Author Topic: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage  (Read 10215 times)

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Offline roadsterswap

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What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« on: November 16, 2007, 09:35:51 AM »
I just couldn't stand it on Saturday. The meet was shut down to move the course. There were no winds. It was perfect to run. The track was shut down at 2:30! I had a funny feeling the weather was not going to hold. Sure enough it was blown out again on Sunday. I drive 8 hours each way to run. I am sure there are others who travel longer than that. Couldn't we not set up two courses ahead of time, include it in the course walk  and be ready to go if some track damage happens? The track damage was not so severe to prevent the completion of the first round. I know I am just venting. But I am tired and broke from this addiction and if I go there I want to use the time to run and not drink cocktails!

Offline Stainless1

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2007, 09:57:35 AM »
Rswap,
$hit happens, that's racing, but it is nice to have a a sympathetic shoulder to cry on....
We are here for ya, and we all have felt the pain, be glad you are only 8 hours from a venue...
Stainless
Red Hat 228.039, 2001, 65ci, Bockscar Lakester #1000 with a little N2O

LVMAXX

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2007, 10:01:36 AM »
 :-D
« Last Edit: October 05, 2009, 08:52:19 AM by LVMAXX »

Offline bvillercr

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2007, 10:33:36 AM »
We feel your pain, we started our rebuild in March trying to make Bonneville.  We finally get it together to run at Elmo and get close to a tune on Sat. and close enough on Sun morning to run and it gets cancelled.  What can you do?  No one can predict it, you just have to live with the possibility that it can happen.

Offline isiahstites

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2007, 11:10:24 AM »
We feel your pain, we started our rebuild in March trying to make Bonneville.  We finally get it together to run at Elmo and get close to a tune on Sat. and close enough on Sun morning to run and it gets cancelled.  What can you do?  No one can predict it, you just have to live with the possibility that it can happen.

I am in your same boat Troy, however I did get a tuning pass in on Saturday..........I really thought I was going to get two passes each day. See you all in six months.

Scott

Offline ol38y

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2007, 12:06:35 PM »
Yup, I feel your pain. I might have been happy with just 1 more run, probably not.  XXXX happens but, it's gonna be a long 6 months.

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Offline JackD

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2007, 12:37:59 PM »
If it is any consolation, the people making the decisions, go earlier, stay later, and  all race too.
At a high buck race at Cal. Speedway, the event was stopped for rain and the participants all knew it was over for the day.
They were told to stay in place and not pack it in to maintain appearances for the paid in crowd.
We had the privilege of the real communications and went home to San Diego.
We were home, clicked on the TV, and they did not announce the reschedule to Monday for another hour.
The schedule was determined by the t-shirt vendors. :roll:
 
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Offline thundersalt

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2007, 12:41:34 PM »
Good friends, good food, lots of cigars,too many cocktails, dirt in every orfice......
Sounds like a fun weekend to me.


Hey Troy, where were you guys pitted at? I looked for you but never saw you.
I guess I didn't look hard enough.
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racin jason

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2007, 12:57:05 PM »
roadsterswap,
don't feel so bad! i drove 26 hours to get to the meet, then i got a welcome to california ticket at the bottom of a hill. its all a part of the deal. i think the sport should be called "landspeed waiting"
if the paramedic actually showed on sunday we may have gotten a run in the am. i ran after the spins on sat and i can tell you it was like running through mud where the repairs were made to the track.

Offline bvillercr

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2007, 02:00:20 PM »
Good friends, good food, lots of cigars,too many cocktails, dirt in every orfice......
Sounds like a fun weekend to me.


Hey Troy, where were you guys pitted at? I looked for you but never saw you.
I guess I didn't look hard enough.

We were between Wilson and Waters Roadster and the BMR roadster at the front near the starting line.  We were between a couple of large trailers including our.  Maybe you heard the car a couple of times it was pretty loud (when we did get it started) sat afternoon and sunday morning.  We have an inclosed white trailer with Langlo racing on all four sides.  Wondered if you guys were out there but didn't see your car either.  We didn't get far from the car because we were thrashing to get it running right.

Offline V8Pinto

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #10 on: November 16, 2007, 02:07:16 PM »
roadsterswap,
don't feel so bad! i drove 26 hours to get to the meet, then i got a welcome to california ticket at the bottom of a hill. its all a part of the deal. i think the sport should be called "landspeed waiting"
if the paramedic actually showed on sunday we may have gotten a run in the am. i ran after the spins on sat and i can tell you it was like running through mud where the repairs were made to the track.

Jason, my first and only run on my 08' Busa was right in that section you're talking about.  I figure I lost AT LEAST 5-8mph when I hit that loose stuff in the traps.  It felt like beach sand and actually moved me forward on the bike.  I had to get rearward to float the front wheel but it didn't matter, still slowed me way down.

Then we had to leave - AHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Always next year..... :|
Shane
V8 Pinto on juice
Hayabusa on the brain
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Offline willieworld

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #11 on: November 16, 2007, 02:19:07 PM »
shane  nice seeing you and your family at el mirage--the 350 cc a-g record is 148.874 may want to leave that old honda in the shed --ill be in touch  willie
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Offline Stan Back

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #12 on: November 16, 2007, 04:14:59 PM »
Patrol is usually pretty boring.  Sunday was exceptionally boring with never a car passing to even look at.  Tower wouldn't excuse the patrols 'til a reasonable time before the PMT showed.  Reminded me of guarding empty warehouses at Ft. Riley.
Past (Only) Member of the San Berdoo Roadsters -- "California's Most-Exclusive Roadster Club" -- 19 Years of Bonneville and/or El Mirage Street Roadster Records

racin jason

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #13 on: November 16, 2007, 05:03:29 PM »
roadsterswap,
don't feel so bad! i drove 26 hours to get to the meet, then i got a welcome to california ticket at the bottom of a hill. its all a part of the deal. i think the sport should be called "landspeed waiting"
if the paramedic actually showed on sunday we may have gotten a run in the am. i ran after the spins on sat and i can tell you it was like running through mud where the repairs were made to the track.

Jason, my first and only run on my 08' Busa was right in that section you're talking about.  I figure I lost AT LEAST 5-8mph when I hit that loose stuff in the traps.  It felt like beach sand and actually moved me forward on the bike.  I had to get rearward to float the front wheel but it didn't matter, still slowed me way down.

Then we had to leave - AHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Always next year..... :|

i was  hauling the mail until i hit the beach. my front end dove in and the rear tire broke loose. it felt like god himself grabbed the back of my leathers and gave them a tug. anyways there is always next year with more hp and traction control.

529

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Re: What a terrible way to end the year at El Mirage
« Reply #14 on: November 16, 2007, 05:21:47 PM »
I just couldn't stand it on Saturday. The meet was shut down to move the course. There were no winds. It was perfect to run. The track was shut down at 2:30! I had a funny feeling the weather was not going to hold. Sure enough it was blown out again on Sunday. I drive 8 hours each way to run. I am sure there are others who travel longer than that. Couldn't we not set up two courses ahead of time, include it in the course walk  and be ready to go if some track damage happens? The track damage was not so severe to prevent the completion of the first round. I know I am just venting. But I am tired and broke from this addiction and if I go there I want to use the time to run and not drink cocktails!

I agree that it sucks, I got there mid-day Friday and by the time I left Sunday I had inhaled about 10 lbs of dust. I'm still coughing from it. And we only got to run once.

However, I cant second guess the SCTA board in their decision. The biggest time waster in changing courses is moving and checking the clocks. The cones are not that big a deal. Having two courses does not remove the need for a course walk on the "new" course either. All sorts of crap comes off the cars during a run and even if it were pristine at the start it would still need to be swept before being used.

Additional factors to consider is the extended duration that the starters, timers and officials have worked without break. They are ready at 7:30 AM so by 2:30 they have worked 7 hours without break and then still have to move the course. SCTA has run later than 2:30 before but doing so on the first day of a 2 day meet when the existing course is in as bad a condition as it was is really unnecessary. They finished round 1 and rather than start round 2, which would have put the fastest cars back down the course again they wisely decided to stop and move the course.

It still sucks though...