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What do you think of the new staging lights? (2 Viewers)

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First, I think the new lights are great from the drivers persepctive.

From a fan's perspective, given that my seats at the Gators and Southern Nationals are right at the starting line, I cannot see anything given the shielding that they have around the new lights. I like to know when the cars are pre-staged and staged where I can get ready for the launch, which I could do with the old lights.

I was thinking that maybe they could put another light on each end of the tree (perpendicular to the starting line) where the fans could see it. JMO.
 
Incandescent bulbs are heaeded the way of the Polaroid camera. At some point change was coming. The time is now. NHRA is aware of the issue that depending on where you sit, you can't see them. And different solutions are being looked at. As I understand it, they want to decide the best course and then implement it. When that is decided then you will see another change.

Not for the drivers, but for the fans,

Alan
 
The look good on TV, I've been wondering what they look like in person. It seems to vary greatly depending on where you sit.

I'd be curious to see how this has or if it has, had any effect on reaction times.
 
I don't know if anyone noticed but -

I noticed on the side opposite the cameras they had a traditional Christmas tree set up pointed towards the fans (and behind the drivers). I would guess this was the quick solution to the problems discussed above.
 
Registered member said:
I don't know if anyone noticed but -

I noticed on the side opposite the cameras they had a traditional Christmas tree set up pointed towards the fans (and behind the drivers). I would guess this was the quick solution to the problems discussed above.
Click to expand...

I noticed that as well.......it'll be interesting to see what they come up with as a permanent solution.
 
I believe this the way it is going to be until someone higher then the fans start complaining about the new lights.
 
In bright sunlight they are better than the old incandescents . . . you are always certain of whether or not a beam is broken.

I agree they are harder for the spectator and hopefully that will be adjusted.

While it was never that bright at Bristol last week, I have had to tell my wife a couple of times at Vegas (at a specific time of day in the left lane) whether she had lit the top beam or not . . . we never take that lane in elims if possible.
 
I am a big fan of the effort put forth to try something new. I really think if this is the way of the future, maybe they need to look at two circles of leds rather than two half moons.
I watched Atlanta from 1000' and did not really like the half moons from that point of the track.
Bobby Lagana Jr.
 
I dont like them at all,very hard to see if your a spectator,and we are the paying customer lol.
 
I find them very hard to watch. We can certainly do better! Here are some other observations about the tree in general. The tree is the focal point of drag racing. It needs to be bigger, brighter and a focus that everyone watching can see easily. I feel the dividers should be gone. As a part of handicap racing one of the subtle cool things are watching "both" sides of the tree countdown. Why do we have the dividers anyway? I stand at the fence at the 900' to the finish line at some point during every event and its very difficult to see the tree. Even in the stands on each side of the track, you cannot see the flash of yellow because of the "blinder/dividers" if you are right in line of the side of the tree. Or add another set of bulbs down the side of the tree directly toward the stands. And there is no way to see the red-light in the far lane (you only know when you look at the scoreboard) Would it not be cool if we had some kind of tree every 300 feet or so that faced the fans. It could be one-sided and out in the grass between the wall and stands as to not distract from anything happening on the track, but it would be a real plus for the fans and something new.

Ok, thats my 2 cents worth...................
 
I find them very hard to watch as well. Correct me if I am wrong wasn't this supposed to be an experiment when it first debuted and then they were gonna go back to the old tree? Well apparantly the NHRA said that everyone liked them so much that ever since it debuted they never went back to the old tree. Some experiment! I don't exactly know who the NHRA claims is "everyone"
 
The dividers are on the tree to prevent people in the full tree classes (the classes where the tree is staggered, one lane starts before the other) from getting two shots at the tree. If you can see both lane's yellows, the faster car is at a clear advantage. They can release their button on the other guy's light, and then on their light, and the smarter boxes can choose between the two reaction times, leaving on the faster of them. The faster car already has a strategic advantage at the end of the track (they are the chaser, not the chased), the dividers prevent them from getting this additional advantage. This is also why you'd have to be careful about putting additional lights in other places as they could just key off of those.

Also, the size and specifically height of the tree is something not to be tinkered with lightly. Many vehicles (notably Pro Stock Cars and Funny Cars) have very limited viewing capabilities, especially around intakes, and the tree needs to be clearly visible. That's one of the reasons why the new staging lights are so preferred, as they put two functions in the physical space where one light used to be.
 
Registered member said:
Also, the size and specifically height of the tree is something not to be tinkered with lightly. Many vehicles (notably Pro Stock Cars and Funny Cars) have very limited viewing capabilities, especially around intakes, and the tree needs to be clearly visible. That's one of the reason why the new staging lights are so preferred, as they put two functions in the physical space where one light used to be.
Click to expand...

I can understand that, you just really have to focus well as a fan for the changes in the shade of light when you never had to do that before. Maybe they could make the half moons different colors. Like Blue to pre-stage and orange or something to stage and that way your not relying on a brighter shade of blue like now to stage and then will rely on an unquestionable different color.
 
Registered member said:
I can understand that, you just really have to focus well as a fan for the changes in the shade of light when you never had to do that before. Maybe they could make the half moons different colors. Like Blue to pre-stage and orange or something to stage and that way your not relying on a brighter shade of blue like now to stage and then will rely on an unquestionable different color.
Click to expand...

You make a good point. You have to be careful about colors, though, as many people are color blind, and colors appear different in different lights. But your point that the difference can be subtle is very true.

When I first saw them, I wondered if a just the ring for pre-stage and fully solid for stage was a better choice. Right now it's "top-half-ring" for pre-stage, and "whole ring plus center bar" for stage. If the whole circle was filled for stage, the difference would be more pronounced. Maybe?
 
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