Has anybody determined a typical rollout time for a Lightning at the 'strip? I have a new Port-A-Tree (reation time trainer) and this is a critical parameter. A time of around 0.370 seconds "looks" right (based on my hazy recollection from my last trip to the 'strip), but I'd really like to have some sort of precise MEASURED time. I'd hate to practice all winter, only to redlight every time out this spring.

My truck is stock, if that helps pin it down.

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Silver Y2K Lightning
Bone Stock w/ Duraliner, Ford Hitch Cover

Best 60-foot: 2.063
Best 1/8: 8.876
Best 1/4: 13.789
Best MPH: 99.67

Silver (matching) Y2K ML320 Benz
Burl (ML430) Shift ****

1992 Grand Prix SE
Commuter Mule (G-Tech 17.3 @ 81)

 

On a street tree,you wait till the last yellow and squash it.I pull .500 at least 3 times this season alone.The pro tree is a completley different tree.You will not redlight if you wait till the last yellow! My worst times are 600s and that is cause the track is slippery and I concentrate on getting grip instead of a good light.This is my method.Also.I barley bump the 2nd staging lights just enough to turn them on.This gives you your best time and will stop you from redlightning if you leave a little early

1.pull up just enough to stage both lights.

2.last yellow ....PUNCH IT!

3.look at your RT and say wow,Ray was
right!

I dont know for sure if this was your question but I tried.

 

'Quick:

Your advice is exactly correct. Leave on the last yellow (just as it is coming on). This will give you something "0.5-ish" on a sportsman tree. Exactly.

Why the last yellow? Because of the rollout time for your/my Lightning. You're mashing the pedal down WAY before the green is lit, yet still cutting a good, legal light. It takes a while for your eyes to communicate with your brain, then to your foot, and also for everything to spool up and get that 4800-pound behemoth out of the lights. That's rollout.

Anyway, I need to know HOW LONG that actually is so I can properly set up my practice tree. Unless I PERFECTLY simulate my Lightning, all of that training is for squat.

Thus far, I've set it up so that when I "leave on the last yellow", my reaction times are "0.5-ish". Looks about right. I'd just like to have a better number than this.

From what I can tell just looking at the tree, I think our rollout times are around 0.370 seconds for someone with typical reflexes.

 

So Ray you are saying as soon as you see the last yellow to hit it then?

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1999 F-150 Lariat SC 2 WD, White/Silver, 5.4L, 3.55LS, K & N FIPK, Superchip, underdrive pulley set, Flowmaster dual chamber one in and duels out, six disc CD changer, towing package and captain chairs

 

Yes,Dont just hit it ,hit it hard!

 

Kristi:

Thanks for the help. That's basically what I'm doing.

I agree about melting down street tires in the water boxes. A good way to turn a 15 dollar trip to the track into a 15-dollar-plus-20-bucks-per-burnout day, while not helping your times any. Just enough burn to get the dirt off the tread surface, then stage. My opinion, anyway. Plus, all of that molten rubber takes a lot of time to wax off the fenders, rockers, and wheel wells.

 

Try a setting of .310-.320 on the roll-out. No delay setting. Nets me .510s-.520s consistently at the track.

Dan

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99.5 Vermillian Red SVT Born on date:
8/24/99 # 2094
N.L.O.C # 461
TEAM PSP MODIFIED.
A.R.E II w/wing
Best Time:
12.77 @ 105.80mph(SO FAR)
1.80 60ft
8.15 @ 85.55 mph 1/8

WE BE SMILIN NOW!!

 

Green means go!

Damn ol'timer got me with that one...

 

The rollout a person needs to enter into his PortaTree is going to differ from person to person, based on how he reacts to the lights. If he reacts slower to the bulb then you do, he does not need to practice with the same rollout as you do. He needs to work with a rollout that allows him to react to the lights successfully so that when he goes to the track, he can adjust his real-life rollout to his reaction and not the other way around.
Again, just my opinion.

[This message has been edited by Kristi2000L (edited 12-29-2000).]

 

Last yellow has always been the rule I have used. Though I have never taken my Lightning down the 1320 footer, my Cobra has seen more than its share. Now you guys got me jonesin' remembering how I used to do a .010 second burn out , purge the N2O, staging, revving the motor to 4Grand and waiting for the last yellow to pop the clutch... I hate Michigan winters.

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Jim
96 Black Cobra,
K&N,OffRoad H-Pipe
NitrousExpress 150 shot
1999.5 Black Lightning
No Mods yet

[This message has been edited by NXCobra (edited 12-30-2000).]

 

Silver- You're just going to have to play with rollout numbers on your practice tree. It's impossible to exactly, precisely, and accurately simulate real-life staging/RT on a handheld device. As careful as you may be on the track, you will roll in deeper sometimes and more shallow sometimes, which can affect RTs by several hundredths. My advice is to find a rollout factor that lets you release the button as soon as you see the third yellow and get RTs consistently under .550. When you go to the track, be VERY slow and precise with staging each time and find that spot where you can leave at the same time you release the practice tree button. Don't adjust when you leave the line at the track, adjust your staging procedure instead. Eventually, you'll find that your RTs at the track will be representative of your practice tree RTs. From there, you can narrow them down to .530 and better, then .520 and better. It's rare you'll ever NEED to be better than .520 in a street-type bracket event.
Anyway, good luck! It just takes time.

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www.dragracer.cc
Kristi
Drag racer and opinion-giver extraordinaire!
~Black '00 Lightning
R9 Superchip, Airaid on the way.
13.43@101.5 1.95 60ft
~1966 Chevy II Wagon
434 SBC, Powerglide, 5.13
~2000 Mitsubishi Galant GTZ
~1999 GMC Sierra
5.3L, 3.73, ex-cab, Gibson exhaust
*Any questions?*

 

And by the way, no rolling treaded tires through the water and doing 10-second burnouts if you ever want to be taken seriously as a racer. My Chevy II runs 10s and I do a 3 second, MAXIMUM burnout.

 

Wow, I guess I was told. I am not a serious racer. BooHoo I think Ill go run and hide now...

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Jim
96 Black Cobra,
K&N,OffRoad H-Pipe
NitrousExpress 150 shot
1999.5 Black Lightning
No Mods yet

 

LOL!!!!!
Lighten up!

[This message has been edited by Kristi2000L (edited 12-29-2000).]

 

another thing you guys may way want to consider is that rollout is different from track to track. Most tracks should be set at 11.5" but i have seen some tracks as short as 6". Check with your local track they should be happy to give you this info

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99 lightning pulley, Downs filter, superchip 13.18 104 new baby
69 camaro 7.90@180 10.5w 3200 lbs. 89 turbo T/A 11.41 121 mph(SOLD)