My Story - 1st Impression of [bracket racing]

[DraggnRoush]

Well, after 3 rained-out weekends, I finally got a chance to hit the dragstrip. I'd been "patiently" waiting to test the recent mods (WOTBOX and Snow Meth injection with new dyno-tune) and finally the weather was perfect - sunny, low humidity, ~80 degrees.

Well it turned out that there was no "test & tune" so they signed me up in the "street" class (bracket down to 12.0) - later I learned I could have been in "mod" class and would be allowed to dial sub-12... it was CONFUSING!

Being a newbie at this, I had almost NO IDEA how bracket racing worked! Luckily, someone in the pits told me that when the race starts I'd have my own light & so would the other car... we would each launch separately & try to come as close to our dial-in times as possible. If either car red-lights, he loses. If there's a tie, the car with better RT wins.

Anyway, I did my 2 qualifying runs in the low-12's with 119 mph trap - I was quite unhappy with the way I was launching & shifting - getting used to the WOTBOX.

When it was time for eliminations, I dialed a 12.0 & lined up against this truck that had dialed 15.84. So we stage & the truck takes off & I get antsy & I red-light... I could see my -0.19 sec RT on the board by the time I was halfway up the track & knew I'd been eliminated, so I shut it down, rolling over the line with a 12.656 @ 100mph... don't know why I did that, later I realized I should have just kept my foot into it!

Reflecting on my experience - I found the whole [bracket] racing thing confusing & I had way too many variables to consider. It was just NOT the right day for me to be in a "real race"... I was totally unprepared. I really had only come to the track to PRACTICE (having not driven much for 3 weeks) and especially needed to get used to the mods I'd done... unfortunately I ended up driving 75 miles to get there by 8am & then hung around until 4pm only to get 3 lousy runs ALL DAY! Oh well, it was a learning experience & I'll have better success soon - but first, I'm going to run a LOT more test & tune sessions! As SD once told me - "it's all about seat-time" and I don't have enough.

 

[cm581978]

I agree, I find bracket racing just too confusing compared to heads up.

 

[Tre06GTP1SC]

I know it sounds lame, but at least you know what to expect next time. Maybe see if you can hook up with some experienced bracket racers at your track to help you out. Like you said, there isn't anything that can replace seat time. Have fun with it and don't give up.

 

[DraggnRoush]

I raced motocross when I was a teen, and I raced bicycles thru my 30's - now I'm 51 and just started drag racing... it was SUCH an un-natural feeling sitting on the line after the other car left! My competitive juices couldn't stand it... I jumped the gun.

No worries, I'm very psyched to be racing my car & won't quit. I remember getting dropped in bike races my first year, but a few years later I became New England Criterium Champion... it's just a different discipline & I'll "get it" eventually.

Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[Tre06GTP1SC]

I raced motocross when I was a teen, and I raced bicycles thru my 30's - now I'm 51 and just started drag racing... it was SUCH an un-natural feeling sitting on the line after the other car left! My competitive juices couldn't stand it... I jumped the gun.

No worries, I'm very psyched to be racing my car & won't quit. I remember getting dropped in bike races my first year, but a few years later I became New England Criterium Champion... it's just a different discipline & I'll "get it" eventually.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Did the same thing my first bracket race. I was running another mustang who had a dial in .5 slower than mine. He took off first and I jumped right behind him. But it sounds like you have a positive attitude about the experience.

 

[05xgt]

IMO bracket racing simply "Levels the playing field". As stated above it's a knee jerk reaction to leave when you see the other guy leave first, but once you train yourself to focus on your light and tree reaction time things will get better. One other factor is to learn to stay consistant with your dial in time as well as getting to know what your car will run. Heads up racing is cool but really wants to race a car that is knowingly faster? Me I prefer Mano to Mano vs 350hp to 750hp. JMO.

 

[tjm73]

Bracket racing is gay.

After doing it a couple times and then running heads up in the MOM's racing (Mustang on Mustang) at my home track (Empire Dragway, Leicester, NY) I swore I'd never bracket race again. That was like 15 years ago. And I've never done bracket racing again. Fuck that gay shit.

 

[808muscle]

Bracket racing is all we have here on Maui. It's all about your RT and your car being consistent. That was a long day you had for three runs.

 

[DraggnRoush]

LOL... tjm73 nobody's gonna accuse YOU of being wishy-washy - you've definitely got an opinion! The other aspect of bracket racing that rubs me the wrong way is that you can go TOO FAST and lose... now that's a tough concept to accept!

 

[Matt D]

I love heads up racing beleive me. I love racing index racing for that heads up feel aswell. But bracket racing is nothing short on skill. Takes alot of skill to win rounds bracket racing.

A sportsman tree is gay. Pro .400 or Pro .500 tree or nothing

 

[US-1]

Bracket racing is gay.

After doing it a couple times and then running heads up in the MOM's racing (Mustang on Mustang) at my home track (Empire Dragway, Leicester, NY) I swore I'd never bracket race again. That was like 15 years ago. And I've never done bracket racing again. Fuck that gay shit.

So...you can't do it then it must be gay. Yeah. Right. You betcha, Skippy. You can't drive, can't cut a light, can't judge the rate of closure, can't judge the finish line, can't "close it up" at the stripe.....so bracket racing is gay. Just come on out and admit it......you're driving sucks and you're too stupid to understand it. Nobody will hold that against you. You're a "Test&Tune Night Champion".........fine, whatever works for you. Not that "T&T Champs" are gay or anything. Noooooo....not at all.

You could have just said, "I don't like bracket racing" and that would have been fine. Instead, you insulted the shit out of those of us who ARE pretty fuckin' good at it, Prick. And you're gay.

 

[dubba07]

Excuse my ignorance but how exactly does bracket racing work? I've heard you guys talk about it but don't know the concept.


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[US-1]

Excuse my ignorance but how exactly does bracket racing work? I've heard you guys talk about it but don't know the concept.

Form of racing that evens out the performances of two vehicles so just about anybody can get into drag racing and have some fun. Except tjm73.....he's gay.

Two cars pull to the line. Each one has their own "dial-in" or the time they believe their car will run. This is then posted on the scoreboards. Let's say you dial-in with a 13.50 elapsed time and your opponent dials-in at 12.00. After both of you are staged your side of the tree will come down first since you will have a 1.50 second head start. Both of you leave and the object is to be the first one to the finish line WITHOUT going quicker than your dial-in. This is where cutting a good light and knowing what your car will do comes into play.

Easy....right?

 

[DraggnRoush]

SD - LOL... I'll admit my driving sucks and I'm too inexperienced to fully understand the subtle nuances of bracket racing...

My frustration was not so much with bracket racing itself... just that I went to the track for PRACTICE and didn't get much!

 

[06vistabluegt]

I am totally addicted to bracket racing. I race pretty much every weekend. Jumped up from Street to Footbrake/No Box this year. Amazing what a difference in skill level there is between the classes. There is so much to think about. Reaction time, closure rate, not taking too much stripe or letting a competitor back around you unless you do it intentionally.

Heads-up racing is more of a "he who has more money wins" game. That's gay.

Bracket and index racing are true driver skill types of races.

 

[06vistabluegt]

SD - LOL... I'll admit my driving sucks and I'm too inexperienced to fully understand the subtle nuances of bracket racing...

My frustration was not so much with bracket racing itself... just that I went to the track for PRACTICE and didn't get much!

Most tracks will start a test and tune class after the first round of eliminations. Running this gives the cars still racing a cool down break. You might want to ask next time. Or ask what, if any days they do a test and tune class. You'll learn a whole lot more racing in a real class however.

Don't get frustrated and don't be afraid to ask other racers for advice. Most racers want to keep the sport alive so they are willing to give up information. I learned from our tracks 2 time footbrake champion.

 

[DraggnRoush]

Don't get frustrated and don't be afraid to ask other racers for advice. Most racers want to keep the sport alive so they are willing to give up information. I learned from our tracks 2 time footbrake champion.

Thanks - No worries there bro - I talk to all the experienced racers and have indeed found them to be VERY helpful and kind to me, knowing I'm a newbie. T&T days are Wed & Fri nights... I try to make the Fridays, but it's been my bad luck that it's RAINED very Fri for past month! I just need practice & NOW I think I know what to do... it was just a bit overwhelming to be thrown into bracket racing for the first time when I didn't expect it & had a TON of other variables to sort out with my car... I don't believe I showed any disrespect for bracket racing in this post - certainly didn't intend to anyway!

 

[06vistabluegt]

Thanks - No worries there bro - I talk to all the experienced racers and have indeed found them to be VERY helpful and kind to me, knowing I'm a newbie. T&T days are Wed & Fri nights... I try to make the Fridays, but it's been my bad luck that it's RAINED very Fri for past month! I just need practice & NOW I think I know what to do... it was just a bit overwhelming to be thrown into bracket racing for the first time when I didn't expect it & had a TON of other variables to sort out with my car... I don't believe I showed any disrespect for bracket racing in this post - certainly didn't intend to anyway!

Didn't detect any disrespect at all. I'm trying get my dad into bracket racing but he has decided he doesn't like it without ever trying it. His racing experience goes back to the 60/70's when classes were based on weight/hp.

It's not really a spectator sport but it is fun to do.

 

[Peaky85]

So...you can't do it then it must be gay. Yeah. Right. You betcha, Skippy. You can't drive, can't cut a light, can't judge the rate of closure, can't judge the finish line, can't "close it up" at the stripe.....so bracket racing is gay. Just come on out and admit it......you're driving sucks and you're too stupid to understand it. Nobody will hold that against you. You're a "Test&Tune Night Champion".........fine, whatever works for you. Not that "T&T Champs" are gay or anything. Noooooo....not at all.

You could have just said, "I don't like bracket racing" and that would have been fine. Instead, you insulted the shit out of those of us who ARE pretty fuckin' good at it, Prick. And you're gay.

I'm with US1 on this one, lot's of patience and skill involved.

 

[kdesigns]

I raced motocross when I was a teen, and I raced bicycles thru my 30's - now I'm 51 and just started drag racing... it was SUCH an un-natural feeling sitting on the line after the other car left! My competitive juices couldn't stand it... I jumped the gun.

For a beginner, simple answer - find cars with quicker times, and race them, you'll always leave first. Once you get a handle on it, then swap and race slower cars, until you've become "championship" material and can beat SD 2 outa 3.

Don't look for this to happen overnight...