Author Topic: Car Minimums at El Mo  (Read 12209 times)

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Offline Frankie7799

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Car Minimums at El Mo
« on: September 23, 2012, 12:42:25 AM »
Ok, as a LSR newbie Im a bit confused on a few things. Im looking at the SCTA website and it mentions car minimums. As an example for B/GRMR its 200 mph. The current record at El Mo for the class is 207.419. What exactly is this telling me?

Offline Dynoroom

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Re: Car Minimums at El Mo
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2012, 01:32:42 AM »
It's telling you the web site minimums are only updated every race season............. generally   :wink:
Michael LeFevers
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Without Data You're Just Another Guy With An Opinion!

Racing is just a series of "Problem Solving" events that allow you to spend money & make noise...

Offline salt

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Re: Car Minimums at El Mo
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2012, 03:08:56 AM »
And the current ElMo record for B/GRMR is 215 and change . . .

Willi #426 B/GRMR
Who Has More Fun?

Offline Dean Los Angeles

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Re: Car Minimums at El Mo
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2012, 11:30:42 AM »
At Bonneville any speed in a class that no one has ever set a record, sets the record for the first time.

Not so at El Mirage. El Mirage has a points system for High Points Champion. Every time you run you get points, with bonus points for breaking a record.

It there were no minimums you would cherry pick a class that no one has run, and set a record at 20 mph. Bonus points. The next run would be at 25 mph. Bonus points.
To keep that from happening competitive minimums were established.
Well, it used to be Los Angeles . . . 50 miles north of Fresno now.
Just remember . . . It isn't life or death.
It's bigger than life or death! It's RACING.

Offline Frankie7799

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Re: Car Minimums at El Mo
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2012, 01:11:54 PM »
And the current ElMo record for B/GRMR is 215 and change . . .

Willi #426 B/GRMR

Willi, that shows how often they update things, the speed I had down was right off their website last night. No disrespect meant to whoever is the current record holder.

Dean, thanks for the explanation, that makes sense. Lets just say I go the B/GRMR route in the next couple of years. Once I get my Cat A license, in order to earn points at El Mo, I have to run a minimum of 200 each time? Is that how Im reading that. Forgive me if all this is spelled out somewere else. Ive been reading the rulebook and website, just trying to get a better understanding.

Offline Glen

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Re: Car Minimums at El Mo
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2012, 01:26:17 PM »
Look  at the El Mirage operating procedures on their web page.
Glen
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Offline Glen

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Re: Car Minimums at El Mo
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2012, 01:35:42 PM »
Frankie, look at the Elmo records set each month, Willie reset the record at the May meet. The rule book is updated at the end of the year, But all new records are recorded at the end of each event on the web.
Glen
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Offline Dean Los Angeles

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Re: Car Minimums at El Mo
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2012, 03:00:48 PM »
There are three parts to El Mirage.
1) Going out and having fun. Never coming close to the record. Some guys spend their racing career doing that and die happy. Spend the weekend talking to racing legends, looking at cool vehicles that have way more money than you do . . .
2) Breaking the record and getting into the record books. Not easy.
3) Running for points. Individual and club. Some of the clubs (no names) relish in grinding our noses in their glory while our club (no names) ain't even close. :-D
http://www.scta-bni.org/pdf/2012_ElMirageProcedures.pdf

The minimum only exists if no one has ever set a record in that class. Your run counts even if it isn't a record. To establish a record you have to exceed the minimum. This only exists to keep the points race close.
In your case the record is 215. Minimum doesn't apply.
If you register and make it to the start line you get 25 points. You have to cross the finish line to get more.
Ok, so you run 190. Not a record. The points are calculated by: 190/215*200=176.
If you had run 220, 220/215*200=204 + 25 bonus for setting the record plus 1 point for every mile an hour over the record. (5) (Assuming no one breaks it later in the weekend)

No record? You still get a timing slip with your speed that you pick up from the announcers stand, a plaque in the mail later, your name and speed in the SCTA newsletter, maybe your picture. You get listed in the El Mirage results on the web site. If you look at the May results and roll down to the records you will see the Kraut Bros. record at 215.
Well, it used to be Los Angeles . . . 50 miles north of Fresno now.
Just remember . . . It isn't life or death.
It's bigger than life or death! It's RACING.

Offline Frankie7799

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Re: Car Minimums at El Mo
« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2012, 03:32:29 PM »
Thanks everybody for the info. I appreciate you spending the time to educate the newbie.

Dean, I know all too well about not having a bunch of money in which to go racing with. Granted when I was drag racing I was racing in a .90 class so it really didnt matter if you had a ton of horsepower or a small amount like I did. But I didn't have newer stuff or much if any spare parts. If I broke something, I took time off from racing.

Willie, as I said no disrespect meant. Congrats on the record. Saw some pics of your car, love the AA/FA motif on the body. AA/FAs are one of my favorite cars and I worked on one of the quickest and fastest modern AA/FAs for a while.

Hope to meet you all at El Mo either in October or November ( more likely Nov ) itll be my first trip as a spectator. Looking forward to it

Offline jimmy six

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Re: Car Minimums at El Mo
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2012, 10:40:30 PM »
LSR is what YOU make of it. If your passon is speed you choose a class where the records are high. If your passon is a "record" you may look in a different direction.

I've told this story many times. At my 45th HS reunion 5 years ago a good friend asked me about my Bonneville 200MPH Club shirt I was wearing. (He is a very, very succesful lawyer with a firm which bears his name in Washington DC.) I faciously (sp?) asked him how much money he had knowing that I would get a general answer. In the middle of his answer I interrupted and said "that's not enough, you will need to borrow some" and we had a good laugh. In many ways it's true. Do you want a record in AA/Fuel Altered at 308 or would J/Prduction at 110 fit the bill? You would be surpised what it takes to get either one.

I would never discourage anyone to "not live his dream before it's too late" I ran 28 years before getting a chance to qualify for the Bonneville 200 MPH Club and probably never see it happening at El Mirage.  I've raced on a budget the entire time. No overtime, no racing.

My son runs a 1/2 mile dirt Super Stock and we lost a piston, 2 rods and a block in April. He has collected all the parts (much better) and we will be ready in March...........The apple did not fall far from the tree........Good Luck........JD
First GMC 6 powered Fuel roadster over 200, with 2 red hats. Pit crew for Patrick Tone's Super Stock #49 Camaro

Offline Frankie7799

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Re: Car Minimums at El Mo
« Reply #10 on: September 24, 2012, 06:02:07 PM »
Thanks for the insight JD