Racing the stripe if you have the lead

-
Agree with all here that have said car has to be consistent. I've never played around with the dial in. Ive always dialed what I think the car will run flat out. I had one last year, I don't remember the exact dials, I was an 11.83 and the other guy, I think, was like a 12 flat. So, he got the leave. I knew I cut a decent light. But, by a 100 ft. I went around him. Had a half a car the whole way down. Dumped it right at the stripe. I went 11.88 and knocked five mile an hour off. I wasn't sure what the hell to do but it worked out. If I'm ahead coming up on the stripe I'll usually womp it a couple just to insure I don't break out.
 
I have always(with a lead) tried to take as little as I comfortably can.
There are guys who cut it way closer than me.
I trust the car, so if I am on the brakes I know with 99% certainty I am not breaking out, so I definitely don’t want to give the stripe back.
 
B3422w5 said:
I have always(with a lead) tried to take as little as I comfortably can.
There are guys who cut it way closer than me.
I trust the car, so if I am on the brakes I know with 99% certainty I am not breaking out, so I definitely don’t want to give the stripe back.
Click to expand...
I guarantee you if the guy in the other lane had trouble and is limping down the track and you stay in it and break out by .001 you would be kicking yourself all the way back to the trailer! I've run into plenty of guys in the pits that are packing up after a breakout loss and can't figure out what just happened.
 
RockinRobin said:
I guarantee you if the guy in the other lane had trouble and is limping down the track and you stay in it and break out by .001 you would be kicking yourself all the way back to the trailer! I've run into plenty of guys in the pits that are packing up after a breakout loss and can't figure out what just happened.
Click to expand...

I should probably have worded what I said a bit differently..lol
i try and tighten it up as much as my skill level( and speed difference between cars) as I comfortably can. Scrub enough to where I still get the stripe, but not so much as I have any doubt I got there first.
I have seen guys that can consistently take the stripe by a foot. I am nowhere close to that level at the finish line, more like maybe 1/2 a fender just to be sure.
 
I have seen it a bunch of times including in Super / Gas at a NHRA National event .. guy breaks out and his opponent broke and can't complete the pass
 
BVoelzke said:
I have seen it a bunch of times including in Super / Gas at a NHRA National event .. guy breaks out and his opponent broke and can't complete the pass
Click to expand...
Yep I've seen that too. I had a guy one time knew he cut a terrible light so he stopped maybe 100 feet from the start line. I wasn't watching him so I stayed in it and broke out by a tiny bit. Once he saw that on the scoreboard, he cruised on up the track and took the win. I'll never let that happen to me again! That's a hell of a way to lose a round.
 
Even a consistent car isn't "dead on" everytime. We're talking .01+/- . A lot of what happens depends on how close your opponent is. If both cars are very close with both drivers having good lights, what do you do then? In my experience if you're set fast the guy with the better light will lose. Think about MOV. It's harder to get closer than .02 when there's a substantial speed difference If your close, but slightly over, that works pretty well. In this case I'm running 9.0 index so the dial is fixed and the car adjusted to run as close as possible. The first two runs the car was over by a few .00X. The second two were under by a little over .01x. The Here's 4 examples. The 1st was a great run. Both the light and tightening the stripe. The second the 2nd stage bulb came on a little quicker than I would've liked. We footbrake and have to stage heavy on the converter. Had 3 runs in the left lane at this point, .001, .003, .012. Decided to play it safe on the tree. Caught him and tightened it up nicely. Both of these runs would've been 9.002-9.003. The 3rd was a good pass, had a better light, took a decent stripe. I watched him all the way down. The margin was nearly the same the entire way. The result was loss. The 4th I caught him early enough. And though I tightened it up (note mph) I was sloppy at the stripe. Took way to much. So for those who say don't pay attention to the other guy and dial it tight. won 2, lost 2
Doug

me and TD.png


Me and Bruce lang.png


me and casey.png


me and Hoffman.png
 
Last edited:
here's another good example with two racers that are among the best in the business. Last week's NHRA Gatornationals final rd. Pete was to leave .023 early on handicap. But in essence he only left .010 easly by being behind at the tree. garantee he new it. He dumped at the stripe by 5 mph. That gave him a breakout of .004 less.
Doug

LANEDRIVERCAR NO.CLASSDIAL INRT60 FT330 FT660 FT660 MPH1000 FTETMPHOV/UNMOV
LeftPeter D'AgnoloWIN1SS/CS9.58.0211.2913.8176.008111.667.9139.566130.92-0.014.0046
RightKevin Helms428SS/CM9.35.0081.3463.8555.963114.747.7839.332143.93-0.018
 
dvw said:
here's another good example with two racers that are among the best in the business. Last week's NHRA Gatornationals final rd. Pete was to leave .023 early on handicap. But in essence he only left .010 easly by being behind at the tree. garantee he new it. He dumped at the stripe by 5 mph. That gave him a breakout of .004 less.
Doug

LANEDRIVERCAR NO.CLASSDIAL INRT60 FT330 FT660 FT660 MPH1000 FTETMPHOV/UNMOV
LeftPeter D'AgnoloWIN1SS/CS9.58.0211.2913.8176.008111.667.9139.566130.92-0.014.0046
RightKevin Helms428SS/CM9.35.0081.3463.8555.963114.747.7839.332143.93-0.018
Click to expand...

They both broke out , Pete was the least he wins ! Yes sir
 
I am interested to know if anyone that is posting on this thread, runs a stick car. Also interested, what is the percentage of guys/gals running stick cars in bracket racing.......and of course......do they ever win the final. Just curious. When I bracket raced I ran a stick and found it very difficult to be within +/- 0.02
 
clementine said:
I am interested to know if anyone that is posting on this thread, runs a stick car. Also interested, what is the percentage of guys/gals running stick cars in bracket racing.......and of course......doroad runner with a smallbkloc they ever win the final. Just curious. When I bracket raced I ran a stick and found it very difficult to be within +/- 0.02
Click to expand...
A friend of mine runs a 71 Road Runner with a small block and a stick in 10.00 Index and Pro Dial and does very well winning numerous 10.00 Index titles and he always goes rounds . He works hard at it and he has the car running very consistent… the idiot on the right is me .

DFB7B848-947B-4AA2-A91D-1230187CB813.jpeg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top