check out the lights.

[Bikini Bottom Crew]

This picture has been shared with some buddies of ours that feel this can't happen, or at least can't explain it. This was taken during a time run when both cars are leaving at the same time. It was around 6:00 or 6:30, plenty of light, no flash. Suppose to be a certain amount of time between all of the starting bulbs...yes? Check out the other cars staging lights...both still on. Shalon's pre stage is out...this is all good. But if there is X amount of time between the start bulbs, how is it that both the bottom yellow and the green are on. Or is there no explanation and it's just a cool picture!!??

[Metz Motorsports]

The tree is a .500 sportsman, meaning there is a half second between each amber and the green. I do believe the next light comes on before the other goes out, so yes there is a chance that the last amber and the green were on at the same time. Now for the prestage light being out, the run should have been a 'deep stage foul' resulting in a red light. However, there is a setting in the computer system that is called "Super Start". When the 'super start' is on the system will not allow deep staging, meaning if the top light is out before the green light comes on it will turn the red light on. When the 'super start' is off, as it was this weekend (no one took the time to change it) deep staging is allowed, meaning you could have purposely staged deep enough to turn the top light off and would still have got a gree light. Anyway, tree 101 is over. LOL....pretty cool picture though to catch the tree like that

[Gsolo]

i think thats pretty lucky catch with a camera...and the explanation makes a lot of sense to me :D Never heard of the super start before so i learned something new about staging

[Metz Motorsports]

I got to thinking about the top light thing being out....its clear that the car is accellerating in this pic, so it wouldnt nessessarily be a red light or a deep stage foul. If it were a video you could actually watch (maybe in slow motion) the car accellerate while the staging lights are going out. So yeah maybe my last post had some good info about how the system works, but may not apply to this case LMAO. Anyway, with the lights the way they are in the pic, I'll bet the r/t was pretty damn good...

[Bikini Bottom Crew]

I understand what your bring up about the top light, but that is just roll out she's already gone. You talk about the super start, this is the first track I've raced at that you can't deep stage. When I use to race at Bandimere in Denver and the track at Douglass Wy. it was a common practice. I've never had my daughters ability to cut a light so I had to do something to sneak up on the tree. Speaking of cutting a light, her reaction on this run was a .008. This makes her third double 0 light this year, we're hoping some day she gets good..ha ha!

[gregc]

Are you sure Jason? I thought that if the top bulb was out during staging when the starter pushes the button, it was a foul. Not when the green light goes.

Reason being, the clocks start when the second bulb goes out, not the first. If the clocks started when the first bulb went out, then you wouldn't be able to deep stage (if it were allowed).

So, if you wait till green to put out the top bulb and the clocks don't start until you put out the 2nd, there is no way to get a perfect light. But this isn't the case. (I have a perfect light time slip as proof :D ).

I believe that if you deep stage and the starter hits the button, it is a foul. If you are staged, then the starter hits the button, then you go deep, you are okay.

Also, I have quite a few videos showing this effect. With most videos capturing 30 frames per second (1/30th = .033 sec) that is a very poor rate to see if a light is good or not. If your car has the top bulb on while the green is on, it is a horrible light. If the 2nd bulb is on while the light is green, it could be good or up to .500 RT. In this picture, we can see that the light had just turned green, so we know that RT likely was pretty good. If you catch both bulbs out when the light just turns green, then you should have a perfect reaction time (or red light).

[Metz Motorsports]

yeah Greg thats what the Super Start function in the computer system is for. When the Super Start is turned on and you turn the top light out, the result is a red light. If the super start is OFF then it would not turn the red light on.

[gregc]

But it is at the time the starter pushes the button, not when the green light pops on, yes? If so, you should be able to creep after the first amber is lit.

[Metz Motorsports]

with the super start off, yes

[gregc]

With it off, you can deep stage before hand. With it on, you should be able to deep stage after the first yellow goes on (I said amber before). Since we are on a sportsman tree, you have a full second after the first yellow is lit (second and a 1/2 really, but leaving on the last bulb is the norm for most).

So, what I'm saying is, to get a red light, you have to put out the second amber (after the tree has been activated) before the green light comes on. Since the starter has already started the tree, you should be able to creep in a bit further and put out the top bulb.

It would pretty much only work if you are foot braking. Trying to get on the transbrake and the letting go again would be a pain.

[Metz Motorsports]

Doesnt work that way.

Basic: Super Start ON: must have both stage lights on until green comes on (obviously the starter activated the tree)

Super Start OFF: Can turn top light out before/after tree activation

[gregc]

So,

Super Start On: Clocks start counting when the top bulb is put out.

Super Start off: Clocks start counting when bottom bulb is put out.

Right? It has to be. Otherwise, there would be no way to get a perfect light when the Super Start is ON unless you were to lift the front tires out of both beams at exactly the same time.

[Metz Motorsports]

I dont know if the clock counting changes with the super start on or off.

[Throttletag]

I think that the "Super Start" needs to be taken out of the computer and thrown as far away from the tower and racers as possible!

[gregc]

They used it for the NWPSA group when they were here a few weeks ago. They run on a .4 Pro Tree and a couple of their classes are no electronics. I think it is a good thing for a Pro tree. It enables a slower no electronic guy to actually cut a decent light.

I didn't make use of it though. I still cut a .0000 light on the pro tree. :D I also went .007 red with .005 in my box when it got darker out though. :(