I woke up early Sunday morning and made the two hour drive to Numidia. Driving on RT61 through towns like Port Charles, St Clair, Frackville, and Ashland reminded me of my father’s family who lived in the coal mine regions. Replace the cars and trucks with classic models and you find yourself instantly transported back to the late 50’s early 60’s. Showing my age here. Numidia is a beautiful track built on the side of a mountain. Incredible views, great people, and a stellar track surface. I decided to limit my expense for the day by running only one class. I paid for a street ticket and went into tech and found a place to pit without incident. A pair of Fords pitted on either side and really made me feel welcomed. A nice 71 Mercury Cyclone and a driven in 82 Fox Mustang. Both were running Pro and gave me some advice. I guess I looked like I needed it (with 6 round losses in a row at Cecil I need all the help I can be given). Side note the Cyclone ran a 10.80 on a time shot and blew a head gasket. Ended up back on the trailer before eliminations. Fox was running 11.50’s on all motor. That is fast for a car driven 70 miles to the track. Back to my report. I made my first time shot. I decided to get a base run with my regular settings since I have only been to this track a couple of times. Launching shallow, 2nd gear, off idle, foot touching the gas, on the second amber. I did a short burnout and staged. I turned on the top bulb, stopped and carefully bumped until the stage light was flickering. Took another bump in to turn it on solid. Relaxed, “waited” for the second amber to light and launched. Tale of the tape. .016 RT, 2.181 60’, 9.326 1/8 ET, 79.43 1/8 MPH, 14.292 ¼ ET, 99.00 ¼ MPH. Ok finally a decent run. Back to the pits and waited for my second time run. Reviewing the slip my 60’ was a bit high. I usually run 2.15 xs and felt that I staged very shallow. Second time shot time. Again did a little burnout and came up the line. I stopped in front of the prestage as usual. Moved forward, lit the top bulb and stopped. Other lane was a deep stager and I waited until he lit both of his bulbs. I slowly bumped in. Bump, bump, bump, bump stage light on and stopped. Relaxed and focused on the second amber once more. Away we go. Woops again. Hit my spot but shifted the car from second into neutral. Instantly backed off and put the car into drive. I got into a bad habit at Cecil. I launch in first at Cecil and don’t have to shift the car. I know the shifter doesn’t ratchet and need to keep my elbow on the console and shift with my thumb on the base of the shifter. I got my elbow up and went past D. Ugahahhaha. 060 RT, 2.16 60’, 10.042 1/8 ET, 73.78 1/8 MPH, 12.858 1000’, 15.224 ET, 94.85 ¼ MPH. Only thing useable on the slip is 60’ and RT. Seems like I was actually a little deep on my first time shot not really shallow as I believed. This was the last time shot and now I have nothing to use for a dial. My neighbor suggested that I put on my quickest time as he did. He ran an 11.52 and an 11.54 so he dialed 11.52. Well my thoughts were that the air got worst and were going to run slower not faster. Using my sandbagger mentality and the WAG method I dialed a full tenth over my first time shot. I didn’t want to offend my new friend so I put the 14.39 dial on my car in the staging lanes. First round was on a ladder and I went up against the car I had in my second time shot. He was -.050 and ran a 15.67. I felt comfortable holding a ton and would adjust on the top end. I felt that he would be either red or dead late. I decided to stage like I did on the second time shot and lift my foot off the gas a bit to cut a very consertivave light. Again I did a short burnout. I lit my prestage and allow him to put on both bulbs. I did the exact same stage method. His tree came down and he got the big redeye. I relaxed and just hit my spot. I ran it out to get a valid time shot for round two. I was .075 on the tree, 2.155 60’, 9.238 1/8 ET, 79.36 1/8 MPH, 11.930 1000’, 14.218 ET , 98.58 MPH. Ok I got lucky with my opponents -.001 red. I’ll take the win and finally break the loosing streak. It seems like I was a tad shallower than my second time shot which reflects in the .01 additional 60”. Likewise I was a little worse on the tree by adding additional time by my foot off the gas. Overall I hit the tree as I was attempting and the slip looked acceptable. I excutated things pretty well. The car picked up because the 15-20 mph headwind stopped for that run. Rethinking and redial for round two. My pit neighbor lost round one. He was .021 on the tree and ran .02x over his dial. His opponent was .019 and was over by .01x. This scenario is the main reason that I almost always hold. Same thing happened to him on his by back round. Ok back to me. I figured that .060 lights weren’t going to get me a win for second round. I decided to stage and take a small bump. This will put me closer to the line. I was trying to get in deep enough to cut a 2.18 60’ which will give me a teen or better light. I calculated that .03 slower on 60’ would be .05 slower on ET. I figured the car would also pick up .01 or .02 with the air so I put a 14.25 on the car. On the ladder against a very good Numidia racer Mary Ellen in her ’56 Chevy wagon. She was running street and pro and got wins in both first rounds. She finished number 2 in points last season. Ok need to go to my A game. Definitely going to do the 1 extra bump. Time to race. Did my small burnout and staged. Turned on the stage light then one more bump. Relaxed and hit my spot (elbow was on the console lol). Wham, red and dead. Both of us ran it out. I was -.007 RT, 2.190 60’, 9.302 1/8 ET, 79.44 1/8 MPH, 11.998 1000’, 14.289 ET, 98.37 MPH. Mary Ellen was uncharastically late on the tree and ran a 13.758 on a 13.74 dial. I can’t complain about the red light. I just went a hair too deep with the 2.190 60’. I would have been .00x a little shallower with the .218 60’ that I was looking for. I don’t recommend taking bumps but felt for that day it would be my best option. The issue with taking bumps is that I don’t really know where on the track I’m actually staging. Bumping is a band-aid fix and really not in my normal racing package. I was off on my dial but it is tuff to figure out a correct dial when your 60’ is moving. I’m feeling a bit better even with the second round loss. I had a great time. Next week I plan to do some testing at Cecil to figure out the rollout. Saturday is a track rental there and I hope to figure thing out to be completive in the next day’s brackets.

 

good read.

I feel the same way about bumping in... definitely feels like a band-aid fix. It seems easier to be barely off the mark and hurt consistency with the extra variable. I used to mess with bumping in and deep staging when my car had zero hook and I had to creep into the gas, but in the long run, shallow staging + adjusting launch RPM seems to work best for me. I definitely find myself leaving 100-200 RPMs higher or lower depending on how I'm reacting that day or who I'm racing.

 

Harry were you at the track last Sunday (Audi / VW) day... I took my wifes Audi A4 Cabriolet V6 (I swear my Caviler is faster it runs 16.50) It ran high 16's 16.90 to a 17.47 ??

However I was killing the tree .009 best to .070 slowest on 7 TT runs.. First round I go .006 TOO CLOSE.. so I make up my mind to slow it down in the next round... (I was DEEP staging) so Rd 2 I stage same as I was all day... but I decided to lay back..

.371 and the car decided to pick up a bunch...I was dialed 17.45 & even with that light I caught the other car, and ran 17.20 trying to do the Farley Slide... No luck... Damn Audi is not consistent at ALL !!

I'll stick to the Vette... & still go DEEP...at the next race...

 

It's called that for a reason John, (kids, don't try this at home) he's the only one that's perfected it!





I'm trying a new strategy at the next race, deep staging with the rear tires!

 

You WILL have GREAT 60' times

 

The tricky part will be keeping everyone from noticing...can I count on you to cause a big distraction in the stands or something just as I'm staging?

 

Hey JP, nah I wasn't there for the VW day. I wanted to be though!

Slow cars with computers definitely lack consistency. Even my '01 Malibu doesn't know its @$$ from a hole in the ground half the time. Any given week is like a 2 1/2 to 3 tenth range over the course of a single day. When I won last Saturday, it was really consistent.. the range was only 12 hundreths. 16.90-17.47 though, now that's huge.

 

Harry, have you driven (raced) a Ford lately?

 

I actually raced a Ford once... it was a Mercury Mountaineer lol. My catalytic converter was walking out the door and I had 0 acceleration up to 3k RPMs, so someone was gracious enough to let me run their tow vehicle for a points race.

So I guess what that means is... I've never really raced a Ford.

 

Thanks for your story.

As a newbee, I always like to read of other people's experience at track outings - what they feel they did right and what they feel they did wrong. I find it helps me make choices as I think about my dial, staging techniques, and how I plan to try and beat my competitor.

 

I been there Kaz...I've done the bumparoonie shuffle many a time with my vette...

 

Harry, I'm a die hard GM guy. This mostly stock 07 pony is scarey consistant. I have found that most stock GM cars are +- .20 or more.

Capthuff, thanks sir. I'm trying to give my bracket racing experience.

Fuzzy Dice, you sir has given me the guts to post. It's easy to post when you hit a grand slam. Not so easy when one strikes out with the base loaded.

I hope what I post helps others to get into bracket racing. It's a brutal game to play.

 

Dan, truth is that I did a crappy job staging the car last weekend. I've been practicing bumping this week at every light. I get pretty weird looks by the poor people next to me at the stoplight. It rained here yesterday and I took the 4 door 2500 truck to work. Turbo diesel truck bumps in pretty good on the street.

 

Kaz.......what happened to Buds training??? When did you go to the second bulb method?

I've got the same problem with bumping in. With my spot on the tree, i'll be red from deep and usually late from shallow, so that leaves me in no mans land. If my reflexes are good for the day i can get away with shallow, but most of the time i need a least one bump. I've worked on my consistency with bumping in, but there are many variables to deal with.......like rpm, heat in the brakes, condition of track to stop car, etc. And as you know, if you stage wrong, everything is screwed up. Your light AND your ET. Several times i've had to re-calc my my leave and ET after screwing up a stage.......not the best time to have to do that either......lol.

 

Ralph, I still following the teachings of Bud. In a nutshell he teaches to hit a sportsman tree the same as a pro. Most shallow stagers actually anticipate the 3rd amber (if they believe it or not). When I test on the pro .500 it gives me what the RT is without me guessing (on the sportsman) if I hit the tree or not. If I "think" it was a good hit isn't necessary the truth. I did the test with the mustang last year after having issues. I found that deep staged, tires pumped as high as possible, and foot breaking at a high as possible RPM my RT were in the .070s'. Options are bumping deeper or anticipation the tree. Neither is workable for me. I'm never going to have time to bump after deep staging plus I've very inconsistent in placing the car the same way by bumping. I spent too much effort to get my lights right (pro and sportsman the same). No budget money to go to a converter, headers, etc to make the car launch quicker. I figured I may be able to slow the car down (no cost) to be able to launch on the 2nd amber. I look at the same amber just as a deep stager goes on the 3rd. Wait for the light to come on and go. I figured that I had to slow the car by .430 ish. Deep to shallow is good for .010. My stock converter takes forever to flash from idle and is good for another .300. I have a .010 in tire pressure 45 front\30rear to 20 front\20 rear. Since I'm on idle I can lift my foot off the gas for another .020.

My issues with racing at Cecil. I was totally confused on the rollout there. I assumed the rollout was a lot more allowing me to launch in 1st gear. My lights are all over the place and I had lost all confidence in my ability to cut a light. I put the car on a pro .500 yesterday and found some interesting things. Settings were 20lbs\20lbs, foot off gas, idle, shallow in 1st gear. I was .418, .404, and .393. Subtracting .500 for the second amber means that I would of been -.082, -.096, and .-107. No wonder I've been so messed up. I'm trying to adjust my spot on the tree and not just hit it. Same settings except went to the second gear start on the pro .500. RT's were .427, .469, and .441. Subtract .500 for the second amber leaves -.073, -.031, and -.059. RT is still way faster that I assumed. Tried to go back and launch deep 1st gear foot braking at 1700rpm, tires still 20lbs\20lbs. RT was .079. I pumped the tires to 45/35 and took another hit with the same settings and was .049. Going deep full tilt is still too slow to be competivaitve. Same findings as last years test. Now I'm in no mans land again. I need to find away to add rollout. Buds teachings add rollout by staging at an angle. Took a lot of shots at this. A lot of variables to doing this. Degree you turn the wheel, where you stop and start the turn, location left and right. In the right lane I was able to pull up just to the left of the grove. Put my side mirror right on the end cap of the starting line guard rail. I have 3 positrons for the amount of turning right in reference to the dash (I also have to have the tilt wheel in the same position). I'm was able to duplicate angles and was able to tell changes to my RT. Again all on a pro .500. There is a .030+ difference between Cecil’s right and left lanes. No wonder I was going nuts there. Anyway I was able to find my full kill settings and my .020, and .040 settings. Now I just have to set the car up, relax, and hit the second amber. Easier said that done but at least I know it’s the driver.

There is also a transition bump in the right lane 550' out. My little mustang make the 2-3 shift right there. Sometimes I chirp there and sometimes it doesn't. About a 50-50 percentage. Difference in my ET is .05.
Sunday I was running either a 13.80 or 13.85. Set the car up for a .020 light and dialed 13.85 against a 9.14 truck in heavy. I was .022 on the tree, ran it out taking .0405 stripe breaking out with a 13.808. I was crushed by my opponents .007 and running a 9.153. Then the driver went fubar red in street. Opponent was .382 green. An attractive lady in a yellow C5. I was distracted lol. I figured to keep the .020 setting and would buy back if I messed up. On the buy back I was really late cutting a .101 RT but got an easy win. Second round of street I was late again .080. I knew I was late and dumped just before the stripe giving it up. I broke out by .01 anyway. Didn't matter because my opponents light was better that mine by more than he was over his dial. Another unwinnable race due to my reaction time vs. my opponents. At least I feel that I’m back on track. Next week I'll be in the left lane.

 

I used to practice at traffic lights myself....I got some ral funny looks when I would go up on the converter ready to launch on green......I probably did that 100 times in the vette...keep at it buddy, you will get it...

I recall one time this ricer pulls up next to me and revs his motor over and over...I was gonna practice with him but I noticed a cop right behind me at the light...they kept winding their motor up and when the light changed they went flying off...the cop raced after them and they were pulled over about a 1/2 mile up the road...oh well....

 

Kaz, you are thinking too much. You obviously need seat time and then you'll be OK. Dial your number, stage shallow and hit it.

 

Jim, good luck getting it all sorted out. In the meantime, welcome to "no man's land" We just need 9 sec cars so we can hit the tree from shallow and be done with it

 

I agree that I need seat time. My problem was that I didn't executate hitting the tree as designed. Keep doing things wrong isn't going to help. Shallow off idle going on the 3rd amber I would be cutting .390-.420 lights unless I start anticipation the tree. I don't want to race like that. I know that some can get into a rhythm (and be really good at it)but not me. I got 40 runs in on Saturday and came back with a truck load of good data. The pro .500 tree doesn't lie about RT. I was able to make a setting then make 3 time runs. The 3 passes gave me a good sample of those settings. Now I know when I set the car up for a 20 light and I go 80 it's the driver being late.

Ralph, staging at an angle isn't hard and is very repeatable. Angle slowed my RT by .040-050. Cecil's rollout dramitically changes by staging right to left. I found a spot when I repeted a handful of .50x runs (pro tree). I switched to a sportsman tree (2nd amber) and was able to go .007, .015, and .010 from that same location. Found another place on the starting line (about 1.5 feet to the right but same depth in) where the car repeted sportaman .040 lights. Was .540 on the pro there. By going off idle I can slow another .020 by lifting my foot off the gas (toes off gas and heal on the floor). Location, location, location.

My last 3 elimination runs the driver just didn't execuate the safe .020 setting. Yes Web, I need seat time.

Here some info about the mustang. The difference launching between 1st and 2nd gear is .040 RT, .4 ET and 1 MPH. Trans ratios are 3.25 first and 2.44 second with a 3.73 rear. Cecil's left lane is .03-.04 slower that the right. Right lane has a bump 550' down track (on a lot of drivers shift point).

 

I agree that I need seat time. My problem was that I didn't executate hitting the tree as designed. Keep doing things wrong isn't going to help. Shallow off idle going on the 3rd amber I would be cutting .390-.420 lights unless I start anticipation the tree. I don't want to race like that. I know that some can get into a rhythm (and be really good at it)but not me. I got 40 runs in on Saturday and came back with a truck load of good data. The pro .500 tree doesn't lie about RT. I was able to make a setting then make 3 time runs. The 3 passes gave me a good sample of those settings. Now I know when I set the car up for a 20 light and I go 80 it's the driver being late.

Ralph, staging at an angle isn't hard and is very repeatable. Angle slowed my RT by .040-050. Cecil's rollout dramitically changes by staging right to left. I found a spot when I repeted a handful of .50x runs (pro tree). I switched to a sportsman tree (2nd amber) and was able to go .007, .015, and .010 from that same location. Found another place on the starting line (about 1.5 feet to the right but same depth in) where the car repeted sportaman .040 lights. Was .540 on the pro there. By going off idle I can slow another .020 by lifting my foot off the gas (toes off gas and heal on the floor). Location, location, location.

My last 3 elimination runs the driver just didn't execuate the safe .020 setting. Yes Web, I need seat time.

Here some info about the mustang. The difference launching between 1st and 2nd gear is .040 RT, .4 ET and 1 MPH. Trans ratios are 3.25 first and 2.44 second with a 3.73 rear. Cecil's left lane is .03-.04 slower that the right. Right lane has a bump 550' down track (on a lot of drivers shift point).