Seeing the great success that the WFC is having it kind of makes me wonder why in some areas of the country this type pf racing is nearly extinct. Many tracks discourage deep staging and NHRA Div-1 while claiming to allow it prohibits writing DEEP on your car. Some allow it but enforce courtesy staging while being on auto start.

Much of the country has gone to No-Box although this is not the case in NHRA-Div 1 and at least 1 of the South East IHRA divisions. I think Div-9 prohibits a trans brake being in the car although I don't think it is ever enforced.

Many areas I don't know about, but with the success of the WFC wouldn't some others think of going back to footbrake and allowing deep stageing? This is just a thought but the WFC brings out the foot brake racers and so many of them are in the area of no box. And I am sure that it was a relief to some Div 1 racers to once more write "DEEP" on their window and know that it would be honored.

Pay attention track owners

whatever "they" decide , it should be the same thruought the country..

just like baseball .. same rules all around the world ..., and all ya need is a translator ..

this sport is "supposed" to be about consistency , it would'nt be asking to much for the divisions to have the same rules , or would it ?

how does the ihra do it from division to division ?

I think it's worse now than before. The one motion roll sucks...I usually knock the top light out before my opponent even gets out of the water box...I love it when people call me a "scum bag" because I'm trying to "quick tree" them

Then people tell me "I'm gonna hang you out and let you sit there if you race like that next to me"...No problem dude, I got a stock water pump and 15 gallons of pump gas in the tank, I'll sit there all day

Makes it interesting

For the record, you can still have deep staging with Autostart in effect, the starter just has to A) notice one car is going in deep and B) make sure there are three lights lit before the switch gets flipped, i.e. deep car is pre-staged and staged, the other car staging normally has the pre-stage bulb on. Common sense would say a deep car's pre-stage light is both beams, and this is from someone who DOESN'T deep stage.

I have been one of those busted up by not getting the time to get in deep before, and I have also been on the other end where someone went in bang-bang-bang, I was forced to get in quick, and got timed out because of it (other circumstances invoved, save that story for another day). Fact remains is if common sense is used, this becomes a non-issue. Courtesy staging eliminates people messing with the person in the other lane.

Frankie Cicerale
Tax Bracket Racing
Piscataway, NJ
S/C 151J
S/G 151J
S/ST 151J
Stock 1510
www.taxbracketracing.com

I couldn't agree more Fern I was at the WFC and it was pleasure to see EVERYBODY getting in without rushing. Jared and Steve really do know how to put on a race. Alot of track owners and Div 1 people should take notice!!!!!!!!! ( they may learn something )

The one motion roll, the bump n fake, the hang out, just the nicknames for staging techniques often related to deep stagers alone is laughable I prefer "the mullaney slip n slide" as my most often used method though those others above can be quite entertaining to rick stewart and all the spectators

JARED CHECK YOUR PM

Back atcha hitter.

Vertigo --- IHRA is about as messed up as anywhere for foot brakers. I race mostly in 2 divisions and one of them is split into 2 bracket finals. Patriots allow electric/air shifters-no trans barkes. Raiders don't allow either (this is the split Div.) Raiders run at Rockingham and Patriots run at Farmington. I also run Heat Wave east which is a true No-Box div. (they changed in the middle of the year) How do they expect you to do it right under these rules? I have none of the above so I am ok but if you run at say Darlington (no box) and go to Rockingham the next day (foot brake) or Farmington (Elect/shifters) You see the problems you face. It must be hard for the people in No-Box areas to come to a real footbrake race and all of a sudden NO BUTTON!!!!

You are right -- it would be nice to have the same rules every where especially for people, like me, that live and race in 3 areas that have different rules. No matter what they are as long as they are all the same.

Don't change the WFC The proof is in the attendence. It works.

"though those others above can be quite entertaining to rick stewart and all the spectators"

Mullaney, I have NO idea what you are talking about...honestly, Rick Stewart is one of my best friends (HAHAHA)

Fact remains, there is a way for everyone to be happy, deep stagers and normal stagers alike...just need to use a bit of common sense.

Hey Short Change, when you gonna stop beating up on the Atco folks and race with us at Numidia...got some money races coming up bud...

Frankie Cicerale
Tax Bracket Racing
Piscataway, NJ
S/C 151J
S/G 151J
S/ST 151J
Stock 1510
www.taxbracketracing.com

To reply to Fern's quote on leaving off a button one week and the footbrake the next. I run in IHRA no box, and I have a transbrake on alcohol. So the deep staging does not confront me. I simply go in and they can play whatever games they choose, makes no matter. I also occasionaly run NHRA. No problem. Unplug the shifter, turn off the transbrake, and viola, instant footbrake. If you have run both, it's not really a big deal. Do I like the button better? Of course. Less hassle on the line, and no worries what the other guy is going to do. But if we're talking skinning someone on the tree with the footbrake, well that's awesome too, and I'm all for it.

HX9X approach is a good one and we need to accept everyones method---I choose to have no shifter, trans brake, etc because, to me, even running in no box my set up never changes. His problem comes when he hits one of these IHRA tracks in a division where it says "not allowed in the car" and they decide for whatever reason to enforce that rule. I ran 2 IHRA bracket finals last year and one of them had that in the rules. After some discussion they allowed things to be unhooked and they checked a few. Deep stageing got the shaft in NHRA Div 1 because of 2 people that were doing their usual thing of taking forever and were observed by the Div director doing it at the bracket finals. He had the power to do something about it and he did. I deep stage and make good and sure not to cause my opponent any problems, unlike some in the other lane, I try to always hit 1 bulb first and go on in as soon as he hits 1. But now and then I get someone who will quick stage, but thats ok, I can still get in.
It will be interesting to see what the future holds---IHRA is now owned by the circus and seems to even be cutting its Pro-Am and Nationals classes while booking in monster trucks, jets, etc. I will support the local tracks (we have plenty here) and try my best to fit in somewhere. After all--the track is where my friends are.

We are all entitled to our own opinion and mine is that a true footbrake race( with NO electronics whatssoever)truly decides who is the best driver and who has spent the time to set their car up and figure it out the best. It is purely in the drivers hand to do the same burn out, stage the same each time, leave at the same rpm everytime, shift at the right time every run, leave on a countdown tree and cut a good light everytime. Footbrake racing is a Drivers race. The driver must make a good run without the aid of devices to win. And on top of all that it is far more affordable.

If you change the footbrake classes to "No Box" you open yourself up to people attempting to put other devices in their cars as well. Plus how many super pro 9.0 second cars will jump into the class? Alot.
I think part of the problem with super pro is it is not affordable because everyone feels they have to have a 7.30 dragster with every single device and aid to compete. Well the same thing will happen in pro if you start to allow transbrakes and air shifters. You run the average racer who is trying to compete on a BUDGET right out of town.

I hope and pray every year that NHRA Div.1 realizes this and keeps Pro a true footbrake class...not just for the factor of keeping it a drivers race, but for the fact of keeping an already expensive sport within reason, especially nowadays.

And no matter what ridiculous rule they come up with, deep staging CANNOT be banned. It is an absolute must in a footbrake class to allow deepstaging, and I hope Race Directors, Promoters, and Governing bodies realize this as well.

quote:

I hope and pray every year that NHRA Div.1 realizes this and keeps Pro a true footbrake class...not just for the factor of keeping it a drivers race, but for the fact of keeping an already expensive sport within reason, especially nowadays.

Agree 100 percent with that comment....

If I am going to have to run a trans brake, air shifter and some 6 inch long button to leave off the bottom bulb I am going to just say the heck with it and run a box.

I parked my dragster and went back to footbraking a door car because I feel its much more driver dependent and I have more fun.....

If you are any good off of the foot just keep on doing what you are doing---Notice the post on the Moser Shoot out this past weekend---that was a 7sec stocker running off of the foot in the finals and lost on a .496 red light. It was the slowest car there and the only one running with NO electronics. Lot of winning racers running off the foot winning these big races. We need to stick together to be heard.

I even went to Island Dragway this past weekend just to try Deep Staging....... Mild sucess.... I went -.025 red 2nd round, then an hour later went -.020 red in their Consolation race. At least I was consistant!

"Timing" the tree for the last 20 years is a VERY hard habbit/procedure to change. Having to rush-in is a PITA also, especially since that was my first day ever of trying it!

I will continue to try it, will take time for sure.

I would love to see them modify the timing system software to recognize BOTH bulbs on as Pre-Staged for the Deep-Stagers. Heck, they put Cross-talk in there for the Electronics classes, why can't they make another mod?

My new car leaves so slow with a glide and loose converter I would LOVE to try and deep stage but the whole process of trying to rush in first doesn't sit well with me.....

Seems to set you up for the other guy to screw you around doesn't it?

One way or another we (deep stagers) get the blame for anything that our compitition has go wrong on the starting line. We get on in---we quick staged---but if we are in, on the converter, and he jerks around, thats ok. And if he quick stages on you---thats not his fault either---you took to much time. Trick is if you are a "deeper" it is on you to get it done and don't worry about the other guy. He needs to run his race also and with just a little co-operation it works out for both drivers.

quote:

He needs to run his race also and with just a little co-operation it works out for both drivers.

.......... so true ...........

.... but, ya still gotta keep "plan B' in your pocket, just in case ....

Dave

Never go to the race track without another "plan". Might rain, snow, hail. How many trips did I make to Maple Grove one year for the $10,000 race? 3 or 4. Horse shoes or playing cards or a practice tree.

Then there is plan B for stageing deep.