WiggiE
02-05-2003, 02:01 AM
What should I bring to the track?
Money, tire pressure gauge, and a 1/4 tank of gas.
Should I do anything to the car before leaving for the track?
Definitely check your fluid levels and ensure that you do not have any leaks and that your brakes are working properly!
What happens at the gate?
The first time there will be very confusing. When you stop to buy your ticket at the gate, tell them that you are racing (plus any spectator tickets for your friends in the car). They will give you your tickets and a Tech Card.
What is a Tech Card?
The Tech Card is what the track uses to enter your information into their computer. Information on the sheet includes your name, address, phone number, age, social security number, year/make/model of car, engine make and size, and any special equipment (roll bars, helmet, fire jacket, etc.)
Where do I take my Tech Card?
At MMP, it goes to the second floor of the main building in the room labeled "TECH CARDS".
How do I go race?
Drive over to the staging lanes (left side at MMP). Get in a lane behind someone else in your class and wait until you are moved to the front.
I am at the front of the line, what's next?
Once you reach the front of the line, watch the official and only pull up when he/she tells you to. Put your seatbelt and/or any other safety equipment. Drive up to the pre-staging area (first set of lights which should be lit red now).
The light has turned green at the pre-staging area where do I go?
Chirp your tires to remove debris and drive forward. Go around the water box and get ready to stage.
What is a water box?
Actually, it's not a box at all, but a big man-made (with a garden hose) puddle some distance before the starting line. It's purpose is to wet tires enough to allow them to begin spinning more easily for a burnout.
Should I do a burnout?
If you have radials, no. Just spin your tires a little for a fresh tire surface. Why? With regular street radials, when you drive through the waterbox and proceed to do your burnout, the water inside the tread does not get burnt off. Then when you are staged and waiting for the lights to drop, the water can drip out of the tread, under the tire, and harm your launch more than the burnout helped it.
How do I stage?
This is the most tricky part of the entire run. There are three short "boxes" on the ground that are lined up with the starting line. One on each outside part of the lane and one in the middle. Under these boxes are two sets of electric beams that the tires break when you pull forward. As you slowly near the line, the tire breaks the first beam and turns on the top set of double bulbs on the side of your lane. These are the "Pre-Stage" lights and they are there to let you know that you are near the starting line. Pulling forward a little more will break the second set of beams and turn on the second set of double-bulb lights which are the "Stage" lights. This lets you know that you are on the starting line. Once both lanes have the Stage lights illuminated, the starter will let the lights come down.
How does the Christmas Tree work?
After the Stage lights are lit, the tree will come down. There are 3 amber bulbs that illuminate a half-second (.500) apart with the green light illuminating .500 second after the last amber.
When do I go?
To get a good reaction time, go approximately when the third amber light lights up.
Will my reaction time affect my time?
No, you can sit there for as long as you need.
Where is the finish line?
1320' from the starting line, right? Yes, but in the mad rush of launching and shifting (eyes on the tach), it is easy to lose sight of where you are in relation to the end of the track. The finish is marked with fat yellow lines across the lanes. There is plenty of room to brake, so take your time.
I've crossed the finish line, where do I go?
There are two turn-offs after the finish line. Take your time braking, don't try to make the first one if you can't. If you have absolutely no idea what is going on, slow down and follow the other car (if you were faster). If you were slower, just keep an eye on the car to see where it turns. After turning off, you will be on the return road. Somewhere along the road, there will be a time slip booth. Stop and get your slip.
How do I read the time slip?
First off, remember which lane you were in. If that's too much for you, look for your car's number next to "Car # ... " The slip will be divided into the left and right lanes. Other than the date, time, and weather information, the slip will list your car's performance at intervals down the 1/4 mile. The first stat on any slip is R/T or Reaction Time. This is how long it takes you and your car to leave the starting line. The timing of this starts when the 3rd amber illuminates and ends when the Stage beam re-connects. The rest are pretty self-explanatory, 60', 330' 1/8 (or 660') MPH in the 1/8 mile, 1000', and finally 1/4 mile and MPH in the 1/4 mile.
What is a perfect R/T?
A perfect R/T is .500. Why? The reaction time timer starts when the last amber illuminates and shuts off when your tires leave the line and re-connect the Stage beam. Since there is a .500 second delay between the last amber and the green, re-connecting the Stage beam exactly as the green comes on would register exactly .500 second on the reaction time timer.
What is a redlight?
On the tree, a red light is located under the green bulbs. If it illuminates, it means that you left before the green light came on. As such, that means that your R/T is going to be .499 or less because it takes .500 seconds for the green to light, and you left before it did.
Money, tire pressure gauge, and a 1/4 tank of gas.
Should I do anything to the car before leaving for the track?
Definitely check your fluid levels and ensure that you do not have any leaks and that your brakes are working properly!
What happens at the gate?
The first time there will be very confusing. When you stop to buy your ticket at the gate, tell them that you are racing (plus any spectator tickets for your friends in the car). They will give you your tickets and a Tech Card.
What is a Tech Card?
The Tech Card is what the track uses to enter your information into their computer. Information on the sheet includes your name, address, phone number, age, social security number, year/make/model of car, engine make and size, and any special equipment (roll bars, helmet, fire jacket, etc.)
Where do I take my Tech Card?
At MMP, it goes to the second floor of the main building in the room labeled "TECH CARDS".
How do I go race?
Drive over to the staging lanes (left side at MMP). Get in a lane behind someone else in your class and wait until you are moved to the front.
I am at the front of the line, what's next?
Once you reach the front of the line, watch the official and only pull up when he/she tells you to. Put your seatbelt and/or any other safety equipment. Drive up to the pre-staging area (first set of lights which should be lit red now).
The light has turned green at the pre-staging area where do I go?
Chirp your tires to remove debris and drive forward. Go around the water box and get ready to stage.
What is a water box?
Actually, it's not a box at all, but a big man-made (with a garden hose) puddle some distance before the starting line. It's purpose is to wet tires enough to allow them to begin spinning more easily for a burnout.
Should I do a burnout?
If you have radials, no. Just spin your tires a little for a fresh tire surface. Why? With regular street radials, when you drive through the waterbox and proceed to do your burnout, the water inside the tread does not get burnt off. Then when you are staged and waiting for the lights to drop, the water can drip out of the tread, under the tire, and harm your launch more than the burnout helped it.
How do I stage?
This is the most tricky part of the entire run. There are three short "boxes" on the ground that are lined up with the starting line. One on each outside part of the lane and one in the middle. Under these boxes are two sets of electric beams that the tires break when you pull forward. As you slowly near the line, the tire breaks the first beam and turns on the top set of double bulbs on the side of your lane. These are the "Pre-Stage" lights and they are there to let you know that you are near the starting line. Pulling forward a little more will break the second set of beams and turn on the second set of double-bulb lights which are the "Stage" lights. This lets you know that you are on the starting line. Once both lanes have the Stage lights illuminated, the starter will let the lights come down.
How does the Christmas Tree work?
After the Stage lights are lit, the tree will come down. There are 3 amber bulbs that illuminate a half-second (.500) apart with the green light illuminating .500 second after the last amber.
When do I go?
To get a good reaction time, go approximately when the third amber light lights up.
Will my reaction time affect my time?
No, you can sit there for as long as you need.
Where is the finish line?
1320' from the starting line, right? Yes, but in the mad rush of launching and shifting (eyes on the tach), it is easy to lose sight of where you are in relation to the end of the track. The finish is marked with fat yellow lines across the lanes. There is plenty of room to brake, so take your time.
I've crossed the finish line, where do I go?
There are two turn-offs after the finish line. Take your time braking, don't try to make the first one if you can't. If you have absolutely no idea what is going on, slow down and follow the other car (if you were faster). If you were slower, just keep an eye on the car to see where it turns. After turning off, you will be on the return road. Somewhere along the road, there will be a time slip booth. Stop and get your slip.
How do I read the time slip?
First off, remember which lane you were in. If that's too much for you, look for your car's number next to "Car # ... " The slip will be divided into the left and right lanes. Other than the date, time, and weather information, the slip will list your car's performance at intervals down the 1/4 mile. The first stat on any slip is R/T or Reaction Time. This is how long it takes you and your car to leave the starting line. The timing of this starts when the 3rd amber illuminates and ends when the Stage beam re-connects. The rest are pretty self-explanatory, 60', 330' 1/8 (or 660') MPH in the 1/8 mile, 1000', and finally 1/4 mile and MPH in the 1/4 mile.
What is a perfect R/T?
A perfect R/T is .500. Why? The reaction time timer starts when the last amber illuminates and shuts off when your tires leave the line and re-connect the Stage beam. Since there is a .500 second delay between the last amber and the green, re-connecting the Stage beam exactly as the green comes on would register exactly .500 second on the reaction time timer.
What is a redlight?
On the tree, a red light is located under the green bulbs. If it illuminates, it means that you left before the green light came on. As such, that means that your R/T is going to be .499 or less because it takes .500 seconds for the green to light, and you left before it did.