Hi y'all

How hard would it be to set up all the electronics for a Drag strip.
*Trap speed sensor (detoctor)
*sensors that start a stopwatch once truck launches and stops at the 1/4 mile mark
*the display on both sides (or on a computer or both...)

This all is cause we have to make a final proyect in a subject called electronics. And have always wanted to set up a drag strip... we have none in my area!
I'm pretty sure the teacher could help me with the programming... say to print the timeslip and program the stop watch... and how to transfer it to the display...

but the biggest probl would be the trap speed meter or? i just need to know if its possible...

Thanks, Silvano

 

You can make your own. Do a search online for Cub Scout Pinewood Derby races. They just hook up a couple photoeyes to the parallel port on a PC and run a little program.

WinXP is a resources hog so you probably want to run it on an older PC with Win2000 or earlier....maybe even DOS or Linux if you have the know how.

 

Time is a watch, the sign is a big LED display attached to the watch, the watch is controlled by laser beams... I could probably manage that easy enough; I wouldn't even think a computer would be necessary for the top.

The bottom I have no idea; I don't know if they determine speed with two lasers right next to each other or a more sophisticated radar-type thing. That part would probably need a computer connected to the lights to do bracket racing starts and switch between showing reaction times/ 60 foot times/ trap speed...

Now-a-days I think the Diesel guys require special lasers to prevent smoking out the Christmas tree and getting false times. I don't know how they ever fixed that problem...

 

Thanks for the replys!

Anyone has some more info?

Thanks a bunch!

 

In my simple mide I come up with a simle way of doing it. Or I don't understand the project.

Drag strip, two lanes.

Sequence lights
red
yellow
GREEN, start the timer chip for each lane.
1/4 mile, laser or photo cell stops timer,
Display, LED, or what every you can build, shows elapsed time. Also a clock chip that starts counting down the speed from the speed of light on down. Stops when the 1/4 mile is crossed. Another display shows speed.
15 second for 1/4 mile=60 mph
Be interesting with what you come up with.

Good luck

 

A real drag strip timing system starts the clock when you cross the start line. Speed is timed by a short "speed trap" just before the finish line. It's an average speed of the last few feet of the run, not the actual top speed at the finish line.

This might help some.
http://www.nhra.com/streetlegal/whatisadragrace.html

 

This is actually what i worry about! where do i get such thing? does that work with lazer beams, or how? or do the vehicles roll over some things which measure it?
i know the polices have a speed detector, but i dont think i would find one like they have or?

dssimecek:
I dont think it works to calculate the speed like that! i know you can have various different seconds with the same speed! for example my brothers 2wd truck runs 15.7 seconds at 94 mph others run way less seconds with the same trap speed, if they have traction, and more power!

any help is greatly appreciated!

 

You need a photosensor and a light source. All the timing is done by the cars breaking beams of light. A laser would work, but it doesn't have to be a laser. Dragstrip timing has been around a lot longer than lasers.

 

i found this one of the easiest time measuring so far... but over 300 bucks! whew where the point is to make the circuit myself! ill google some more...

Now if you could help me with terms to punch into google, to come up with good info.... that'd b great

 

http://www.raceamerica.com/ betcha this one is a few $$ over that $300 one.