Author Topic: Watching vehicles cross the finish line (long course)  (Read 12251 times)

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Offline GH

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Re: Watching vehicles cross the finish line (long course)
« Reply #16 on: August 06, 2014, 02:22:43 PM »
Boy, I guess we told him.

Offline ratpatrol66

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Re: Watching vehicles cross the finish line (long course)
« Reply #17 on: August 06, 2014, 03:12:31 PM »
Well said! :cheers:

Offline tallguy

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Re: Watching vehicles cross the finish line (long course)
« Reply #18 on: August 06, 2014, 05:10:36 PM »
Original poster here (tallguy).

I didn't mean to push anyone's buttons.  Honestly.  I've been to Bonneville
a few times, and may someday race there.  I am very thankful to all the
volunteers, racers, crew members, SCTA, BLM, etc. for all the great racing
that goes on, and for keeping it all relatively safe (statistically, anyway).  I
have no quarrel with any of this.  And it wasn't my intent to appear that I would
want to -- or could -- DEPRIVE anybody of anything just by staying home.

I'll try to explain what my intended message was . . .

Watching a race vehicle begin its run doesn't seem as exciting to me
(because it's not that fast, near the start, and is going away), compared
to watching the vehicle go by at hundreds of miles an hour.  I am aware
that the "barrier" kept me perhaps a thousand feet away from the race
lane.  No problem there.  I wouldn't want to be hit by a vehicle. 

But if I can't watch from a similar place as before, then I won't have the
(perhaps historical) experience, for example, of clearly seeing a motorcycle
drive by at 400+ mph, the first ever to do so.

I never wanted to come across as a whiner in all this.  And I was never a
poor sport:  the type to say "it's my ball -- if you don't like the way I play,
I'm gonna take my ball home, depriving you all of the opportunity to play"

I made an assumption (right or wrong) that if the course is in good condition,
Speed Week doesn't change drastically from year to year (regarding what the vehicles
look like, and how they perform, with the exception of records being broken -- and
good luck to all the racers and crews!

For me, it would be particularly meaningful to watch the making of history that is of
specific interest to me.  An example would be the first 400+ mph run by a motorcycle.

If I offended anyone by posting, I humbly hereby apologize.  And I never meant to
demean anyone or their efforts.  I appreciate it takes a lot of time and money to
go fast -- as well as a lot of discipline, sacrifice, problem-solving, etc.  -- and I am
a mechanical engineer.  I got into this field decades ago due to my interest in race
vehicles. 

I also have seen, first-hand, how nice the racers, crews, SCTA officials, and spectators
are.  I never doubted any of what I had read about this.

I am on a limited budget.  I hope you can appreciate that.  That is one reason I
might stay home next year, if the spectating experience isn't expected to be unusually
promising for me. 

If it looked like a new wheel-driven record was about to be set, I'd want to attend and
watch -- even if I wasn't at a viewing spot even-with-the-5 when it happens.  I'd prefer
to be there, though. 

tallguy (Andy Lampenfeld, in Northern California)



Offline Peter Jack

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Re: Watching vehicles cross the finish line (long course)
« Reply #19 on: August 06, 2014, 05:44:03 PM »
Well said Andy. The problem with the internet is that it's really hard to get a point across without being face to face with the people that you,re attempting to communicate with. On the other hand it's really easy for those people to misinterpret what you're trying to say.

I wasn't really happy with your original message but with your interpretation of what you were trying say you make sense and your message is good and understood.  :-D :-D :-D

Pete

Offline wheelrdealer

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Re: Watching vehicles cross the finish line (long course)
« Reply #20 on: August 06, 2014, 07:43:32 PM »
Tall

Point taken.

Glad we all understand

BR
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Offline Glen

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Re: Watching vehicles cross the finish line (long course)
« Reply #21 on: August 06, 2014, 08:02:06 PM »
There is a spectator parking area at the north end of the pits, to go beyond there requires a pit crew permit on the chase vehicle, a fire extiingsher, body panel removal tools and  being a crew member, even the press needs to be escorted to that zone. 90% chance you will be run out or even have your pit pass taken. The rules are for everyone. I have been going to Bonneville since 1953, and a past SCTA board member  and chief Timer as well as a member of the emergency team. Play by SCTA-BNI rules.
Glen
Crew on Turbinator II

South West, Utah

Offline wheelrdealer

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Re: Watching vehicles cross the finish line (long course)
« Reply #22 on: August 06, 2014, 08:55:14 PM »
There is a spectator parking area at the north end of the pits, to go beyond there requires a pit crew permit on the chase vehicle, a fire extiingsher, body panel removal tools and  being a crew member, even the press needs to be escorted to that zone. 90% chance you will be run out or even have your pit pass taken. The rules are for everyone. I have been going to Bonneville since 1953, and a past SCTA board member  and chief Timer as well as a member of the emergency team. Play by SCTA-BNI rules.

Amen Glen.

1 9 5 3 hmm that was three years before I was born and I ain't no spring chicken.
ECTA    Maxton D/CGALT  Record Holder 167.522
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Offline ratpatrol66

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Re: Watching vehicles cross the finish line (long course)
« Reply #23 on: August 06, 2014, 09:48:34 PM »
tallguy its all good. I will be out around the 4 1/2 mile marker, look for a silver Buick Roadmaster. Stop by and have a :cheers:

Offline Speed Limit 1000

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Re: Watching vehicles cross the finish line (long course)
« Reply #24 on: August 07, 2014, 01:20:11 AM »
Find a crew that could use your help. Then as part of a crew you could be down course waiting for "your"  car to come.
John Gowetski, red hat @ 221.183 MPH MSA Lakester, Bockscar #1000 60 ci normally aspirated w/N20

Offline Dr Goggles

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Re: Watching vehicles cross the finish line (long course)
« Reply #25 on: August 07, 2014, 08:19:31 AM »
At Lake Gairdner ten,or so, years ago it was quiet enough at the start line that you could hear an engine all the way down the course. That was all you needed, if you heard an entry that was running close to record go through all the gears and top out you knew it was on the money. Watching them go past isn't the same for me.

People can be rough on the net Tallguy,hope you have a good time.
Few understand what I'm trying to do but they vastly outnumber those who understand why...................

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Offline jimmy six

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Re: Watching vehicles cross the finish line (long course)
« Reply #26 on: August 08, 2014, 01:11:08 AM »
The only time I get to see the 5 mile is when I'm driving the race car  :cheers:
First GMC 6 powered Fuel roadster over 200, with 2 red hats. Pit crew for Patrick Tone's Super Stock #49 Camaro

Offline Wester

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Re: Watching vehicles cross the finish line (long course)
« Reply #27 on: August 08, 2014, 07:01:56 AM »
Tall guy, you may as well stay home from SCTA and USFRA meets and go to the Mike Cook Shootout.  That's where you can watch those ultra fast vehicles put their chutes out.  They use a one mile timed trap with a kilo trap inside the mile.  When a vehicle runs EVERYTHING stops and spectators are moved to the trap area.  No one is allowed outside of that area during a run and kids on 4 wheelers have been ushered off the salt for using them during a run.  Draconian? Yes!  Safety considerations?  ABSOLUTELY!  There's possibly twenty or so runs during a long day so you have a great opportunity to situate yourself for the runs.