Calling all Footbrakers!

April 16, 2021, 12:22 PM

How many of you bottom bulbers deep stage? I have seen quite a few faster footbrake cars deep staging these days (6.0-6.50 cars). I don't footbrake often, but when I do I still try to flicker the stage bulb, and leave when I see the Bottom yellow come on. But now that Motor Mania is having more televised footbrake races. I'm seeing what I consider to be faster footbrake cars, go deep and then looks like they're trying to leave when the green comes on.

Any opinions on this? What do you do?

April 16, 2021, 01:34 PM

1320racer

Deep stated my slowed to run 5.70 Firebird for many years.

April 16, 2021, 07:13 PM

CURTIS REED

Not allowed around here but I’ve never known why someone would need to.

April 19, 2021, 07:18 AM

Holytown

I talked to a guy about it this weekend, and he said it basically takes the roll out out of the equation. What I took from it was you're only dealing with one beam rather than 2.

April 19, 2021, 08:33 AM

SlyFox

quote:
Originally posted by Holytown:
I talked to a guy about it this weekend, and he said it basically takes the roll out out of the equation. What I took from it was you're only dealing with one beam rather than 2.

Not true at all. The spacing between the pre-stage and stage beams determines how deeply you are situated into the stage beam when you bump out of the pre-stage beam.

April 19, 2021, 08:40 AM

442OLDS

I race in Stock Eliminator where it is not allowed or necessary in my car, but if I was a regular bracket no box bottom bulb racer,I think I would de tune the car and do it.
It might be flawed thinking, but I look at it like this:
If you were to drive from Chicago to Los Angeles or Chicago to Milwaukee,which trip would you be able to consistently make in a consistent manner? The Milwaukee trip is much shorter,therefore there are less potential delays.
You still have to be consistent in hitting the tree, but I'll take less rollout over more rollout anyday.
Now within minutes,someone will come on here and say that I have no idea what I am talking about.
It doesn't matter because I would be red all day long if I went deep in my car and I am not allowed to do it anyways.

April 19, 2021, 09:09 AM

Holytown

quote:
Originally posted by 442OLDS:
I race in Stock Eliminator where it is not allowed or necessary in my car, but if I was a regular bracket no box bottom bulb racer,I think I would de tune the car and do it.
It might be flawed thinking, but I look at it like this:
If you were to drive from Chicago to Los Angeles or Chicago to Milwaukee,which trip would you be able to consistently make in a consistent manner? The Milwaukee trip is much shorter,therefore there are less potential delays.
You still have to be consistent in hitting the tree, but I'll take less rollout over more rollout anyday.
Now within minutes,someone will come on here and say that I have no idea what I am talking about.
It doesn't matter because I would be red all day long if I went deep in my car and I am not allowed to do it anyways.

Interesting theory. I don't bottom bulb much so I have no clue if its correct though.

Hoping some deep stagers get in here and let us know!

April 19, 2021, 09:46 AM

CURTIS REED

quote:
Originally posted by 442OLDS:
I race in Stock Eliminator where it is not allowed or necessary in my car, but if I was a regular bracket no box bottom bulb racer,I think I would de tune the car and do it.
It might be flawed thinking, but I look at it like this:
If you were to drive from Chicago to Los Angeles or Chicago to Milwaukee,which trip would you be able to consistently make in a consistent manner? The Milwaukee trip is much shorter,therefore there are less potential delays.
You still have to be consistent in hitting the tree, but I'll take less rollout over more rollout anyday.
Now within minutes,someone will come on here and say that I have no idea what I am talking about.
It doesn't matter because I would be red all day long if I went deep in my car and I am not allowed to do it anyways.

You don't know what you're talking about. Nobody wants to go to Milwaukee. LOL

April 19, 2021, 11:49 AM

KWig

HA ha ha !!!

April 19, 2021, 05:47 PM

1320racer

you'll find many footbrakers deep staging in the north and the south east regardless of how fast their car is.

April 19, 2021, 06:00 PM

M120

Think of the difference in rpm shallow vs deep

April 19, 2021, 06:02 PM

BG7X77

Very True. We have a lot of deep staging down south. I would consider it if I couldn't use t brake in no box. And may have to do just that at some tracks I haven't had the pleasure of racing at who don't allow it.

I see some very successful racers doing it. One notable very good one Ernie Humes uses both shallow and deep.....probably say I have seen him deep more but not all the time.. Never asked him why he changes maybe track or rollout weather maybe how car is leaving....only know him in passing.....idk

..I think it's another tool in the arsenal. And definitely should be considered. I think a LOT of people who think they are waiting on last bulb are anticipating it........if they actually tried to react to last light would be late.

April 19, 2021, 06:32 PM

1320racer

several benefits to deep staging a footbrake launched car.

April 19, 2021, 09:11 PM

BarneyB

I have not bottom bulb a car since the early 80’s but even back then I deep staged.

April 20, 2021, 09:56 AM

BG7X77

Other than reacting faster and putting wheel out front altering ET MPH typical results what advantage is there to deep staging. Isn't it still a math game at the final analysis.

April 20, 2021, 10:46 AM

qtrrcr

What if you took the math out of the equation,lets say left lane deep stages, right lane shallow stages, both cars run perfect packages, would the car closest to the finish line at the start i.e., the left lane win?

April 20, 2021, 11:00 AM

Holytown

quote:
Originally posted by qtrrcr:
What if you took the math out of the equation,lets say left lane deep stages, right lane shallow stages, both cars run perfect packages, would the car closest to the finish line at the start i.e., the left lane win?

I think that would be impossible, because if both cars ran perfect packages they covered the start-finish distance in an equal amount of time.

April 20, 2021, 11:11 AM

BG7X77

It would make zero difference in the determination of the winner.

April 20, 2021, 01:56 PM

ferndaleflyer

Really? As one that has been involved in just the situation mentioned above, Have you ever seen a tie in a drag race? I didn't think so.

April 20, 2021, 02:19 PM

CURTIS REED

quote:
Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
Really? As one that has been involved in just the situation mentioned above, Have you ever seen a tie in a drag race? I didn't think so.

Fern, the question of PERFECT packages implies that it would be a tie though, not that it was real world experience of such.