first time down the track advise?

Try to go on last yellow. Don't worry about reaction time, it's not related to the ET you run. The clocks start when your car leaves the starting line beams, not when the green light goes on.

Watch where the cars are staging. Some of the funnier things is watching newbies trying to stage BEYOND the tree!!! Or staging with the back tires... Get to the line in a timely manner and all will be good.

Burning someone down is having them sit with the pre stage or Stage light on, especially up on a transbrake or against the converter.