Tree Time

vetteatr · 01-23-2002, 07:10 PM

I found this site and its not too bad if you want to work on your tree time.

http://www.sh3d.com/protree.html

Does any one know of a better one that is accessable on the internet?

Thanks
Chris

Jeff Chambers · 01-24-2002, 07:25 AM

I use the internet practice tree at www.staginglight.com. It allows you to set it up so that you hold down on the mouse button when staged and let up on the mouse button to launch...just like my transbrake! It also allows you to adjust the rollout on your car to get more accurate reaction times. During the racing season, I try to do about 100 'hits' per day to keep my reaction crisp.

vetteatr · 01-26-2002, 04:55 PM

I apreciate the link. I will definately take a look at it and hopefully it will help my E.T ...

11 Second Cobra · 01-31-2002, 11:44 AM

We have a simple sportsman tree on our website at Great Lakes Dragaway

GLD Sportsman Tree

You may also want to check this link out:

The Starting Line Homepage

This site has a practice tree simulator that you can buy and download, what's nice is that it offers a LOT of options, and can be downloaded to your laptop (assuming you have one!) and you can practice on your laptop while waiting in the lanes at the dragstrip or in your trailer. It's a pretty cool program, offers as much functionality as the ones by Biondo, etc. but it's only 39 bucks. It keeps track of your average R/T time, frequency of redlights, you can set rollout, delay, etc etc. Even has sound (kinda silly but still cool!)

11 Second Cobra · 01-31-2002, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vetteatr
I apreciate the link. I will definately take a look at it and hopefully it will help my E.T ...

Just a quick FYI: Your reaction time will not affect your ET. It will help you to win a heads-up race or a bracket race, but ET and R/T are not connected. (unless we bring deep/shallow staging into the discussion)
The timer will not start untill you break the beams. Your reaction time is that difference between the last yellow and the green light (or after, depending on how quick/slow you react). You could sit at the tree and wait for three seconds before leaving the line, your ET would be the same as if you cut a .500 light...

Hope this info helps..

vetteatr · 02-02-2002, 03:25 PM

Thanks cobra. I know that ET is the time from start to finish and RT is the time of reaction on the light. I like to think that its all linked together for a possitive win. Hopefully I will have the car ready for the track next year, going for bracket. But I want to thank you for the info on th site. It has been a long while since I have even raced, but hell it will be fun doing it again.

1fastchick · 02-04-2002, 10:15 AM

best thing to improve your time if to just practice at the track

11 Second Cobra · 02-04-2002, 10:19 AM

Uh... no... You see the most sucessful racers using practice trees all the time. I run the tower at a major midwest dragstrip, and I see racers (the ones that seem to win quite often) with practice trees right on the dash or seat, as they wait in line for the brackets. You'll never get anywhere near as quick off the tree by just running in the lanes, that's just fact.

juiceman · 02-05-2002, 10:09 PM

actually, practice at the track is the best way. the portable practice trees are only used to condition yourself to the timing of the lights and your reaction. however, no practice tree can compensate for that blinding sun in your eyes as you look down the lane, or that nasty transition from dark to light or any other real time variable. practice with the practice tree, then when youre ready go out and get use to the real thing. its hard to see the real tree lights when the sun is behind you and it glares off the tree.

11 Second Cobra · 02-05-2002, 10:33 PM

Reaction time and cutting a quick lite is about TIMING. By using a practice tree, you develop a sense of TIMING which carries over to the track in real-time conditions. You learn to react better because of REPETITION. Your mind becomes accustomed to REACTION to the SPACING between the lights, be it on a practice tree or a real tree.
Of course practicing on the "real" tree is going to benefit you! But let's be real here... If you go to a busy track during racing season, how many chances to practice your reaction time are you going to get??? I speak from the position on 1. Being a racer. 2. Being a track employee. 3. Running the Compulink system during IHRA sanctioned events. We have had national champions and regional champions in our program. Some of these guys can cut .400's (pro tree) and .500's (sportsman) almost at will. And they use PRACTICE TREES, like I do...

Have you ever seen anyone do this:

I have seen racers go a full season and never get a .500 the whole year. I've done it on sucessive runs dude. It comes from PRACTICING ON A SIMULATOR, which carries over to the dragstrip.

You sure aren't going to hurt your chances.

I've seen it so many times; a guy wins consistantly at bracket racing, by cutting EXCELLENT reaction times. And there he is- practicing in his trailer. Practicing in his car...

I suppose there's a lesson here: If you think it is not needed to use a simulator, then don't use one! I just hope I get to race YOU when the season championship is on the line...

juiceman · 02-06-2002, 08:31 PM

i do agree a practice tree helps but since youre not into serious racing with fast cars i dont expect you to understand real time avents. i can come off a practice light or street light like nobodies business but when your eyes have to adjust to sun in your eyes i dont car how good you are in your trailer if you dont have track experience and know your car and its reaction then you cant do a thing on that line. you cant react to what you cant see. and since you think track experience isnt needed then i would be more than happy to race you. without a doubt all the pros use a practice tree but what you obviously dont know is that they also go to the track on off days and make runs and practice. oh, and i guess that delay box and electronics that they run has nothing to do with reaction time

11 Second Cobra · 02-06-2002, 08:55 PM

For what it's worth, our track is open more dates during racing season then any other in the United States. We are one of the oldest continuously operating dragstrips in the USA, if not the world. I have worked the tower 5 days per week from april to november, I know a little bit about the sport. We have classes where there are NO delay boxes, timers, throttle stops, or electronics of any kind. We start racing in the morning and run until midnight.
The consistant winners use simulators.

I have a much better perspective then you do, unless you've operated a Compulink system over and over and over and seen tens of thousands of dragstrip passes. I see what EVERY car does- from burnout technique to stage to reaction. I base my opinions on extensive real time experience. In once single evening, we record up to 1,000 passes on the Compulink system. Multiply that by the number of dates we are open and would not be an exaggeration to state that I have seen over 100,000 passes in just ONE season.

I have beaten some of the best bracket racers in the USA on "off nights" when we have trophy racing, where, with a stick shift and radial tires, I have tripped the win light against a car with automatic trans, slicks, and full electronics that runs dead-on its dial-in. I won the Fun Ford Street Class Event at GLD in 1997 with a manual trans and STREET radials, simply because I can cut good lights. I won the final round by .001 by cutting a perfect light, and the other car ran exactly on his dial-in, but it didn't matter, because of the difference on the tree.

It's not a big deal- If you don't believe that these devices make a difference, then don't use them. Perhaps you should take a look at those timeslips I posted; .501 .501 .500 on three successive passes... No, I don't know what I'm talking about, do I?
As I said, I've seen "professional" bracket racers that go a whole season and don't do that even once, much less three times in a row on one date. And I've also seen drivers who can do that at will... They are the ones with a practice tree...

juiceman · 02-07-2002, 04:18 PM

perhaps were misunderstanding each other. im not saying practice trees dont help, sure they help alot but it seems to me that youre trying to say that if a guy who never races at the track takes a practice tree and practices his reaction then with no other experience will he be the top guy in bracket racing and cut .500 lights every time. im sorry to say its not going to happen. you simply need experience. theres no other way around it. if you or anyone else feels that without experience but just a practice tree youre gonna win and be that good then hey, me and every other pro stock and drag team for that matter is looking for you. we could use a perfect un experienced driver like you. and since youve stated that youve beat the top guys in the country then you should have no problem becomming the best racer in the world.

01-23-2002, 07:10 PM	#1
vetteatr Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: North Richland Hills Posts: 3	Tree Time I found this site and its not too bad if you want to work on your tree time. http://www.sh3d.com/protree.html Does any one know of a better one that is accessable on the internet? Thanks Chris

01-24-2002, 07:25 AM	#2
Jeff Chambers Moderator Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Milan, OH Posts: 2,699	I use the internet practice tree at www.staginglight.com. It allows you to set it up so that you hold down on the mouse button when staged and let up on the mouse button to launch...just like my transbrake! It also allows you to adjust the rollout on your car to get more accurate reaction times. During the racing season, I try to do about 100 'hits' per day to keep my reaction crisp. __________________ Jeff Chambers 1990 Mustang GT 10.032 Seconds / 137.5 MPH 14-time Street Warrior World Record Setter CRT Performance 2001 Tropic Green Mustang GT - 12.181 / 113.2 MPH 2002 Ford F-250 Crew Cab 7.3l Power Stroke - 17.41@77.2 "There's nothing boring about a small block automatic shifting gears at 9400 rpm!"

01-26-2002, 04:55 PM	#3
vetteatr Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: North Richland Hills Posts: 3	Thanks I apreciate the link. I will definately take a look at it and hopefully it will help my E.T ...

01-31-2002, 11:44 AM	#4
11 Second Cobra Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Union Grove, WI Posts: 14	We have a simple sportsman tree on our website at Great Lakes Dragaway GLD Sportsman Tree You may also want to check this link out: The Starting Line Homepage This site has a practice tree simulator that you can buy and download, what's nice is that it offers a LOT of options, and can be downloaded to your laptop (assuming you have one!) and you can practice on your laptop while waiting in the lanes at the dragstrip or in your trailer. It's a pretty cool program, offers as much functionality as the ones by Biondo, etc. but it's only 39 bucks. It keeps track of your average R/T time, frequency of redlights, you can set rollout, delay, etc etc. Even has sound (kinda silly but still cool!) __________________ '94 Cobra 347 in production Ported GT40X heads Tremec TR-3550 FMS EFI Extender Last edited by 11 Second Cobra; 02-01-2002 at 12:09 AM..

02-04-2002, 10:15 AM	#7
1fastchick Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Orlando Florida Posts: 149	best thing to improve your time if to just practice at the track __________________ www.1fastchick.com www.cycleforums.com 1968 Fastback "Gidget"

02-02-2002, 03:25 PM	#6
vetteatr Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: North Richland Hills Posts: 3	Thanks cobra. I know that ET is the time from start to finish and RT is the time of reaction on the light. I like to think that its all linked together for a possitive win. Hopefully I will have the car ready for the track next year, going for bracket. But I want to thank you for the info on th site. It has been a long while since I have even raced, but hell it will be fun doing it again.

02-04-2002, 10:19 AM	#8
11 Second Cobra Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Union Grove, WI Posts: 14	Uh... no... You see the most sucessful racers using practice trees all the time. I run the tower at a major midwest dragstrip, and I see racers (the ones that seem to win quite often) with practice trees right on the dash or seat, as they wait in line for the brackets. You'll never get anywhere near as quick off the tree by just running in the lanes, that's just fact.

02-05-2002, 10:09 PM	#9
juiceman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: ny Posts: 197	actually, practice at the track is the best way. the portable practice trees are only used to condition yourself to the timing of the lights and your reaction. however, no practice tree can compensate for that blinding sun in your eyes as you look down the lane, or that nasty transition from dark to light or any other real time variable. practice with the practice tree, then when youre ready go out and get use to the real thing. its hard to see the real tree lights when the sun is behind you and it glares off the tree.

02-05-2002, 10:33 PM	#10
11 Second Cobra Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Union Grove, WI Posts: 14	Reaction time and cutting a quick lite is about TIMING. By using a practice tree, you develop a sense of TIMING which carries over to the track in real-time conditions. You learn to react better because of REPETITION. Your mind becomes accustomed to REACTION to the SPACING between the lights, be it on a practice tree or a real tree. Of course practicing on the "real" tree is going to benefit you! But let's be real here... If you go to a busy track during racing season, how many chances to practice your reaction time are you going to get??? I speak from the position on 1. Being a racer. 2. Being a track employee. 3. Running the Compulink system during IHRA sanctioned events. We have had national champions and regional champions in our program. Some of these guys can cut .400's (pro tree) and .500's (sportsman) almost at will. And they use PRACTICE TREES, like I do... Have you ever seen anyone do this: I have seen racers go a full season and never get a .500 the whole year. I've done it on sucessive runs dude. It comes from PRACTICING ON A SIMULATOR, which carries over to the dragstrip. You sure aren't going to hurt your chances. I've seen it so many times; a guy wins consistantly at bracket racing, by cutting EXCELLENT reaction times. And there he is- practicing in his trailer. Practicing in his car... I suppose there's a lesson here: If you think it is not needed to use a simulator, then don't use one! I just hope I get to race YOU when the season championship is on the line... __________________ '94 Cobra 347 in production Ported GT40X heads Tremec TR-3550 FMS EFI Extender

02-06-2002, 08:31 PM	#11
juiceman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: ny Posts: 197	i do agree a practice tree helps but since youre not into serious racing with fast cars i dont expect you to understand real time avents. i can come off a practice light or street light like nobodies business but when your eyes have to adjust to sun in your eyes i dont car how good you are in your trailer if you dont have track experience and know your car and its reaction then you cant do a thing on that line. you cant react to what you cant see. and since you think track experience isnt needed then i would be more than happy to race you. without a doubt all the pros use a practice tree but what you obviously dont know is that they also go to the track on off days and make runs and practice. oh, and i guess that delay box and electronics that they run has nothing to do with reaction time

02-06-2002, 08:55 PM	#12
11 Second Cobra Registered Member Join Date: Nov 1998 Location: Union Grove, WI Posts: 14	For what it's worth, our track is open more dates during racing season then any other in the United States. We are one of the oldest continuously operating dragstrips in the USA, if not the world. I have worked the tower 5 days per week from april to november, I know a little bit about the sport. We have classes where there are NO delay boxes, timers, throttle stops, or electronics of any kind. We start racing in the morning and run until midnight. The consistant winners use simulators. I have a much better perspective then you do, unless you've operated a Compulink system over and over and over and seen tens of thousands of dragstrip passes. I see what EVERY car does- from burnout technique to stage to reaction. I base my opinions on extensive real time experience. In once single evening, we record up to 1,000 passes on the Compulink system. Multiply that by the number of dates we are open and would not be an exaggeration to state that I have seen over 100,000 passes in just ONE season. I have beaten some of the best bracket racers in the USA on "off nights" when we have trophy racing, where, with a stick shift and radial tires, I have tripped the win light against a car with automatic trans, slicks, and full electronics that runs dead-on its dial-in. I won the Fun Ford Street Class Event at GLD in 1997 with a manual trans and STREET radials, simply because I can cut good lights. I won the final round by .001 by cutting a perfect light, and the other car ran exactly on his dial-in, but it didn't matter, because of the difference on the tree. It's not a big deal- If you don't believe that these devices make a difference, then don't use them. Perhaps you should take a look at those timeslips I posted; .501 .501 .500 on three successive passes... No, I don't know what I'm talking about, do I? As I said, I've seen "professional" bracket racers that go a whole season and don't do that even once, much less three times in a row on one date. And I've also seen drivers who can do that at will... They are the ones with a practice tree...

02-07-2002, 04:18 PM	#13
juiceman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: ny Posts: 197	perhaps were misunderstanding each other. im not saying practice trees dont help, sure they help alot but it seems to me that youre trying to say that if a guy who never races at the track takes a practice tree and practices his reaction then with no other experience will he be the top guy in bracket racing and cut .500 lights every time. im sorry to say its not going to happen. you simply need experience. theres no other way around it. if you or anyone else feels that without experience but just a practice tree youre gonna win and be that good then hey, me and every other pro stock and drag team for that matter is looking for you. we could use a perfect un experienced driver like you. and since youve stated that youve beat the top guys in the country then you should have no problem becomming the best racer in the world.

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