Stage Lok was around long before TruStart. They have nothing to do with each other, and can be turned on or off independently.

Stage Lok could be a great option if the program was changed. It has been brought to Compulink's attention, but I'm not sure it's on the top of their list to fix.

All that would need to be done with the programming is to make it to where this function becomes inactive once the prestage bulb receptor becomes engaged again.

In other words, when the car moves forward or up to where the prestage bulb goes off, the stage lok would be turned off.

This would eliminate all the inaccuracies of stage lok affecting the reaction times.

But hey, entry fees are only getting bigger and the purses more elaborate. Why worry about the details.

I'm a big fan of NOT having stage lok turned on.

AND... for the record. I'm a fan of TruStart. Has nothing to do with Stage Lok.

SL... chime on

quote:

Originally posted by Boucher Jr:
Its not that complicated...

Stage lock= Invented by democrat voting three step users who aparently cant make a car sit still to go along with their lack of ability to control one in motion.

Its really pathetic that it exists.

Truth.
If you can't put it in deep enough....

Next time y'all are standing around the starting line, grab a pen or pencil and put it in a beam. You won't believe how small of a movement will flicker the lamp.
You can barely detect a "flicker" happening with incandescent stage lamps.

Stage lock is a bad idea.

quote:

Originally posted by Goob:
Next time y'all are standing around the starting line, grab a pen or pencil and put it in a beam. You won't believe how small of a movement will flicker the lamp.
You can barely detect a "flicker" happening with incandescent stage lamps.

Stage lock is a bad idea.

x2.

The Pre-Stage and Stage bulbs should be LED's as well.

That being said, when the instant red Stage Lok glitch rears it's head, the pre-stage and stage lights go out simultaneously.

quote:

Originally posted by DragRaceResults:
Stage Lok could be a great option if the program was changed. It has been brought to Compulink's attention, but I'm not sure it's on the top of their list to fix.

All that would need to be done with the programming is to make it to where this function becomes inactive once the prestage bulb receptor becomes engaged again.

In other words, when the car moves forward or up to where the prestage bulb goes off, the stage lok would be turned off.

This would eliminate all the inaccuracies of stage lok affecting the reaction times.

But hey, entry fees are only getting bigger and the purses more elaborate. Why worry about the details.

I'm a big fan of NOT having stage lok turned on.

AND... for the record. I'm a fan of TruStart. Has nothing to do with Stage Lok.

SL... chime on

Scott

I too am a fan of TruStart the only reason I dragged it into this conversation was because we really hadn't consistently seen this particular issue prior to it's use. Obviously previous to TurStart the tree would drop red instantly when the issue arose.. Now the tree isn't doing that so it looked a bit different than any previous time it happened. Was sure if it was an isolated issue to Stage-Lock or if some how Stage-Lock had been programmed incorrectly to TruStart.. I've never really interacted with the timing system computer to know they are independent options.

That being said I wish the Stage-Lock feature was turned off or improved.. I have my car wired so I push both the line-lock and transbrake on the starting line to prevent any movement all all. This may the next improvement to the car in question...

Apparently i don't know how to stage, in my 45 years of racing and my sons 27 years , neither of us has ever been red lighted because of staging shallow , in bracket racing i don't believe staging super shallow is an advantage

Shallow staging allows for more consistent light. Once you are past shallow it is harder to get in the same mount every time.

I disagree, you can put out the pre-stage bulb the same way you can shallow stage and be very consistent doing it. Less roll out = less variables and more consistent. Just my .02

quote:

Originally posted by Tom Reyer:
I disagree, you can put out the pre-stage bulb the same way you can shallow stage and be very consistent doing it. Less roll out = less variables and more consistent. Just my .02

That would be deep staging which isn’t allowed at some tracks in some classes hence the shallow staging. It’s more of a box thing I believe but don’t take my word for that.

Ok so in the case that I mentioned when very shallow staging, and the resulting crazy high number red bulb.....the track manager said it was because their software doesn't have stagelock. We never have this problem at any other track. This track manager said that they have this trouble with super pro cars too that stage shallow.

^^^^^^^^^^ If door car, activating the Line Lock with the TB might be a good option to use.

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:
^^^^^^^^^^ If door car, activating the Line Lock with the TB might be a good option to use.

Jr dragster

There was a time that the starter did everything. If you came up to the beam and staged last and flickered the light a few times, the starter who doesn't like the fact that you are at the track from out of town and kicking all the locals asses activates the tree while you are trying to stage and on the trailer you go. Seen it many times over the years.

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:
I raced at tracks that announce that they do not use stage lock. This is telling me that if you flicker the stage light while staging and you’re the second car to stage, you run the risk of starting the tree and RL using this method.

No. The "Staged Minimum" setting keeps the tree from activating on a flicker. The Stage beam must be solid for the Staged Minimum time before the tree recognizes the car as fully staged. 0.6 seconds is standard.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ You’re correct Michael. I wrote this incorrectly.

But once staged if they do Not have Stage Lock and the tree drops and you roll back out flickering the lights you RL.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Beard:

quote:

Originally posted by markemark:
I raced at tracks that announce that they do not use stage lock. This is telling me that if you flicker the stage light while staging and you’re the second car to stage, you run the risk of starting the tree and RL using this method.

m" setting keeps the tree from activating on a flicker. The Stage beam must be solid for the Staged Minimum time before the tree recognizes the car as fully staged. 0.6 seconds is standard.

There was drag racing before stage lock. Starter made that decision.
They took the decision of whether the guys were in or not with stage lock.

quote:

Originally posted by Turk:
Compulink StageLok: The StageLok System is run in every class during every event.

I believe that statement is only true for national events. The track has to pay and have this add on option installed and alot do not have it. Its an expensive upgrade. Many small tracks don't want it or cant afford it.

To utilize Stage-Lok the track has to install the "guard beams" 16" in front of the Stage beam, so that Stage-Lok doesn't let the racer leave early without penalty.
This extra beam was also the compustink "fix" for the dreaded lazy infrared.

When a car backs out of the beam to start the ET timer, it will reflect in the ET.

Goob,

not sure who is feeding you this information but Guard beam and Stage lock are completely different functions. For those old racers Guard beam was called the Don Garlits fix. You could basically trick the system and get a running start before the stage beam released ( starting the timing system) if you had something hanging low on purpose or not on your car to keep the stage beam active. It was to prevent low hanging cars from not releasing the stage beam thats why the sensor was 16 inches in front of stage well actually they moved them to 13 inches some years ago. It also has its issues and used mostly at national events if even that anymore. Guard beams and stage lock have nothing to do with each other. Stage lock is a beam placed between prestage and stage beams. This is to lock the system in place if in the event the car rolls backwards a tiny bit. So Guard beam is a forward function and stage lock is a backwards function different sensors and programming.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Turk,

Designed this last year to explain to people how the hardware for stageloc is on the starting line.

Accutime's new stageloc function turns off when the prestage bulb goes out so it only works if the car goes backwards. So as soon as the car moves forward out of the prestage it's a non determining factor in RT or ET.

This has been proposed to be changed / upgraded at Compulink by some track operators and it looks like it may be coming in this winter's sofware upgrade.