Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff1962
I think when Magazines test cars it starts the time when the car starts to move, unlike wasting .5 seconds reaction time at a Dragstrip. 13.8 1/4 minus .5 sec reaction time is 13.3 1/4.
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Reaction time isn't the issue. It isn't factored into the Elapsed Time at all, whether it's a magazine doing the testing or an individual in an actual race. The 1/4 mile times should be the same either way. The time is started when the front tires break the beam, at the start line, and stopped when they break the beam at the 1/4 mile mark.
What you are thinking about is "Roll out", which is closely related.
Where the magazine tests vary is in the 0-60 times. Some use "roll out" and some don't. The roll out comes from the fact that it takes a couple of milliseconds for the front tires to break the beam at a drag strip once it starts moving.
Traditionally in the US 0-60 times were calculated just like the 1/4 mile times, which always include roll out, because that's the way cars are timed at a drag strip.
Drag racing isn't as popular in Europe, so the 0-60 times from European magazines typically don't include roll-out, and are a few tenths slower.