All, it has been a so so event so far.
First off Sat and Sun have been very windy. Tons of complaints about the course #1 being slippery and combined with wind you will have the spins and turnouts. I think I heard 8-10 spins there, that is pretty bad for Saturday for the first day of racing on the course. However, Poteet and Main went 443 exit, now analyze that.
Our personal experience is up to the 3 course was pretty shady, after that smoothed out.
Turbinator is there but needs several little things to finish before tech. Vesco has his hands full running the 444 car and now working on the turbinator at same time. Very busy area.
Skip Hedrick not having the Speedweek he hoped for. Turned away from Tech due to roll cage. The story is and please take with grain of salt. Roll cage did not pass due to tube diameter, although had excess of supporting structure. The only question I have is how did it get past tech the last 10 years? Chrome molly, tig welded, supported like heck with "more than is required structure"
Ralph Hudson was next to us when we left the line and mile 3/4 went down, I heard we was cracking jokes in hospital, going to be ok.
Tegan Hammond spin was definitley a "Viewing area scatter"
We went to course 2 Sunday morning and had a smoother to three course but top end was a bit rough. We managed a 240 exit on a good shakedown pass. 244 is in sight for qualifications.
Runs seem sparingly Sat and Sun mainly due to course conditions, wind, spings, broken parts, accidents and the four courses might just make the event more effiecient. Lines are short. Tonight I do not beleive there were any high speed runs in impound. Kinda validates the above comments.
Plenty of interesting stories out there just have to ask for them.
I hate to say this but everybody tries their best at everything they do, but this announcer is just terrible. Come one, come all, 200 mph club banquet open to anybody. "Just find the guys in the red hats" and you can talk with them. Give this guy a cheat sheet or something, I just don't get it.
Ray is doing a phenomenal job with pictures, but not a one man show, need a dedicated guy out there gathering the STORIES that bring the Speedweek feeling to the viewers, bring the smell of the nitro with words, explain the ground thumping nitro 911 car through the computer (a close alternative the the crowd gathering at edge of pits Al Teague runs), the Strasburgs lakester is a fantastic sight.
Ron Cohn crew has new glass in the rear of Monza. (I thought it was the rear that got blown out, I could be wrong but that was my visual on situation)
Rangers are out in force I have seen several people stopped by them.
Can't say enough for Mike the mayor who opened the store at 11 pm last night for a crew members plane that got a flat tire on the runway on landing after giving plane at the end of the day.
What Kieth Turk and Freiberge back on the salt with the Camaro.....
TO my knowledge fast freddy has not make a pass with new liner (has small motor for sortin), George fields is stagnent so far. Rex's "Sabb Story" was all over the course. Can determine if wind tunnel info plays out till he gets way more speed in it.
I really don't know to much been stuck in the pits working on the liner.
Jon