How was timing done back in the day

[neonracer193]

I was just looking over some of these old pictures and was wondering how timing was accomplished throughout the years. Im assuming electronics were used pretty far back, early 60s? What was before that, a stop watch with a long string that went to the top of the hill? Were multiple cars on the hill still possible? I guess there had to be a "secretary" writing down all of the times?

[Ron Mann]

In the early days…they used the "hockey stick" an air actuated trigger that would start a timer. It was placed under a non "drive" wheel…once a car got the green light, it would roll over the trigger…starting the clock. At the top of the hill…there would be another trigger…this time a cord/hose that laid across the track…the car triggered the clock when it rolled over it. I have pixs...but...I'm getting an error for posting (Sorry, the board attachment quota has been reached.)

Off course…all the tracking of times was done manually…radio com/and large boards and or papers were used by workers in tents or buildings in the area….I'll see if I can find some pixs of that as well.

[neonracer193]

Cool stuff, i was just curious about the older technology. So they would still run the electrical wires up the hills and the pnuematic triggers would start and stop the clock. I am assuming that only one car could be on the hill at a time with this setup. When did we switch from the pnuematic triggers to the laser beam start/finish system?

[LARRY LONG]

I have a timer that was used in the late 50's and early 60's. It is a double timer that uses the hose method. The last time I tried it one of the timers still worked. I'll bring it to Weatherly so you can see the "State of the art" of that period.

Larry Long

[Ron Mann]

mutiple timers were used for mutiple cars....timing was pretty labor intensive! Larry, I'd like to see that timer for sure!!

[Rich Sweigart]

Back in the day. Timing usually consitsted of a least 3 people, a timer operator, time recorder, and a copy person.
The operator would control the start light. Most timers had a switch for start/auto/finish with a reset button, plus buttons for manual start and finish. To get a start the timer would have to be switched to the start position, the car would cross the line and trigger a start. Then, the timer could be switched to the finish position. Most timer systems back then, had 2 timers for a second car. Once a car crossed the finish line the recorder would record the time next to the car number(one of the reasons that we have only 1 set of numbers for an event), the copy person would make a copy for posting. The timer would have to be reset and switched back to start for the next car. I know for a few years(Not sure if, Nelson still does this), we used the phone lines for timing, thus every run up the hill was a LOCAL phone call !

Somewhere in the house, I have an old timer like the one above.

Rich

[Ron Mann]

I still can't post pixs..

[Ron Mann]

Back in biz!!

first shot is Ned Beshore at Fleetwood, you can see the starting mechanism held by the starter.

Second shot is Oscar Koveleski coming across the finish at Giant's Despair...you can see the stop mechanism on the road.

[Ron Mann]

Timing workers at Weatherly.

[Ron Mann]

close up of Fleetwood's starter......anyone know him?

[Joe Foering]

Don McLaughlin.

[McDallion]

No, Joe. That's now, not forty years ago.

[Ron Mann]

I don't know who our mystery starter is...I would guess he is a member of Duryea Sports Car Club, if that helps??