Top End Tactics
 

Let's hear about some of the finish line tactics or games that you use or you have seen in your racing experience.Slow vs. fast cars, fast vs. fast ect.
I know that on 2 occasions that a fellow stocker racer dialed up almost 1/2 second against me and about 2/3 way down the track put a 1/2 fender on me and whomped it the rest of the way down the track. The second time that he did that against me I felt like driving right into the side of him. Yea, he beat me both times but the experience was very valuable to my toolbox.
Let's hear some others.
Jeff Ross

Re: Top End Tactics
 

I was watching the jegs all stars the other night and in one of the races slate caught the guy right after the 1/8 mile and just rode him to the finish line.. I would love to know how much he dialed up...

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Why would it make you feel like driving into the side of him? I wish people set up on a 1/2 second break out run against me every time.

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Jeff,

I read in ND of an older(and much wiser) friend who had won a given race and he had a similar problem as you. He said that when he got near the stripe the other racer was ahead, so he "lunged" forward(as if to show braking) and his competitor got on his brakes. The only thing was he never did get on the brakes and he crossed the stripe first.

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In the late seventies while at Atco Divisional race was up against Charlene Wood late at night - she sent me out first - as I approached the 1200' mark I turned my parking lights on and saw her nose drop ...........opps .They didn't talk to me for awhile .............

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Well Jack that must have been " TON'S OF FUN " get it !

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cmon dial up more than a tenth from Q or last round against me...

captain

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I had a guy do that againt me a few years ago at the Maple Grove All Ford race. I hadn't got to the point in the staging lanes yet where dials couldn't change, so I got out of my car and dialed mine up a tenth so I had some in the bag too. When he caught me and started whomping the throttle, I started whomping my throttle. Apparently he didn't know what to do then, so he let me cross first and I won.

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You got it Chris!!!!!

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Many years ago in a bracket race, I left first and my sandbagging opponent rode with me to the first MPH stripe. I was on the wood, but lurch back as if to accelerate. He shot past me and broke out. To this day he hasn't figured it out! LOL

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Top end tactics?

I have found that letting a bird fly out the window has quite a dramatic and beneficial effect.

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Okay, it is a new year and I may as well get started. What ever happened to racing to the finish line. And everyone wants to know why no spectators want to watch drivers standing on the brakes at 1000 foot and hear the driver on and off of the throttle. I was at a track near the end of the year and was watching the eliminators along with some others on the fence. All of the sudden the brake lights came on and how that guy kept from siding the tires we could not figure out. NHRA, let's go back to setting a national record for the class and everyone in that class race on that record.

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I got two ways. Hit the brakes too hard on a cold track and hit the wall. Not recommended. I did have a funny finish line deal in Las Vegas this year in class. I had my car in race mode which will run about .9 under. I was running this young (anybody is younger than me) guy who had a best of about .7 under. We left and he just drove away from me, like really really bad. Had me two tenths at 660 and going away. About 1000 feet, he put the brakes on so hard it wasn't funny. I just hung it out and passed him right at the stripe. I think he was going about 30 and I was going about 120. After the race, I asked him what weight were you at? I know he could not cross the scales. He responded he was at minimum. I guess the turnip truck dumped my out anyway. My finish line stuff is unique; by the time I find the finish line and dump, put the brakes on, or whatever, I am always past it anyway. Old age you know.

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I am curious to how you would handle someone dialing a tenth. Especially when you know they can be .010 at the tree.:cool:

who dictates the race?? theres the question

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I believe if you know they are dialed soft, especially by a tenth, you should make sure you don't do something dumb [ like I have] by dialing .01- .02 quicker than you can run. Instead dial .01-.02 slower than you can run, then let him take the stripe, or you dump at the very end.

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Re: Top End Tactics
 

Michael I think people would like FREE info here. Lol.

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I think you dictate the race. I had a race like this, this year. But he was dialed more soft than that. But, we had similar trees and I dialed honest. I knew when he caught me so soon that he was going under unless I had a teriable tree. I knew he had to get rid of some somewhere, it just worked out for me. then again I have concentrated so hard on the other racer (keeping a eye on them), that I turned back to the finish and thought I had passed the first light and got on the brakes for the second light. One problem with that, I got on the brakes at the FIRST LIGHT! He got me by a fender...Stupid....just plain stupid....LOL....Good times.

What did I learn? Run my own race.

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;)

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Man catches me at a 1000', he don't know how much trouble he's in. :D

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Wish I had some tactics. LOL

Old as I am, I'm lucky to find the finish line.

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I don't have to worry to much about people dialing "soft" I would welcome an 8 second car to dial 12.5 or 13.0.

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Get what you pay for. :cool: The conversation here is barely scratching the surface, if that. Bogacki's site has three years worth of in-depth writing from many of the sport's very best - a lifetime of knowledgebase and resources. Give it some serious consideration.

Well, YEAH! You're running 1/8th mile! :D

Re: Top End Tactics
 

I had a race last year that stands out. I was dialed 12.00, My opponent was dialed a 12.15. I think he had my about .01 on the tree. As we got to the 1000ft stripe I finally caught him and was starting to come around, I took a look to see if I had him covered when I noticed he was looking right at me with a big smile and was wagging his finger back and forth. It took a second to realize that he was not giving me the bird but it was more of a "no you don't" finger wag, Thats when he dumped me like a sack of potatoes. I took the stripe by a car length and broke out by .002.

We raced again a couple months later and I didn't fall for that again, LOLO

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Anyone can be .010 on the tree but no one does it every time.

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Tree him run on your dial and push him out. That's how you fix that!

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Careful, careful, don't give away the candy store....keep talkin' like this and everyone will build a M/ or slower car...guess we could call that a 'race to the bottom'.

But it would be nice to be a trend setter..........

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Raced a multi world champ and beat him with a .088 lite. The only way I got by him is with a faster car. I know both statements are hard to belive!

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A wise old racer told me once if you leave the starting line thinking your beat 99% of the time you will be. Cut a light run your # problem solved!

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Well, YEAH! You're running 1/8th mile! :D[/QUOTE]
Wow it didn't take you long to catch onto that one! Lol

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I Googled and could not find the "Bogacki site"


:-) peace

Ron

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www.thisisbracketracing.com

I do believe is Luke's site

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Luke's site; http://www.thisisbracketracing.com/

My tactic's, try for the best light I can, dial close and run it out. If I'm taking too much stripe I tap the brakes on the first line.

Then..I say over and over, "gimme the white ticket, give him the yellow, gimme the white, give him the yellow" as I'm heading for my time slip. LOL!

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Dial honest and still be going further under than the other lane. Gives me a lot more options. But most won't understand how you can dial honest and still go 10 under.

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Ok, I'll bite. You don't know your car?

Re: Top End Tactics
 

Again, refer to the link.

At the risk of painting with a broad brush, many Class racers (rightfully) direct their time, money, and attention to honing their combinations. Simply put, direct that same attention to your driving. I went to Indy a few years ago and a small group of great dedicated go-fast class racers posed the question, "MAN! Why is xyz so good, and how can I beat him?" What followed was a short rudimentary seminar, but you could see that guys were genuinely interested in making themselves better drivers. There's nothing wrong with the investments we all make with our cars. Just don't neglect the driver, and we're talking about a drop in the bucket compared to everything else we spend money on!

And Luke's site isn't the only resource. He also does numerous "Live" schools each year with guest instructors. Scotty Richardson also conducts schools all over the country. You've invested your life in your car. Invest in yourself.

The inverse, however, is not true. If you leave the starting line thinking you're going to win 99% of the time, you're wrong. Cutting a light and running your number is an admirable goal... the trick is in IMPLEMENTATION, and making sure that YOUR light and number is better than the other guys. Easier said than done. The day and age of taking a swipe at the tree and then staring at the scoreboard is long gone. Do you *have* to hold a tenth? No. Do you *have* to dial up .02? No. Is, "He's holding, so I'll just run him to the end and dump him" a surefire way to beat a sandbagger? No. Is "cut a light and run your number" a surefire way to beat him? Only if your total package is better than his light, and if you can do that consistently, then you've already won multiple world championships. ;)

Yes, these schools cost money. The intellectual property involved is both staggering and priceless. This is not a commercial, and I don't get paid to tell you this. It's fact. Wanna go fast with a slow car, call Billy Nees. Want a great set of heads? Call Dave Layer. Want a great engine? Call Tim Sloan, Parsons & Meyers, Bub Whittaker, Jeff Warren, Jeff Taylor, etc, etc. Want to improve your driving and win more.....? ....Well?

You can have the best equipment in the world, but if you don't know how to wield it, it'll be useless. I'd won numerous championships before, but I'll tell you that I have won numerous races and important rounds since then *specifically* because of things I've read on ThisIsBracketRacing. You're never done learning.

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You have a choice. Run the number or make the car not run the number.

We have a winner. Dialing honest and running it out the back door just doesn't get it done consistently anymore.

Luke's site is priceless knowledge. It made racing a lot tougher.

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Once I know the sweet spot on the tree, the big end is easy...Once I'm moving, I shift on the light...then look out the window. If I don't see 'em...I short shift a little...if I do...it's hit the shift light and stay in it the whole way, more likely will be a double breakout...If I see a fender at the pole, stay in it, if not. lift. End of game.

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just cmon dial er up and lets go...
did i say my car stops real well ???

captain jack

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Right on CHRIS 3 Racing.
I am 70 years old and I think like the stupid old school . Raced since 1957 and will until I have a tombstone.
If you can run the number, run it...if he can run the number , run it.
Heads up with the handicap but you have got to get to the stripe first to win. If you are faster than your number, no breakout loss but you will be regulated to run your quickest win number for the remainder oif the event...
No more bragging about woomp,woomp, dumping, fake brake lights, fake body language, or what ever novelty you may invent to win rather than all out heads up. Most of you would be on the trailer if you really had to depend on your reaction time, and shifting ability (yes real door slammer race cars have clutches)..rather than circus antics to win.
Yes this is my first can of worms to open...but I am dismayed about everyone upset about changes in hp ratings, weight, original seats, alum heads, roller rocker arms etc.
SS is just bracket racing with more rules. Happy New Year LOL