|
Staging Etiquette
How do you handle staging? What is the courtesy or rule regarding who stages first? This question comes up every now and then.
Different drivers will require a different amount of time to stage their cars. Some are naturally slow stagers. This means they want to delicately place the car in the same spot every time so they are careful to "bump" into the right spot. When matched against an opponent that is not a slow stager, this can be a disadvantage as if the opponent stages quickly, it puts a little pressure on you to stage quicker so you don't get caught by surprise by the tree.
 |
| Here the tree shows the car staged with both sets of lights on for this C3 belonging to Bob Hollingshead
|
It is okay to approach the tree 1st. Try not to light the first set of lights until your opponent has a started to approach the tree. The generally accepted courtesy is to light up the first set of lights and wait for your opponent to do the same. Once both drivers have the first set of lights on, usually the first one in lights the second set but either one can do it.
What about Deep staging
If your opponent is going to deep stage, try not to light the second set of stage lights until your opponent has deep staged (deep staging means the driver rolls forward until the 1st set of lights are turned off and only the second set remain on). Sometimes the track officials are not aware the driver is going to deep stage and may start the tree before the Deep stage is completed (this is rare but it has happened).
Staging Etiquette Courtesy
Bracket racers appreciate this courtesy so lets do us all a favor and abide by this "unwritten rule". Remember we are all doing this for fun.
Autostart and Deep Staging
Beginning with the first race of the 2008 season, all East Coast Supercharging Corvette Challenge and the Pro classes will be on Autostart (Pro classes have always been on autostart) and deep staging will no longer result in the manual starting the tree by the Raceway Park starting line official. What does this mean?
- Autostart - Autostart will be activated when one driver has lit both their pre-stage and stage bulbs, and the second driver lights their pre-stage bulb. When three sets of stage bulbs are lit, a timer in the computer will begin counting down. The un-staged driver will have 10 seconds to fully stage their car. Failing to stage the car within the 10 seconds will result in a disqualification of that driver. Once both drivers are fully staged, the tree will start automatically between 1.2 and 1.7 seconds. The starting line official will not override the autostart, which used to be the case when one or both drivers wanted to deep stage.
- Deep Staging - Raceway Park will still allow deep staging; however will no longer hold the tree for a deep staging driver. This means if a driver wishes to stage deep, he/she must get in and stage first. Since Raceway Park will no longer hold the tree, there is no longer a need to write "DEEP" on your car as it will not be acknowledged. If you must go deep be aware when the tree has all four sets of stage lights on, you are on the 1.2 to 1.7 clock (see above).
- Courtesy Staging - Corvette Challenge racers are expected to be courteous to their opponents as we have always been. Drivers should wait until both have lit the pre-stage bulbs before fully staging. If you intend to go deep, since it is no longer written on your car, please advise your opponent that you wish to do this so that you each can factor this into staging.
The items stated above are the result of NHRA Division 1 changes for ET race program of which we are a part of.
[home]
modified: December 31, 1969 - 7:00 pm
Copyright © 01 - 08 Perez Web Design, All Rights Reserved
|
)
)
)
)
