thought this would be helpful to some of the beginners.
Bracket Racing is also known as E.T. racing, or Handicap racing. That doesn't mean that you have to be handicapped as a racer, though. The best weapon you have at your disposal to use in order to become competitive is knowledge. Take nothing for granted, learn everything.
Listen to what everyone has to say, and then decide for yourself what advice is worthwhile. Even if what another driver has to say is total trash: listen. You should then figure out what is wrong with what he was saying and discover what is right.
Every part of the track is important. I don't mean just the track itself, either. You should know what goes on in the tower, the pits, and most importantly, in your own mind. Psychology is a huge part of racing. Knowing the track, yourself, and your opponents is an advantage you cannot pass up. If you are new to the sport of bracket racing, you can get the idea by reading
intro to bracket racing
On the track, there are only two places that really count: the starting line and the finish line. For the starting line, check out the
reaction time clinic. The clinic includes a look at the starting line and Christmas Tree components, rollout, and how they combine with the car and driver to come up with the reaction time you see on your time slip.
The finish line is a tough thing to talk about, since it is largely a matter of driving by the seat of the pants, along with trial and (lots of) error. Nonetheless,
Top-end Tactics covers the little bit of science involved. Track position, reaction times, ET's and
Dial-In Strategies all affect top end racing. We are lucky enough to have something called
ET Predictors and weather stations Fred Bartoli of Altronics.
There is a lot of work to be done in the pits in-between rounds that can be taken for granted. Fuel, tire pressure, engine cool-down,
log books,
practice trees,
delay boxes, and more. Mental preparation is important as well. To delve into your own thoughts, check out the
Psychology of Drag Racing.
I hope you find this Guide to Bracket Racing both enjoyable and informative. Good luck at the track!
Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!
makes sense, but with a practice tree...do u jest set it up in a parking lot and do starts???
Thanks for the info! Wish i would have found this before my eyes decided it was way past bed time.
PSN ID: Phatchance249
LiquidFireCavy (mdk) wrote:makes sense, but with a practice tree...do u jest set it up in a parking lot and do starts???
you can do that. but they also have a pocket and table top version. if you saw the disney movie about Erica Enders (female drag racer) then you would see the table top version
and this is what i got from the guide when i clicked on the link for practice trees. then used the info i got from there and googled it.
practice trees
not something the once a month or novice racer buys. unless he plans on getting serious
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Thursday, December 21, 2006 8:54 PM
Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!
your welcome
Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!
The links you provided above give some excellent tips, especially for those new to bracket racing, or those who are wanting to improve. I see many racers who won't even try it because they don't understand what they need to in order to be successful. I can't say that I agree with all of the suggestions they provide, but they provide an excellent starting point. I think the best bracket races are the ones when both drivers cross the line neck-and-neck with wide open throttles and no brakes. This can't always happen, but they are more fun. I believe in dialing realistically and not needing the brakes, except for insurance if I am way ahead at the line. Strategies will vary slightly between drivers (and even between cars driven by the same driver). With practice, you will learn what works best for you.
I was lucky enough to become friends with some excellent bracket racers in my early days, and I learned alot from them. They didn't teach me everything they knew, but they taught me enough to avoid mistakes that would make winning difficult. I have raced at over a dozen different tracks, and I have always found friendly folks who would give some tips along the way (if you are friendly and ask the right way, and don't wait until you're in the staging lanes about to race). Get to know the "regulars" at your track, and you'll probably find some helpful folks (especially in the more "entry levels," when big bucks are on the line advice is less common I've found).
I am a huge fan of both practice trees and weather stations/predictors. They won't win a race FOR you, but they will dramatically improve your reaction times, and will help you alot with your dial-in. Especially in "Trophy" or "Street" divisions, where most racers don't use them, and if you do, you will have an edge. If you don't have a practice tree, you will just have to spend more time at the track. With practice you should get better on the tree. If you don't have a weather station, keep meticulous records. Before I bought mine, I used a decorative wall mount that had temp, barometric pressure, and humidity guages. They weren't very accurate, but they helped inform me of changes in weather that would impact engine performance. Then I could review my records later to see how the car ran in similar weather conditions. These little things could make a big difference.
If you've never bracket raced, give it a try. You might end up enjoying it as much as I have for the last 14 years!
'93 Sunbird SE 3.1 5-speed
'00 Grand Prix GTP Sedan
sunbird93racer@yahoo.com
Good read, I already knew most of it.
I always shallow stage, just easier to do in my opinion.
My only add to this.
Sand bagging is for bitches.
This one guy at my track is SO bad at this that we brought a sand bag and laid it against his rear wheel in the staging lanes.
PRND321 Till I DIE
Old Motor: 160whp & 152ft/lbs, 1/4 Mile 15.4 @88.2
M45 + LD9 + 4T40-E, GO GO GO
I fully agree that shallow staging allows for a more consistent starting point (and therefore more consistent lights and 60 fts). I have tried deep staging, and never felt like it worked for me.
I had to laugh at your sandbagging comment. I couldn't agree more! Like I said, the best bracket race is the one where both drivers go thru the traps wide open, door handle to door handle. It's one thing if someone is dialing soft by 2 or 3 hundredths, it's another when they dial soft by 2 or 3 tenths (or more)! I once had a 10 second car dial 19 seconds (in a trophy competition). He raced to the finish line, and stopped right before the end to wait for me! He tried to time his taking the line, and failed, I beat him. He would get killed if someone lost control and hit him. The track never should have allowed that.
'93 Sunbird SE 3.1 5-speed
'00 Grand Prix GTP Sedan
sunbird93racer@yahoo.com
there was a guy this past year at my local track who would pull his e-brake toward the end causing him to fish tail and almost lost control. some of us complained. he never came back
Im a Xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud of it!!
