Lets Talk Tree

[onehellofadart]

Whats your method at the tree? I know its all time relative.
I also know I get very excited as I lite the pre-stage light. 8-[
When I Lite the stage light plant the brake , look at the
revs. quick.
Sometimes when I sit at the tree I count to anticipate green.
Other times I visually anticipate and try to go with a feel for the green.
Either way I don't do as good as I would like. :x
So do any of you have a method that works for you?

[fastbackcuda]

wait for the last yellow and punch it :mrgreen:

[onehellofadart]

That dosen't work for me. Car moves out too fast,.
I don't deep stage at all just bump the stage light.
I red light consistantly .045 when I do that.
I get closer when I count. 1-2-3 fo and nail it as I start to say four.
Usually a .145. Can't seem to get it closer to.000.

[82GT]

The most consistent way to cut a good light is to go off the last yellow. If your car reacts to quick to that you can try lowering the RPMs you leave at. Try leaving off idle, sure the car may slow down a little, but if you’re trying to go rounds consistency is key. You can also increase your front tire pressure to make the tire bigger and increase roll out.

Just my .02

[onehellofadart]

I appreciate the $.02 . But what I'm looking for and I think what your saying is you just look and wait to see the last yellow light and stomp it. No kind of counting or other thoughts or technic while sitting there watching the lights go from yellow to green. Is this correct?

[82GT]

That's what I did (can't wait to do again) I just concentrate on the last yellow, as soon as I see the light come on its go time. I use to anticipate the yellow and that would only get me in trouble :evil:

My buddy (excellent bracket racer) was a drummer and he would count the beat with success, but that never worked for me.

[onehellofadart]

I am also a musician and I think thats why
I find counting gets me closest. I guess I should just stick
with it and work with the rpms to get it closer.

[mikelbeck]

Here's my whole staging & leaving technique:

Make sure the car is in 2nd gear, then roll up into the water, either watch the starting line guy to tell me when I'm in the water to spin the tires, or if there isn't a guy, wait until I think I'm in the water. Put my left foot lightly on the brake and slam the gas. Roll forward a little bit. Make sure the line lock power is on.

Watch the starting line guy (if there's there). Pump up the brakes, push the brake pedal to the floor and hold down the line lock button. Stand on the gas, shift into 3rd when the shift light comes on. If it's my first run, let the tires spin for about 3 seconds. If it's a later run, let them spin for only about a second. Let go of the line lock button and roll forward under full throttle. Get off the gas and hit the brakes. Throw the shifter into neutral, blip the gas a few times to clear it out, then drop the shifter into 1st gear.

Roll into the pre-stage beam, wait for the the in the other lane to pre-stage. If he's already pre-staged, take a second or so to compose myself. "Bump" into the stage beam - roll foward just enough to light it up, but not so shallow that it'll flicker.

Pump the brakes two or three times, bring the RPM up to 2000. As soon as I see the last yellow come on, I let go of the brake and mash the throttle at the same time.

My average RT this season is a dismal .164. But my best is .000, and I've only had 1 red light - a -.005.

[onehellofadart]

Thanks Mikel. So you also wait till you see last yellow light up and then leave. Can't figure why that won't work for me. :-k

[mikelbeck]

Thanks Mikel. So you also wait till you see last yellow light up and then leave. Can't figure why that won't work for me. :-k

Let me clarify that a bit.

I don't wait for it to "light up", I wait until I see it just start to come on.... As soon as I see any hint of light coming from that bulb I'm off the brake and on that gas.

[onehellofadart]

I don't wait for it to "light up", I wait until I see it just start to come on.... As soon as I see any hint of light coming from that bulb I'm off the brake and on that gas.

The last yellow right?

[mikelbeck]

I don't wait for it to "light up", I wait until I see it just start to come on.... As soon as I see any hint of light coming from that bulb I'm off the brake and on that gas.

The last yellow right?

Yep.

[sickt7cuda]

Mike, are you talking about the old bulbs or the new LED"s ?
Of course with the old bulbs you could see the filament start to illuminate, but with the LED's, they are instant on.

I think it's difficult to try and time the yellows, but you really don't have much of a choice. An old drag racer friend of mine once told me what he does; he used a helmut with a visor on it, tilted his head down so that he could only see the 3rd yellow, and left the instant it came on. I tried it once and cut a .310 light.

[82GT]

An old drag racer friend of mine once told me what he does; he used a helmut with a visor on it, tilted his head down so that he could only see the 3rd yellow, and left the instant it came on. I tried it once and cut a .310 light.

Hmmm as a bottom bulber, I have to give that one a try. :-k

I've seen guys put duct tape on the windshield to block the top 2 bulbs

[mikelbeck]

Mike, are you talking about the old bulbs or the new LED"s ?
Of course with the old bulbs you could see the filament start to illuminate, but with the LED's, they are instant on.

Both. As soon as I see the light on (either coming on with the old bulbs or fully on with the new bulbs) I react.

[82GT]

Mike, are you talking about the old bulbs or the new LED"s ?

Do they use the LED for the bracket programs yet?

[mikelbeck]

Mike, are you talking about the old bulbs or the new LED"s ?

Do they use the LED for the bracket programs yet?

They're using them at Englishtown, I don't know about other tracks.

[onehellofadart]

I believe all the tracks running the .000 tree are useing them now.

[DARTSPORT]

Numidia, MapleGrove, and Cecil County all use the LED bulbs!!