▁With ▁the ▁sp ool ▁val ve ▁in ▁its ▁normal ▁position ▁hyd ra ul ic ▁fluid ▁pressure ▁in ▁the ▁transmission ▁is ▁removed ▁from ▁the ▁reverse ▁cl utch ▁pack ▁( but ▁maintained ▁in ▁the ▁forward ▁cl utch ▁pack ), ▁this ▁causes ▁the ▁drag ▁race ▁car ▁to ▁" launch " ▁( o ften ▁with ▁great ▁thrust ) ▁from ▁the ▁starting ▁line , ▁acceler ating ▁rapidly ▁forward ▁toward ▁the ▁finish ▁line . ▁ ▁History ▁Del ay ▁boxes ▁began ▁appearing ▁in ▁drag ▁race ▁cars ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁ ▁The ▁early ▁units ▁were ▁tim ers ▁in ▁a ▁sheet ▁metal ▁box ▁with ▁an ▁analog ▁pot enti ometer ▁and ▁lock ▁nut ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁set point ▁with ▁no ▁read out ▁or ▁feedback ▁to ▁the ▁driver . ▁ ▁These ▁early ▁units ▁used ▁a ▁res istor ▁/ ▁capac itor ▁charg ing ▁scheme ▁to ▁trigger ▁a ▁un ij unction ▁trans istor ▁to ▁release ▁an ▁elect rome chan ical ▁relay . ▁ ▁Such ▁drag ▁racing ▁delay ▁tim ers ▁are ▁very ▁cru de ▁by ▁today ' s ▁standards . ▁N olen ▁( I KE ) ▁H amma ▁is ▁cred ited ▁with ▁introdu cing ▁such ▁early ▁devices ▁to ▁drag ▁racing . ▁( current ly ▁D BA ▁as ▁Digital ▁Del ay , ▁IN C .) ▁I ke ▁H amma ▁is ▁dece ased . ▁His ▁family ▁is ▁assigned ▁a ▁pat ent ▁for ▁a ▁type ▁of ▁delay ▁timer , ▁his ▁son ▁Charlie ▁H amma ▁is ▁the ▁current ▁president ▁of ▁Digital ▁Del ay ▁Inc ., ▁a ▁manufact urer ▁of ▁drag ▁racing ▁tim ers . ▁Other