When a race ends, a results screen pops up. That screen is the timeslip. It is the record of that pass: your lane on one side and the other car on the other. Lower times are better.
What each line means
- Reaction time (RT) is how quickly the car actually left after the Christmas Tree went green. It is shown to the thousandth of a second, such as 0.052. A small number is a good light. Do not wait until green is fully on to lift off the pedal. The car sits for a split second before it moves, so a good light is lifting as the last yellow is going out.
- 60 feet, 330 feet, and the 1/8 mile are the splits. They show how the car got down the track, not just the finish.
- 1,000 feet is the run itself. Speed is shown at the 1/8 mile and at the finish.
- Total time is your reaction time plus the 1,000-foot time. A 0.050 light and a 7.200 run is a 7.250 total.
- A red light is when you lift too early. RT goes negative, the total is shown as ---, and you lose that run even if the car was quicker.
How the lights work
The Christmas Tree is the real NHRA starting lights: yellow, then green. A red light means you left too soon. NHRA's own short video is Tony explains the Christmas Tree. The same lights are written up in NHRA 101.
The timeslip also lists the four parts that were on the car for that pass: engine, intake, drivetrain, and electronics. If the run was slow, those are the parts to change. See How to Change Cars or Parts.
How to use it
- Finish a race and leave the timeslip on screen.
- Read your reaction time first. A negative number is a red light, and the total is blank.
- Read the 1,000-foot time. That number is the car, not the light. A perfect light cannot make up for a slow car.
- Compare the splits. A slow 60-foot time points at the launch. A slow finish points at the rest of the pass.
- Look at the four parts on the timeslip, then tap the garage icon at the bottom of the screen and compare those slots. See What the Car Stats Do.
A good light is covered in How to Get a Good Reaction Time. Why the total decides the race is covered in Why a Faster Car Matters.
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