25THRSS

I just recently went to the track last weekend and pulled a .508 reaction followed up by a .530 reaction. I was very happy with my reaction times and was fairly consistant. I just wanted to know what everyone's best reaction times are. Thanks guys

MdFormula350

wow, i only usually pull a .7xx! i fall asleep

Larry Dunlap

If you can pull .5xx consistently you are doing great. Im still all over the place from the best ever .507 which I just did last week, to like the high .6s. People mention falling asleep, I guess it's a common phenomenon, it takes a lot of concentration with all thats going on to consistently cut good lights. I try counting out loud watching the lights for several cars before mine, and on mine too, that seems to help. one, two, go, green, like that

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Are those the only two you've ever had?

The best I've ever had was a .501 in test & tune. The best I've had in competition is a .502 (just happened to be against an 8-time track champion - which I didn't know until after the race). The best I've had back-to-back were .507 & .503.

Last season, I'd typically redlight at least once in time trials (often both time trials), then have .5-something in eliminations. Last race of the season last year, I bulbed both time trials, had a better RT than the competition in all but the 3rd round (which I still won). It was a wonderful way to end the season.

They're going to LED yellows this year. Could be interesting...

vic_V8

best ever was a .502 and had a couple high .5xxs

25THRSS

No that wasnt my only 2 times ever. the first time i ran that night i pulled a .9 something cause i wasnt paying attention. too busy looking at the 11 second nova next to me, lol. the next 2 times were my .508 and my .530 then my last run of the night i redlighted with a .3 something cause i tried to do a little too good, lol. I'm still fairly happy though cause I know if i was being serious and payed better attention i could keep pulling those .5's consistantly.

AlkyIROC

I haven't had a perfect light in about 3 years now. I've had 4 or 5. I consider having a bad light if it's slower than .550.

NHRA now uses a different timing system. A perfect light using a full or pro tree is now .000 so a .500 perfect light would now be .000.

What used to be a .499 red light is now -.001.

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Last year at Super Chevy here, my first round in DOT (street legal tires & mufflers) was against another '57 Chevy that dialed "9.70" - and no, this wasn't 1/8 mile, full 1320'. I dialed tight, figured I was going to stay in it no matter what. He went through the traps at 140 mph. I've never had a car catch up with me that fast, before or since.

Oh, I treed him.

And won.

The difference was the RT...

TransAmTBI

i went to the track for the first time today and I got a 1.103...(ouch) then i got better with a .938 then a .835.. next tiume i'll try to get better

b busse

A PERFECT LIGHT...once. No lie. My brother (87 Monte SS) has consistent .510 to .550 lights and he pulled a .501 and said good luck beating that. I pulled a .500 and shut him up it was great. I have pulled a .499 red light too. I usually get .550 to .600 lights though.

fast86z28

That would explain it lol, the last couple of weeks I thought the computers were screwed up at the track, I was all confused but didn't bother to ask any1 thanks lol, btw my best rt is .503 and i usually dont cut any worse than .600 or so, someday Ill get that perfect light

C-Dawg

.505, .575, .612, .a few .8xx and a 1.1 (i was watching the 12.1 second camaro next to me hand me my ***)...i drive an auto..oh yea and a .311, good ol red light

Pony Killer

if i really try i can generally cut .540's without really any practice./

Buuut.. about a week ago.. i cut my first ever perfect light. Was a great feeling, was lined up against some jawing punk in a 4.6 GT and gave him whatfur from beginning to end.

I'm gonna frame that sucker :hail:

IHI

iTrader: (1)

Had many .500, but the consistent lights are in the sig. Any racers will tell you, especially the big guys if your antwhere from a .500-.509 you're flirting with diaster when actual racing. If you can't cut consistent .510-.520 and win most your races, you need to get the car tunes better.
The 1 gamblers I was in that will always stick in my head, I raced street class and always mowed down the Pro/Super Pro guys come gambler racing and I cut a .512 and the next round a .513 light. Track came to a stop as the officials came over to check for a delay box, proudest moment at the track ever, but all year I killed the tree anyway.

25THRSS

Pretty much how a car is tuned has nothing to do with reaction time. That is one of the few things that the driver is in full control of. If you cant cut a .5xx reaction time then you need to practice, its not the cars fault.

IHI

iTrader: (1)

When I was talking about "tuned" the real every weekend warrior knows it means getting the cat itself to run more consistent-ie. there are tons of places all over the vehicle besides the engine to make the car more consistent. Now taking that into consideration if the car is running "on it's dail" consistently then it all up to the driver and the R/T to win the race, had a guy want to fight me after I smoked his girlfriend at one of the night races becasue "she ran right on her dail" and "you were waay slower" and I trtied explaning to him that a 1.25 R/T does nothing but make you lose even if you do run your dail, but it did'nt sink into his thick skull until about an hour later after many people drew him a picture of how it works, then he at least was man enough to come over and apologize. You need a consistent car otherwise you can cut .500 lights all day long and if your not running your dail and your opponent is-you lost as long as his R/T is better than the difference between your R/T+dail. Get what I was saying now?

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Want to hear about the .509 I cut in Topeka last year?

It was the 6th run I made at that altitude. The first two were Friday night, when a storm front was coming in, the temp and humidity were high and the barometric pressure was low.

The 3rd run was 7:09 a.m. Sunday morning, after rain all day long Saturday. Cool temp and high baro produced the "best time & speed" in my sig.

The 4th and 5th runs were rounds 1 & 2 of eliminations, at 2:30 and 4:15 p.m., respectively. Air had warmed up and thinned significantly, although humidity stayed low. #6 was at 5:30 p.m.

That 6th run was my last there. I broke out (more - it was a double break-out), took too much stripe.

Yes, I lost even though I treed the guy by almost a 10th. Perhaps excuses aren't in order, but consider: Running 1.5 secs and 7 mph faster than you're used to; having to wear a helmet which you haven't had to do before;, having to pay more attention to keeping it going down the middle than you're used to (because of the "1.5" and "7" above); being forced into the lane you don't like to run in. It all adds up.

Hmmm, I guess it really was a "tuning" issue after all...

TonyC

iTrader: (1)

.501, .509. When I'm actually concentrating on the lights I can stay within the .500-.650 range, but I usually just concentrate on E/T and launching the car rather than leaving just at the light. Plus I've only been racing for 5 months.

25THRSS

Yeah, i understand what you're saying now. I read it wrong. Sorry. Everything you said is very true. I think ive got my car tuned pretty good. All 4 runs last time at the track were in the 13.2 range. Too bad thats all about to change once I get this new manifold and the rest of my mods on, hehe.

IHI

iTrader: (1)

That's the onw nice thing about having a slow car like mine, it seems it "less" effected by the mi-nut changes in the atmosphere as some of the other faster cars. Probably could have had a better track record, but EVERY weekend I went out I had changed something or other and had to relearn the car on race day, since the TT were a joke, staging lanes are so slippery you'd look like scooby and shaggy if you wanted to run the 1/4. in your sneakers. Plus it was my virgin year and I learned lots, but did'nt seem to feel comfortable/confident till the last few races of the year. If your car was always running 13.2 something, you got a super set-up to win some serious cash once you start hammering the tree.

25THRSS

Yeap, 13.2 every single time, but that will soon change as soon as i finish installing all of these damn mods. Wish there was more time in a day.

IHI

iTrader: (1)

LOL, I've been saying that the past 4 months so I feel your pain, the nice thing is that it'll all be worth it.

25THRSS

I sure hope so. Hopefully I won't be dissapointed when I go back to the track.

BadBowtie88

My best light ever was a .502 and I have had a .507 and a .520. Never had a perfect light. Just went to the track for the first time in over a year and had very terrible lights. First was a .742 and second pass was a .733. Oh well, I haven't been there in over a year, and there is all summer to practice.

Nic

Cut a few .500's...you won't win many rounds with r/t's slower than .550 in our class.

With that said...I've earned the nickname "Red Light" among the guys I run with as I have a tendency to red light pretty often...including the semifinals of the last 2 races of the season last year which ended up costing me the points championship

Cutting good lights is all about practice and staying in a routine. Go to the track once a season and you're not going to cut good lights. Go to the track once a weekend and you're going to do pretty well.

BadBowtie88

My worst red light was a .428, I felt really stupid, but, I haven't had a red light since...

IHI

iTrader: (1)

I know that feeling all to well of goin red in the finals-now that sucks. At one of the 2 day events I made it to the finals both days, Sat. cut a .398 WOW then Sun a .498 always hated getting the red eye. But like the guys you run with, if you ain't pushin the tree-your goin home so ya gotta ride the ragged edge. Just not a .398