Smitty Racing 8.93 @ 154

Congrats. It just goes to show what true sportsmanship and dedication to the sport gets you. Way togo guys
 
Great Job and well deserved, that is one intense truck watched it light all four slicks for the 1/8 mile at Topeka and thought then if it hooks it will be low to mid 8's.

congats

Malcolm
 
8's in a 4x4 is movin!! That little beam breaker on the front of the truck how much does that really help? I've heard quite a few people ***** about it but i cant see it making a huge difference
 
Timmay said:
8's in a 4x4 is movin!! That little beam breaker on the front of the truck how much does that really help? I've heard quite a few people ***** about it but i cant see it making a huge difference
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Don't know why they would *****, don't think the Team Smitty has an exclusive right to use one. As far as helping, IIRC in a photo finish it's the nose of the horse that counts not it's feet. In this case the beam breaker is at the nose. I'm surprised others don't install one. My question is what is the height of the beam at the finish line? I'm assuming it is higher than the start or the beam breaker would set off the start light?
 
yea i would think the same. I think people were complaining cause it wasnt a factory part of the truck and technically would drop times. I agree though instead of complaining about it make your own lol
 
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Timmay said:
yea i would think the same. I think people were complaining cause it wasnt a factory part of the truck and technically would drop times. I agree though instead of complaining about it make your own lol
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Well if we have to exclude everything that is, "not a factory part" from our trucks, there is going to be a lot of slow trucks. :D
 
Timmay said:
yea i would think the same. I think people were complaining cause it wasnt a factory part of the truck and technically would drop times. I agree though instead of complaining about it make your own lol
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Doesn't your truck have a license plate holder on the front?
 
LOL Beam breakers have been around in other classes for years... They equalize overhang and they also give a 4wd the same bumper height as a 2wd.... that way they break the beams with the "bumper" like a 2wd instead of the tires.


It helps ET by a whole 8 thousands of a second at 154 MPH LOL
 
I just wish they would move the finish line beams to 1-5/8" like the starting line beams so everyone tripped with their tires. When bracket or index racing and trying to close the gap at the stripe, it can be tough if you are unsure of whether the other guy's nose or tires will trip the beams. A couple of weeks ago I was racing against a '69 Camaro (which has a long front overhang). It was a Stock Eliminator car so it had very soft springs up front. I came around him (I had the quicker dial) and held about 10" in front of him, and he dumped the brakes when it was obvious I was taking the stripe, but his nose drooped enough to take the stripe a few thousandths in front of me.
 
Damn Michael, I'm just holding on for dear life at the stripe, I feel pretty good if I can judge half a truck length. :D
 
A beam breaker does give you a quicker time, there is no doubt about it. If it didn't do you think people would be using them? Since the beam lights are different you can get it set to clear the starting beam so you stage off the front tires but finish off the beam breaker. The question become how much is it good for. It all depends on how far forward it is and how quick of a class your in. I heard reports anywhere from .08 - .30 The only way your going to know is add one and see how much your times change from before.

The idea way back was to make all the cars equal due to front end overhang. Guys with Corvette's found that setting the front end with lite springs would allow the car to be legal and clear the starting beam but down track the wind forced the front end down and broke the finish line beam sooner. This gave cars with a long nose an unfair advantage so the beam breaker rules came about. The rules do not fit the trucks very well but as I said, if it didn't help people would not be using them.
 
Diesel Tech said:
A beam breaker does give you a quicker time, there is no doubt about it. If it didn't do you think people would be using them? Since the beam lights are different you can get it set to clear the starting beam so you stage off the front tires but finish off the beam breaker. The question become how much is it good for. It all depends on how far forward it is and how quick of a class your in. I heard reports anywhere from .08 - .30 The only way your going to know is add one and see how much your times change from before.

The idea way back was to make all the cars equal due to front end overhang. Guys with Corvette's found that setting the front end with lite springs would allow the car to be legal and clear the starting beam but down track the wind forced the front end down and broke the finish line beam sooner. This gave cars with a long nose an unfair advantage so the beam breaker rules came about. The rules do not fit the trucks very well but as I said, if it didn't help people would not be using them.
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I don't see a problem with the beam breakers. They are NHRA legal and there is a set height they have to be, which is 3.5" off the ground and no more than 44" from the center line of the front wheel or if its less than 44" it can't be any further than the furthest part of the car. The staging beams are suppose to be set at 2" and all the rest are set at 6". These were the guidelines I was given by the NHRA tech.I was also told .20 it the best your gonna get with one.
 
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