Why is bracket racing popular........

[Pat]

Or is it something foisted on us a few decades ago.

I favor the old Class venue, IE stock, super-stock, dragster and so on.

What's the point in playing a game when engaged in bracket racing. Dial-in, breaking out, cutting a light, deep staging, shallow staging, braking and all those other deceptive tricks to "win". Heck, just buy an old beat up mini-van and practice cutting perfect times and you can beat John Force.

Give me a heads up race in a Class so I can walk away knowing I beat the guy fair and square or experience the agony of defeat.

Street racing = heads up
Pinks All Out = heads up
TV nationals = heads up

Pinks, a modified form of bracket racing = replaced with Pinks all out.

The only Class racing that I'm aware of is TNT and you make the class by calling out someone.

Regards,

[Vortech347]

A few reasons....

Brings more people to the track and generates more revenue for the track allowing people without the fastest cars to enjoy them.

Brings out the better DRIVER/Equipment in people. The faster your car is the better and consistant your setup needs to be. Also you must learn how to cut lights like no tomorrow. When I started I'd have about a (0 being perfect) a 300-400ish R/T. Now my R/T is within .100. I love it.

Bracket racing has helped me get far more heads up kills due to being able to cut that light short. A tenth lost at the first 60' can cause up to 3 tenths at the end of the track.

Most of the time the only people that ***** and whine about bracket racing are people with fast cars that can't drive them consistantly enough and can't cut a good light worth a damn.

[Breadfan]

Even PINKS all out is mostly bracket racing. They pick 16 cars that run so close to each other it might as well be one bracket. Run too fast and you get kicked off - sounds like a break out. Just like bracket racing it comes down to the car's consistency and driver performance.

Bracket racing can get interesting, espeically when picking a power adder, there are many variables that can affect your cars consistency when racing. Tires, heat, hot lapping, time between rounds, track prep, power adder type, driver consistency and skill, etc.

But I do agree there is ALOT to be said for hopping in the car, hitting the lights, and first one to the end wins!

One reason I think you'll find bracket racing so popular is that nowadays it's nearly impossible to compete in major head's up classes on a personal budget. You gotta be on top of things and have the cash to back it up it seems... With bracket racing it's not so much spending hundreds for an extra hundreth os a second ET, but you can spend moderate amounts of money, build a good car, and you need to engineer towards efficiency and consistency as well as build your driving skill to compete. So for grassroots it lets more people play to win.

[Pat]

A few reasons....

Most of the time the only people that ***** and whine about bracket racing are people with fast cars that can't drive them consistantly enough and can't cut a good light worth a damn.

Hey, I resemble that. But, I'm getting better at cutting the light, until I get mesmerized by the blinking lights and forget to go.

Thank you for the compliment to my car, yes it is fast.

Regards,

[Pat]

But I do agree there is ALOT to be said for hopping in the car, hitting the lights, and first one to the end wins!

... With bracket racing it's not so much spending hundreds for an extra hundreth os a second ET, but you can spend moderate amounts of money, build a good car, and you need to engineer towards efficiency and consistency as well as build your driving skill to compete. So for grassroots it lets more people play to win.

That makes sense, even to me, although I still would rather do a heads up.
I like the part where you set up your car for efficiency and consistency.

That leads me to the next question. Why spend so much for a ten second race car when a 12.5 car can do the same thing through the application of skill and efficiency? Is it more of a roaring exhaust, tire squalling, wheel standing, high speed thrill that still drives the sport?

[Breadfan]

That makes sense, even to me, although I still would rather do a heads up.
I like the part where you set up your car for efficiency and consistency.

That leads me to the next question. Why spend so much for a ten second race car when a 12.5 car can do the same thing through the application of skill and efficiency? Is it more of a roaring exhaust, tire squalling, wheel standing, high speed thrill that still drives the sport?

In theory, you are right, building a consistent 12sec car would work. I think though at the end of the day the "need for speed" and horsepower addiciton still comes into play!

[sailsmen]

Most bracket races are won at the green lite.

The mini van will need to have a driver that is good enough to cut a good light or he will get beat.

I know a guy that runs a 1972 Ford LTD wagon w/ a 460. He cut a perfect lite and dial in.

There are no decpetive tricks in bracket racing.

Bracket racing favors the better driver. Heads up favors the bigger wallet.

[larryo340]

Most bracket races are won at the green lite.

The mini van will need to have a driver that is good enough to cut a good light or he will get beat.

I know a guy that runs a 1972 Ford LTD wagon w/ a 460. He cut a perfect lite and dial in.

There are no decpetive tricks in bracket racing.

Bracket racing favors the better driver. Heads up favors the bigger wallet.

Yep

I'll add that the slower car usually wins, it seems that the faster cars can't wait and red light.

[Vortech347]

I didn't mean what I said to Mock at all. Everyone has got to start somewhere and learn the lights. There are just some people that refuse to improve their skills and just whine about it.

My wife started drag racing for her first year and took 4th in her street tire class! The first race she did aweful then figured out her "trick" and she started winning.

[magindat]

I knew a guy with an old isuzu pup diesel pick up with an automatic. it ran over 20. Killed everyone in bracket racing, Sucked to be a spectator at those events...

[MarauderTJA]

I personally hate braket racing. I know it may have it place, brings more people to the track etc etc. It just goes against the grain for me where I grew up drag racing in my 20's at NE Drageay, Atco and Englishtown. Run what you brung, put the hammer down and get there as fast as you can.

I like specifc classes that allow various power adders. I am petitioning the NMRA to have two big Ford Classes. Trailer race class (anything goes) and a street driver class (full interior, any power adder(s)) drive to the track, race and go home. Maybe even go up against the truck class (Lighntings etc).

Bracket racing has its place, just not for me at all....Watching a PT Cruiser with cement bags in the car race at SSHS7 made me sick. Good driver or not:mad2:. Any type of muscle new or old is what I like to watch drag race. But thats me...............

[Aren Jay]

The problem with Pinks is that if they are a bracket race, then it should be timed. If you time the runs you will know who is running full out and who is not. You could have a time to 1/16th, 1/8 and 1/4 of a mile.
Then award length's as a penalty against a competitor who is cheating or holding back or exceeding an agreed upon condition.

Bringing a slow car would not be a penalty against another driver who meets the conditions. Thus the slower car wouldn't get length on the faster car, they would lose 3 straight and go home without their slow car.

over a couple races you can find out if they are competeing within the agreed terms, if they are too fast, then you can say they lose by exceeding the bracket....

But no you get this dumb Pinks show.

[Vortech347]

Pinks is the worst show since fast and the furious...

Heads up drag racing is alot of fun. I enjoy it because honestly I usually can cream what I go against. (in the stang)

HOWEVER he with the biggest wallet will ALWAYS win. No fun for anyone. Even if the guy can't drive that good he'll have the power to make up for it.