Reaction Times - Techniques

[sailsmen]

My 2 best reaction times are .434 and .447 by hitting it on the 3rd yellow. By hitting on the 3rd yellow I can consistently get below .500.

Although I had a better ET I was beaten due to a reaction time of .088 and .019.

Anyone have a technique for the Marauder that has a better RT of .434?:confused:

[Agent M79]

Er... .088 and .019 seconds?

That's pretty golly-gosh-dern fast!

This must be against some fairly experienced people, yes?

[Ross]

Maybe those times were on a standard where you don't have to actually take your foot off of the brake and move it over to the gas. That seems (to my inexperienced mind) to be a factor in how fast your reaction time would be.

[Agent M79]

Having never drag raced and being totally speculative myself, this is what I think.

The few times where I've been concerned about my take off time, I put the binders on hard with my left foot and put my right foot in the gas as much as I could without moving forward.

So, foot off brake results in at least some forward movement if I am a smidge slower mashing the gas.

Never having had my reaction time measured, the only way I can see getting a 0.019 second reaction time would be to have excellent anticipatory skills!

[MAD-3R]

I regularly pull RT's in the .08 and .07 in the marauder. I just wait til the thrd yellow is just starting to light up, not when it's fully lit. If your tree is a LED tree, thats not going to help. SOrry

[Ross]

Darn, now I have to learn that there are even different types of trees? I just want to go FAAAASSSTTT!

[sailsmen]

It's a sportsman bulb tree. I will have to try and anticipate to go as soon as the 3rd yellow lites.

Yes, they are very experienced racers.

I thought anything less than .450 was excellent, shows what I know!;) ;)

[stumpy]

Originally posted by sailsmen
My 2 best reaction times are .434 and .447 by hitting it on the 3rd yellow. By hitting on the 3rd yellow I can consistently get below .500.

Although I had a better ET I was beaten due to a reaction time of .088 and .019.

Anyone have a technique for the Marauder that has a better RT of .434?:confused:

You're not reading the lights correctly is all I can say. It's not the car that matters in R/T it's the driver, period!

First off understand that on an amature tree the lights got from light to light in .500 seconds for a total of 2 seconds from start to green. Therefore you'll see the 3rd yellow come on .500 before the race starts. However, the starting line is beyong the staging line enough that you have options on when you can launch.

If you have quick reflexes then you can go on the 3rd yellow and not red light but get a good R/T (ie. cut a good light). Some say they go when the second yellow goes out but thats cutting it close. Of course if you go on Green then you've basically just lost.

About the staging lights, there is enough room there for you to play with if you have R/T problems. Some folks just don't have good reactions and so they roll into the staging lights a little further than just tripping the 2nd staging beam/light. It's refered to as DEEP staging and if you let the starter know you intend to deep stage he will adjust the staging lights accordingly. All deep staging means is that you get a little closer to the starting line to make up for your slow reactions. Then you can go when the 3rd light comes on, or if you're not that slow, as it goes out. When you deep stage and the lights are programed for it then the top stage light will go out as you get to the deep point. It is important that you let them know you want to deep stage because if you're not consistent then you may red light. First to red light, loses!

I don't deep stage but I do go the moment I see the 3rd yellow light come on. I usually get a sub .200 R/T and when I'm in the grove it's .0xx. I've won and lost races that came down to R/T, that's what bracket/handicap racing is all about.

Consider that most good bracket racers will hit their dial within .01 every time. So for them the race is about who has the best R/T. That's why a lot of bracket racers hate to see our big cars. While we aren't the fastest cars, we're very consistent and I usually dial to within .02 of my best trial run. However, if you give them .4 seconds because you slept at the light, they'll send you home every time. Consider that .1 seconds is a big deficit to make up, and .4 is plain impossible!

In short, it's not the car it's the driver that determines R/T and the only way to improve is with practice.

HTH

[SergntMac]

Excellent post, Glen, Thanks!

[sailsmen]

Thanks for the information.

I am staging shallow for the best ET. My goal was a low ET via a good launch.

Now that I have an acceptable launching technique my goal is a low RT.

I am stomping the throttle when the 3rd yellow lites. I will have to concentrate to stomp it the very moment the 3rd yellow lites or try when the second lite goes off.

I was hoping others with a Marauder would have a technique they could share.

I will use MAD-3R's technique of stomping when the third yellow first lites.

Before I go to the track I analize my past time slips which I have in excel, review notes on the different launch techniques, tire pressures, amount of fuel, etc. I set a realistic goal such as a sub 14.50 1/4 or a sub .450 R/T.

This enables me to focus on improving a particular area. I have only had 8 runs on 2 occasions in the Marauder. I hadn't been to the track in over 26 years, so I forgot more than I ever learned.
;)

[stumpy]

Originally posted by sailsmen
Thanks for the information.

I am staging shallow for the best ET. My goal was a low ET via a good launch.



I'm confused, you want the best ET regardless of weather it's a trial or elimination run? That doesn't make sense.

If you want to get you're best ET then do it at a Test and Tune session. Then you can sit at the light all day (or until they get mad at you) and leave when ever you're ready. For that matter you can red light because it doesn't matter.

However, if you've entered a race then you want to concentrate on doing the exact same thing every time and of course cutting a good light. For example, if in you're first 2 time trials you spin off the line rather than hook, then just keep doing the same thing. Then when the elimination runs start you'll have a good idea of what your ET will be. However, if you spin off 2 runs and hook 1 run in trials then you've got to figure out what your going to dial for eliminations, which can lead you to under estimate. A tip, if this does happen then dial the higher ET and if you hook, simply slow down at the end of the track if you're well in the lead.

To express this more clearly, a friend of mine who races a Shelby Cobra 427 kit car was beaten by an MGB for king of the hill. His car runs in the mid 11's and the MGB runs in the 18's. However, the MGB driver could hit his dial every time and was cutting great lights. My friend shot past him at the end like he was standing still, yet the guy in the MGB was the one standing in the winners circle.

I think what you're really asking about here is launching techniques. All I can say to that is good luck. Because if you're not using drag radials you're not going to ever be consistent. Some folks make ET gains with DRs, but almost everyone gains in consistency. But if you only have steet tires, try putting some weight in the trunk to help plant the tires or lower air in the rear, add air to the front and disconnect the front sway bar are all good techniques to help you hook.

[sailsmen]

They were test and tunes. Sorry my post was confusing, it happens on the internet, being one demensional.

My question was "Anyone have a technique for the Marauder that has a better RT of .434?".

"I am staging shallow for the best ET. My goal was a low ET via a good launch.

Now that I have an acceptable launching technique my goal is a low RT."


I appreciate all the braket information which I will use when bracket racing.

[stumpy]

OK I understand now. Perhaps this will help.

For the best reaction time I hold the brake with my left foot, hover above the gas pedel with my right foot and stare at the third yellow light. I never look at my opponents lights, I stare intently at my own and wait till it barely starts to light up then release the brake and nail it.

Others that I know who race Mustangs, Novas, Impalas, Trans AMs, Hondas, Eagle Talons, Corvettes, you name it all do something very similar! They all strive for .000, the perfect light. You see it doesn't matter if you race a Marauder or a fuel air dragster, cutting the perferct light is ALL about driver technique and not about what car you're driving.

But hey, perhaps there is someone here that races their Marauder that has a better way.

[cyclone03]

Well I disagree,the car does make up part of the reaction time package.

Rollout makes a huge difference in reaction time.So a taller front tire will slow your reaction time.

The following will lower your reaction time,it will also increase your ET.

When you stage and just light the second light thats shallow staging,this gives the best ET.At the other extream is DEEP staging this lowers you reaction time by placing you closer to the starting line,but it reduces your "head start" or run at the starting line by from 8-12"s depending on how tall your front tires are.

From shallow to deep you have about the same 8-12"s that both stage lights are on.

By learning how to BUMP using the brake and throttle,both feet,you can move the car forward in the beems and adjust your RT.
How much for you?You need to work on that yourself.
For me 5 bumps turn off the top light and put me deep.
4 bumps drop my ET by a full tenth!Yup .100!but I can get .05 lights.I like 3 bumps with .07 lights daytime and .01 at night.
be carfull when the sun goes down.Thats when you can start to "see" the lights come on.

[sailsmen]

Thanks everyone, now I have several things to try at the next Test & Tune!:) :)