light staging techniques

[Requin6]

i was just thinking about and analyzing my 60' times...

i've noticed that when i get in the beams early and deep stage, thats when i usually see low 2.1 60' times if i nail the launch. i've even seen a 2.0 60' as a result of the deep stage.

being FWD and using a low rpm launch style (1500-2000) i think the extra foot or two being cut off makes a little difference. i know 2-3 feet might not sound like much, but when we are at a disadvantage of being FWD and the launch being so key, the extra distance taken off looks like it my shave a couple hundreths or even close to a tenth off the 60'.

thats why i like driving right by the waterbox and getting to the beams as quickly as possible (while the other guy does his burn out) and getting staged in as deep as possible.

maybe its a figment of my imagination, and the 2nd beam might only have a foot of play, but i feel like my low 2.1's always come when doing this.

share your light staging techniques, and thoughts. i am just curious as to what you guys do to get those 60's down.

--Paul

[Nealoc187]

I would think you could only get about a foot, maybe 18" of play either way, between the most extreme shallow stage and the most extreme deep stage.

More important than how your 60' times change, is how your ETs change. As you know deep staging is supposed to make your ETs slightly worse, since you don't get that extra distance to get a "running start" before the timer starts. I've never deep staged and I will try it next time I'm at the track and see what happens.

[Dave B]

Originally Posted by Nealoc187

I would think you could only get about a foot, maybe 18" of play either way, between the most extreme shallow stage and the most extreme deep stage.

More important than how your 60' times change, is how your ETs change. As you know deep staging is supposed to make your ETs slightly worse, since you don't get that extra distance to get a "running start" before the timer starts. I've never deep staged and I will try it next time I'm at the track and see what happens.

Yep, deep staging is used for bracket racing because you typically improve your reaction time by 0.05-0.1 seconds. Shallow staging allows you to get a running start before the timers are tripped which supposedly helps both 60', ET, and MPH. I believe you have about 8" of roll to play with.

I've always shallow staged because I always want the lowest ET, but next time I'll go out a see what happens with a deep stage.


Dave

[Requin6]

good point guys with the "running start". like i said it could be a figment of my imagination and my better launches have just come on the times that i have deep staged.

there are times when i dont get the chance to deep stage and just get in there shallow, and i have gotten some good ETs and 60's but just not as many times as with the deep.

we are probably talking a foot here, and it most likely doesnt make the biggest impact on our cars that arent leaving the gates with real monsterous force, whether you deep or shallow stage.

--Paul

[Aaron92SE]

Originally Posted by Requin6

i was just thinking about and analyzing my 60' times...

i've noticed that when i get in the beams early and deep stage, thats when i usually see low 2.1 60' times if i nail the launch. i've even seen a 2.0 60' as a result of the deep stage.

being FWD and using a low rpm launch style (1500-2000) i think the extra foot or two being cut off makes a little difference. i know 2-3 feet might not sound like much, but when we are at a disadvantage of being FWD and the launch being so key, the extra distance taken off looks like it my shave a couple hundreths or even close to a tenth off the 60'.

thats why i like driving right by the waterbox and getting to the beams as quickly as possible (while the other guy does his burn out) and getting staged in as deep as possible.

maybe its a figment of my imagination, and the 2nd beam might only have a foot of play, but i feel like my low 2.1's always come when doing this.

share your light staging techniques, and thoughts. i am just curious as to what you guys do to get those 60's down.

--Paul

Deep staging will not change your 60' for the better b/c the 60' clock doesn't start until you "roll out". When you roll out of those 18 or so inches, you're RT stops and your ET and 60' start at the same time. So staging as shallow as possible will result in the best 60 foots and ETs.

The only way I see deep staging helping your 60' is if there is a better track surface 6 inches ahead of the shallowest part. lol But it's not likely that it will make any difference at all.

The ONLY reason people deep stage is to adjust their roll out and to change their reaction time. This tactic is only really used in bracket racing. It can be used in heads up racing to get that few inches of advantage, I guess. But, like someone already said, people deep stage in bracket racing if they need to adjust their reaction time for the better. For me, I can't shallow stage enough!!! My car reacts pretty fast and if I launch right on the 3rd yellow with that most shallowest stage possible (2nd amber flickering on), that will result in a .510-530 light. So I redlight a lot if I'm not careful. So I have to launch a HAIR after the 3rd yellow to give me the reaction time average that I want in competition (.550 average). It reduces the chance of a redlight and your win record should increase.

But, deep staging will only hurt your ET and 60'. I'm not sure how much that "running start" can help, but I know it doesn't hurt.