Bracket Racing

fturner

Registered User
Could someone please explain to an old computer geek how bracket racing actually works? I'd like to try some more official style racing next year and just wondering what bracket etc and how all that stuff works.

Actually, I may have started an interest up here with the "FAST" class style racing as several guys are up to the challenge ranging from '58 to modern cars. These are non SC's but hey, the more the merrier as I'm the only Canadian SC running FAST in this club as some of the others up here have already said it was a waste of time, so its kind of boring being the only one.

Anywho...

Frit
 
We gonna use nice round numbers here.

They usually give you a couple time runs before eliminations to see what your car is running that day.

So for eliminations I think my car is gonna run a 12.00 so I write that on my window. And you think your car is gonna run 14.00 so you write that on your window. We pull thru the water box and do our burnouts while thats happening the tower is punching in our numbers to the computer.

We pull up to the tree and stage. The lights start coming down your lights will come down 2 seconds before my lights come down.

Now if we both cut a perfect reaction time and the cars run what we said they would down to the .001's we should get to the finish line at the exact same time. But that rarely happens(cutting perfect reaction and running what you say it is) So the person that crosses the finish line first without running faster that their dial in WINS.


If I cut a .200 reaction and you cut a .100 reaction and we get to the finish with me running exactly on my time of 12.00 and you running a 14.05 you would win cause I was slow off the light.

Basically bracket racing is tryin to make two unequal cars get to the finish line at the same time.
 
We gonna use nice round numbers here.

They usually give you a couple time runs before eliminations to see what your car is running that day.

So for eliminations I think my car is gonna run a 12.00 so I write that on my window. And you think your car is gonna run 14.00 so you write that on your window. We pull thru the water box and do our burnouts while thats happening the tower is punching in our numbers to the computer.

We pull up to the tree and stage. The lights start coming down your lights will come down 2 seconds before my lights come down.

Now if we both cut a perfect reaction time and the cars run what we said they would down to the .001's we should get to the finish line at the exact same time. But that rarely happens(cutting perfect reaction and running what you say it is) So the person that crosses the finish line first without running faster that their dial in WINS.


If I cut a .200 reaction and you cut a .100 reaction and we get to the finish with me running exactly on my time of 12.00 and you running a 14.05 you would win cause I was slow off the light.

Basically bracket racing is tryin to make two unequal cars get to the finish line at the same time.

So You got it nailed at 12.00 but I was .05 slower than I wanted et wise, but got off the line quicker? To me that looks like you hit the finish line before I did because ultimately I ran slower than predicted....

But the difference was only .1 yet the et was only out by .05 and that .1 launch gave me a 0.05 advantage over your time.....

Wow!!! what a science LOL!.... (sorry me having bud light moment ;) )

So when I read about a guy with a Berretta running high 15's winning the local Street ET class would be all about keeping everything consistent?
 
So You got it nailed at 12.00 but I was .05 slower than I wanted et wise, but got off the line quicker? To me that looks like you hit the finish line before I did because ultimately I ran slower than predicted....

But the difference was only .1 yet the et was only out by .05 and that .1 launch gave me a 0.05 advantage over your time.....

Wow!!! what a science LOL!.... (sorry me having bud light moment ;) )

So when I read about a guy with a Berretta running high 15's winning the local Street ET class would be all about keeping everything consistent?

add reaction time and et and thats the the number you really have to compare.

in the scenario above....

him (rt) .200 + (et) 12.00 = 12.200 he was +.200 off from his dial in
you (rt) .100 + (et) 14.05 = 14.105 you were +.105 off from your dial in. you win by .095

now you can also win by going faster then the dial in.

him dial in 12.00 (rt) .015 + (et) 11.80 = 11.95 when you go faster then your dial in they call it a break out, in this case it would be a -.050 brake out.
you dial in 14.00 (rt) .020 + (et) 13.971 = 13.991 in this case you would have broken out also but only by -.009 you win because you broke out by less, being closer to your dial in.

they talk about hole shot wins heres how they work

him dial in 12.00 (rt) .375 + (et) 12.10 = 12.475 he would be .475 slower then the dial in.
you dial in 14.00 (rt) .105 + (et) 14.15 = 14.255 your et is slower then his but your reaction time is faster then his and combined your total et is only .255 slower then your dial in so you win.

its all about running closest to your dial in, and having the quickest reaction time. the 2 combined is what your after.
 
Frit

This will help you more to understand this is for you first time Super Coupe racers drag racing 101


A drag race is an acceleration contest from a standing start between two vehicles over a measured distance. The accepted standard for that distance is either a quarter-mile (1,320 feet) or an eighth-mile (660 feet). A drag racing event is a series of such two-vehicle, tournament-style eliminations. The losing driver in each race is eliminated, and the winning drivers progress until one driver remains.

These contests are started by means of an electronic device commonly called a Christmas Tree because of its multicolored starting lights. On each side of the Tree are seven lights: two small amber lights at the top of the fixture, followed in descending order by three larger LED lights, a green bulb, and a red bulb.

Two light beams cross the starting-line area and connect to trackside photocells, which are wired to the Christmas Tree and electronic timers in the control tower. When the front tires of a vehicle break the first light beam, called the prestage beam, the pre-stage light on the Christmas Tree indicates that the racer is approximately seven inches from the starting line.

When the racer rolls forward into the stage beam, the front tires are positioned exactly on the starting line and the stage bulb is lit on the Tree, which indicates that the vehicle is ready to race. When both vehicles are fully staged, the starter will activate the Tree, and each driver will focus on the three large amber lights on his or her side of the Tree.

Depending on the type of racing, all three large amber lights will flash simultaneously, followed four-tenths of a second later by the green light (called a Pro Tree), or the three bulbs will flash consecutively five-tenths of a second apart, followed five-tenths later by the green light (called a Sportsman, or full, Tree).

Two Separate performances are monitored for each run: elapsed time and speed. Upon leaving the staging beams, each vehicle activates an elapsed-time clock, which is stopped when that vehicle reaches the finish line. The start-to-finish clocking is the vehicle's elapsed time (e.t.), which serves to measure performance. Speed is measured in a 66-foot "speed trap" that ends at the finish line. Each lane is timed independently.

The first vehicle across the finish line wins, unless, in applicable categories, it runs quicker than its dial-in or index (see glossary). A racer also may be disqualified for leaving the starting line too soon, leaving the lane boundary (either by crossing the centerline, touching the guardwall or guardrail, or striking a track fixture such as the photocells), failing to stage, or failing a post-run inspection (in NHRA class racing, vehicles usually are weighed and their fuel checked after each run, and a complete engine teardown is done after an event victory).


(Handicap Racing)

NHRA uses a handicap starting system to equalize competition in certain categories. In essence, this system enables vehicles of varying performance potentials to compete on an equal basis. The anticipated elapsed times for each vehicle are compared, and the slower of the two cars is given a handicap head start equal to the difference of the two e.t.s. By using this system, virtually any two vehicles can be paired in a competitive drag race.

At NHRA national events, a handicap system is used in Competition eliminator, where the handicap is determined by national indexes, and Super Stock and Stock, where drivers are allowed to "dial-under" the national index, or select an elapsed time quicker than the national index. A driver selects an e.t., or "dial-under," that he or she thinks the car will run.

Here's how it works. If car A chooses a dial of 16.00 and car B chooses a dial of 14.50, car A will get a 1.5-second head start. If both vehicles cover the quarter-mile in exactly the predetermined elapsed time, the win will go to the driver with the best reaction time, or whoever reacts quickest to the green "go" signal on the Christmas Tree.

If a driver runs quicker than his or her dial, he or she is said to break out and is disqualified. If both drivers run quicker than their dials, the win goes to the driver who breaks out by the least. A foul start, or red-light, takes precedent over a breakout, so a driver who red-lights is automatically disqualified even if his or her opponent breaks out.
 


There old threads get with the times guy
http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98849

Here is one more to get your jollys off on
http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99453


Rod

Its best to help with info not do what you do best trash threads no reasoin for it and I am sure fturner dont appreciate it much. I think there is other things in life for you to do right?
 
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Are you done editing your post yet? :rolleyes:


Frit, the biggest piece of advice that I'll share when it comes to bracket racing is to chose a dial in that you KNOW the car can run. Basically, if you're not certain what the car will run on its next pass, but you guess it will be around 12.30, set the dial in to 12.40, or even higher if you want. If that puts you out in front at the big end, get on the brakes just enough to cross the finish line just before your opponent. With some practice, this method works well when you don't have much info on the car.

The next thing is to record EVERYTHING. Density altitude (or ambient temp, humidity, barometric pressure, and track elevation), coolant temps both before the burnout and before staging, launch rpm, tire pressure, any pertinent notes about the run, etc. Use that info, along with the information gained from your timeslips to build up a good knowledge base on how the car performs under specific conditions. Once you have enough data on the car, you'll be able to accurately predict just what the car will run based on the conditions.

This is just a start. If you're really interested in getting into bracket racing, try to see if your local track offers any courses on the subject. You'd be surprised just how much you can pick up.
 
I'm getting a good picture of this now. Thanks for the info guys. It looks like I might have a fun summer next year :D.

And with the track only 10 minutes away.

Frit
 
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