Red Light Answer

[Mike Brogniez]

Originally Posted by Chuck Beach

The Defrank car has smaller tires on the front. And the way these cars are built today they sit very low to the ground so the pre-stage and staging beam have to be fairly low so the front end does not trip it. (not sure what the standard height is). With that in mind when shallow staging there is less circumference of the tire blocking the beam. When setting the trans brake most feel that your car won't and can't move. When staging you set the trans brake, during that time you are waiting to release the button. If that car with small tire moves .030 or .050 or .100 for what ever reason, more back up pressure applied than forward, wind, etc ... do you think anyone would be able to actually see that movement, but that may be all it takes to light the red light by allowing enough of the beam to make contact to the outside cell.

just a crazy thought ...

Makes more sense to me than a camera flash....every posibilities should be examined and a solution found to eliminate this type of red eye.

[Michael Beard]

And the way these cars are built today they sit very low to the ground so the pre-stage and staging beam have to be fairly low so the front end does not trip it. (not sure what the standard height is).

Ground clearance is required to be a minimum of 3". Stage beams are roughly 1-5/8". Yes, transbrake cars can back out of the beams. It happened in Super Comp at Gainesville last weekend, and it was recognized for what it was. That is a different animal. Again, all of these videos of similar incidents show the red-light coming on BEFORE the pre-stage and stage lights go out. Additionally, one of the examples of this phenomenon was with a footbrake car that staged at a low rpm and then came up on the converter, which results in the car moving forward slightly in the beams. While red lights are possible by rocking back out of the beams is possible on systems not utilizing Stagelock, this is demonstrably a separate issue.

[Rich Biebel]

It is and was common practice for many people running doorcars with trans brakes to apply your line loc along with the trans brake. It will help to stop any movement once the brake is set and your staged.

The Defranks could not win as much as they have unless they had all their ducks in a row as the saying goes.

In 1970 at Atco in the first round of stock my partner was redlighted for this exact scenario.....slight movement backwards but it was a stick car and the starting line probably had a slight dip in it....and we did use a line lock to try and hold the car.....it didnt prevent that one......

[cody pollage]

Also whos not to say there wasn't a bug or an insect in the timing cell that moved into the beam and made the stage light come on. I've seen that happen before more than once. What I'm saying is maybe DeFrank was never really staged. The insect moves in front of the beam, turns the stage light on, and when it moves, the stage light goes out and goes red because there is nothing in the stage beam now. It has personally happened to me, and I've seen it happen to some other people, and no it hasn't been at just NHRA tracks, and it hasn't been with just the Compulink system

[dartman]

What would happen if something blows through say the 60 foot beam while the light are coming down.will that trigger anything ? by seeing the car there before it left (past tense).

[Tom Nolan]

I watched the Defrank video and I cant see any movement from the front, however it would be nice to see a side view. I was dazzled as to just how quick Jimmie stopped the car.
My question is: are any SS ever checked for "enhanced driver equipment".......I admit there are some talented drivers out there, and I would never suggest that anyone is using anything but it would be nice to know that NHRA is checking our cars? I know there are approved adjustable transbrake switches out there but they are not available to be purchased, only available to the racers that already have them I guess?

[tim worner]

Makes me wonder how many of my red lights over the years were caused but flash bulbs? Probably a bunch,couldn't have been that lose nut behind the wheel.