I found I had to adjust my leaving with my new 493 I put in last summer compared to my old 440. I come up on the converter between 2000 and 2500 and the instant I see yellow on the third bulb I go. At my local track I usually cut .010 to .050 all the time as long as I stage the same way which is shallow staging for me. I usually dont run a Pro tree so I dont have to worry about deep staging. Now when I went to another track last summer I kept redlighting so I had to adjust and I just try counting. When the first yellow comes on I count the yellows as they come on as in.......1 , 2 , 3 as the last yellow comes on and normally I am leaving at 3 but at this other track I put 4 in there and left on the 4 count in my head so I would not red lite. It seems to work ok for me. Course I like my local track best as it is easiest to leave on the last yellow coming on which is the 3 count for me. Ron

This was 2 years ago with my old 440 using my method. I ran the 11.49 and I was pleased with the lite as I dont race alot. Ron

This was this past summer with my new eng. I had to adjust a tad as the car leaves harder now and this was my average lite that day adjusting with my count method. Sometimes I even adjust on the number 4 if I have to as if its a tad slow I will leave just as I start to think the number 4 before I actually say it in my head. It just gives me a more consistent way to cut lites. Ron

I normally wouldn't comment on this but who says I'm smart Several things already said is what I preach to those that want help, ALWAYS adjust the car, not the driver 2nd thing is adjusting the car, to slow down your reaction times try stiffening up the front shocks,limit the front end travel where the car has to pick the front end up sooner, try higher stall speeds, change squirters, the old M.W. SS racers use to use way to big squirters to load the motor up so it wouldn't spin the tires on the line, they where very lazy back then, new converters may nullify trrying that now Less air in the front tires, more or less air in the rear tires. Make your self a tree blind so you can't see the first two yellows, lots of ways to adjust I use to be able to cut .501 to .520 all day long, until first or last rounds and then they became .499 or worst it use to be esy to win when I was younger, 25 yrs ago It's a lot harder now Have you had the front end alignment set to get some stagger on the front tires YET NHRA allows one inch stagger on the wheelbase between the two sides of the car Lots of ways to affect the car Theres a lot of difference between anticipating and reacting

Thirty + years ago I had to do exactly what Cab touched on (tree blinder). My duster was running 9.80-10.00 quarter mile times on super stock springs and even staging at 1200 rpm I would redlight on the last yellow so I put a visor on my helmet and I put about 4-5 pieces of black electrical tape across the top of the visor. I could lower my head in the car and BLIND out the other yellow bulbs. As soon as the last yellow came on I was gone. It takes out the anticipation and makes it more like a pro tree. Worked for me.

If you're coordinated enough to release a button and move your foot at the same time.. Put an adjustable switch on your line lock and launch using both..

It's very important to have a consistant starting point. I just inch in VERY SLOWLY until I turn on the second beam, I run a pro tree so I leave when I see the faintest hint of amber. I average .01 to .02 lights not great but good. If i want to really cut a light a bump the car one bump extra into the lights. If I'm going JUST barely red consistently I can take air out of the front tire or Change which light I'm looking at, on a pro tree the top amber comes on earlier than the second an so forth, If I'm really close but still red I'll watch the bottom amber instead of the top.