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Picture of Bigdrive88
posted
A friend of mine this past weekend had an incident where he was staged & the other lane was blinking the bulb trying to get in. The tree dropped before the bottom bulb was fully lit. My friend lost & was told that with stage lock even if the bottom bulb is out you could still be in. How is that possible ?
 
Posts: 185 | Location: Hagerstown | Registered: September 01, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I would like to know more about Stage Lock also. We have a local track with this recurring issue. Of course we've all been told the system was checked and all is good, yet there are still times where cars are completely staged and both lights (pre-stage and stage) go out causing a red light. I also saw the same thing in TD an Indy.
 
Posts: 26 | Location: TEXAS...waiting to secede! | Registered: December 25, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Posts: 1169 | Location: Elgin,IL | Registered: February 08, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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So like 60' times it is not a guaranteed number but can be a guaranteed red light.
 
Posts: 26 | Location: TEXAS...waiting to secede! | Registered: December 25, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
DRR Sportsman
Picture of diceman1530
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With all the money at stake the tracks should be required to have a certified timing inspection every year, something like a fuel pump gallon test or a scale weight authenticity certificate. They should make sure all systems work properly as well.
There should be a independent tester that can test all makes of timing systems. If I was a big money race promoter I would want it done before the event. With the cars being so good, I think they are as accurate or more accurate then some of the timing systems being used.


Working for the Weekend!!!!
Fordyce Motorsports
 
Posts: 252 | Location: Williamstown, NJ | Registered: November 20, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of DragRaceResults
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Here is an image that I put together for the starting line since I think there are many racers that don't know how the infared beams work on the starting line or how the stage loc beam in configured.

1st thing to note is that the "beam" is not really a lazer like beam. It is a flood of light across the track (shown in light red) with a receiver that picks up the light. The receiver creates the "beam". (shown in dark red as the receiver sees it)

2nd thing to note is that there isn't a separate "beam" for the stage loc, but a separate stage loc receiver that picks up the same light from the stage beam "hopefully".

3rd thing to note is that with the stage loc beam being created on an angle and it not directly controlling the stage beam there is no way to test it or to document is rollout setting.

Now for you geometry driven folk, how about the angled beam, staging left to right and car not going directly out? Figure that into your consistent reaction times.

This is a lot, so try to follow along. Feel free to chime in or ask questions, I'll try to elaborate.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DragRaceResults,
 
Posts: 2100 | Location: Gallatin, TN - U.S.A. | Registered: October 12, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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What can cause the Pre-Stage and Stage lights to go off or flicker without the car moving a noticeable amount?
 
Posts: 26 | Location: TEXAS...waiting to secede! | Registered: December 25, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post



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Picture of 27Keith
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What causes the prestage beam to light, then turn off as the racer rolls in deeper then re light just as th stage beam lights ? The stage beam is 1 9/16" high or something very close to that. What is the spec on the prestage beam ? I measured my front tires this week with all this BS going on. At 20# the edge of my wheel was just under 2". At 40# it was near 2 1/8".


4 X Track Champion ( 2 & 2 )
2 X Run off Winner
 
Posts: 2084 | Location: out there | Registered: March 31, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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len281 - good question. A lot of this depends on "if" stage loc is on or off. This is a setting that can be turned on or off in the computer. So there are multiple answers. Also remember the stage loc function does NOT go into effect until the stage to start time has been implemented. This is the time from when all 4 bulbs are lit to when the 1st amber comes on. I think .6 seconds is the normal setting.

There is some unclarity on the stage loc function but I've done a lot of digging over the years and will try to explain to the best of my knowledge.

If stage loc was on and the bulb flickered off prior to or while the stage loc was turning on and the first bulb comes on, basically a simultaneous act, the red light would drop. or a possible glitch or electrical interference that somehow dropped signal to the receivers, or a beam redirection / bleed into the receivers but for both is highly unlikely. For both to go off at the same time it's my opinion this would be an electrical or interference glitch and not necessarily be a stage loc issue. With stage loc implemented there is no real way for the stage or pre stage bulb to go off unless the wheel moves completely out of the stage loc beam.

If stage loc was off, there are 3 variables. 1) car moves out of stage beam while tree is counting down and you would see top bulb flicker. 2) Electrical / interference glitch that drops signal to receiver/s, 3) beam redirection / bleed but again the odds of this happening to both stage and prestage at the same time is very high but a high possibility if we're just talking the stage bulb.

27Keith - with a dragster I'd say it's most likely a high pre stage beam / receiver where it's creeping thru the wheel. Also the sensitivity can be set on the receivers and it could be set a little light to where when the beam is initially broke it turns off but has enough light to reactivate it when it get's broken more. (see diagram and how much light is being sent towards the receivers)

SL...
 
Posts: 2100 | Location: Gallatin, TN - U.S.A. | Registered: October 12, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Thanks for the detailed explanation. I have seen both lights go off then red light and both go off ,back on and a very late light (.145) and the ET over the same amount as the Reaction Time. I've been told by the track it's a stage lock issue but I think they just don't know. I've seen this in both lanes at different times and once both lanes at the same time.
 
Posts: 26 | Location: TEXAS...waiting to secede! | Registered: December 25, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of regal
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Most track operators don’t have a clue how there timing systems work in general.


Chris Walters
 
Posts: 120 | Location: New Whiteland,Indiana | Registered: January 18, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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quote:
Originally posted by regal:
Most track operators don’t have a clue how there timing systems work in general.


Sad but true
 
Posts: 26 | Location: TEXAS...waiting to secede! | Registered: December 25, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Bigdrive88
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So really Stage-Loc does not have anything to do with the actual staging process meaning when you are staging you are still staging & getting where you want. ( In other words it's not locking you in before your really in). Then once a 4 are lit it activates & basically keeps the cars who move on the tranbrake from either backing out or rolling forward out of the beam



quote:
Originally posted by DragRaceResults:
len281 - good question. A lot of this depends on "if" stage loc is on or off. This is a setting that can be turned on or off in the computer. So there are multiple answers. Also remember the stage loc function does NOT go into effect until the stage to start time has been implemented. This is the time from when all 4 bulbs are lit to when the 1st amber comes on. I think .6 seconds is the normal setting.

There is some unclarity on the stage loc function but I've done a lot of digging over the years and will try to explain to the best of my knowledge.

If stage loc was on and the bulb flickered off prior to or while the stage loc was turning on and the first bulb comes on, basically a simultaneous act, the red light would drop. or a possible glitch or electrical interference that somehow dropped signal to the receivers, or a beam redirection / bleed into the receivers but for both is highly unlikely. For both to go off at the same time it's my opinion this would be an electrical or interference glitch and not necessarily be a stage loc issue. With stage loc implemented there is no real way for the stage or pre stage bulb to go off unless the wheel moves completely out of the stage loc beam.

If stage loc was off, there are 3 variables. 1) car moves out of stage beam while tree is counting down and you would see top bulb flicker. 2) Electrical / interference glitch that drops signal to receiver/s, 3) beam redirection / bleed but again the odds of this happening to both stage and prestage at the same time is very high but a high possibility if we're just talking the stage bulb.

27Keith - with a dragster I'd say it's most likely a high pre stage beam / receiver where it's creeping thru the wheel. Also the sensitivity can be set on the receivers and it could be set a little light to where when the beam is initially broke it turns off but has enough light to reactivate it when it get's broken more. (see diagram and how much light is being sent towards the receivers)

SL...
 
Posts: 185 | Location: Hagerstown | Registered: September 01, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Posts: 2100 | Location: Gallatin, TN - U.S.A. | Registered: October 12, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post



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