Box car has an electronic component a no box car doesn’t have.
In a box car, you are “ top bulb racing, “
you have an onboard computer( called a delay box) mounted, which has the primary function of “ delaying “ your car’s movement breaking the beam and proceeding down the track.
Once both cars are staged, you let go of your trans brake button upon seeing the first light come on. You have previously, prior to the run, dialed in X amount of delay. The delay you enter into the box is the time from when you let go of the button after seeing the top bulb, till the light turns green on the bottom.
By trial and error, you can ultimately judge pretty closely how much delay to “ roll into” the box from when you see the top light come on, add in your personal reaction time lag of letting go of the button, and green.
480 red, add a little delay, 530 green, take a little delay out, nighttime, usually take a little out compared to daytime.
So what happens is, you let go of that button upon seeing the top bulb come on…..the car just sits there without moving, until the delay runs out, then boom, car launches.
In short, it’s an electronic helper that should enable a typical driver to cut much more consistent and better lights
you are simply reacting to the first thing you see, then playing with the delay until you have figured out who you are regards reflexes. It’s very effective once you play around with it a while. Fiddle a bit, well, I am cutting 530/540 lights with this much delay programmed into the box, take some out, now I am 5 teens. Nice spot to be. Now, am I quicker first round than in time trials..I can allow for my tendencies…cool, eh!
No box, the delay box isnt used, and you are in “ analog mode”
you are letting go of the trans brake button or turning it lose off the foot based on where you think you can leave and not go red from the spot you work out to leave from.
That is obviously not as repeatable as a delay box, because you have no electronic correctability, and aren’t leaving off the first thing you see on the tree, like leaving on the top bulb is. More moving parts…..
Some guys cover the tree up to just allow the bottom bulb to be visible and react to that and adjust the car to work with wherever doing that lands them…air pressure, launch rpm, using adjustable trans brake button, etc, etc.. can all help you find a “ repeatable “ sweet spot.
No right or wrong way, just the best way for you to provide the most consistency.
Other factors come into play as well, that effect top or bottom racing. One big one is consistently staging the car the same way. Knowing how what you eat and drink may effect your reaction based on when you ate/ drank, etc.
Morning, noon, night, etc, etc may effect top or bottom reaction times.
It all comes down to knowing your personal liabilities/ positives and how they effect you at the starting line. Knowing them, and being able to adjust your game effectively to them, will make you dangerous
now, if only I could do 1/2 the stuff I mentioned above myself…..lol
