[kazman]

It’s been 5 weeks since I’ve bracket raced and decide it’s time to get back on the track. I have been working on setting the car up so I can cut good lights. My RT current window has been -.015 to .039. Going red 25% of the time. The goal is to move the window out of the red looking for .00x to .059 lights. Not a great window but a .059 is a lot better than
a -.001. I have been launching from idle so I decided to try a new approach. While keeping my heel on the floor, I lifted my foot off the gas peddle as far back as I could go. That way the distance from my foot to gas is always the same. I’m looking to increase my RT by .020 or so. I decided to enter 2 classes Street and Pro.

First street time shot went .014RT 2.167 60’ 14.162 ET at 100.15mph. ok not bad.
First pro time shot: -.059RT 2.176 60’ 14.179ET at 100.05. yep I really jumped the light. Got to relax.

Eliminations time
First street round. I dialed a 14.21 against his 15.08. I was .058 on the tree 2.173 60’, tapped the breaks just before the stripe and ran a 14.177 loosing on a break out. Other car was .089 on the tree and went 15.088 on a 15.08 dial. My bad. I took stripe by a whopping .07 (3/4 of a car length). I was watching the stripe on the top end and not paying attention the other car. Write that one off to lack of bracket racing seat time.

First round pro. I dialed down a bit to a 14.18. My opponent is a Division 1 champion in his 10.80 fox mustang. Well I decided to just relax and do my best. I would have to do a good job on both ends of the track to come away with a win here. Here we go; both of us came out green. On the top end I tapped the breaks to get back to my to the kill spot on my opponents car right at the stripe. Got the win light. Wow a close one. I was .028 on the tree, 2.179 60’, took a .0146 MOV, and ran a 14.186 on the 14.18 dial. Loosing time was .040 light and 10.808 on a 10.80 dial. My math states that I would have run 14.17 without being on the brakes. Ok good job there.

Second round pro. Took 20 minutes to come down from the first round win high. Need to refocus. Left the 14.18 on the car. New opponent was an 11 second car and I’m comfortable holding on a car that fast. I was out first and looked up to check and saw my win light come on. Opponent got the red and dead light. Ok a free time shot so I ran it out the back door. I was .039 on the tree, 2.185 60’, and 14.222 at 99.77mph. I didn’t make my dial my .04. Lucky for me the other guy was red or I would have been dead. Opponent was -.068 and went 11.059 on an 11.06 dial.

Third round pro. Ok made it to the money round. Everyone at this point gets a check. Opponent is a little blue 3rd gen camaro. Just my luck again. Looked like a super stock camaro. I noticed the 9.68 dial right away. Well there is now way I can hold and drive the stripe on this car. Normally I hold .02-.04 but in this case I dialed hard. Put a 14.22 on the car (previous run). Ok line ‘em up. I was out first and look in the mirror to watch his launch. Holly oil pans batman. Car stood up on the launch. Watched him come and my gut feeling was that I wasn’t going to get to the stripe first. I tapped the breaks in the box before the finish line. Win light comes up on the other side. Pickup my sad time slip. I was .008 on the tree 2.191 60’ and ran a 14.256 on the brakes. Mr Blue Camaro was also .008 on the tree and went a 9.687 on the 9.68 dial. He took a mov of .0298. My gut feeling was correct. Even flat out (math says 14.24) I would not of take the stripe first. Rethinking the race I now remember the sun popping out of the clouds. Duah I should of dialed up .02. Oh well.
All in all a very good outing for me. I accomplished the goal of ridding the red eye blunders. Lights were what I was wanted with the exception on the one time shot which I clearly jumped. I’m hopping to get the track next week.

[RLG34750]

Overall you had a good night....

and for all the reasons above is why i don't bracket race....

[cindys_sn95]

good night at the track kaz!

[mmb617]

I for one am interested in reading reports like that. Keep them coming.

[Shine1Stang]

Good Job!!!!
Im with you Reggie, just dont like bracket racing

[kazman]

Thanks for the comments. I'm trying to give some insight to bracket racing. Most avoid it like the plague. Bracket racing ain't easy and is brutal. When I first came to this site I caused a lot of static on how I race. People here don't understand why I'm happy with 2.16 60' times, slow 14 second ETs', and that I installed 3.73 gears but launch in 2nd gear. It's all about getting it done with the tools on hand. I'm willing to address any bracket racing related questions. Just shoot me an IM or email.

[RLG34750]

Originally Posted by kazman

Thanks for the comments. I'm trying to give some insight to bracket racing. Most avoid it like the plague. Bracket racing ain't easy and is brutal. When I first came to this site I caused a lot of static on how I race. People here don't understand why I'm happy with 2.16 60' times, slow 14 second ETs', and that I installed 3.73 gears but launch in 2nd gear. It's all about getting it done with the tools on hand. I'm willing to address any bracket racing related questions. Just shoot me an IM or email.

you advice on bracket racing is greatly appreciated....

You didn't cause any static about how you race

and even to this day i don't understand the logic behind it

But if it works for you and you are happy with the results

Who are we to question it....

i will agree there is a art to bracket racing.....

But for me with a car thats almost 5 second faster i'm always on the wrong side of the tree....

And missed the class on how to lift.....

Its not a matter of understanding why your are happy

The important thing is that you are.....

Whatever form of drag racing you participate

The bottom line you are a drag racer......

[mmb617]

It is hard to explain, especially to non-racers. They can't understand how you can get to the finish line first, but lose. A friend of mine (not a car guy) kept asking questions about how it all works. Since he seemed genuinely interested I took the time to lay it all out. Now he asks me intelligent questions about how I did each week. By George, I think he's got it!

Heads up racing is great, but if it weren't for bracket racing poor guys like me would be out in the cold. If your budget is substantially less than the guy in the other lane in a heads up race, your goose is cooked. And I'm in no way implying that it doesn't take a good driver to win a heads up race, just that if your equipment is not on par with your opponent that can be too much of an obstacle to overcome.

In brackets no matter how much you spend on your car some low buck driver can still take you down. I should know as I'm sure my budget is less than most of the guys I race against, but I feel that I hold my own. When I lose, I can almost always point to something I did wrong as the cause. It has nothing to do with them having better equipment.

This is in no way bashing heads up racing, it's what I'd be doing if I could afford it!

[kazman]

Originally Posted by mmb617

...In brackets no matter how much you spend on your car some low buck driver can still take you down. I should know as I'm sure my budget is less than most of the guys I race against, but I feel that I hold my own. When I lose, I can almost always point to something I did wrong as the cause. It has nothing to do with them having better equipment...

It is true that on any given Sunday anyone can beat anyone else. Another saying is "That even a blind squirrel can find a nut every now and then. When it's "your day" you can win with a lawnmower. Truth is that you need a competitive car (or truck) to be competitive. Picking the best tool for the job. Don't be fooled. Most cars in the "street" class are very well prepared race cars. I happened to be blessed with a stock mustang which is pretty competitive. I really think this is well outside the norm. When going against "real" race cars I realize that I'm at a distinct disadvantage. I try to work within my and the cars limits and go with "our" strengths.

[kazman]

Originally Posted by mmb617

... It has nothing to do with them having better equipment.

Case in point with better equipment. My street Mustang is good but my “real” bracket car 95 Firebird is better. Look at my 3rd round loss. My RT went down, 60’ went up, and ET went up. What caused that? Trust me on this. RT, 60’, and ET are inner related. The Mustang dead hooks every time so I know I don’t spin. I must have staged a hair or two deep. This will cause my numbers to change as they did. Closer to the tree gave me less rollout. Ok. With the Mustang (to be competitive) I have to shallow stage and launch off the 2nd amber. The Mustang has huge 27” diameter front tires. This is a lot of rollout to manage. Root cause of my loss is that I misstaged the car. Now take my Firebird. I deep stage and have 25” diameter tires. A lot less rollout to manage. Staging the Firebird is a lot more forgiving than the Mustang. Staging a hair or two deep in the bird won’t affect my time slip the way they do in the Mustang. This makes the real bracket car a better tool (better equipment) for the job.

[cindys_sn95]

kaz is right, its all in knowing your equipment.

[mmb617]

Well I'll concede that maybe I shouldn't say it has nothing to do with better equipment, but rather that better equipment isn't everything.

There are driver's who have some pretty basic cars, but through practice have become quite good at cutting a light and running a consistent number. If you can cut a better light than your opponent and run as close to your number as he does to his, you can't lose. Easier said than done, but that's where a good driver shines.

It also seems that some drivers just know when it's best to lift at the end, not only to keep the MOV close, but also to sometimes feed the other guy the stripe on a break out run. That's a skill I don't have (at least not yet), but some guys are uncanny in their ability to know when the time is right.

I guess the comparison I was trying to make is that in bracket racing a good driver can still win with a lower budget car, while in heads up competition John Force couldn't win with a car that's just a lot slower than the other guys.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

[itali83]

Great stories guys. I LOVE bracket racing but just don't make it out enough to be realy consistant. My only luck is being able to cut a decent light, usually quicker than .100 (.000) being perfect here, (was .500). compared to the other street cars. Driving a stick car is much harder off the line because I have serious traction issues even launching at an idle. what is MOV that you are talking about? I understand the whole bracket concept and how you can cross the line first but still lose. Thanks and keep the stories and techniques coming!

[kazman]

MOV is margin of victory. The timeslip will show right or left first with at time. Right first .0146. Means the right car crossed first .0146 seconds in front of the other car.

[mmb617]

I hear you about the variability in launching a stick car. I run in a stick class so that levels the field on that count.