Ok, so I've done a bit of searching here, and I've read the website info for both Biondo and Port-a-tree.

Is there a distinct advantage to spending $250+ on a practice tree?

The basic ones are about $100 or so. While certainly the pricier ones have more features, as a beginner, do I need them?

I know I'll need as much help as possible being a rookie and driving a manual trans car next year in the CC. I'm leaning more towards getting the Biondo Final Round 4 V2. My thinking is with some of the add-ons, it'll help more then the others...

My first thoughts were that anything is better than no training aid at all, but I don't want to practice bad habits...

Thanks for all your help.

 

Why do I picture another CC racer with a weather station walking around next season!!


(sorry I cannot offer help on info for the practice tree, but I was thinking of getting one for the office so i'm )

 

iPhone has that one covered...

 

No s%$t, really? That's pretty cool. I know it can log 1/4 mile passes on the street, I didnt know it could do weather station stuff too. I wonder if it is as accurate though.

 

If you're serious about drag racing get the better unit. you want to practice in as close to real conditions as possible. The better units will allow you to use press or release pedals (think auto vs stick) and will log results. If you get really serious, you can upgrade to a full size tree as well. Wait......if you are planning to race the challenge with us.....then don't get a practice tree.......lol.

Good luck

 

I have the small "Pocket Pal" made by porta tree.. you can set the roll out , full or pro tree, etc...

One thing is a MUST.. I originally had just a button that I would release with my thumb, (like a Trans Break) then I bought the foot pedal (it can be set to "GO" if you floor it (like the gas pedal) or to GO if you "Release it" (like lifting your foot off a clutch)

I never tried that, but I did find a BIG difference in RT between letting go of the button with my thumb, or hitting the foot pedel...

I don't remember if you are stick or auto, but either way Get a unit that has a FOOT PEDAL.. then you can set it to go on push or release..as a stick or automatic...

I was having problems all yr with consistency , and I think I just got it down now.. I lost first round to Vic but had a .057 light and as long I'm better than .070 I'll be satisfied...

 

I'd heard that the best "practice trees" are available at Englishtown, Atco, Cecil, MIR, Lebanon, NED, etc. etc.
I too need to utilize those resources more frequently as well.

 

Yea.. but it gets kind of $$ to rent the track 3 or 4 times a week

 

Practice makes perfect.

 

Perfect practice makes perfect.

 

I don't 'know' what is available on today's basic boxes, or for the higher-end devices, but I'd suggest (and I hate spending other people's money) getting something like what Biondo sells:
here's why.

The 1st practice tree I bought 22 years ago was only capable of having the rollout set in .025 increments (.000 to .375), showed the RT after each 'run' but had no memory-recall, only one person could it use at a time, but did offer either a trigger-switch or a foot-pedal:
the 2nd box i bought was a Biondo FR-II (circa 1993?), and it allowed 2 persons to compete, allowed a 'staggered-start', like the real thing (i.e. - 'dirty-tree'), allowed you to compete against your average RT, or set the opposite lane to a pre-determined RT, and kept-track of things like fouls, worst light, worst Red, average, etc.

If you are willing to spend lotsa time practicing, and/or keeping track of your progress, and can afford the FR-edition (or similar from other suppliers), I believe you'll find them more 'fun':
when I had my FR-II (I loaned it to a buddy with cancer, who later died, and it was sold by his widow before being returned to me), I would set the opposite lane for .030 RT every run (.020 when I had a dragster), shooting for .029-or-better lights every run.....

after each 'run', it would show how-many runs each lane had won, and at any-time, I could check the records, to see how-many fouls I had accumulated:
by subtracting fouls from the total number of loses, I could then decide how-many 'winners' (.000 to .029) I'd had that session, 'sleepers' (.030-or-worse), and foul-starts.....
with my old system, I had to record each RT by-hand, using pen & paper, and now that it is the only practice-tree that I have, I'd get writer's cramp


either type unit will help, but if you are easily bored, or hate record keeping, get the system that will keep-track of your sessions:
the less monotonous your practice sessions are, the more you will continue doing it, and the better you will become.

Practice like you play, play like you practice

 

I was going to tell him a practice tree is a waste of money but you saved me the trouble. Now all he has to do is look at your record.

Seriously, a full tree may help an experienced racer like Ralph but this guy needs seat time. You cannot learn to 'zone in' on you and the track without lots of seat time. You have to tune out everything that's going on around you. You have to learn to ignore the competition until you're on your way down the track.

I speak from experience. Right now I'm a mess at the track because I've made so few runs this year. I know how to cut a light, but there's so much more.

 

Thanks to all for your help and advice.

I certainly understand there is more to preparing for a race than a practice tree. I need seat time, sure. I reached my goal for this year with getting over 100 passes in (so far)

I'm leaning heavily towards the Biondo unit with a foot pedal.

I have every intention of racing the CC for many years. I know 2010 I'll be lucky to win one round... But I'm going to show up anyway. Everyone I've met at E-town has been friendly and helpful, and I appreciate that.

One day I'll have a car with an auto trans, then y'all better watch out

 

I'm a believer in a practice tree. I can really see the difference (less suckage ) I have a Biondo and a little Altronics. Biondo is nice that you can set up to run 2 players, stagger dial in lights, and it will automatically set the 1 player competetion better. Down side is that isn't too portable. Not like the full size tree thing but a little combersom to drag into another room with a load of wires. Same issue in taking it to the track. The little hand held is a lot more portable. I have it in a small hardshell camera case and throw it in my computer bag. I'm able to use is at work durning phone meetings, lunch, and breaks. I don't see any difference letting go of the button or using the foot pedal. I can see it might be some value (total simulation of the race expireence) but not on my current level. The trick is to be disclipined to actuall take the time to practice. The game I play to reliever bordom is that I make 2 "practice" runs then go into eliminations running double classes. "Street round 1 then Pro round 2". A .039 or better advances to the next round. Red or a .040+. It takes 7 rounds to win the event. Pretty easy game to keep track of in my head lol. I write down my standings (S3 P2 for example) at the end of each race. I can get a 21 race season completed in a course of a day. You need to make up some kind of a game as not to get board.

 

I think they also have a clutch pedal, right?

 

a friend and I devised a game of playing '.100', and seeing how-many runs we could make without fouling, or reaching .100 (.099 is good, .100 is go-home):
if you have a .032, followed by a .019, you are sitting at .051 after the 2nd Round, the object going more rounds than your partner, or your previous best.

Obviously, the further you 'go', the less room for error, and when you get to .09x, you are tempted to shoot for that .000:
sometimes in-competition, you might feel that you need a perfect light, and it's better to try 'squeezing' the tree here, than at the track with no previous experience.

This game will help you 'bunch' your RT together, into a tight window, so that when you are at the track, you'll know what you are capable of doing:
I think the best I ever did was 11 rounds (REALLY pushing it the last few rounds), but my buddy went 15 rounds during a Car Show for the drag-strip, inside the local Mall, with lotsa people watching (and trying to figure-out W-d-F we were doing)


Yes, ClemsonDave, I believe most trees ofer a clutch-pedal, or a basic pedal that can be 'switched' to work as a throttle, or a clutch, with a simple adjustment:
I was told my old unit could be easily switched, but with a slushbox, I never had the need to monkey-around with the pedal

 

Glensgages: I'm looking to cut consistant lights. I try to hit the same place and never "try" to get a better light or "back off" in order to cut a consertivate one. Practice tree and race days. My practice tree is set to cut .020 lights (same as in the car). Raceday if I have the need to go full kill and get that .000 I relax and hit the exact same spot on the tree. I set the car to RT quicker. Example in the firebird everthing is set to for a .020. If I need to go .000 (or red lol) I just raise 300rmp on the launch and let the car cut the light. Everthing else is the same. I almost never move off my .020 setting. With my +- window I do go .00x a lot on the .020 setting. Plus it gives me a little room on the tree if I go in a tad deep. Looks good but in reality its a bit early or a little too deep. I did get a .000 elimination run this year and actually won. .000 was a bad .020.

 

Get your butt down here Kaz. You are being challenged!!!!

 

I'm the same way..... I've got an 8", 4000-4500 stall spragless converter in a 3600-pound, barely 12-second Z28, for the sole reason of being able to adjust my RT up/downby varying my launch RPM, as suggested to me by Sam Biondo over 20 years ago, before I ever began racing (but was preparing my strategy):
I shoot for teens, accept .025, and beat myself-up over .03 or worse

During the 1990 Division One E.T. Finals, I was leaning over the fence at MGR, talking with 2 other racers that I have lots of respect for (1 had 4 Track Championships, the other 3), and we came to find that all 3 of us had a technique for further adjusting our RT about .01 up-or-down:
we had all been looking at the very-top of the 3rd Amber to quicken our RT a few thousandths, or looking at the bottom of that bulb, to delay our reactions (I'd been doing it recently, but was ashamed to admit it, because ity sounded so-hokey)

we don't know if there is a logical explanation, or if it is a mental-placebo (if you THINK it will work, it just-might), but when guys I'd had a hard time beating confided that they'd been doing the same thing, I put it into my knowledge-bank, and used it many times when I thought I needed a little something-else:
I still can't explain it

 

I have a biondo with the foot pedal but my biggest disappointment is their foot pedal. Yes it works push and lift but its natural working is lift. Put the pedal all the way down and lift. To do the push you have to push half way down then the tree goes and you finish it...far from what I want to do with such a tiny pedal.

The hand held pocket one is fine for starters but it too works with "lift" but it is your finger and not real anyway. What it does help with is helping you settle yourself to get ready for the lights which is as important as hitting the button or releasing in for that matter.

National Dragster showed some sales too this week for the holidays. I forget which brand but one was offering a free handheld if you purchased the big box. in that case you get the best of both or you can split the the cost somehow with someone to get one or the other.