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Does reaction time effect ET

3K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  White Lightning 
#1 ·
Was talking to a friend who said reaction time has no effect on Elapsed Time. He said it didn't matter if you cut a .000 perfect light or a 2.000 light your ET would still be the same.
Is this true?
Thanks.
 
#7 ·
Actually... false.

Figure you have about 6 inches of room when your fully stages. That means if you stage the car with it just barely holding the bottom bulb on, you get 6 inches to have a run at the beams... This will also give you a slower reaction time. This is how we stage in qualifying. If you stage deeper you have less of a run at the beams but are closer to the finish line, thus will give a slower e.t. but better reaction time.

However... if you were asking is the number itself has anything to do with it... NO. So, how you stage does, but what the number is doesn't. Clear as mud?
 
#6 ·
Staging

WHERE you stage in the beams will affect your et though. Staging the same EVERY time is an important ingredient to consistency. This, of course, will help consistency of reaction times as well. Dead shallow is easiest to master if your car leaves hard enough.
 
#8 ·
How your chassis reacts also effects the reaction time and how the car needs to be staged. If the tire simply rolls out of the beam then a deeper stage would be suggested. If the tire is lifted out of the beams then shallower staging is necessary in order not to out react the light and draw a foul. In some classes you are even allowed to "deep stage" by turning off the top set of lights by rolling in "deep". THAT puts you much closer to the finish line.
Rob
 
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