At the points meeting we also discussed with Chris the possiblty of using Cross Talk. I know it was said that Milan has it and wanted some votes possibly on the subject just wanted to know everyones thought thanks Will Crawford

I am all for crosstalk. Even though I am one of the slower cars in Top ET at Milan and rarely get to crossover (I think twice last year). I like it because the top bulbs can then be aimed straight into your lane as opposed to being aimed straight back. Just my thoughts.

Dave

Mid Michigan has crosstalk. Hope Milan never does.

I am for Cross-talk...it could increase drivers reactions with the same look at the same bulb, every pass.

Matt Hewitt
Mad Dog Motorsports

Can somebody explain the crosstalk tree program? A lot of people dont know the ins and outs.
Thank you

Jeff the best i can explain is if you are a top et or top bulb racer it elimates the us of crossing over per say. you still cross over but you look at your side of the tree you never have to look at the other side. both of the top bulbs light up like in time runs and the slower car tree comes down while the faster car top light stays on untill his tree comes down and the other two come down. what the use of cross talk for i believe was to elimate being on the converter two long and difference from crossing over in your delay. two my knowledge nhra and ihra national and division racing cross talk is mandotory and alot of big bracket racing is using it makes for better racing i believe but just my opion hope that helps.
Will Crawford

Jeff with cross talk both top bulbs on the tree come on at the same time. For the slower car your tree will look the same. If your the faster car you get to hit your own top bulb instead of looking at your opponents. It gives both drivers an even hit at the tree. This is used in delay box classes for the most part. Using it in a non delay box class would be stupid so its mainly used in top. So you still have to use you crossover feature in your delay box but you get a better look at the tree if you are the faster car and trying to look over at your opponents top bulb.

Matt Luttrell

This official release from Compulink further explains how the new CrossTalk system works:

“A new option, named "CompuLink CrossTalk" can be used in all electronics classes that use the full tree allowing top bulb cross over.

“With this option, the tree can stay completely blinded with the amber lights focused directly at the driver. The top amber light in each lane will activate with the start of the slower dialed car's tree countdown, the slower car's tree will continue on its normal .5 second countdown to green.

“The faster car's top light will stay on for the standard .5 second duration plus the amount of handicap between the two lanes, and then it will continue to countdown after that at the .5 sec countdown to green.”

A little clearer, perhaps, but still in need of additional input, which Miller was happy to provide. “I think this address' a lot of the problems that were created by delay box racing,” he said. “When delay box racing first came in and we used a full blinded or shielded tree, all the drivers were slowing their cars down to 12-seconds so they could be the first car to leave and get an unobstructed hit at the tree just as they had during time trials. Later, we exposed the top amber lights which gave each driver the same response on the same light, but this gave the faster cars the luxury of a second hit on the tree. They got the slow car's top, their top, and in some cases, they got the bottom on their side as well, allowing them three reference points on the tree. The slow car still gets his one at the top, and if he's good enough, one on the bottom, but anyway you measure it the faster car got the extra hit.

By turning the LED bulbs out to face each individual racer, instead of one facing back and the other two angled out, the footbrake racer has a nice straight line for his countdown.

The new option creates a lot of benefits, but there are also a couple of negatives.

The first is that not every track has a Compulink timing system, so the CrossTalk system can't be implemented.

Secondly, in today's cross-dialing world, if you have a 7.50 car in one lane and an 11.99 car in the other, the faster guy will hit on the top bulb on the other guy's side and then he'll bring the RPMs up so he's not hammering on the two-step for that long of a spot. As soon as his top amber comes on, he'll put it to the wood for his side to count down and leave. As a result, for that three or four seconds of handicap difference he's not leaning on the two-step.

“With CrossTalk, his top amber will come on at the same time as the other guys and then hang on until the second amber in his series starts down. He now has a decision to make – he either has to stay on the two-step the entire time, or he's going to have to be really quick and have a real responsive motor because he's only going to know to go to the load pedal once his second amber comes on, not his first.

“The use of an auto start air solenoid throttle set-up seems to be the best answer to the situation, and in this day and age it's not an overly expensive proposition. A lot of people, including a number of engine builders, like that over a two-step because it's not breaking up the ignition or working the crankshaft so hard.

Cross Talk levels the playing field for both cars,” Brockmeyer added. “A slow car now gets a straight-on shot at his top amber, whereas before it was pointed straight back so the other guy could see it. On the other hand, the faster car now also gets a straight shot at his top amber. If they're using delay boxes, of course, it limits the hits to two per side. Some guys claim they get three hits at the tree, but this system limits them to two. It also allows both drivers to get a clean shot at the top bulb, so it eliminates any sort of advantage there, and like I said, it levels the playing field to a certain extent.

Count my vote for cross talk

Cross Talk

Basics of the Compulink CROSS-TALK Program

Released in November 2003, the Compulink CROSSTALK program now solves the problem of the open (and pointed straight back) versus shielded top bulb controversy. CROSS-TALK allows the Tree to be fully shielded (all ambers) if desired, with all 3 Ambers on each side of the Tree aimed directly at the drivers. Compulink CROSS-TALK functions in eliminations by firing the top amber in both lanes at the same time. This allows both cars a direct ‘hit’ on the Tree. The slower lane’s Tree will continue counting down to the 2nd, then 3rd ambers as normal. The faster car’s top amber will remain lit until time comes for the 2nd and 3rd amber in that lane to cycle down. Note that the CROSSTALK function would only be run during eliminations of electronics classes. Non-electronics class (for example, foot-brake E.T., stock, super stock, etc.) would have a ‘normal’ functioning Tree.

Notes of the Compulink CROSS-TALK Program

All racers have their own “clean” tree, with all ambers, including the top bulb, facing directly towards them. Not seeing the top bulb in the other lane eliminates confusion, especially for Foot-Brake racers. The slightly narrower focal point of the LED ambers does not present a problem for cross-over box racing, as both lanes get an in-the-face clean shot at their top bulb.


Compulink CROSSTALK levels the playing field for all racers. The slow and fast cars both get a clear view of their top Amber. Electronics racers will both get two hits at the Tree (top bulb and bottom bulb) per lane. Foot-brake, sportsman and Pro Tree racers will have all three ambers aimed directly to their focal point.


Information taken from Compulink operating system manual and found on the Internet.

Crosstalk is hard for bottom bulb racers to race in top bracket, when your the fast car and a nobox car, going on the chip is a guess.

Either way works for me. Eventually every track we go to will be using it I think. I don't understand the problem with guys being on the converter to long. Let the button go hit the throttle on the second yellow whether leaving first or second. It would create a problem for a buttom bulb racer, but how many guys run box without one? I'll bet if there is any they prob. are the slower dial 90% of the time. Just my 2 cents...

I think it helps the faster car more than anything. Since that it usually not me I do not favor anything that gives further advantages to the faster car.

Remember guys and gals, the reason for Cross Talk is to give all racers a fair shot at the tree. What I mean is typically the top two ambers on a tree face straight back, not angled like the rest of the bulbs. If the top bulbs were angled the faster car could not see the bulb to crossover. Now in order for everyone to have the bulb pointed directly at them(best condition for everyone) they needed to make provisions for a crossover, and at the same time we can now blind the top bulb so the slower car doesnt have to see the extra flash of light when he is trying to leave.

You say great lets get rid of crossovers while we are at it. Now the problem is you have added a distraction to the faster car, when the slower car gets on the chip, or worse yet the slower car launches.

I am not sure why someone said that it is a guess when to get on the chip if you are the faster car. The system works like this, both top bulbs come on when the slower cars tree starts. The faster cars top bulb will stay lit until his tree is supposed to come down. When the faster cars second bulb lights hit the chip.

I realize that many of you who might be against cross talk are NO BOX cars. Yes this does have con's for some, by giving you less time to hit the chip and then let go of the button. But remember it also has pro's by eliminating the extra flash of light. Most NO BOX cars that have a transbrake are also realitively quick reacting machines, so you are not leaving when the second bulb lights anyway.

One suggestion would be maybe Milan Dragway can use Cross Talk for the BOX class, and turn it off for the NO BOX class. I am not sure if this is possible but this would offer the best for everyone, the BOX racers get the bulb aimed directly at them, and their reaction times will be more consistant by not looking accross the tree. And the NO BOX racers get the top bulb blinded, and dont have to worry about short notice to hit the chip.

Sorry for being so wordy, just my $.02

John Hickman

I just think it's dumb for the fast cars amber to hang there.

It should flash and go out the same as the slow cars amber and then flash again when the tree counts down.

You could hit the tree twice while having the bulb pointed at you.

Tom

I think the idea of crosstalk is the "get a little, give a little".

For the fast car to get a good look at the light...you had to give up the double hit at the tree. Seems fair enough being the slower guy only gets one shot at it, and you still get the first red advantage.

I am sure if you fudge and do the math every time..if you are good enough you can double hit on the second bulb. Hit it the second time and bump up .5 could work too.

John has touched all the plusses of crosstalk.

From my reading and info from other tracks that use crosstalk.

Crosstalk is only used in the top/box class. The tree functions as it always has in all other classes.

Crosstalk can be turned off if you are the fast car and do not want it on. Mod/no-box racers that run in top/box can (as they do at other tracks) put a "N" (or what ever Milan selects to use) next to their dial, and the tower can switch off crosstalk. A dash appears on the downtrack display so you know for sure it is switched off for you.

This is just another refinement of the tree just like using the LED's

I am very surprised that Milan has waited this long to use it being they have it already...it is what every quality track will be using in the very near future. If you buy a new pratice tree, they already have crosstalk built in...so you know it has been around awhile now, and is gonna happen everywhere.

Burt Poissant

You are very correct, you have give and take. I will say this I have been driving 7 second cars for years, and I consider myself pretty decent on the starting line. However I do not hit the tree twice. I believe this was a BS feature that the delay box companies shoved down our throats as a selling feature, but really is not pratical. I imagine that there are a few guys/girls that hit twice. But if you ask the top 10 sportsman racers in the country, none of them hit twice. This is fact, not a guess, that tells you something.

If you spend half of your time thinking about the second hit, your first hit probably will not be good, or at least not consistant. Now that is not to say that I never miss the tree, and then grab the button again and then go off the bottom. Unfortunately that does happen, but you know when its that bad and your odds are deffinately better on the bottom bulb.

I do agree with you I am surprised that Milan has not made the switch to Cross talk already being that they have it. The first few times I used it I was kind of thrown off a little bit, but after that I love it. I have read where tracks do just that put an "N" in the window to alert the tower staff that they do not want to use it. They also said within two weeks everyone wanted it.

I believe if Milan were to chose to use it the following would be the best. Use it only in BOX class. The bottom bulbers wont benifit from it anyway, so why inconvienience any of them who dont want it. And most importantly you have eliminated a variable that Milan has to monitor for accuracy. Why should we put any more burden on the tower to by using the "N" or not. In BOX no one will care, and NO BOX no one needs it, problem solved. This is one less thing that could cause a rerun, or an altercation.

John Hickman

I would still have the "N" option available.
A No Box racer should have this available to them if they would like to run in Box.

They may not be the faster car most of the time, but they can be.

Some would say...So what they are going off the bottom bulb anyway, so why would it matter?

It's a matter of cadence, or the rhythm and sequence of a series of actions. The No Box racers have been looking at the tree comming down for years. Yes, they focus on the bottom bulb, but they see the whole picture of the tree comming down every time. They should be able to have the picture of the tree be just the same...no matter if they are racing in Box, No Box, or double entered.

It is just a matter of being as fair as possible in my opinion.