get a bigger chute

[promachine]

If I`m not mistaken,and if the hearsay is true.
At El Mirage, if you have a no chute and go out the back door, you lose points
for the meet and the record you set. Voted last night?
Lord have mercey on the 4500 lb. roadster that trys to run over 225mph.

[JackD]

The vote last night was to be a club advisory to the board and the final decision rests with them tonight.

[Nitroholic]

I believe they are also going to vote on to penalize rookies who do not follow procedure.  For example exceed the the 150mph limit with a 175mph, no chute, etc...  I would have been screwed.

[Nortonist 592]

Rookie rules are there for reasons.  You wanna go 200 on your first pass and not pull your chute?  Why bother with a chute?  Or rules?  Just show up, flip off the inspectors and head for the start line.

[promachine]

I don`t think nitroholic was disputing the rules. Nor was I.
Maybe its time to look at the posibility of making the back door a little
longer. Is that posible? Don`t shoot, I am just asking.
I have seen a few of the faster cars go out back, and the drivers were
not exactly rookies. It is and should be a big safety concern.
There will be a new roadster coming out this year that should be capable of
about 250-260 mph on the dirt. It will weigh somewhere in the 5000lb range.
What size chute will this car need? will it be safe?

[Glen]

In the past few years the shut down area has been extended at least twice. The BLM gives us a zone we can run on at the lakes. With over 20 years in the timing trailer I have seen many reasons why cars go out the back door. The number one reason is pulling the chutes to late after the run. Traveling at 200 mph speeds one covers a lot of ground in a hurry. The drag racers(320mph) have less distance then we do and they stop within the shut down area 99% of the time. The reason is they pull the chutes in the lights not a few hundred feet after, if they do they end up in the sand trap, not a good thing.
A bigger chute is not the answer, it's the drivers responsibility.
There are also the drivers that don't pull the chute because they get dirty or a pain to repack, I have heard a lot of excuses. 

[JackD]

Stopping procedures and associated equipment are well defined and are minimums.
As with fire safety equipment requirements that increase for various reasons, it might be time to require a progressive chute system that features a hi-speed and a low-speed.
 That would not introduce the shock of an over sized chute to do all the work but match the needs with a backup that should reduce the failures.
If you think you weigh too much and go too fast, I think you might give some additional consideration to stopping in time for everybody else.

SCREAM  HERE:  !@#$%^&*()_+

[promachine]

You guys are right. You have to be on your game and be in control to go fast
on the dirt. Not much room for mistakes, weather your going 150 or 250.
As for me, my right hand goes right to the chute handle right after I punch
in high gear, when I see the ballons, I am sooo.. ready to pull it.
Imagine my dismay 2 years ago, thats right,in Sept. I hung the laundry and
didn`t feel it hit. By the time I figured it out I was deep into the shutdown area.
204 threw the lights and about 150 out the back door boiling the brake fluid.
Scary, yes. Stupid, yes, Should have cleaned the teather and the rest of the
pilot better after B-Ville that year. Sombody could have gotten hurt.
I think about a year or so ago J D and some others were having people pop
their chutes in tech in Sept. Not a bad idea.

[Glen]

It's in the rule book that chutes will be inspected at inspection.

[dwarner]

Sorry Glen,

The only parachute requirement is that it be installed for presentation at inspection. Actual operation of the system is not checked, this is the responsibility of the owner/crew.

DW

[Glen]

Dan
The rule book says all parachutes shall be opened during inspection PG 31 PP3.M
Glen

[dwarner]

You are correct sir!!

Why would I read section 3 when section 1 is so much closer to the front of the book?

DW

[Glen]

I'll take a bud lite when we see you
 

[jimmy six]

I don't care what anyone says involving the deployment of the chute. I or any other inspector personally cannot run down the course and pull the damn thing out.

All I check is the movement of the cable and the attaching device. That's all the inspector can do. No matter what you come back with; that still all we can do. Same with the fuel shut off and throttles. All I want to see is them close. Going is the problem of the car....The stopping devices are checked thoroghly by inspectors. I would rather not have the chute packed during inspection. Then I know it's a fresh pack.

I believe the shutoff length is about 1 mile...What the problem? It's not longer. For some of "guest" liner runners they run out the back every time....If I do it. Send me home. If they do it pat them on the head and tell them "now don't do that again 'til you come back next year".

Enough ranting for now........I'll wait for ? to chime in.  Ta! Ta! all

PS: Damn I love this site

[836dstr]

Are there warning signs past the "back door" that warn of a racing event in progress?

It's not much, but might help. I cringe at the thought of someone getting hit out there, specially a kid.

Tom