Delay boxes in Slant 6 races

[Exner Geek]

When we used to have races matching delay box and foot braked cars the faster delay box drivers would always complain about having to run against much slower cars. The advent of the crosstalk starting system gave the delay box cars a way to deal with long waits before leaving but sometimes the strip would not make crosstalk available in the Slant 6 race or even worse not allow footbrake racers to opt out. The whole thing was a big mess.

There are so few delay boxes in Slant 6s these days that as far as I know all slant 6 races are now run without crosstalk available. Since I still have a delay box the long wait can still interfer with my concentration like my .617 light against Sergio in the Kearney final last year. So I am thinking why not hook up a timer to a button and a shift light. You would set the timer at about 2 1/2 second less than difference between your and your opponent's dial in--you only do this if you are the faster car. When the green came on in the other lane you would push the button activating timer, when the shift light comes on you rev up the engine against the transmission brake and you let go of the trans brake when the first yellow comes on about a half second later.

Do you think this would work? Is their already something like this available? Is my arithmatic right on subtracting 2 1/2 seconds from the difference in the dial ins? Can you think of a better way to accomplish the same thing. I don't think you can depend on the crossover feature in the delay box unless you have crosstalk or you can see the top bulb on the other side which is often covered up these days.

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If you didn't drive it there, it's not a street car.

[sergio G]

I take the problem is going off the top bulb while waiting several seconds and when to go to the floor? I can see how you could be caught in no mans land. Can you put enough delay to go off the second bulb.At first hint of amber mat it and let go at the second bulb?. Or why do you care about the other guys tree, sit there relaxed at first amber let go off button and mat it simultaniously and it would be the same routine no matter what the other guy is dialed. I am using a transbreak this year and i do as above, however i am running 9.70 and most other cars are within a second so not much wait.

[Rick Covalt]

Can someone explain in "big dummy" terms what Cross talk is? I'd appreciate it.

Rick

[Dart270]

Rick, it is painful. I can explain it in person at Hagerstown.

Seymour, I think your idea would work. Actually, I don't see why a box racer could not just leave off the other person's green light, which I think you can always see. Would only be a problem if you were less than 2 sec apart in ET. I also don't see why a box racer cannot let off the button on their own top amber, just like before crosstalk. Even 6-8 seconds against your converter should not cause problems, right?

Lou

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The Road Goblin

[sergio G]

Going off the others guys green would be difficult and the savvy bracket racer would not show you his dial untill the last minute to rush you to adjust the box. You dont have to be on the converter at all,floor it on the first bulb,release button and go. Unless you have a carburator issue which prevents the engine from coming up quick,there is absolutely no need to be on the converter more than a blink,thats the biggest advantage of a trans break,not necessarily faster ets but very consistent launches.I wont try to exlplain crosstalk either,it only benefits the faster car. Out here i havent seen a delay box on any slow car since they are not allowed in the car at most tracks, unless you are running super pro, or the super .90 classes

[Dart270]

I wish I could feel for the box/brake racers, but their advantages are already substantial, so adding another advantage seems a bit over the top to me. Before Xtalk, they just left off their top bulb and that was it, if I understang correctly, or sometimes they would be able to see the other person's top bulb and dial their box to leave off that.

However, I am interested in coming to a good solution that will benefit the box Slant 6 racers, but not screw the footbrake racers by using crosstalk. The problem we have seen is when crosstalk is on, the faster footbrake car sees their top bulb come on and stay on when the other car launches (footbrake or box). Most tracks will only run crosstalk for the whole class, or not at all. I have lost rounds this way, and others have as well, even when two footbrake cars are running.

We need to keep discussion open.

Lou

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The Road Goblin

[Rob Simmons]

This is all too complicated for me. I think I'll just stay a "footbraker".

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Rob
Back in the U.S. after a 6 year hiatus.

[sergio G]

Actually the trans brake is not an advantage as far as cutting a lite as you still have to go off the bottom bulb.You can blind the tree and make it seem like you are top bulb racing.and gain some of that back. But the delay box is a huge advantage when racing foot brakers, the box doesnt guarantee a win but a car that leaves consistent with a driver that can hit the top bulb can go 00x time after time and not come close to a red light.

[CARS]

[Charrlie_S]

At some point in time I might consider a trans brake, but never a "box"

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 170 turbo
66 Cuda 170 nitrous
66 Valiant 225 nitrous

[Rick Covalt]

If it is too complicated to explain , then it is too complicated to be on a Slant 6 race car! I have no horse in this race or any other one but it does seem that a delay box would be a pretty big advantage.

Dr Lou, I will await your science class and explanation at the Slant Banner, behind my truck, under a shade tree.

Rick

[slantzilla]

Seems to me the issue is not the boxes themselves, but rather getting the tracks to turn off Crosstalk.

I've been the faster car footbraking off Crosstalk, and it can be annoying. I stare at the bottom bulb anyway, so it wasn't a big deal to me.

Since we are always our own class anyway I see no reson why any track would demand Crosstalk on to start with. Any track that says they con't turn it off for the whole class (or even individual passes) is just trying to be difficult.

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"SSCTTFMF!!!!!"

[Greg Ondayko]

[fzmax]

What's the problem with splitting the group up into an electronic and no electronic class with the payout broken by the number of entries in each class?

[sergio G]

I dont think anyone is objecting, i dont mind running against box cars,but Dennis is right if you only have 1or 2 cars with boxes then crosstalk should be turned off for the whole class . Wouldnt it be great if we had enough sl6 cars to run two classes.