Average Reaction Time (First Three Events) (1 Viewer)

[mikebcurve]

I’ve seen these being posted around. Some are surprising, others are not. I know car setup can affect this, but didn’t expect to see Enders so low. How about Chad Green schooling the veterans!

 

[Cliff]

I wonder if nitro drivers will start getting R/T like P/S? Am noticing some T/AD and TA/FC getting really good R/T.

 

[mikebcurve]

Justin Ashley was averaging way above everyone else in his rookie season. Pretty impressive numbers for top fuel.

 

[J. S.]

I remember maybe 2 years ago or so that Mike Salinas went thru a period when his R/T's were all of a sudden really good. Now, they have drifted back into the not-so-good range. I wonder what happened there?

I find it interesting that Cruz Pedregon's R/T's are so poor. How much is it the driver, and how much is it the way the car is set up?

 

[DanTheFan]

Unscientific observation….the bottom three all have other duties on the car…owner/tuner etc. in an Nhra.tv interview last Week, Ashley slyly said that the setup is part of it. But I’m sure it’s his talent in a large way too.

 

[mikebcurve]

There are a lot of factors at play when you really think about it. If the lower drivers didn’t go far into eliminations and smoked the tires at the hit, they had a fewer reactions to average. The top drivers probably made it deeper into eliminations and had a bigger pool of reactions, which weren’t drug down by the bad. I feel like I over explained or muddied that up worse, lol.

 

[5150 mechanic]

Also a fuel car launches off idle, everything opening and flowing takes a little bit.

 

[Ramjet]

When we got a Practice tree (Actual Full Tree that we ran the cars on) years ago for the kids we ran in the jr dragsters they sent us a whole lot of information and a way to separate the different parts of the “Reaction Time”. On average it takes about .210 to recognise that the amber light comes on. That is an average - not a constant. It also leaves .190 on a .400 tree for the Green to come on. With LED lights everything happens a little faster, but not a lot. That .210 average depends on Eye coordination to drivers Motor Skills needed to push the Pedal down. Total concentration is the only way to be consistant on the drivers part of the leave. The rest of the approximately .190 is taken up by position of the front wheels in the staging area and mecanical (physical) things like the Throttle linkage - Barrel Valve response - Clutch settings as well as if the first movement of the vehicle is "Up" or "Forward". The lights don't care how you clear the beam. If the first movement is up when it is normally forward you might be rewarded with a Red Light. Also the Fuel cars have increased the idle about 300/400 RPM or more when staging so acceleration is quicker. In classes like Pro Stock that is why they are always changing the brake pressure - clutch linkage and the button distance on the brake lock for Starting Line conditions.

 

[stitcherbob]

John Force is not too shabby for a 72yo....

Way back when I raced ETown's Mopar Nationals, I followed the advice of Mr. Dirt in SS&DI.....
1- if you are slow, like they have to tap you on the shoulder to go, drink a sugary beverage (Mountain Dew if you are consistantly 1.___ on the tree)
2- if you are on the verge of redlighting every round, have a burger or something heavy like a cheesesteak or a sausage and pepper hoagie to slow you down


great advice from Mr Brett Kepner

 

[none]

A lot of the RT is affected by how shallow or deep you stage the car. Force regularly chunks it in deep......................

 

[Jack]

If Dejoria can figure out how to somehow get those .100 lights she's cut for years down to .070 lights she will win multiple events this year. She has the car to do it.

 

[camaro]

Whats with Erica ?, for the last decade Her RT's were psychic or computer like! and while she's not doing bad now, she used cut .00 lights on cue