Just wondering how the masses setup their delay boxes? Do you take your time trials and figure out where red is and set the delay from there or are you constantly adjusting it? Over the years at my home track I have found where red is and set the box the same from week to week. This just doesn't seem to cut it for me anymore. Last time out I was consistent on the tree but needed to take 15 out of box but didn't because of what I call my red light number in the delay box. Thanks! Kevin

quote:

Originally posted by Undertaker II:
Just wondering how the masses setup their delay boxes? Do you take your time trials and figure out where red is and set the delay from there or are you constantly adjusting it? Over the years at my home track I have found where red is and set the box the same from week to week. This just doesn't seem to cut it for me anymore. Last time out I was consistent on the tree but needed to take 15 out of box but didn't because of what I call my red light number in the delay box. Thanks! Kevin

Red light number sounds more like a ritual, than a strategy.

Rituals require lots of entry's.

Lots of entry's do not serve you.

It depends on the track really. My home track I have my number I won't go below unless they changed something in the roll out. It simple just to ask the track owner and other racers. (my home track, the lanes are different. I have to take out for the right lane)

I set up for an overall package. Normally, I take my time runs (and any elimination runs,) figure out my red light number and adjust from there.

Luke Bogaki once said to put in just enough so you wont red light then try to red light every time you let go

i have lost countless rounds because i was afraid to take time out.usually something did change,either the way i hit the tree,see the light or the car leaves.

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

I rarely race at the same track twice in a row, so I don't have hard minimum delay numbers based on history.

Make the time runs, determine which delay would have made the quickest light perfect, then add the desired safety margin to that.

Every human will have a natural “swing” in their human error or a reaction time. What I mean by this is that you will think you hit the tree just fine and maybe it’s a 15 light, then you think you hit it just fine and it’s a 7, then you hit it just fine and it’s a 20. This would be a swing of 13 thou on those 3 hits.

My swing is typically 15 thou. If I’ve been practicing well then it’s around 8 thou.

Using 15 though as example I set my delay box where my middle reaction time is a .008. This means if I hit it on the best side of my swing it’s an 000, if it’s in the bad side it’s a 016.

Example time trial with 1142 in the box

.010
-.004

Set box first round at 1150

This is just me and by no means perfect

Except for the very rare occasion .030 green will turn on way more win lights than -.001 red. If I go red its usually a surprise and will not set myself up to do so numbers wise.

If I have been .025, .027 and .010 on a number I will not roll .010 out to help the slower times. Id rather just say I didn't feel clean and bump it red than setup to go red if I did everything right.

In other words dont set yourself up for failure....

This is one of those things where collecting data is king. It allows you to learn what your tendencies are.

I track all my runs in an excel spreadsheet and analyze the data to look for trends.

For example, when I first started racing, I would try to set up for 10 or better. After looking at the data I found that overwhelmingly the majority of my red lights were less than .005. So I set up for 15 or better and I have less red-lights.

I would rather be set up soft and be in the race then go .001 red.

Another thing is learning to access how you let go of the button. That is critical to making adjustments. So many times I have knocked .005 out of the box because I was a little slow the previous round, only to go less than .005 red.

Another thing I found for me, typically the later in the rounds I would get, my lights would fall off. I found as each round would go by, I would get more amped up, which for me slowed down my reaction time. I would tense up more which would cause me to have a slower release of the button. I could duplicate it on my practice tree. So I really worked at that mental aspect to try an not let the excitement amp me up.

I guess everyone has their own feel about what works best. I always felt that I should have enough delay that I should never react fast enough to go red unless I flinched before I saw the top yellow bulb. Doing it that way, if I managed to cut a bad light, then it was my fault and not the electronics. Don't go chasing for a better light if you're randomly asleep. There should just be enough delay so that you don't red light.

I guess if you went to different tracks and did 2-3 time trial runs without changing the setting and got 2-3 red lights, I would then add some delay so that I wouldn't red light in eliminations. I would need consistent time trial red lights to want to change my box setting.

My belief has always been that if you aren’t red once in a while, or accidentally give the stripe back on occasion, then you aren’t being aggressive enough in your approach.

It’s the cost of doing business to be successful over a long stretch.

Wish I could be more helpful, but if you roll up next to me, add A BUNCH. I'm just footbraking, so there is that. Take care. Tom Worthington

How much do you adjust delay when going from day to night lighting?

quote:

Originally posted by Ron Gusack:
How much do you adjust delay when going from day to night lighting?

If you get on a track with the blue prestage & stage bulbs/LED's. You don't have to adjust anything day or night.

Sun shining straight on it, you can see it perfect.

Best track innovation I've seen for drag racing.

Really makes it nice day or night.

Orlando SpeedWorld has all the latest technology, big LED scoreboards as well.

Smoothest best prepped track in Florida.

Mostly daylight to fairly dark I won't roll anything, twilight is where you will really see the bulb in my opinion.

Anytime we are in the heart of dusk I will roll .007 to .010 into the box.

quote:

Originally posted by Ron Gusack:
How much do you adjust delay when going from day to night lighting?

I've never seen a difference from day to night.. At dusk I have to throw in .005 to .010 or so. Couple weeks ago I was .001 two times in a row (TT and first round bye), threw in .008 for second round was .020 but knew I missed it and then come third round or fourth round it was going to dusk so I knew it'd be tight and was .005 but honestly everyone is different. I've always been the type to work on staying consistent when top bulbing because if you were to be -.005 red in your time trial, put in .010 to .015 to try to be green AND go up and say don't be red, you WILL be .020 or worse. In today's world of top bulb bracket racing, you need to strive to be better than .020 total or else people will get inside that all day long.

quote:

Originally posted by NortonRacing:
Mostly daylight to fairly dark I won't roll anything, twilight is where you will really see the bulb in my opinion.

Anytime we are in the heart of dusk I will roll .007 to .010 into the box.

Beat me to the punch on the dusk/twilight thing

When it gets really dark, I’ll pull 20 out from my daytime number.

I have a number I know is on the ragged edge of redlighting in my car. Its 1080. I have been .001- .002 red many times and awhile back was .0001 red.

If I am not at least 00_ with 1080 in I know I missed it. Never have less than that in the box.

I used to set up to be 10 on a good hit but I miss it some and go 15 plus I am usually loaded.