Bracket racing ain't nearly as easy as heads up racing. Why? .02 second ET could be due to: oil temp trans temp (affects stall speed) rear end gear oil temp air track conditions driver reaction times 100 rpm late shift 100 rpm early shift (those 2 are biggies and a LOT more critical with a 3 speed) 100 rpm higher/lower launch RPM .5 second less burnout too much burnout water dripping off of wheel houses water under front tires (gets caught in treads and drops it RIGHT in the rear tracks) leaves on track (been there done that) 5 mph wind in any 'abnormal' direction a car in front of you that changes wind currents Lighter/faster cars are always affected more than slower/heavier cars! Now, keep in mind that a gasoline powered car will vary a lot more than an alcohol car. Why? Because alky has more oxygen content in each molecule and also alky always loses a LOT of heat when it's atomized (compared to gas). Winter time (cooler weather anyway) can easily bring on carb/intake icing. .02 second isn't really that much variance. Well, it is, but it's negligible and if the reaction time is a little better than the opponent's RT than you already have the race won anyway...and .02 change in ET can be easily be worked around in that situation. If the reaction is worse than your opponents, you've already lost the race...especially if it's a wide margin (say a .510 to your .610.....the opponent can theoretically run a full tenth off his dial and still be REAL close at the end). Literally thousands of things that affect ET/mph. On the breakout run, where did the car pick up? 60'? 330'? Was the MPH faster? One thing to keep in mind...MPH is a direct relation to horsepower. If it picked up between the 330' and 660' (1/8) and mph was quite a bit faster, it may be due to jetting...or like mentioned earlier, thinner oil due to higher oil temp. I remember my old 302....used to ALWAYS pick up .015-.02 when oil pan temp would exceed 180 degrees. I used a infared thermometer to check it...and it was always in the later rounds when I was "hot lapping". This alky 415 I have now....doesn't vary more than .01 in qual rounds, and drops off .02-.03, sometimes more...but always stays right there after that. Wanna hear something crazy? Every time I run against a buddy's Maverick, mine will run about .01 faster. Might be me, but it's weird because Mine will be about .8-1.0 mph faster at the stripe. I call it wind current change due to turbulence. You can also fool your opponents...move closer to his car at the stripe and you will be able to judge them better, move farther away and you'll lose that ability--BUT, it'll make your car appear further away and "fool" your opponent into thinking that you're further behind than you really are....and sometimes it can result in a breakout. Pulling or pushing your opponent into a breakout isn't hard...if you know he's a top end racer, which brings up several more variables. There are 2 types of bracket racers (main types)...first is top end racers who will dial tight and try to push you to a breakout, the other is starting line racers....who will usually beat you with a .00X reaction time. They're the hardest to beat, but unfortunately (for them) it's also a lot harder to get that kind of light...which is why you won't see AS MANY starting line racers as top end racers. Once you figure it out, you can depend on your ride. Once you have that dependability and confidence, you are well on your way to many final rounds and a little $$$ to boot! Just don't forget about the reaction times. 10 out of 10 bracket races are won or lost before the car moves 6".
Lance I'd just like to get past the second round and get my moneies worth...I would be the only one out there if I wasn't dead serious when I rolled to the starting line. Mavman makes a good point about racing against particular drivers and cars and how it can bring out the best in the driver and therefore his car. Look at this first timeslip in this thread, that pass was against the Chevy "guru" at our track, past track champion, track announcers refer to him as "The Legend". When the track annoucer called the cars up he said staging lanes 1 and 2, well there's this long line in lane 1 and just 2 cars in lane 2 and everyone else is pulling over to lanes 3 and 4, I'm wandering WTH? so I go ahead and pull into lane 2 and then I realize why no one else has pulled up there, no one wanted to line up with him. To his credit he came over and asked if I wanted to flip for lane choice, I didn't,thanked him and wished him luck. Yup I lost, but I gave him all he wanted, and IF I had cut a better light..who knows. No hoopla here...this is serrious chit
Our track uses a "roulette" type wheel, that is spun to determine which lane will pair up with another. This eliminates the situation you describe but also makes it harder to dial your car for a particular racer that you know is faster or slower. This is how all top end racers play the game. That is why most people don't understand bracket racing or even index racing. As far as everyone staying away from the "legends", they might as well have stayed home, because there is no one that cannot be put on the trailer, with good driving and consistent et's, etc. When you get to the line and tell yourself that the big dog next to you, is probably going to kick your arse, you have already pretty much lost the battle. Bracket racing is racing yourself, and that's it, to be consistent. Rick made a valid point before. Every action has to be done exactly the same each run, and the weather changes have to be calculated to your car. It is almost impossible to bump in the same distance each time, so your et will rarely be the same , to a nats arse. Lady luck is another factor, how the wind comes or goes, and a million other deals. Some got's lots of it and other's, like myself, rarely can taste the sweet glory of winning. I have a shirt that has lettered on it, all the excuses for losing a drag race. I have them memorized, and can recite them after each stinking loss, for hours, to whoever will listen. When all said and done, the truth is, the car performed it's duties, the nut behind the wheel, was loose and fouled up the whole run.(bumped in to far, slept on the tree, late shift etc.) Still a blast every run though, just to be in the old girl and experience the sounds and "G" forces etc. When it is not fun anymore, time to hang up the helmet.
Carb tuning can affect performance the much if air quality changes.if its slightly rich good air will definetly pick one up more.
The learning curve seems to get wider and wider...more patience and practice will take care of alot of my problems. Dave unfortunately we don't have the roulette wheel but really I don't care who or what I line up with, I figure in the long haul it will only make me a better driver to run against the better cars and drivers. I just don't like goin to the house early
I chased it down to a 6.00 @ 113 last night...temps dropped and humidity stayed the same through the evening...my 60's weren't that great or I might have made it into the 5's. Soon as I can get a pic of the slip I'll post it.
As Bob Uekker would say..."Looks like I'm in the front rowwwww" Hey Len can you see past my big head?!
