▁safety ▁inter lock ▁( prevent s ▁delay ▁box ▁from ▁react iv ating ▁once ▁the ▁race ▁car ▁is ▁in ▁motion , ▁a ▁valuable ▁feature ), ▁by pass ▁( a ▁feature ▁where ▁the ▁delay ▁box ▁is ▁de activ ated ▁before ▁it ▁can ▁finish ▁counting ▁down , ▁thus ▁launch ing ▁the ▁car ▁immediately ), ▁and ▁other ▁features . ▁ ▁Cont ro vers ial ▁Use ▁Del ay ▁box ▁use ▁was ▁very ▁controvers ial ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁with ▁the ▁peak ▁of ▁controvers y ▁occurr ing ▁around ▁ 1 9 9 3 - 1 9 9 4 . ▁ ▁This ▁continues ▁to ▁this ▁day ▁but ▁the ▁controvers y ▁has ▁dropped ▁substantial ly ▁from ▁its ▁peak . ▁ ▁Del ay ▁box ▁use ▁became ▁controvers ial ▁because ▁experienced ▁rac ers ▁lost ▁some ▁advantage ▁they ▁had ▁enjoyed ▁over ▁the ▁younger , ▁less ▁experienced ▁riv als . ▁V eter an ▁rac ers ▁who ▁were ▁against ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁delay ▁boxes ▁compla ined ▁to ▁race ▁track ▁own ers ▁and ▁drag ▁racing ▁san ction ing ▁bodies ▁that ▁the ▁delay ▁boxes ▁were ▁unf air . ▁Del ay ▁box ▁usage ▁does ▁give ▁a ▁less ▁experienced ▁driver ▁reaction ▁time ▁accuracy ▁improvements ▁that ▁more ▁experienced ▁rac ers ▁took ▁time ▁and ▁money ▁to ▁learn . ▁These ▁old ▁time ▁rac ers ▁said ▁that ▁delay ▁box ▁usage ▁constit uted ▁che ating . ▁ ▁The ▁term ▁" che ater ▁boxes " ▁was ▁heard ▁at ▁the ▁drag ▁races ▁for ▁many ▁years . ▁ ▁Track ▁own ers ▁around ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁began