Is It Time?

[John DiBartolomeo]

Is it time for a “shot clock” in drag racing?

The year was 1975 and along with a great group of friends, we traveled to Byron Dragway for what was the largest payout for bracket racing in its day, $5,000-to-win. I have to thank perennial historian Dave and Lori Schapiro for the participant decal shown here. With cars from all over the United States and even Canada, I don’t remember a car count, but it was a lot. Enough so that track owner, the late Ron Leek, would constantly berate us over the PA system with, “I have to have a pair of cars going down the track every 30-seconds if you guys expect to get this race completed.”

That “30-second” number has stuck in my head ever since. Today, it’s not uncommon at a bracket race for that number to be at least more than double that. And in reality, the slowest cars are dragsters, despite them being the quickest on the track. Think about it. They do a burnout across the line, now have to back up, maybe reset their delay boxes, etc., and then stage. And the fact of only eighth-mile racing doesn’t make it any quicker, in some cases worse at tracks where there is only one turn-off at the very end of the shut-down area.

Door cars are usually the quickest. They do a burnout; not across the line; pull up and Stage. While I’ve measured dragsters to sometimes be well over 60-seconds, door car are usually in the 40-50-second range; still above the 30-second “Leek rule” though.

It’s been suggested to me the distance between the burnout box and the starting line be extended and eliminate dragsters burning out across the line. Obviously at some tracks that’s not a possibility, but it does bring up an interesting point.

Now though it appears we have another issue in drag racing, where there are some who are seemingly taking forever to Stage, which only tends to extend the pace of play and the actual day of racing.

Basketball has a shot clock. Football does too. I believe it was this year where minor league baseball also instituted a shot clock. All of it done to speed up the pace of play, alleviating one team from hanging onto the ball for a long time without giving the other team a chance at scoring. Is it time a “shot clock,” or something similar is instituted in drag racing?

The problem can be especially frustrating at some of these high-dollar bracket races where 500+ entries show up. Think of it in this regard: If the average time between pairs is, at best, 60-seconds, and legitimately 10-seconds could be knocked off each pair, it would mean a roughly 15-percent reduction in time. At an event where eliminations take 10-hours, it could knock that down by an hour-an-a-half. And that’s just by knocking 10-seconds off each pair.

Now I agree, the numbers I’ve listed are just subjective as there are a lot of variables which come into play and affect how long a day at the races lasts. But if we could just pick up the pace, it would allow us to get done quicker. And at events where there are 400-500 or so cars, it might mean getting done at a reasonable hour; whatever that may be.

Then though, there is the question of why certain racers take longer to stage than others. It’s always been my understanding that I can’t race until we’re both staged, so I want both of us to get in quick so we can compete against one another. But everyone has their own idiosyncrasies and habits they go through prior to staging. I don’t necessarily have a problem with that, but I’d just like everyone to think of the final outcome and… Get you’re ***** in there and stage! The time you save might just get you into the cooler faster at the end of the day.

[Rusty Davenport]

I've always been amazed the way drivers are forced to "feel around" for the pre stage bulb, especially if this is your first visit. Can't there be a better way to find the pre stage beam besides looking for the light beam boxes after the tire smoke clears along with everything else inside the car ??? Its not difficult to feel like Ray Charles at a first visit track. One of those football field orange end zone corner markers even a beer can ???

[Mike Pearson]

Doesn't really pertain to our type of racing. Typically I wont start my burn out until I know the track will be clear for me to make my run. That means the car in front of me needs to be at the end or making the turn. Then about 6 seconds to burn out and pull right up to pre stage. Then I am at the mercy of the guy in the other lane to pre stage. If I see him hanging back I will wait until he gets close to pre stage before I roll in. I don't think 30 seconds is a doable amount of time.

[Jim Caughlin]

Can we get this same rule for the Pro classes?

[GTS340]

Watching some stock and superstock drivers needing a crew member to show them where the line is every single time is ridiculous. I do my burn out and wait for my dial in to come up on the board and turn on the pre stage. It takes 5-10 seconds total. Then it takes for ever watching some drivers inch up from 6 feet back of the line. How these folks park next to a curb must be an adventure. How they know where the finish line is or pulling onto the scales is another mystery. Same drivers are driving into the pits with 40' motorhomes pulling a trailer. What is the problem? Head games?

Paul Haszlauer
SS 7019

[BG56]

John, we did have some great trips out to Byron from NJ. Leave work early Friday, drive all night and sleep at the gate. Race all day Sat. and then to the hotel. Letter a racecar body in the room, haha. Check out Sun. am and race til you lost (or won) and hit the road to make work Mon. am. Did that trip probably 6 or 7 times. I know Dave won one and runner-upped once(?). And then there were the Chet's Speed Shop boys from CT and there "exploits" in Chicago. (For another time!)
As far as current day staging delays, Top Dragster and Top Sportsman are definitely the worst!

[FED 387]

plus don't forget the guys that have to adjust and readjust their wheelie bar settings several times "just sayin"--maybe NO crew say when the car is within 10 feet of the starting line how about that???---FED 387

[Demon340]

Mind games are what many racers live by. I am not sure if the other driver next to you feels that he/she can't beat you on the tree or if on the other end?
I once raced a certain station wagon at a Division 7 track; after I did my burn out ( my routine is always the same: pull into the water with my door open, close door, tighten seatbelts, check gauges and switches, make sure other racer is in the water and starting their burn-out, 2nd gear burn-out, roll to the line, put car into 1st and pre-stage, then wait for the other racer.) At Vegas, the racer tried the mind game after his burnout with me. After sitting with the pre-stage lit, that seemed like for very long time, I looked back over my shoulder and saw the wagon creeping ever so slowly to the tree with at least 20 feet still to go... That day it worked for him...with all lost of respect from me.
He was in my head, the worse light I ever had in eliminations.
Larry

[Rusty Davenport]

If you are racing by yourself the track personel becomes your only help------is there enough water or do I have to beg someone up there to wet the burnout area-------so I'll sit here until someone volunteers------now how to find the correct place to stop in the water ??? Now when do I come out of the water ??? Now if I could only find the pre-stage beam somewhere up here ??? Am I 6 ft or 6 inches from it ??? Its not mind games its BLIND games..... but yet we are to HURRY UP !!!!! Starting line crew HELP us old men !!!!!

[Adger Smith]

Another First at Ron's track...
US Class Nationals at Byron.
We had 2 in the water 2 on the line and 2 turning off the track.
In staging the lanes were in order.. all pretty good class cars.
I can't remember the car count, Nitro Joe??, Tony?, but our crew got it done and beat the curfew.
All on a very, very hot weekend.
It was non stop action.
With my race tracks back in the 70's it seemed like the spectators were done after about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Get the race over and go home...