BKbroiler

This is from Island Dragway's annual Old Daze Drags for cars 30 years and older. I was in the N3 bracket for 12.00 to 13.99 dial-ins. There were 21 cars in the first round. Weather was warm and humid, DA around 2200, so not good conditions. But that doesn't matter in bracket racing. We ran 3 time shots instead of the usual 2. That was good since this was only my second time racing this year. The time slips above are for those runs. I'm car 311, in the right lane. 12.57, 12.57 and 12.58 - can't ask for more consistency. Reaction times (R/T) were good so I felt comfortable.


Time slips from rounds 1, 2 and 3 above. I stuck with the right lane. Ran an old Baracuda in Round 1. I didn't think he could go faster than his dial in, 13.00, but he did. I was close behind and I tapped the brakes while he broke out for the loss.
Round 2 was a 55 Chevy dialed 12.98. I raised my dial a little based on Round 1 time slip data. The guy in the 55 was sleeping on the line and couldn't run his number so that was an easy one.
Third round was a nice Plymouth Duster, dialed 12.20 - so I would get the head start. Still in the right lane, I adjusted my dial a little higher again. I left with a decent light, he redlighted. That's a minus .181 reaction for him. When the other guy red lights the race is over so I ran it flat out and went .01 below my dial. I had a .075 R/T and that would be important next round.


Round 4 now, down to 3 cars. Me, a 70 Camaro and an 85 Vette. Somebody was getting a bye into the final - this is usually based on best reaction time from the previous round. That turned out to be my .075. I was rooting for the Camaro since I was 0 for 3 against that Vette in the past, all redlights. He's like my white whale.
Well the Vette won and he was running the right lane all day also so I knew I might end up in the left lane in the final. So, I made my bye-run in the left lane. I was shocked to see my R/T was .006, but I still wanted the right lane in the final. Also, the car ran a little quicker on that run so I dialed down to 12.59 for the final. I ended up getting lane choice due my .006 light in the semifinal, so I took the right - forcing my nemesis to the left. There was over 4 tenths spot for me but due to his much better light and better 60 ft time he was at my side quickly. He pulled away about a car length so all I could do was force him to stay on the gas while I tapped the brakes at the stripe. he got there first but broke out by .02 while I was .02 over, for the win.


Here is the grand prize. It looks like a small ketchup bottle with me holding it.

v2racing

Congratulations! Pretty consistent. Winning always feels good.

Mike

C3 4ME

Great job!

Mod75

Congrats

CA-Legal-Vette

BKbroiler

Thanks. I was surprised when I saw that trophy. The funny thing was, the runner up trophy was a regular type trophy and it was bigger than the winner trophy. I guess size doesn't matter all the time.

427Hotrod

Wow...congratulations!! What a way to represent our old stuff!! Proves they still work...especially when you've got the car and the driver dialed in like you do!


JIM

The Punisher

Very cool. Congrats

BKbroiler

Thanks Jim. I was surprised to see 3 other C3s in the first round. I had never seen 2 of them before. No C2s though.

ajrothm

Nice job! The car was deadly consistent and you were "ON" them lights.... Good running car and good piloting...Glad to see you are still out racing it!

I wish we had a classics only/nostalgia race down here. I'd be all about it. About 5-6 years ago, we had a Nostalgia drags race, 1972 and older, it only lasted 3 years, but it had a lot of participants and was a hell of a lot of fun. I figured out that I'm not good at bracket racing...LOL

BKbroiler

Thanks Alan. If you were at this event, running mid 10s, you'd have been in N2 bracket, 10.00 to 11.99.There were about 30 cars in that group but most were 11 second cars so you would have the advantage as the faster car. And you probably would have been the only guy to drive his car to the track.

ajrothm

Back when I bracket raced it last time, it was pretty consistent 10.70s that day in qualifying. I dialed in 10.80. I got lucky and went a couple rounds due to opponents red lighting or spinning. I went out on a spinning pass... I bought back in and drew a 9.90 bracket car Chevelle with a delay box on the first round. I decided to give it hell.. I shallow staged, went hard all the way because I knew he was way faster and way more dialed in. I went a 10.68 on a 10.80 with a .600 light....But some how he still managed to beat me to the stripe and he didn't break out. I knew I lost from the break out, yet I also lost at the stripe. That was it for my bracket racing career...LOL

Vette5311

BKbroiler

Most bracket races are won or lost at the starting line, with the reaction times. You don't know it until later though.

Funny that you mention dominant eye, and the ageing process. I'm 67 and I've had surgery on both eyes for partially detached retinas. After that, cataract surgery on both eyes. What I have now is, I see distance with my left eye and close up vision with my right eye. I don't wear glasses or contacts and this works pretty well, believe it or not. Not sure what it does to my reaction times though.

gkull

You definitely have the dial in game down!

Vette5311

I believe, although I am no Dr, you what is called mono vision correction. My Dr gave me contacts for that same thing and said try them a while before we do the correction in that way because there is no going back. I kept them for several months and thought I really liked it, no more reading glasses, could always see. What he explained to me is where ever you were looking your brain blocked out the signal from the other eye. But what he didn't tell me, or maybe I missed it, is it was like old time radio, before stereo. I found out by accident when I was on a trip and lost a contact and had to buy a pair from the old prescription. (pre mono vision Rx) Well what a change. I did not realize the partial lose of depth perception because of the mono vision and all at once it was like a new seeing experience again, like stereo. Needless to say I did not have the correction done, in fact I still use contacts. Having said all that my original intent was to comment on the "tree" and reaction time, not a rant into my own medical! Now I found during staging, by accident, having my head turned that my brain was picking up my other eye and then I noticed from my time slips, this was happening depending on the lane I was in and I was "seeing" better with one eye than the other, hence better lights in the lane with the dominate eye closer to the tree. Amazed, I was and changed the delay box according to lane / eye and got my reaction times really down. Not to brag but that season I had 10 or 12 perfect lights. Became a killer on the tree, but never told anyone my secret till now!

BKbroiler

Yes it is called monovision. I actually got when the wrong lense was put in during my second cataract surgery. They were going to change it but I had to wait a month. During that time I got used to the situation and decided to keep it that way. I do notice a lack of depth perception, but only close up. Beyond that it is fine. It still hasn't given me any triple zero R/Ts, but I'll keep trying. Don't worry, I won't divulge your secret.

76Rat

Nice! You and your car are always pretty consistent. You deserve it.

I didn't get to go because of work. I always miss the fun days. I'll see you in October for the next one.

DblTrbl

Nice going. I like cute, not so ordinary little trophies better than big ones.

BKbroiler

Thanks Joe. Hope to see you there Oct 14.


Thanks. That trophy is growing on me, now that its been relegated to the garage with the others.