Time to go back to minimums?

[Jon]

Another newby opinion.
Would anyone go the effort of building something, getting it scrutineered, get to the venue etc just to get an open record without going as fast as they can?
People have different budgets, skill levels & resources, isn't it about going as fast as "you" can, if that's faster than anyone has gone in that class good luck to you.
I'm building a bike, the first year I will be running a pretty standard motor, mainly so I can test everything & get some licensing passes in (hopefully)
I'm not running in an open class but my aproach wouldn't be any different if I was.

My 2cents
jon

[indymike]

I for one, feel that the bikes and cars somehow should be separated at this point and time at B-ville. There are so many variables between the two these days. To be fair overall (to bikes and cars) would be a big challenge. The entries are almost on a one for one. The biggest challenge, I feel, would be to preserve the integrity of the sport.
Indymike

[Kansas Bad Man]

In 2010, Black Lightning attended the Bub meet.  We were running the bike with a side car, the class was an open class, SCS/VBF.  Hartmut Weidelich made a best run of 204+mph, and a backup run that would have put us in the record books at 201+mph.  I chose to decline the record, as the potential for the streamliner was at least 100 mph off the mark as to what she should have been running.  Clutch problems were preventing higher speeds.  I decided to take the clutch home, fix what needed to be fixed, and attend the upcoming World of Speed two weeks later.  Hartmut had to go back to Germany, so the pilot was Don Angel.  Don ran a speed of 212+mph at WOS, still far below the Vincent streamliner's potential.  I decided not to go another year without some kind of a record.  Don made a couple of passes averaging 191+mph, and we took the SCTA open record for class SCS/BF. 

The reason I went ahead and accepted the record is that my crew had worked their Acura's off, and we'd spent a ton of money.  For anyone to go after that record, even though it's at least 100 mph below the potential of the class, will take some doing, and a bunch of money.

Just my two cents.

                                   Max 

[Ron Gibson]

Stainless
Now you want me to go out and in addition to racing expenses, buy a brand new flip open card file and recipe cards???

All kidding aside I have a nasty vision of a vehicle coming out with 20 "crew" members and setting records like Johnny Cashe's  recording, its a 49,50,51,52,53,54 etc.
If there aren't that many "open records" then it wouldn't take much work or room in the rule book.

YMMV
Ron

[RichFox]

I have refused to go to impound when I didn't think my speed deserved it. Spme do. Some don't. How am I hurt by somebody with a 98 mph record in a A/BFS class. Or some such. I agree with the "If it ain't broke" post

[JimL]

Max has it right.  It's the individual responsibility.  I've skipped impound a few times, but am not sorry I did.

  We should be mindful of the inspectors first and foremost.  If you've copped a lousy run, take it upon yourself to not take their time.  They have a hot, tiring, uncomfortable job, and youve been sitting in the air conditioned truck most of the day.  You get to keep the time slip, and that's a souvenir. 

Pretty embarrassing that we're having this conversation about how to keep us from embarrassing ourselves!  I'm thinking there's no good way to write THAT in a rule book.

JimL

[Freud]

Les Davenport did not tear down for a record above 290 MPH because he wanted the hat only after he broke the 300+ record he was

running for in Marlo Treit's lakester. He ran 314+ to get the Carr and Kaplan record. They were TOUGH.

That's confidence and integrity combined.

FREUD

[Gu11ett]

Why fix something that might not be broke? An open record might entice someone into our sport. If they claim a slow run/backup on a previous open record so be it. Then it becomes a soft record and might interest someone else to bump it. I know of a couple of people that got involved this way. One went on to break more than one record that had stood for decades.

[BIGHORN]

AGREE WITH GULLETT 100%.

[KeithTurk]

I'm a fan of minimums if there is something to protect.   As an example El Mirage has a Points race... and they want it to be fair...and relevant,  Minimums make that happen.

The 200mph club is the same deal... folks work hard to get into the club and when new class's are created.. minimums aid in maintaining the integrity of the club.


Past that....   Guys... Straight up... THE MOST FUN I'VE EVER had at Bville was last year.....  absolutely incredible giggles.... and why... because frankly... we could... we didn't get in the way of any "FAST GUYS".... and lest you not forget we're fairly fast guys ourselves and understand the protection of "Time" on the salt.


So...   Since No one has ever run at Wilmington yet....  Why in the world, would we bring a set of records that were set on a runway in North Carolina???

[Stan Back]

The same reason the NHRA does it on a new facility.

[John Noonan]

The same reason the NHRA does it on a new facility.

Well played Sir.

[55chevr]

Does anyone think we should try and emulate the NHRA?   

[Tman]

Does anyone think we should try and emulate the NHRA?   

!!!!!!!!!!!!!NO!!!!!!!!!

[Nortonist 592]

HRMs motto I think was "Innovation in action".  The NHRA's motto is "Innovation is verboten".