How Many People?

JP1738 · 10-23-2024, 01:49 PM

How many people should it take to stage a dragster? Not a top fuel/alcohol car or high hp PDRA Elite TD car, just a regular bracket dragster at your local track. Asking for reference, I had an experience recently that begs the question.

1320racer · 10-23-2024, 06:23 PM

you know the answer

1700camaro · 10-24-2024, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP1738

How many people should it take to stage a dragster? Not a top fuel/alcohol car or high hp PDRA Elite TD car, just a regular bracket dragster at your local track. Asking for reference, I had an experience recently that begs the question.

I sense some sarcasm, please share your experience.

JP1738 · 10-28-2024, 02:31 PM

All right so here's what happened to me recently at a bracket race.

I was down to 5 cars at my local track in the bracket race. I was still doubled at the time, down to the final in 6.0 index class at that point. As is customary, I pull into the water box and wait for my opponent, in a 4.9s dragster, to go ahead and do his burnout before I did mine so I wouldn't be waiting at the starting line as long. I do my burnout as he is reversing from his. We get up to the starting line around the same time.

When he made his way to the beams, he had not one, but two different guys at the stage beams pulling him up to them. Now I'm not sure who wasn't paying attention to what, but he ended up rolling all the way into the fully staged position before I prestaged. I don't know if one or both of the guys pulling him up weren't paying attention to the lights or where the car was on the race track, or if the driver wasn't looking at them, or if the two guys up there weren't in agreeance on where the car was yet between one another. All I know is they looked like a bunch of monkeys fvcking a football on the starting line. I see all this take place beside me, and decide to give him a 5 Mississippi count to let him back up. Well, due to the extreme confusion on the other side of the race track, my man was not able to back out of the stage lights in a timely manner, so I went ahead and staged up beside him and tried to get the tree to come down while he was still in panic mode or reverse.

That is exactly what happened. I turned loose a stellar .040 to my man's .400. I haven't been able to decide if I feel bad about it yet or not.

jmcarter · 10-28-2024, 03:07 PM

There’s no need to let the foolish be anything but…

L.Fite · 10-28-2024, 06:07 PM

Well...
If you're gonna have someone back you up...
That's ONE person...
It avoids all the confusion...
Never had anyone help stage the car...
Only back me up and make sure I was in my tracks and nothing was amiss with the car, (No leaks, nothing hanging off...)
I always managed to find the starting line on my own...
This showing people the beam BS wasn't a thing when I was doing it...
Sounds like rookies...
Don't feel bad... I wouldn't!

1700camaro · 10-31-2024, 09:24 AM

It only takes 1 person & that's the driver!

I browsed a couple races from the 2024 Fall Fling Races videos,
from early rounds to the finals. I didn't see one person/crew member assisting the driver with the staging process for both dragsters & door cars.

The vast majority of racers appeared not to have any crew members even close to a race vehicle, leading up to the staging process.

As for backing a dragster into its tracks. I didn't see anyone doing that when I browsed.

1700/781L

View Poll Results: How many to stage a dragster, including driver
1	9	100.00%
2	0	0%
3	0	0%
4	0	0%
Voters: 9. You may not vote on this poll

10-23-2024, 01:49 PM	#1
JP1738 Member Join Date: Jan 2024 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 319 Likes: 780 Liked 567 Times in 170 Posts	How Many People? How many people should it take to stage a dragster? Not a top fuel/alcohol car or high hp PDRA Elite TD car, just a regular bracket dragster at your local track. Asking for reference, I had an experience recently that begs the question. __________________ Dawson Pauley #2827 N/SA 1980 Malibu SW 2S 305/180 #2827 S/ST 1978 Mazda RX7 w/ 383 sbc/glide

10-23-2024, 06:23 PM	#2
1320racer VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts: 2,174 Likes: 113 Liked 589 Times in 290 Posts	Re: How Many People? you know the answer

10-28-2024, 02:31 PM	#4
JP1738 Member Join Date: Jan 2024 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 319 Likes: 780 Liked 567 Times in 170 Posts	Re: How Many People? All right so here's what happened to me recently at a bracket race. I was down to 5 cars at my local track in the bracket race. I was still doubled at the time, down to the final in 6.0 index class at that point. As is customary, I pull into the water box and wait for my opponent, in a 4.9s dragster, to go ahead and do his burnout before I did mine so I wouldn't be waiting at the starting line as long. I do my burnout as he is reversing from his. We get up to the starting line around the same time. When he made his way to the beams, he had not one, but two different guys at the stage beams pulling him up to them. Now I'm not sure who wasn't paying attention to what, but he ended up rolling all the way into the fully staged position before I prestaged. I don't know if one or both of the guys pulling him up weren't paying attention to the lights or where the car was on the race track, or if the driver wasn't looking at them, or if the two guys up there weren't in agreeance on where the car was yet between one another. All I know is they looked like a bunch of monkeys fvcking a football on the starting line. I see all this take place beside me, and decide to give him a 5 Mississippi count to let him back up. Well, due to the extreme confusion on the other side of the race track, my man was not able to back out of the stage lights in a timely manner, so I went ahead and staged up beside him and tried to get the tree to come down while he was still in panic mode or reverse. That is exactly what happened. I turned loose a stellar .040 to my man's .400. I haven't been able to decide if I feel bad about it yet or not. __________________ Dawson Pauley #2827 N/SA 1980 Malibu SW 2S 305/180 #2827 S/ST 1978 Mazda RX7 w/ 383 sbc/glide

10-28-2024, 03:07 PM	#5
jmcarter VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Richmond Hill GA (and Port Ludlow WA) Posts: 4,226 Likes: 2,193 Liked 2,980 Times in 915 Posts	Re: How Many People? There’s no need to let the foolish be anything but… __________________ Jim Carter 2340 Super Stock 2340 SST/2340 Stock Set another place at the table

10-28-2024, 06:07 PM	#6
L.Fite Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 454 Likes: 450 Liked 412 Times in 206 Posts	Re: How Many People? Well... If you're gonna have someone back you up... That's ONE person... It avoids all the confusion... Never had anyone help stage the car... Only back me up and make sure I was in my tracks and nothing was amiss with the car, (No leaks, nothing hanging off...) I always managed to find the starting line on my own... This showing people the beam BS wasn't a thing when I was doing it... Sounds like rookies... Don't feel bad... I wouldn't!

10-31-2024, 09:24 AM	#7
1700camaro Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 195 Likes: 55 Liked 126 Times in 65 Posts	Re: How Many People? It only takes 1 person & that's the driver! I browsed a couple races from the 2024 Fall Fling Races videos, from early rounds to the finals. I didn't see one person/crew member assisting the driver with the staging process for both dragsters & door cars. The vast majority of racers appeared not to have any crew members even close to a race vehicle, leading up to the staging process. As for backing a dragster into its tracks. I didn't see anyone doing that when I browsed. 1700/781L