Wilmington July Picture Post

[gkabbt]

This is the usual place holder for pics from Wilmington this weekend.

In addition to doing the live audio streaming (and testing video as well); I'll be taking pics Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will post the links in this thread.

Also, anyone who has pics, please feel free to post here!
To ALL racers : Be Safe, Have Fun and Go Fast!       

Gregg

[Captthundarr]

We'll see you Friday. Going to be there for the whole weekend this time. Amy and Angela are going to go fast. The camaro is hitting on all eight this time.

[gkabbt]

Looking forward to seeing youse guys as well!     Weather here is WAY more pleasant than NC.
Can't wait to see Amy get her C license!      

See you tomorrow.
Gregg

[Seldom Seen Slim]

I'll add this codicil to Greg's creation of a picture post Forum thread:  We're going to experiment some with video this weekend.  It will be an experiment - because we've got lots of technical things to work out (for instance, the camera will be connected to the streaming machine by wire, not radio, so we have to have the camera where the microphone is located.) so while you're welcome to offer suggestions -- there ain't a heck of a lot of things we'll be able to do to change up.

The good thing is that we expect Meridix, the company we use to do the streaming, will let us test for free.  If we have to pay it's an extra hundred bucks (audio alone is $100, and audio + video is $200.  Send your donations now so we can afford to try video some more -- or accept what we're doing this time ).

Greg will be testing the equipment starting tomorrow after lunch hour.  It'll be just testing, so while you might see some stuff, it won't be video showing all of inspection or stuff like that.  But whatever - tune in this weekend for the live audio.

[gkabbt]

Weather wise, a good day here in Wilmington.....warm but not NC hot and humid! 
Had trouble with our Wifi provider so that took quite a bit of time to get resolved.
Once that was done, did testing with the equipment that Jon will take to Bonneville for audio streaming there.....Worked beautifully!
Also did some video testing with a static webcam and the results, in my book, were kinda so-so. Got some GREAT advice from the announcer Brian Lohnes (Bangshift.com) and will do some investigating. Hopefully video will happen at the May meet next year!

With all this going on down at the timing trailer, I did not get back up to tech inspection until mid afternoon. No bikes and the only car there was the 3232 F/BFMR, so Mike K., these are for you.....LOL!

Google+ link is:
https://plus.google.com/photos/115248360774022016668/albums/6034952632926243633

Turnout is light (as expected) for this meet and I'll get pics of the cars and bikes in the staging lanes tomorrow!

Audio stream will start around 9:00 AM.....just after the drivers meeting.

Gregg

[Captthundarr]

Pit shot

[Captthundarr]

Pit neighbors

[Captthundarr]

One more

[Milwaukee Midget]

Frank - I expect given the light turn out, opportunity to get the C license for Amy will be no stress.  Glad the Camaro is up to snuff.

Gregg did a video test this afternoon - I was privy to the view.  By its nature, there is a long bit of latency processing the video.  I was talking to Gregg on the cell phone, and when I asked him to wave at me, I didn't see it happen for about 20 seconds.  That's a function of converting the signal to digital, compressing it, pouring it down the interwebbymajigger, and making it look like a TV show on our computers here in the real world.

The picture was okay - a little jerky, but usable.  I'm thinking there must be a better way, but we're still in the preproduction stages of this.

If terrorists in caves in Afghanistan can do it, I'm thinking land speed racers in Ohio and Utah can do it better.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Hey - so this is what Wilmington is like, hey?  We're here.  First impression:  The lady at the motel couldn't tell us very well at all -- where's the airpark?  So we meandered around and found a WalMart and the cashier lady gave us directions - that we cornfusing.  So we asked a cop, parked in her car, and found - that she said "Well, I don't go out there very often, but I think that if you go to the left here. . .".  We finally made it.

Drivers meeting was as you'd expect from one of 'em -- Joe, Keith, Tonya and Donna (in that order) told us what lucky folks we are to be able to go racing today.  They did mention that the crowd here is kinda slim - about 50 registrants this weekend - so lapping will probably be possible.  the forecast is for the upper 80s, but it's gently cloudy right now and that's fine.  A gentle breeze is blowing from our left -- from the finish to the start.  Today is forecast to be nicd all day, and tomorrow the weather will be turning to rain, probably, after lunch. 

Add up rain after lunch and a small crowd and we may be done racing by noon Sunday.  The audio is on, racing starts soon, and Greg and I will take photos and ost 'em now and then.  Have fun.

[4-barrel Mike]

  The audio is on, racing starts soon, and Greg and I will take photos and ost 'em now and then.  Have fun.

http://www.meridix.com/everywhere.php?liveid=Landracing Click on "listen live" in the upper left corner.   

Mike

[gkabbt]

Weather wise, a pretty good day here in Wilmington. Warmer than yesterday and had to hydrate and pee a lot...LOL!  

As I said yesterday, turnout is light with about 50 bikes and cars. All competitors made MANY laps.
For me and pics, unfortunately I was chatting with many folks and did not snap many pics.....

Google+ link for today is:
https://plus.google.com/photos/115248360774022016668/albums/6035317060152995841

For tomorrow, racing and the audio stream will start around 8:00 AM.

As usual, I hope you enjoy!

Gregg

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Harrummph!  We were here at 8, everything was hooked up and ready to get going -- and then it took about a half hour to have Greg Neal make the first pass of the day.  He went zooming past us (near the lights) at flank speed -- and the timing system showed he'd gone through the lights at a stunning 60 mph!!!

So then it was - "line, hold the next vehicle while we go see what's up with the timing lights".  And 45 minutes later we're still figuring out what's up with the lights.  We've seen Joe Timney and one of the other guys make pass after pass through the lights, each separated by a few minutes of cursing and tweaking, without getting things going right.  So for now -- nothing's happening.  Go back to your Sunday morning routine.  Surprise your wife- do a load of laundry, go wash the roof of the shed, do something like that while you wait for things to get going again in Wilmington.

Quick weather note:  It's cloudy and warm with a 10-15 mph headwind.  There's still a forecast for rain later today, but dang it -- this'd be fine racing weather right now.  Sure hope the timing gets going soon.

[gkabbt]

Sorry for not posting earlier.
Race was called about 1 hour ago due to the continuing issues with the timing lights.....Never got them working correctly.
Also, Thunder shower came through about the same time and I had to quickly shutdown and pack-up the equipment.

We'll do the audio stream again for the September so stay tuned!

Gregg

[gkabbt]

Like last month, MANY of the competitors left after Saturday's racing or this morning so I did not get many pics.
Almost embarrassed to post the very few pics I did get.

My Google+ link from today is:
https://plus.google.com/photos/115248360774022016668/albums/6035680500390652769

As usual, hope you enjoy.

Gregg