DSPORT Issue #266
Staff Report // Images by DSPORT Staff and Portatree
In drag racing, the margin of victory can be measured in thousandths of a second. The race can be won or lost at the starting line. Racers who cut a quicker light take control of the race and have a huge advantage over their competitor. A drag racer that has a better reaction time to the green light at the starting line can still win the race despite having a performance disadvantage that results in a slower elapsed time or top speed. The car’s elapsed time is measured from the moment it leaves the starting line until it crosses the finish line. The driver’s reaction time is added to the elapsed time; the racer with the lowest total is the winner. That’s why a racer with a quicker car and lower E.T. can still lose the race to the racer with the better reaction time.
Training and practice are two factors that are key to achieving true expertise in any field, and drag racing is no exception. Practicing in low-pressure situations develops the skills that will be needed when under competition pressure. From bracket racers to the pro ranks, when it comes to reaction time practice systems, the Portatree Eliminator Next Gen is the ideal choice. This table top practice tree boosts mental conditioning, improves reaction times and optimizes hand-eye coordination. Work on reaction times alone, against the computer or use the dual lane feature to compete against a friend. As fun as this practice device can be, it’s not a toy. It’s a dedicated precision instrument designed to recreate the starting line experience as realistically as possible. An app on a smart phone or tablet just can’t produce the accurate timing signals that are required. The Eliminator Next Gen is priced right around $350.00. The unit is compatible with all original Eliminator accessories, including foot pedals, vehicle connections, National Event trees and Portatree Minis.
The adjustable auto start settings can be matched to your local drag strip or event for a personalized practice experience. The Eliminator Next Gen can be configured to a 0.000 reaction time for a perfect light or a selected tree speed from 0.100 to 0.900 including a .500 Full or .400 Pro tree. Dial-in and delay box settings can be set individually for each lane. It even has a shift light feature that will show a shift light on the display or the top yellow bulb of a practice tree. Up to four shift points can be programmed.
The Eliminator Next Gen has improved statistics and data tracking that allows racers to view the results of the last 50 reaction times in each lane on the full color touch display. View the total number of runs, red lights, wins, average reaction time and the spread between the reaction times in your practice session. If the shift light function is used then the average shift time can also be viewed. Connection to a computer is possible with a type A to B USB cable. This allows screen customization and the management of statistics on the Eliminator. Users can graph reaction time data, overlay graphs and export data to an Excel file.
“Portatree has been serving the drag racing community for over 35 years,” said Allison Doll, NHRA Stock Eliminator World Champion. “We strive to provide quality products to both race tracks and drag racers, and aim to offer the best, most realistic practice experience possible!”
The Countdown Starter is the drag race starting line signal that lets racers know when their car is properly staged and when to start the race. This electronic starting system is commonly known as the Christmas Tree. The tree made its official drag racing debut at the 1963 NHRA National Championship Drags at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Although several inventors had been working on an electronic starting line signal, including W.H. David of the Pel State Timing Association and Oilver Riley of Chrondek Corporation, it was NHRA National Field Director Ed Eaton and NHRA Division One director Lou Bond who championed the idea.
Prior to this development, drag races were started by an Official Starter, a flagman who signaled the start of the race with the wave of a green flag. This starting method lacked consistency and was hazardous to the official who had to stand on the track between and in front of the two race cars. Of course, not everyone was happy with this game changing technology. It took some time for racers to realize they could not wait for the green light, but had to react on the last yellow. Some drivers would risk a red light loss by anticipating the green. East coast racers who lived near a track with the new electronic starting system got more practice and had an advantage against traveling racers who usually competed at tracks with a flagman. The invention of the countdown starter had a huge impact on the sport, leading to further innovations such as more accurate measurement of E.T.s and top speed. Despite some early misgivings and complaints, the new electronic system was eventually put in to widespread use and the rest is history.
