Hi you guys, I'm a new guy to posting here but I do drop in and read a bit to learn from others.
I've been discussing staging procedure with a buddy of mine and how we get on the gas pedal after full stage, I only put my throttle to the floor on my second yellow and he gets on full throttle as soon as he stages no matter if there's a 2 second spot or heads up race( of course with a transbrake and 2 step). When do you guys go full throttle after full stage?

That’s what PRO -STAGE is for….

quote:

Originally posted by halfpint:
Hi you guys, I'm a new guy to posting here but I do drop in and read a bit to learn from others.
I've been discussing staging procedure with a buddy of mine and how we get on the gas pedal after full stage, I only put my throttle to the floor on my second yellow and he gets on full throttle as soon as he stages no matter if there's a 2 second spot or heads up race( of course with a transbrake and 2 step). When do you guys go full throttle after full stage?

How consistent are your reaction times? It's almost like you're hitting the tree twice, once to go on the chip, and once to hit the tree?

Are you racing top bulb or bottom bulb?

^^^ Like Eman asked, Top or Bottom bulb?
I am a bottom bulber, and I go to the mat fairly quick after Stage, so I can focus on my spot. I have an oversize trans cooler, and can sit on the chip without worry of heating things up. Sure, if it is a super wide spread, and I will be spotting the guy longer than a few seconds, I will wait a bit. Everyone is different, but if I was waiting until the 2nd amber to bring it on the chip I feel like that could possibly cost me a screw-up now and then. In my mind, if I am spotting 2 seconds, or leaving first, I treat it the same way: Stage it, mat it, focus on the 3rd yellow. (If I were using a delay box I might do things differently).

Listen to Footbrake,MAT IT,once both cars are staged,leave on bottom bulb,make it simple ,mating after the top bulb is just 1 more step to screw up,make it simple.

HAMMER

Have bottom bulbed the vette most of the time since 2002. I block the top 2 bulbs so once I have staged and my opponent is in I put it on the mat-never hurt anything but have dual trans coolers so... I treat the bottom just like the top-see light let go-lol just adjust car instead of box.

The vehicle and engine size and setup matter here.

When we first got my wife’s dragster it didn’t have pro stage / starting line enhancer. The procedure was always let go on the top bulb then floor it, and if she was giving a head start to wait. Every time she raced a 10 second car and forgot to wait and floored it after she let go the car would pick up .03. The extra heat in the converter loosened it up and it liked it apparently. That’s in a 7.50 dragster with about 1000 horsepower so a lower powered combo might not see the same results.

I can also say as a matter of driving, if someone stages first and immediately goes on the chip while I’m pre staged, I’m not gonna move, they can sit and burn it down on the chip while I wait for close to 10 seconds to go by. Or if they realized they messed up and let off I’ll get the bottom bulb on right away.

^^^ I need to clarify my comment / routine. It may have sounded like I throttle up as soon as I am staged, but by Staged, I meant both drivers/cars. I do what Hammer and Vetman said, if I am staged first, I don't deck the throttle until both cars are fully staged.

I should have mentioned I race top bulb

quote:

Originally posted by FootbrakeJim:
^^^ Like Eman asked, Top or Bottom bulb?
I am a bottom bulber, and I go to the mat fairly quick after Stage, so I can focus on my spot. I have an oversize trans cooler, and can sit on the chip without worry of heating things up. Sure, if it is a super wide spread, and I will be spotting the guy longer than a few seconds, I will wait a bit. Everyone is different, but if I was waiting until the 2nd amber to bring it on the chip I feel like that could possibly cost me a screw-up now and then. In my mind, if I am spotting 2 seconds, or leaving first, I treat it the same way: Stage it, mat it, focus on the 3rd yellow. (If I were using a delay box I might do things differently).

Install a SLE, this is what I use on my door car and dragster

https://www.biondoracing.com/p...arting-line-control/

I'm with Ed on this one. I use an SLE also, once you get used to it it's awesome.

Now if I could figure out how to make it drive the top end for me!

I mat it on my second bulb. I'm so used to doing that I don't even realize I've done it most of the time...

Now if I can just remember to put it in first gear every time........

Top bulb without an SLE, I release and go to the floor. Been doing that for many years. As a slow car, I am usually always leaving first.

In my Nova, I now have an SLE and stage with the gas pedal on the pedal stop.

If you want to go back a few years when I drove a dragster, I used to double hit the tree on slower cars and go to the floor after the second hit. (old school crossing before crosstalk with no SLE)

The way your buddy is doing it will induce inconsistency.

I use a SLE. Wide open .8 from launch. My car will 60 ft better if I tighten it up to .6 but the track has to be good to handle it. Before I went SLE I matted it when the top dropped.

SLE - cross talk

Another reason to be 2 seconds or so slower, dialed 6.39 or slower 110-111 mph, where there's no regulations - licenses.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
SLE - cross talk

Another reason to be 2 seconds or so slower, dialed 6.39 or slower 110-111 mph, where there's no regulations - licenses.

They turn crosstalk off for the gamblers races at our track and yes you are better off being the slow car leaving from a clean tree.

Wasn't this originally by a bottom bulb guy? At our local track a SLE or CO2-air-12V throttle controls are not allowed. 2 steps yes.
When I ran the bottom I blocked the middle, matted it on top bulb and left at the next light (the 3rd) I could see. At night I used LEDs on the blinder to eliminate the glare.

Thinking of trying that next year and running Box and No Box at our races in this area.

I never liked being on the chip that long, just an old school thought as lots of guys doing it and engines stay together.

8 OUNCES,

I've never "matted" UNTIL my second bulb is on, top-bulbing with trans-brake & 2-step since the early 1980s making thousands of runs, AND I can tell you nothing generates more heat from that converter like hydraulics when your pushing fluid via 800-1240HP motors (over my 40 years of racing). It may not be an issue in rounds 1,2,3 but when you start hot lapping (especially when u are the quicker car) to sit there with the valve body locked in reverse & forward at the same time with the chip at 3800-4400 holding the vehicle back. I hope your running at least synthetic fluid. IF you have good hand to eye coordination, it should be of no consequence to let go when the second bulb comes on. It only take a half second, and most of us do it without even thinking about it. Most full time bracket racers do it (that don't have SLE). I don't use SLE, as my preference(as I've seen to many failures with air sleeve failing, CO2/air bottles running empty, linkage issues etc) but the SLE DOES keep the trans heat away even better and the way to go from that standpoint as it leaves like a foot brake car. I have heard racers who "MAT" after 4 stage bulbs are on, say they can't do it or they think the motor will NOT have time to ramp up to the chip RPM from the second bulb. If your carb/injection is right, its not an issue. If your comfortable with it - go for it, your trans/converter will thank you ! Just my opinion & 2¢.

quote:

Originally posted by Toad1:
Wasn't this originally by a bottom bulb guy? At our local track a SLE or CO2-air-12V throttle controls are not allowed. 2 steps yes.
When I ran the bottom I blocked the middle, matted it on top bulb and left at the next light (the 3rd) I could see. At night I used LEDs on the blinder to eliminate the glare.

Thinking of trying that next year and running Box and No Box at our races in this area.

I never liked being on the chip that long, just an old school thought as lots of guys doing it and engines stay together.

quote:

Originally posted by halfpint:
I should have mentioned I race top bulb

Nope