Diesel Drag Racing - Commentary

Nice thread, Greg. If I could afford to race my truck...and it was faster than a bone stock Geo, I'd still be hesitant to race in front of anyone in fear of looking like a dipchit. What bothers me is a bunch of folks just don't care about repect and proper edict. And to be honest, folks like this ruin the public view of the sport from the track to the stands to the parking lot and on the boards. I guess I'm just trying to say, "yes, I agree." :D
 
pay attention to track officials, if they tell you to pull up while the other cars are staging, do it. get into the box and get ready for your process..
if they call you to burnout and line up. do it!
Just watch a few rounds at a test and tune. you will see how the track is ran real fast...

for goodness sake. have your helmet and other safety gear on BEFORE you get ready to burnout.. there is no excuse for somebody else having to wait on you for that!
 
Good post Greg. I've been racing for years and I couldn't agree more.

The lack of "courtesy staging", whether at diesel events or not, just baffles me. Drives me nuts when guys go in and light both staging bulbs right off the bat and don't give the other drive a chance to pre-stage.
 
To folks like 4x4dually.

Don't be discouraged by blockboy's rant to not look like a dipchit with fear you'll ruin racing for everyone that races anything.

If you don't look like a dibchit, you'll never ever, ever,ever learn and figure it out. I think a little bit of the "Get off my lawn - old guy" got into Greg's post and he's assuming everyone is born with the ability to stage at a drag strip.

Watching a few rounds helps. doing it is another entire different story.

"Learn" at test and tunes, not at a drag race event if anything. LOL I think that's obvious.

But get out and do it. Be a douche and screw up a few times at a T&T. Near the end of the season at T&T's I've found to be the best time of the year to do this. The first week a track's open there's 1000's of cars and you may only get 3 runs in if you're lucky. In October, you can hot lap from gate open to gate close! That's my plan. It's been a few years since I've been at the drag strip. Once my auto's settled and a few hundred miles on it. I'll be spending lots of time this fall.
 
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Yes, nice comments Greg.
A race occurs at both ends of the track. It's seems that the Diesel racing scene has more interest in the big end. Going rounds is where its at.

FWIW, I am happy to have the privilege of knowing some very good gas racers at our home track. Plus, there are the Diesel guys like Steve, Rocky, Mickey, Mike, the Pazaks, etc. These guys go to the track to race. Sure they want to push their trucks faster, but ultimately it's a competition and our group plays well.
 
Totally agree Greg, the Friday night street legal races, (or whatever night they are held at your track) are usually the worst. Lots of first timers and usually the track and especially the starter shows a fair amount of patience. Worst thing I've seen was when someone pulls through both lights on the stage and when they back them up they forget take it out of reverse, that can be wild. We all make mistakes at times, at least I do like forgetting to get it back in 4x4 :eek: or getting a little jumpy on a sportman tree when you have been running .4 protrees:lolly:. If someone double bulbs me and I know the guy isn't a first timer I don't pre stage till I'm damn good and ready. My one complaint about some tracks is they don't have the staging beams marked too well, especially in the left lane and you have to feel your way in. My truck can be a bit jumpy and wants to pull through the brakes if you have a bit too much boost built up doing this. As Greg said practice practice practice.

See Greg, I can make a post without using the T word :poke: Do hope you can make it to akepot:D
 
JasonCzerak said:
Be a douche and screw up a few times at a T&T.
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Not sure I'd put it that way. Ask questions, track officials are there to help the new guys so they learn the right way and don't develop bad habits. Most other racers are more than willing to answer questions too, because they would prefer that the guy in the other lane have some idea of what they are doing (nobody wants to get timed out from auto-start or burned down or anything else like that...if it could have been prevented by 5 minutes of conversation).

Diesel racing is a bit different, some trucks need more time to spool chargers. If you watch a bit and know what types of trucks you will be racing, you can gauge whether you should go in first (to give yourself more spool time) or you should be a bit patient and let the other go in and start spooling before you get into the beams. It's not perfect, but if you're racing a truck you KNOW will take 10 seconds longer than you to spool the chargers, be cool and let them pre-stage and start getting on the chargers before you hit the first beam. Go into the first beam and then the second slowly so you can both hit the stage beam without one "burning down" the other. Most "racers" just want to go out and make a good pass, do better than they have previously and hopefully win...if everyone is courteous and gives a little thought to their opponent, everyone should have a great time.
 
99% of all drag races are won on the tree ..well brkts anyways..most guys have no concept of how the slower truck can win...
 
All the conversation in the world doesn't help everyone. A lot people need to do to fully grasp the idea.
 
Dockboy said:
I have pondered and discussed the following thoughts regarding the current state, or appearance of diesel drag racing for a while. So I thought I would throw out my observations and see what people’s feelings are on the subject. My comments are not directed at any one person specifically but rather a general overall observation.

At our organized “diesel only” races or any organized drag race for that matter, there is one thing that it seems most of our newer diesel racers fail to show up with. That is an understanding of exactly what real "drag racing" is all about. Also, how important proper racing edict is. Unfortunately I think this all stems from an internet diesel forum driven misconception of the exact purpose of the racing. This failure tends to reflect negatively on tracks and other racers in general.

This is Drag RACING...NOT... Drag RECORD-ING!!!:rules:

While it is great to build or have a fast truck that can set whatever the constant changing “record” of the month is so it can be posted on the internet for the endless “way to go”, “Congrats”, etc. responses, it is far from making the truck and/or the driver a “drag racer”. In fact, being able to post a “record” has little if anything to do with how far you can go or how well you will do in an organized race.

Drag racing for the most part is all about what happens from the water box to the 60’ block. Yet most of the diesel truck racers I observe at events are lacking the experience and practice in this small section of the track. That is because people rarely, if ever, practice this part of racing. They are more concerned with what will happen 1320’ down the track and setting a “record”. This is what I want to discuss … PRACTICE!!!

Sometimes this is easier to explain if I correlate it to Golf…

Over 80% of the strokes in golf occur within 100 yrds. of the green. About 75% of that 80 are putts. Yet nearly every weekend golfer will go to the driving range and pound 100’s of drivers then make 2 or 3 putts on the practice green before playing. At the end of the round, they wonder why they can’t break 100. :doh:

Same thing happens in drag racing…People go to T&T’s and try to run “record” passes every time, and never practice what is really important to being a successful racer.

PRACTICE…PRACTICE…PRACTICE

1st… Know and learn the proper edict and procedures for the track where you are racing. How to pull in the staging lanes. When to pull up to the box. Which way to drive around the water box if needed. What type of tree will be used? Etc. If you don’t know, ask an official. These small things go a long way in what kind of respect the track officials and other racers will show towards you.

2nd… Use a T&T session to do nothing but practicing staging!! In other words, only concentrate on pulling in the box, burn out procedure (if you do one), preparing any settings, switches, etc. for the launch before staging, preboosting into the beams and fully staging at the proper boost levels for your particular setup. Don’t worry about the other lane (besides using proper edict), reaction time, or what you will run in the ¼. Use this practice to get a smooth efficient staging routine down that also produces your best 60’s. Nothing irritates the track and your competitor more than someone taking forever to boost and stage!! Also, save the truck!! No need to run it out past 330’ or 660’! All you are concentrating on is staging… That is it!!

3rd… Once you can produce a consistent staging procedure, next thing is to work on your reaction time. Know what tree you are on! Pro .400 or .500, Sportsman .400 or .500 etc. If there is a particular tree you want to practice on, put it on the window. The track will change the tree for you. R/T is one of the most important things in winning races!! Again, you are only working on R/T so save the truck. No need to run it out. Figure out how deep or shallow to stage for your particular setup and roll out. Work on cutting consistent .0XX R/T’s.

4th… Put it all together!! After a lot of constant and persistent practice, you should be able to produce a consistent type of run. Besides the fact that you will look like an experienced racer rather than a redneck hillbilly trying to race a diesel truck!!

5th… Enter other races besides “diesel only” events. Watch and learn from the gasser racers regardless of what you think of them, most know what they are doing.


I guess what I am getting at is if we want diesel drag racing to grow and be respected… us actually doing the racing need to know what we are doing and act accordingly!!

Then again, if all you are worried about is posting a time for kudos on the internet…stick to T&T’s and leave the racing to racers :poke:
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Great Post! I found for the most part it's a young crowd and not much will likely change but... it's Exactly what and how drag racing should be addressed. Respect at the track does really come from knowing exactly what's your doing while your there, from the way your pit area is handled during the race; all the race procedures metioned above; and the way you leave the pits when you go home. It should be such common since but, from over the last 4 years or so Ive seen its not.

Hope no one looks for negitive in this post, but rather re read Gregs post and learn something, then take it to the track and do a better job.
 
One thing I have noticed and some of the gassers are the worst is the speed they drive through the pits. It scares the hell out of me the way they hot rod around. If any of you have looked into race insurance and see what it costs and then realize that you regular auto insurance isn't worth the paper it's written on when you are at the track would be creeping around the pits and watching for all the kids that come running out. Also some of the diesel guys leave their trucks running in the staging lane or pits and are not in it. Big ass no no, at least at any track I've been to.
 
you have the big dragsters and cars here who after the pass get up some speed and cut it.. coasting the car all the way the their pit... silent killers!!
 
Great post. Also don't be afraid to ask other diesel racers questions. I no longer have a truck that runs slow enough to take passengers, but when I did I would give new diesel racers rides. Even now I will go for a ride down the track with someone that has a 13.99 or slower truck, and give pointers. It's not that I am an expert, but I have made a few passes in a diesel truck. At the very least, make a pass or two with another diesel pickup in the other lane, and watch what they do. This should only be done after you have done what Greg said to do.

There are a lot of people out there that are happy to help, if you ask politely.

I personally don't keep secrets. You want to know something about how I race, don't be afraid to ask. The way that I want to beat you is by cutting a better light, and running closer to my dial (if it's a bracket race). If you can do that, I deserve to lose, end of story.

Paul
 
another thing to keep in mind too.

HAVE FUN!!! thats what its all about. at events where it costs $5 more to run test n tune between classes, DO IT!!! there shouldnt be 300 trucks in the parking lot and only 20 of em on the track, no matter how slow or inexperienced you are. it all comes with time anyways.
 
A few passes:D
paulb said:
Great post. Also don't be afraid to ask other diesel racers questions. I no longer have a truck that runs slow enough to take passengers, but when I did I would give new diesel racers rides. Even now I will go for a ride down the track with someone that has a 13.99 or slower truck, and give pointers. It's not that I am an expert, but I have made a few passes in a diesel truck.;) At the very least, make a pass or two with another diesel pickup in the other lane, and watch what they do. This should only be done after you have done what Greg said to do.

There are a lot of people out there that are happy to help, if you ask politely.

I personally don't keep secrets. You want to know something about how I race, don't be afraid to ask. The way that I want to beat you is by cutting a better light, and running closer to my dial (if it's a bracket race). If you can do that, I deserve to lose, end of story.

Paul
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paulb said:
...

I personally don't keep secrets. You want to know something about how I race, don't be afraid to ask. The way that I want to beat you is by cutting a better light, and running closer to my dial (if it's a bracket race). If you can do that, I deserve to lose, end of story.

Paul
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Exactly! 2 years ago up at BIR for a diesel thing. I was asking questions of a few folks, some of these guys running 13's wouldn't talk about what they had under the hood. WTF?

Maybe when there are folks that support a family on diesel racing (no shop, full time racing!), then they can then justify keeping secrets. heh.
 
Excellent post Greg!

I agree, saying Paul has made a few passes in a diesel truck is like saying Bill Gates has a few dollars...

There are some good tips in this thread:
Drag Racing 101 - Competition Diesel.Com - Bringing The BEST Together

One thing on double bulbing - I have to deep stage my dually in order to cut a good light. Because of that I always try to roll in until I have almost turned on the stage light, then wait for the other guy. As soon as I see him rolling and at the point where he is about to turn on the pre-stage, I start rolling forward to turn on my pre-stage and turn out my top bulb. Sometimes if the guy suddenly hits his brakes before turning on the pre-stage, or if I just mis-guess it, I end up "double bulbing" him but only when he was already rolling in.

Once you are in eliminations and on a ladder, don't be afraid to talk about the staging procedure with your opponent, to make each other aware of any idiosyncracies. In my case I try to tell them about my whole deep staging routine, and in DirtyMax I make sure they know I'm doing a stupid long burnout ;)
 
I'm with you!

Stingpuller said:
Greg, I like how you think! It's funny that i'm told i'm lucky all the time. I can turn mine up just like everyone else but I don't. I can run 10.50's and go round after round. It's kinda amazing how many races one can win just being there at the end. I have race 28 years and the hero stuff went out the window many years ago. I just can't afford it anymore. I will only run mine as fast as I have too to beat the guy beside me. It works pretty well as I have won the last 3(NADM trails,NHRDA Indy,DTS Atlanta) races. Jeff
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Is there any issue with dry burnouts for street-tire trucks? Track preference? I also feel like a fool driving around the box and backing into it for street tires (local track made me use it, 2wd).
 
I've had a few tracks tell me I couldn't go in the water with my street tires, but it is rare. My tires work better with a very quick wet burnout. A dry one seems to work almost as well but is more of a pain to get it consistent.
 
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