"stripe taker"..??

Posted By: CHAPPER

"stripe taker"..?? - 11/28/10 01:47 AM

What are the rules, if any, on the piece of metal/plastic panel I see on the front of some of the cars? Is this just a 'head game' or what?? I can't seem to get it straight in my head how this is going to help unless you are one he!! of a stripe driver and real good with the brakes.

Posted By: HEMIFRED

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 11/28/10 02:09 AM

I would guess it's to take advantage of a rule regarding overhang or something that any other body style might have over you. to level the playing field. pro stockers got carried away with overhang and along came a ruling.

NHRA

Quote:

Front overhang not to exceed
45 inches forward of the front spindle. If front overhang of selected
body is less than the maximum of 45 inches, an NHRA-accepted
extension may be added to reach the maximum length.

Posted By: MoparBilly

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 11/28/10 02:30 AM

They are a usefull tool, if you choose to use one. Like any tool, knowing how to use it, and how to combat them is essential to the game.

Posted By: Leigh

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 11/28/10 02:37 AM

Quote:

They are a usefull tool, if you choose to use one. Like any tool, knowing how to use it, and how to combat them is essential to the game.

So true. I first saw one around 1995. I changed my routine, to either wheel or taker race the stripe. More work, but no big deal. You just have to be observant.

Posted By: BobsProFab

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 11/28/10 05:59 AM

i will be adding them to both my cars being they have a short over hang to make them right at 45"
most dont know that the staging beams and ET beam at the end of the track are at 2 different heights.
they installed one on a A/M car the last Heads Up race at Milan, look to be around 16" long, he went his best ET with it installed
they where not designed for bracket racing !

Posted By: MoparBilly

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 11/28/10 08:06 AM

Quote:

i will be adding them to both my cars being they have a short over hang to make them right at 45"
most dont know that the staging beams and ET beam at the end of the track are at 2 different heights.
they installed one on a A/M car the last Heads Up race at Milan, look to be around 16" long, he went his best ET with it installed
they where not designed for bracket racing !

Uh, Bob, you're a hell of a fabricator...but you got a whole bunch to learn about bracket, and index racing if you believe that!!!

First off, its not just the staging beams, it's all the beams, EXCEPT the finish line. So as soon as you put the stripe taker, out there, not only do they pick up ET, but you get a nice bogus bump in MPH, typically 3-5 mph, so it's deceiving on qualifying sheets, and what people think about your abilty to close on them or vice versa. Now do I need to explain about the stock elim guys who's stripe takers miss the beam under full throttle, but catch it on the brakes??? It's Chess baby, not checkers...

Attached picture 6324555-75459106.Y3cDcVzG.SportsmanFriday5.jpg

Attached picture 6324555-75459106.Y3cDcVzG.SportsmanFriday5.jpg

Posted By: sr4440

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 11/28/10 12:08 PM

The height of the pre-stage and stag beam is apox 1 � inches off the ground. The rest of the beams should be 8 inches off the ground.

I have a nose cone that is 30 inches out from the front wheel centerline, it sits 5 inches off the ground.

It always takes the stripe; this adds consistency to racing the car. With a door car with a roll pan, when you hit the brakes and the front end dives, then your roll pan MAY take the light; even though you front tire is 12 inches away.

One additional thing, when I get ready to race someone, I look to see what part of the car is going to take the finish line. Most of the time, I can go wheel to wheel to the line because I am 30 inches in front!

Joe

Posted By: CHAPPER

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 11/28/10 02:43 PM

I am still trying to get this straight in my head.
I can see how the 'taker' can change the out come of a pass by either braking or not braking. I realize it may become necessary to change your approach of finish line tactics,,but how are you going to change your number on the window too!!??
Like OP stated, may not be designed for us bracket racers. I guess I will spend some time this winter with a lazer level and a floor jack trying to duplicate actions on the track.

Posted By: sam64

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 11/28/10 03:48 PM

its like when you stage you look to see where your opponent should be in relation at the stripe[front tires]he's been tt with the sripe taker,stoppping the clocks with it.he knows his et with it,you wheel race him to the stripe,he's there first with the stripe taker.

Attached picture 6324796-mopars016(Small).jpg

Attached picture 6324796-mopars016(Small).jpg

Posted By: BobsProFab

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 11/29/10 05:13 AM

Quote:

Quote:

i will be adding them to both my cars being they have a short over hang to make them right at 45"
most dont know that the staging beams and ET beam at the end of the track are at 2 different heights.
they installed one on a A/M car the last Heads Up race at Milan, look to be around 16" long, he went his best ET with it installed
they where not designed for bracket racing !

Uh, Bob, you're a hell of a fabricator...but you got a whole bunch to learn about bracket, and index racing if you believe that!!!

First off, its not just the staging beams, it's all the beams, EXCEPT the finish line. So as soon as you put the stripe taker, out there, not only do they pick up ET, but you get a nice bogus bump in MPH, typically 3-5 mph, so it's deceiving on qualifying sheets, and what people think about your abilty to close on them or vice versa. Now do I need to explain about the stock elim guys who's stripe takers miss the beam under full throttle, but catch it on the brakes??? It's Chess baby, not checkers...

i dont disagree with ya on how some bracket racers use them

.
but in heads up its used to take the stripe every time.

the fastest to the end wins and if your car runs thru the lights with the front up and the tire clicking the beam (running the full 1320) VS a car that runs the same ET will win (leaving on a pro tree together)if setup with the stripe taker to click the beam because he has less track to run (45 inches of less track to run minus half the tire rollout from C/L of spindle) this is why some heads up racers use them, to get every advantage over the other guy when fastest ET wins.

theres a reason they put a length on the over hangs

Bob

Posted By: Al_Alguire

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/02/10 10:29 PM

The ovehang length rule has changed/evolved over the years to accomodate the new body styles more than anything else. Stripe takers are certainly nothing new they have been around for years. They are fairly new in the heads up world however becoming more prevalent in the last couple of years. I think MANY of them really push the limits of that rule, if it is even the same in thier sanctioning bodies. I also feel pretty confidednt in saying it was probably an ex bracket or index guy who started the trend. I understand what you are saying Bob but I think you will finds that this trend came from us lowly bracket guys..

Now I think a lot of bracket cars using them do so to maintain consistency in thier program. Some folks think it is "cheating" in the bracket world to use them. IMO if you are usinig one in a heads up class it would be closer to "cheating" than in brackets. Some cars, mine fits in here, are low enough in the front that off the throttle we are tripping the beams with the front of the car, rather than the tire. Other cars, dragsters altereds do not have the issue. They usually have some sort of wing up front to keep them consistent. Take a walk in the pits particularly at a National or Divisional event and see how many stripe takers you see.

I have considered putting one on my car but to this point have not. I do suffer from some inconsistecy at the stripe at times. I know in a numbedr of instances I was behind yet took the stripe on the brakes costing me a round win by braking out ever so slightly. I have a pile of 10.896 to 10.899 slips in the low 140's when I was on the binders and KNOW I was behind my opponents wheel(based on staging)and lost. That is from the front end of my car when I am on the brakes hard. As soon as I can make something that looks good we may install a stripe taker. For now I just roll the dice and hope for the best. I feel very confident if I had a stripe taker it would not happen as much, once I got used to driving with it that is. Maybe we need to work on this over the winter.

Posted By: Ben Holt

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/02/10 10:39 PM

To answer the original post....there are no defined rules for one directly from NHRA. You need to check with your local track/organizer to make sure they are legal for whatever you are doing. Some series have stipulations allowing them, some say tough luck, that's the car you chose to race... They are on heads-up cars and index cars alike....but the majority I have seen are on stock front ended, close to stock ride height bracket/index cars. You take a 65 Coronet with a stock front end, and a 92 Camaro with a stock front end, the Camaro can dump the brakes before the finish line and have it's nose trip well before the Coronet's tires get there. They work in the heads-up arena, too (I've made several), but a lot of bracket racers use them to level the playing field against the newer cars.

EDIT: I just read Al's post......what he said:)

Posted By: Eric

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/03/10 12:31 AM

I have one....though I've never used it. I'm thinking next year I will put it on and give it a try..

Posted By: joshking440

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/03/10 12:36 AM

i say NO to pecker extenders

Posted By: CHAPPER

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/03/10 01:36 AM

This is what I was looking for,,,some talk/ideas/opinions on this situation. I am having a hard time figuring in my head how ANYONE can be so sure/accurate as to their reaction time and car's consistency, that they could let the front end down, or not, to STILL be on their dial-in. I have raced quite alot in my time, I still cannot be sure EXACTLY where I'm at, at the stripe...???,,was my light as good as I think it has been,,was he alittle late,,,am I about ready to break-out,,is he running off alittle,,is his "stripe taker" ahead of me..? I think there has to be a better way to gauge the finish line by the lights. I realize that some cars go through the finish beams taller...than they leave the starting line. I have always tried to run 'flat-out' to achieve my dial-in. I think some of going 'dead on' has a smidgen' of talent and luck combined. I know some will say it's all in seat time/ experience, But I don't know how much longer I have for seat time!!

Posted By: BTBelvedere

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/04/10 02:07 AM

I'm with Josh. No stripe takers. You should stage with the front tires and take the stripe with the front tires. The finish line beam should be the same height as the starting line beam, then if anything else trips it, you are disqualified. That should apply to everything from T/F to Jr Dragster.

Posted By: CHAPPER

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/04/10 02:12 AM

Quote:

I'm with Josh. No stripe takers. You should stage with the front tires and take the stripe with the front tires. The finish line beam should be the same height as the starting line beam, then if anything else trips it, you are disqualified. That should apply to everything from T/F to Jr Dragster.

Posted By: sr4440

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/04/10 05:22 AM

Quote:

I'm with Josh. No stripe takers. You should stage with the front tires and take the stripe with the front tires. The finish line beam should be the same height as the starting line beam, then if anything else trips it, you are disqualified. That should apply to everything from T/F to Jr Dragster.

I agree, they should take the front wing off top fuelers, without down force what�s the worst that can happen? Funny cars, they don�t need the leverage provided by the down force of the nose of their cars either. /sarcasm

I driven my roadster at 160 without the spoiler out front and let�s just say in a cross wind it get�s �interesting�. Before you propose a rule that will make drag racing even less safe than it is, you might want to think about it.

Also how are you going to tell what tripped the beams? Are you going to video every car and then take 2 mins after each race to look to see if the spill plates bent down during the run? then and only then determine a winner? If you look at some of the fuel cars now, the front wings bend down when they are at speed and are almost/ if not on the ground.

Joe

Posted By: dartman366

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/04/10 06:38 AM

There is a lot of difference in purpose between a stripetaker and a spoiler,,apples @ oranges.

Posted By: sr4440

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/04/10 11:26 AM

Quote:

There is a lot of difference in purpose between a stripetaker and a spoiler,,apples @ oranges.

True but a spoiler takes the strip and would be against BTBelvedere personal version of the rules.

Joe

Posted By: cheapstreetdustr

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/04/10 03:06 PM

Ok so the rules state every car can have a fixture 45" in front of the spindal..

so if every car puts one on..how is that any differnt from saying...
they all have to take them off..?
same exact result....EVEN PLAYING FIELD

"Except" for those newer transam nosed cars.
dragsters and funny car bodies..with the
"AT SPEED" advantage..

you cant or wont be able to take/Hack saw the front end off of everyone of those cars..
so they just decided..

to let everyone else have the 45"..

problem solved...?????

cheapst

"sometimes i wonder why soo many people complain about the world moving past them..?
it waits for no one..the sooner you except this the sooner you find your success/advantage.

Posted By: slippery440

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/04/10 03:59 PM

I race a 67 Dart brackets and shoot outs. I was in the semi finals race against a newer Camaro. We were real close in ET and I was the quicker car.We are talking 6.72 against a 6.78 dial. So we were side by side all the way and I swore I had a half a fender on him. He won the race by .001. Best race I ever been in. I went over to his pit to give him congrats. He said himself that I had him at the stripe. Well when you looked at his car and the nose sits way out in front of the tires and sits real low. Its not hard to see that something other than his tires triped the beams. I am going to put a stripe taker on not to make the car seem faster but to make my car more even to newer cars.We will adjust the dial in to the strip taker being what trips the beam.

Posted By: CHAPPER

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/04/10 04:27 PM

If the OP is correct on the 45" from spindle to front,,,,I can run a 'stripe taker' 15" in front of my bumper!!! I can see the look on the face of the staging lane people when I pull in!!

It would be very easy to make. Just attach to license plate screws,,OR maybe just bend licese plate out and only use one screw to hold it??? I believe the 'taker' would have to be no longer than the original length of the car,,just lower.

Posted By: slippery440

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/04/10 04:40 PM

Just going to make mine so it is only the same distance as the front lip of the fender. I realy can not see it being any in front of the car. Plus higher than the stageing beams so the wheels are still triping them.

Posted By: BTBelvedere

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/04/10 04:49 PM

Quote:

Quote:

There is a lot of difference in purpose between a stripetaker and a spoiler,,apples @ oranges.

True but a spoiler takes the strip and would be against BTBelvedere personal version of the rules.

Joe, First off, if you're over there fighting for our freedom, thank you. Secondly, I don't have a personal version of the rules. I wrote what my opinion was, that's all. I'm afraid that's the old dinosaur coming out in me. Some folks way smarter than I decided it would be OK to do what they're doing now. As far as wings and spoilers on cars for downforce and safety, I hadn't even thought about that. You're probably right. I still don't think a Pro Stock Avenger should have a 4 foot hunk of body work hanging out the front and electric shocks to screw it down to the pavement so the pointy part takes the stripe. Again, thanks for your service. Peace, brother.

Posted By: ChrisJohnston669

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/05/10 02:04 AM

Firebirds and Camaros are good for going down and taking the stripe with the nose. I make sure to check the car I am racing before we go. If I am outside I will even look under the front of the car. My buddy lost a final in Vegas in super stock because he raced his opponets wheels instead of his nose. Pros and cons to having one. If you're going to have one you need to make sure it takes everytime. Or you need to remember its there when you go down there and jam the brakes.

Posted By: sr4440

Re: "stripe taker"..?? - 12/05/10 05:11 AM

Quote:

Joe, First off, if you're over there fighting for our freedom, thank you. Secondly, I don't have a personal version of the rules. I wrote what my opinion was, that's all. I'm afraid that's the old dinosaur coming out in me. Some folks way smarter than I decided it would be OK to do what they're doing now. As far as wings and spoilers on cars for downforce and safety, I hadn't even thought about that. You're probably right. I still don't think a Pro Stock Avenger should have a 4 foot hunk of body work hanging out the front and electric shocks to screw it down to the pavement so the pointy part takes the stripe. Again, thanks for your service. Peace, brother.

I am sorry if I came off like a personal attack, it wasn�t meant that way.

This rule has been in place forever, I built my roadster in 92 and the rule at the time was 30 inches at the time. My spoiler started off at 3 inches off the ground. Well after the 1st �at speed� run, it was 3 � inches off the ground. By the end of the weekend it was 4 1/2. LOL the nose was generating way more down force and was dragging the ground in the lights. It was because of some �soft� springs up front.

The pro stock effect of having the nose on the ground and a smooth bottom is to generate down force without increasing drag.

Anyway, having �something� that always takes the strip just makes the car more consistent.

Joe