Aligning cars for starts

[RHDwillis]

I feel that aligning the cars by the center of the front hub needs to be addressed. Lining them up this way gives advantage to the smaller nosed cars. Cars like a Corvette would not have as much room to run before the lights then say a Mini would.

[hemitud]

Lining by the center of the hub may not account for the amount of overhang of the nose, but it also doesn't leave room for speculation of where the actual front of the car is. The height of the timing light doesn't contact every car at the same location. Cars with front splitters; where do you line them up? At the splitter or at the bumper, that can be as much as 6 to 8" difference. The best general average is the tire.

[glenthompson]

With the old timing lights most cars triggered off the tire since they were so low to the ground. That made using the hub the best option for equalizing starts. Since the new lights sit up higher, most cars are going to trigger off the bumper. While long overhang cars will get a shorter acceleration before timing starts the difference will probably be very small. In addition, most cars in a given class have similar overhangs. Most Minis aren't directly competing with Camaros. From my travels, the front hub seems to be the favored staging location.

[teamking]

Just curious: is there a spare set of timing lights to be available in case someone runs over the primary lights?

If so, the spare set could be wired up to a light that indicates the car is staged (and would be at the same height as the timing lights so no issues with different bumpers getting an advantage).

If the actual timing lights get destroyed then we fall back to manual alignment for the rest of the day.

Just a thought.

[hklvette]

There is a spare set, but they are wireless. That being said....

I do still have all of the old Race America gear, which is wired and is otherwise collecting dust. We could use them instead.

[yenko66]

I did feel that at the first event this year that the pre stage / to start light trigger area was extremely close. Everyone had the same amount of room which made it fair but it just felt real tight.

I really like the idea of a staged light..make us feel like we are drag racing..(LOL)

[n33d4sp33d13]

I agree with the staged light. It lines everyone up with the furthest foward part of the car that would trip the light and essentially eliminates any advantage.