Staging

[5KidsRacing]

I want to start this post with the disclaimer that I have never been unhappy with the staging at the NPWRL and it has always been first class and I am not complaining. I can’t imagine having to deal with different staging instructions for 150-200 cars each month. I know that all the guys at the NPWDRL do their best to stage the cars according to the special instructions from each builder, but that has to be a nightmare. It really has to be hard if you are dealing with handwritten papers for a bunch of cars.

I am thinking the best way to help this process is to mark my car with the staging instructions rather than to send a note. This sounds great, but you need to mark the rail locations on your car, not the starting pin. Some of my cars can’t be marked for the rails because there is no car body over the rail to mark.

I think if we just came up with some simple common way to mark our cars it would make for easier staging and a smoother running race.

Like if we made up a set of simple notations to mark our DFW location with respect to the rail:

R = on the rail

D = just off the rail (Daylight off)

?/? = inches off rail

And for the rears:

C = centered

?/?L = inches to the left

?/?R = inches to the right

If no instructions were given then it would be staged rears centered, DFW just off rail.

This way everybody could just place a small sharpie notation at the DFW and at the back of the car and that’s it. I think it would still be ok to mark the rails on your car if that works for you best.

Really to be honest I don’t like the “?/?” marking designations above, I mean that is a little subjective unless you mark the starting line with little 1/32”, 1/16”… markings.

I am bringing this up now because I was sitting here making stickers for some new cars and I keep writing “center the rear wheels on rail” on the back and “Stage DFW just off of the rail with daylight” on the front and I thought how much easier would this be if I could just put a “D” on the front and a “C” on the rear.

I am just thinking out loud I guess…

 

[ZZ Racing]

i agree 5k!! i put two lines on the rear of the car so they can just match the lines with the rail but i havent been doing anything for the front just to keep from causing problems or slowing things down. all my cars like just a little day light between the dfw and the rail.

 

[5KidsRacing]

If I put a sharpie mark to try and get "just a little daylight" DFW staging, my sharpie mark can be so thick that I could get against the rail or more than a little daylight... but If I write a "D" by the DFW I bet with the great stagers at the NPWDRL I would get "just a little daylight" every time.

I don't really have a good idea how many ways people stage the DFW on their cars...

I mean if there are only a few like:

R = on the rail

D = just off the rail (daylight)

F = strong off the rail

or maybe I can build my cars so the lifted wheel or peg is just off the rail which then sets my DFW position.... that could be for the guy that wants his DFW further from the rail. We could call that "X".... lol...

There has got to be an easy way to mark what you want on the DFW that would be easy for the stagers to identify and repeat every time.

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

This is a good idea. FYI the mark on the front of the car is no good. The pins on every track might be slightly different.

 

[Dixie Derby Dude]

Kind of new to this,but I've wondered if staging your own car gives you any edge over proxy cars?
Or does a neutral party do all the staging...that would seem fairest to me.

 

[5KidsRacing]

I have seen nothing to indicate that my cars weren't staged exactly how I have asked... Being live to stage your own cars gives you the freedom to change your staging based off of what you car is doing, but that doesn't always mean you are going to improve your cars performance. There are many racers here at the NPWDR, including myself, that are proof that proxy racing is successful here at the NPWDRL.

 

[5KidsRacing]

Options like this for the DFW staging... The dimensions may be off, I just threw the 1/64" & 1/16" in there...

 

[ZZ Racing]

I have had no problems with any of my cars and the way they are staged either. everyone out there does a great job!!!

I have seen nothing to indicate that my cars weren't staged exactly how I have asked... Being live to stage your own cars gives you the freedom to change your staging based off of what you car is doing, but that doesn't always mean you are going to improve your cars performance. There are many racers here at the NPWDR, including myself, that are proof that proxy racing is successful here at the NPWDRL.

 

[Quicktimederby]

Sounds awesome!!! Anything to make it easier to stage, I'm in!! ZZ does good to mark where he wants the rear of the car with 2 marks to indicate the rail. A letter for the frt that would be great. I struggle some times of what to do when there are marks on the car for staging, if I stage it that way the car is marked and it is loose. So here is a question, Do the staging marks trump what the car may need? (tighter on the rail)

 

[5KidsRacing]

So here is a question, Do the staging marks trump what the car may need? (tighter on the rail)

In my opinion if the stager is smart enough to know that the car needs a little different staging then go for it. Sounds like the kind of premum service you would expect from the NPWDRL. Usually after the first wiggle run I am thinking... damn I should have marked the DFW closer to the rail.

 

[ZZ Racing]

+1

So here is a question, Do the staging marks trump what the car may need? (tighter on the rail)

In my opinion if the stager is smart enough to know that the car needs a little different staging then go for it. Sounds like the kind of premum service you would expect from the NPWDRL. Usually after the first wiggle run I am thinking... damn I should have marked the DFW closer to the rail.

 

[Quicktimederby]

I guess its the joy of getting to stage most of the cars, Dammed if you do, dammed if you don't!!!

So if there are no marks it's rear centered and DOM wheel with daylight.

 

[ZZ Racing]

QT I mailed out my cars today and all four will stage with just a little light between the rail and dfw. all but one will be running on last months prep so yall take it easy on me this month.

 

[Quicktimederby]

We'll get her handled for ya!

QT I mailed out my cars today and all four will stage with just a little light between the rail and dfw. all but one will be running on last months prep so yall take it easy on me this month.

 

[Spirit Racing]

I like the letter idea of 5KIDS. If so my cars will be F/C , X/C , X/C , X/C. . If we finalize the letter system , I will use a hole puncher on some stick ons and put the C at center of back of car and the F or X at the DFW location. This way I can pull them off easy and change at the next race if needed, with out marking up the car. I SAY LETS FINALIZE THE LETTER SYSTEM AND USE FOR THIS RACE AND SEE HOW IT WORKS OUT for ya !!!!!!!!.......SPIRIT.........

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

Here here, new system adopted.

 

[SoGone]

Above my pay grade!! LOL

 

[MackayDesign]

I havent raced live in over a year ...or two.I miss all the stages we had for different cars.Now we just tune or cars to be center staged , 3/32 off front.

 

[Mr Chips Racing]

Just be sure to stage kinsers Backyards

 

[5KidsRacing]

So does this sound fair?

For the rears:

Stage centered or mark lines on back of the car showing the rails

For the DFW:

Use the “R”, “D”, “S” & “X” notations or mark the rails on the front of the car

R =wheel on rail

D=Just daylight between rail & wheel

S=Strong off rail (I changed this from an “F” because it could be confused with the “R”)

X=lifted wheel/peg just off rail

If the car has no markings it is staged rears centered and “D”.

If a car has only a stage pin marking then it will be staged rears centered and with the mark on the staging pin.

If the car has an “R”, “D”, “F” or “X” marking and also a stage pin marking, the “R”, “D”, “F” or “X” takes precedence.

Mark the DFW with the back of the car being the bottom of the page, so the stager can easily see the letter when staging and clearly understand which letter it is..

So basically if you are like me you have a car with one letter by the DFW and that is it.. No more instructions needed... I am not trying to force my ideas on you guys, if you have a suggestion please speak up. I was just trying to make it easier for the Godfather & his gang to run the race more efficiently.

If this sounds good I will make a new graphic on Monday that can be posted to help out new guys.