TruSTART looks to level the playing field.

[FireSale]

So I understand that this is limited deployment, but drag racing is all about consistency so I'm going to ask this.

It looks like Peter B, and his friend talked to CompuLink about this idea and CompuLink developed the system. Logic says they will test it at the Spring Fling and then pitch it to NHRA for adoption at points events. So, how would this make it to the grass roots like Bremerton Raceway out here in Washington State that is run by a car club? Is it new equipment or a software update? Something that just shows up in the NHRA trailer for National events won't really help.

I guess I'm asking this of the business folks involved.

Dale

[bill dedman]

Originally Posted by Lenny5160

"If there is a logical argument against this method, I'd love to hear it... . this one is long overdue"

I asked the same question on this forum for years (literally, until my multitudinous posts about it became irritating to some people, who, for some reason, didn't "get it"; are you listening Ed Fernandez and Ed Wright?) Never EVER got a satisfactory answer. Just insults and character-assassination verbiage...

Ed Fernandez said, "It will never happen," and Ed Wright backed him up, with never any reason why this change to a more-fair way of dealing with double redlights needed not to happen.
Now, Ed Wright has done a complete 180 and says, " I honestly can't see how anyone could really say it's wrong," and Ed Fernandez has, miraculously, nothing to say. Well, this plan by two semi-pro Stock Eliminator racers is EXACTLY what I beat to death on this BB for years, and was never able to convince more than a few people of its worth. Maybe I'm just a lousy communicator..

It's not a part of Stock or Super Stock racing, YET, but, I think it may well filter down to those Eliminators if it's successful in the brackets.The fact is, it's not just about slow cars/fast cars.... In the final round of an Eliminator, you could have an "A" car running a "B" car, and they both go red. That's not a likely scenario, but it COULD happen. The winner would be the driver with the least infraction, just like in a double breakout.

That's fair.

I am just glad someone with some "pull" got it done. It was a long-time coming, and I am sure it took a lot of effort on the part of Kyle Seipel and Peter Biondo to get it this far. I applaud their efforts!

[Larry Hill]

The red light needs to happen in real time without delay. If I go red I want to know so I can do something positive on the run: 1. save my equipment for the next heads-up run where the worst red light looses, 2. manage averages for the AHFS, 3. test, and 4. practice driving the stripe.


If the other lane wants to see if I went red let them. Next time we race and I'm green they will be looking and more than likely be late and I will be in the next round.


Crosstalk is that electronic deep staging and how is that a .5 tree?


So the racers don't want to race by the rules, nothing new.

[Michael Beard]

Originally Posted by Bruce Noland View Post
Doesn't seem like such a big problem and hardly worth the fuss.

Conversely, one could argue that since it's such a small percentage, why would anyone have a problem with the change? (The answer is actually one 99% of people have ignored: the cost Compulink would charge every track for the upgrade.)

For the record, I don't really care that much either way. As long as I know what the rules are when I pull in the gate, and everybody's playing by the same rules, it's fine.

Originally Posted by Larry Hill

The red light needs to happen in real time without delay. If I go red I want to know so I can do something positive on the run: 1. save my equipment for the next heads-up run where the worst red light looses, 2. manage averages for the AHFS, 3. test, and 4. practice driving the stripe.

If you are the faster car, your red light would display instantly.

If you are the slower car, your red light would display when the faster car left. In the 'Cuda, in a worst case scenario against the fastest Factory car, this would be ~1.7 seconds into the run: just after pulling 2nd gear/just after the 60'. I'm pretty sure you don't want to lift when you're in the middle of a wheelstand.

In your really worst case scenario of driving The Truck vs the fastest Factory car, it would be less than 4.5 seconds into the run, which would be before the 330'.

I would hope that under current circumstances, you do not idle down the track after redlighting, holding up the show and burning down the pair of racers behind you.

Crosstalk is that electronic deep staging and how is that a .5 tree?

There's so much wrong with that sentence that I'm just going to assume it was in jest.

On the flip side a slow car, now knowing that his chances of losing on the starting line have decreased, might try to hit the tree a little harder

No one is going to try to risk a redlight knowing their odds of winning a double-redlight have increased by 0.5 - 1.5%.

I attack the tree the same every time, regardless of whether I'm the fast car, the slow car, my opponent is red or green, etc. If I had a heads-up where I had the guy covered by half a second, I might set up .030. Do the same thing at the same time the same way every time. The idea that someone is going to "try harder" or will "back off" in any other situation reveals not having a good, consistent spot on the tree in the first place.

[Bruce Noland]

It seems this debate keeps popping up and yet, as we all know, nothing will change. But for the sake of argument let's understand what "some" of the slower car racers would like to see happen in a performance oriented sport. They want a handicap start and a clean tree and a ton more time to figure out how to race the stripe. The faster cars, on the other hand, offer the handicap start and do not have the luxury of leaving on a clean tree and they don't have nearly the same amount of time to drive the stripe. And now some of the slower car racers want an additional accommodation by asking for this red light protection. While all the pressure cranks-up on the faster car while it waits up to 5 or 6 seconds to chase down the slower car.

[bottombulb]

Originally Posted by Bruce Noland

It seems this debate keeps popping up and yet, as we all know, nothing will change. But for the sake of argument let's understand what "some" of the slower car racers would like to see happen in a performance oriented sport. They want a handicap start and a clean tree and a ton more time to figure out how to race the stripe. The faster cars, on the other hand, offer the handicap start and do not have the luxury of leaving on a clean tree and they don't have nearly the same amount of time to drive the stripe. And now some of the slower car racers want an additional accommodation by asking for this red light protection. While all the pressure cranks-up on the faster car while it waits up to 5 or 6 seconds to chase down the slower car.

So, you've never left first?

[Bruce Noland]

Originally Posted by bottombulb

So, you've never left first?

Only for about 20 years - F,G,H,I,J,K,M,N. Raced two barrels, off and on, for several years. Actually my favorite classes but never wanted to change the red light rule.

[bill dedman]

Bruce Noland wrote:

"some of the slower car racers want an additional accommodation by asking for this red light protection."

Can you rell me what "additional... protection" is afforded by making the situation IDENTICAL (BOTH cars would have an equal chance to red light, now, with the new rule) because in making them equals, there is no "additional... protection." And, if it's truly a small issue, why are you vehemently posting lengthy arguments against it? Especially, if your contention that "We all know it isn't going to happen" is true. so, no worries... LOL!

Originally Posted by Bruce Noland

It seems this debate keeps popping up and yet, as we all know, nothing will change. But for the sake of argument let's understand what "some" of the slower car racers would like to see happen in a performance oriented sport..

Handicap racing is a "PERFORMANCE ORIENTED SPORT" ???? Really.....?
We know why it's been this was for years, they didn't have any wat to correct it ... NOW WE DO !!
I think a letter writing campaign to Peter Clifford is in order to get this CHANGED !
Discussing it here is doing nothing .......

[Larry Hill]

If it ain't broke don't fix it!!! Leave ''class racing'' alone.


If the bracket folks want, crosstalk, delay boxes, sand boxes, down tack boxes, gps, trustart, air shifters, and the rest, have fun.


If you want to class race get a rule book and build or buy something, you will be glad you did.