El Mirage results

[FADED]

Nate it depends on how many show, ussually its 1-25, 26-50 etc, Sunday they called 1-50, 51-100, and sometimes after 3 or 4 rounds they call everyoneone who still want to run, but never in round 2, and they dont always announce it, we'll either chime in on the cb and ask or ride up and ask. This is what happened Sunday, I rode up after they called 1-50 to pre stage and it looked like a KFC drive thru in Compton. At that point even if they were running it would have been a 2 hr wait so I packed up and went home early and happy. We ran a blistering 87.4mph, our fastest ever! Plus by not running round 2 we still have a motor for Nov. Everything happens for a reason.



Lance, first a question then a comment.  Question: how are they announcing 2nd round?  Are they calling 1-25 or 1-50 or 1-100 or all competitors or what?  In months past I've heard them call a second round and they either don't specify a number group or there's no one at pre-stage to control incoming vehicles so everyone comes to staging/starting in whatever order they showed up in.  Comment: as a Jr. Starter, I really think I'd be leaving the "send backs" to either the Sr. Starter or a higher level official.  I don't get paid enough to catch heat.   
[/quote]

[Stan Back]

Well, to everyone's glee, I've shut up for months.  It's over.

Tim -- good to hear from you.

Months ago I proposed a partial solution to the g-f*ck that's lining up for first round.  Lots of problems there, too.  When you pay your registration, they check and anotate your line-up position.  I said, why not give you the orange card then, rather than waiting 'til you get to the line-up tent. That way, in pre-stage, you could meld in wherever you belonged.  Everyone would know your number and you would know theirs -- before you got to the tent and your group was released.

Everyone agreed (high and low) that was a great idea.  But most stated that they didn't want to screw with Mable's(whoever's)'s authority, 'cause she was the boss of all this.  And you should bring it up with her (as if that would work).

Maybe there's a problem there.

Stan Back  
  

[1212FBGS]

Roadsterswap (or Tim Cuhma)  instead of shooting your mouth off why don't you spend all of the Nov race shadowing Billy Latin and really see what it takes to run an event (since you say your out of the championship)... Its easy to smack talk when you just realize the benefits of other peoples hard work.... go ahead, walk in one of the officials shoes for a meet....  Noonans 26mph cross wind was pretty bad azz im glad he had the talent to ride it and the brains to get off the throttle... After my crash at 217 due to a side wind i made Jim Jenson promise to never let me pull off with anything over 10mph cross, he hasn't and im glad he's my friend.... and honestly i'm surprised Jack would have let you run in Sundays conditions.....

I think the pre stage people are doing a great job compared to a few years back.... still room for improvement but im sure they would be open to suggestions and help....  they got first round pretty dialed but 2nd round has always been a "free for all"... in all fairness, when they called for 2nd round we went rite over and the lanes were already full with people waiting... we had #4 so we went up to the front, the lady said "we were late, they dont go by start number, only by groups of numbers and go to the back of the line" which we did.....

Good meet, im glad we went....

Support the SCTA by showing up, racing, or helping out.....

[racekid]

If you don't like how something is being ran, get involved. It might change your mind. I agree with kent.

[slimjim]

I'm a bit hesitant to even dip the tip of my toe in this pool but Sunday was pretty frustrating for us as well. By the way, just to be out in the open here, My name is Jim Hoogerhyde and we were there with the "other" electric bike. We were frustrated to have tech put a 150mph limit on our first (and only) run but hey, we lost the log book and removed the frame sticker for a photo shoot so that's our own damn fault. Rules are rules and we didn't argue since we planned on taking it very easy anyway in those conditions. The bodywork on the bike is very sensitive to crosswinds and at Bonneville we won't run if it's much over 10mph. Our only run was at the end of round 1 and the slip showed 23mph WSW. We went through the lights on the brakes at 139mph and I could barely feel any crosswinds at all and certainly no gusting. But hey, it's only a small moment in time and I understand it shifts and it certainly was a 45 degree crosswind gusting while I was picking up cones.
   That said, while I appreciate an official telling me they don't think the course conditions are safe for a bike like mine, it was always my decision whether to run or not. Had my bike not been faired or I was there in a slower car or bike I'd be pissed that I didn't get a second run. I feel a good solution is to put a standard in place like Tim suggested. Wind speed X crossing the course at an angle of X means we're on hold? That's fine with me.
   Oh,  and I agree that nice guys that follow the rules get screwed and sit at the back of the line every meet

[1212FBGS]

Jim the 150 rule for new vehicles to ElMirage and 175 for new vehicles to Bonneville have been in place for a long time.... on a mile course the wind changes in speed and direction, how would you write a standard for changes... lots of people saying there should be a standard but none are volunteering and ideas of how to do it.....

[836dstr]

I've been on both sides of "wind holds". At a November 2 day event several years ago I was suited up and strapped it 2 back from the starting line mid afternoon. Remained there for a couple of hours (sure glad it wasn't July!), anyway the racing was stopped. Sure had a nice starting point the next morning!

At Speedweek in 2006 we were on the starting line of the Short Course at about 10:00 AM and Bill Taylor mentioned that there was a little crosswind on the line but the top end appeared OK if we wanted to run. I did and got hit with about a 25 mile wind out of the South between the 2 and 3 mile mark. Did a 270 degree sightseeing tour. We were the last to run that day. I really felt sorry for all those racers waiting in lines for 6 or more hours until the racing was officially called.

Given the option I think most racers will decide such issues on the side of caution.

Tom

[richracer]

 Roadsterswap...anyone reading your post would see the only person delusional is you.

              JL222

  
-i think anyone using 222 on their camaro pretending to be a streamliner is delusional

[Glen]

Tail winds turn into cross winds when turning out. When I was  chief timer the limit was 15  Mph for cars and always told the starter the wind speed and direction. On motor cycles I was always careful and at 8 to 10 mph cross winds I left it up to the starter and the rider. Problem is there is no written rule on winds conditions and what to shut down during this condition. I have set for hours at the lakes and Bonneville waiting for them to calm down for safe speeds to run under.

[1212FBGS]

in all fairness... after their aborted pass Tim Cuhma and Jack Castella towed right back over to the pre stage lanes... they sat there a long, long, very long time.... im sure the pre stage people had to have seem them setting there... they should have been the first or one of the first people allowed to push up when allowed to, why they weren't is something the pre stage people should answer

[richracer]

Roadsterswap's pre-stage dilemma-"Computer generated based upon entry numbers. Random selection. No hands from friends and supporters involved."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        -When I race at EL MIRAGE,some day, will I find, that the first round when leaving pre-stage, be done nemerically or random? Then what about the second round, will it be numerical or random?   

[1212FBGS]

1st round is by starting number, 2nd round is by groups ie 1 to 50 then next group 51 to 100, 3rd round is anybody come on up

[richracer]

"1st round is by starting number, 2nd round is by groups ie 1 to 50 then next group 51 to 100, 3rd round is anybody come on up" I hope I can quote this!




Sounds like Rswap didn't understand that , and got wind blown for being nice and letting low numbers pass him up in the 2nd round.       

[roadsterswap]

I lied again. I said I was done. I am pretty much done but wanted to share a few other things. I was away from my computer while driving 5 hours picking up my Hyabusa motor so I can get in the 2 lane eventually! If you cant beat them, join them right?

I like what every one has said. Good information. This was a good discussion and strong feelings all around. For clarification, we did not go get back in line right away. We went to the pit and pulled the body off and swapped out the battery and that alone took us 45 minutes or so before we got back in line. Yes we were there earlier than most. There were  only one or two cars ready for round two. So since I was there early should I have staked out my spot and when they opened the flood gates, or should have taken my lane? I was letting others with lower numbers than me go in front. I even told a few guys who had lower numbers to go in front of us even though they arrived about 30 minutes after us. What is the rule on round two? I would like to know if there is one.

I think I am going away with this knowledge:

1. The two lane is a privilege item. It is not a safety item. I am fine with that. You guys/girls earned it. (my understanding right or wrong). I hope that if the higher numbers do not get to come in until they are called for their round. I was getting pushed along by a person with a number greater than 100.
2. Staging needs to be worked on. I am still unclear about round two. It know it is a hard job. I actually am looking forward to being able to be involved with the events. I am just busy right now with many other things. I also live 7 hours away.
3. Yes I am delusional. In a good way. I think a heated discussion can get issues in the open and maybe lead to change and improvement. I may need to develop more tact, but oh well.
4. I love the SCTA and all that it does. The IT, is US. We make SCTA good or bad. The people involved are awesome, racers and volunteers.
5. There is a lot of unseen mental processing going on to decide when to call an event. I would still like to see some parameters. It seems that we have people with years of experience knowing good from bad. Take the rule book for example! We know when we cannot run on the lake bed if it is full of water. Why can't there be some factors for making a decision about shutting down an event?  Wind speed, angles, gust averages etc. The data and experience are all there. Sailing events have these control items in place.
6. Change can be good and change can be difficult.
7. I don't care what anyone say's John Noonan is an all right guy. (I owed you that one), after the intro at the races )

Peace, be happy, have fun in the garage and see you in the dirt. ( I will be the one with the the beard and sunglasses and flack vest) Oh and I will be in a wheelchair. If anyone wants my phone number to discuss how I could have done things better or what I could do to help out, email me and I will get my number to you. Thanks for reading.

[roadsterswap]

I see while I was writing some things were clarified. Thanks. Yes I am the idiot in round two. I ruined it for my hard working team.