15 replies to this topic

[NSwanberg]

I didn't know.

 

[Brian Czeiner]

informative. I have a few ideas now for slot drag racing.....

[Phil Smith]

Good video. I've watched a few of these before. I didn't know about hose clamp motor mounts. That's really surprising. Didn't know about the staggered front wheels either.

[Uncle Fred]

The staggered front wheels have been around since I raced in the 70's. As far as the clamped motor mounts go, it doesn't surprise me. The mounts were always flimsy so that in the event of a crash the engine, far and away the heaviest part of the car, would breakaway.

[Tim Neja]

Yes in Jr Stock in  the 60's with low horsepower cars we staged at an angle to do the same thing! By 69-- staggered front wheels were the standard of anyone that knew what was what!! 

[Uncle Fred]

It also helped lower the risk of red lighting.

[MSwiss]

Am I correct in assuming the finish beam works differently?

[Uncle Fred]

Yes, two beams at the start and only one at the end. At the starting line you move up until you break the first beam, that's "Pre-Staged". Sometimes you will see the starters frantically waving cars forward to break the second beam because they won't start the tree until both cars have broken the second beam. You can roll forward and move out of the first beam, that's "Deep Staged" which frequently leads to red lights. Sometime one driver will purposely wait before tripping the second beam after the other car is fully staged. This is called a "Burn-down" and is a psych tactic.  At the 1971 Nationals TF final, Steve Carbone used this to beat Don Garlits.  

[Thom]

So in Slot car drag racing, would a longer guide be advantageous to reduce the risk of red lighting?

[Dave Crevie]

No. The start line sensors trip on the trailing edge of the blade to start timing. Only the stage lights trip at the leading edge. i.e., staging happens when the blade breaks the beam of the sensor. Timing, including the signal for the red-light, begins when the blade leaves the sensor and the beam is re-established. Just like the real thing.    

[old & gray]

No. The start line sensors trip on the trailing edge of the blade to start timing. Only the stage lights trip at the leading edge. i.e., staging happens when the blade breaks the beam of the sensor. Timing, including the signal for the red-light, begins when the blade leaves the sensor and the beam is re-established. Just like the real thing.    

 

So if I have a 5 inch guide I could "deep stage" 4 inches without a red light? 

 

My ET would be lower by the reduction in length or if I staged "normally" I would get a running start before the timing started. 

[MSwiss]

There was a controversy, on FB, about 6 months ago, when a guy 3D printed guides with a real long blade.(2"?)

It was pointed out that it would only be an advantage in heads up racing.

Also, a long time drag racer (Foamy?) pointed out if one actually read some printed drag rules, one would see where there is a 1" limit to the blade length.

The person who was going to sell them, decided not to.

[Eddie Fleming]

The 1" blade is a good idea I would think. A long blade could kill your reaction time or not but the red light start would not be a problem. and the ET could be quicker.

 

If I understand the system

Now that may or may not be the case.

[MSwiss]

A long blade would change how your brain works to cut a good light.

Light money is a big deal in slot car drag racing.

A lot of the theories, on the slot car end of it, are assuming the Trackmate stops at the end, when the beam is broken. (versus stops, when the back of the blade clears it)

That's most likely the case, but I'm not 100% sure.

I'm going to confirm that when I get to the raceway.

[Dave Crevie]

The guide will be traveling so fast in the traps that even a 5 inch long blade won't give a measurable advantage.    

[MSwiss]

A long blade would change how your brain works to cut a good light.
Light money is a big deal in slot car drag racing.
A lot of the theories, on the slot car end of it, are assuming the Trackmate stops at the end, when the beam is broken. (versus stops, when the back of the blade clears it)
That's most likely the case, but I'm not 100% sure.
I'm going to confirm that when I get to the raceway.

I assumed it worked the same as a real dragstrip timing system,(especially since Trackmate makes 1/1 drag timing systems) but when Chuck Gambo came by tonight, I was able to confirm the race ends as soon as the guide breaks the "beam".

After a little bit of screwing around with a car, we just did 100% manually.

A new World Record. Lol