if you are a bracket racer intending to win, you need to stage consistently. Deep or shallow has more to do with the chance of redlighting than anything alse, at least in bracket racing. For "heads-up", the deep stage may give marginally quicker ET+RT, but the magnitude of the difference is small.

This is a nice mathmetical analysis of the whole issue: http://www.wediditforlove.com/techtalk3.html

Rich Krause

 

RT won't change your ET but in a bracket race RT can win or lose a race since it's a calculated number affecting the Margin Of Victory. If your RT is slower than your opponents and you run right on your dial in, chances are you're still going to lose if your opponent doesn't break out or slow right down before you cross the finish line.

Theoretically in a bracket race, you'll both cross the finish line at the same time. Since you both won't have perfect RT or run right on your dial in, RT and how far off your dial in is will determin who wins.

During time trials or solo runs, RT means nothing except for practicing. Do a solo run and sit there until the green light comes on and stays on for a couple of seconds. Make your pass and the ET will still be the same. In a bracket race, that will lose you the race though so RT means a lot in a bracket race.

 

You could theoretically sit at the light for 4 seconds after it's green, then go, and still run an 11 or whatever you normally run.

Though this is not highly recommended during bracket racing

Even when bracket racing, you'll still run a good time on the slip but you WILL lose the race.(unless the other guys breaks out or redlights)

 

Thanks for the answers, brain wasn't really working before (college + Satuerday night + staying up till 8:30 am = very sluggish thinking).

 

Hey, this thread has cleared up an on-going argument that I just haven't taken the time to PROVE yet! I've always believed that you could sit at the line after the light is green for 5 seconds and yet still cut the same E/T, but I've never actually tried. Obviously R/T is still very important in a RACE though.

 

R/T is no more nor any less important in bracket racing than it is in any other kind of racing. Whether it be bracket, index or heads up ....

 

During a test and tune pass a few years ago the light turned green and I launched. When I went to WOT, the engine just died. I never moved an inch to trigger the start timer. I ratched the shifter all the way up to neutral (3 speed), started the engine, ratched all the way back to first and launched. 8 second reaction time and the ET was the same as always.

Just as long as you're not in a race, RT means nothing to your ET.

 

I use to have a timeslip that I use to use to prove to people reaction time does not effect elasped time. I did this one day at the track when I was the first and only car running at the time. It is a local 1/8 mile track. Usually not crowded. Well the timeslip said I had a 9.x sec reaction time and a 7.94 elasped time in the 1/8. If rt effected et I would have run a -1.x in the 1/8. And I always kept this with me, until I lost it, to show people that rt means nothing to et.