Entries for Speedweek

[Clay Pitkin]

I do agree with you Willie. In 2006, We were behind an entry and the driver was off mingling with other people, when it came time for him to go, he was still getting suited up still outside of his vehicle. The starter finally made him get off the side of the course and let us through. Now I ask a question. Will one entry like this make a difference in long lines? Probably not, however what if 500+ entries ALL saved 3-5 mins at the starting line? In addition, what about the entry that is going the full distance of the course, and the engine is barely running because it is spitting and sputtering, finally in the last mile they pull their parashoot at 60 MPH. How much time did that waste? If the engine is running crappy, chances are very good, its not going to fix itself.
As a team we are on the salt at no later than 6AM and in addition, we are strapped in and ready to go a minumum of 4 cars from the starting line.

As far as limiting entries, I say no, for the reason that if the entries were limited, for those that would be able to race, I am sure would have to face a much higher fee for course prep, etc, to allow the SCTA to host the same event with say the 500+ entries.

Just my 2cents worth, but a penny for my thoughts

Clay

[mkilger]

I think that the lines would move faster if people would get off the couse a little sooner (all the way off)and not  go for 3-4-5 miles at 55mph or even 100 at least I think thats what holds the meet up. also all the BS at the end of the run like getting out of the car  kicking your tires   checking the motor all hold the meet. Thats what I see when out in the middle of the two coures.  spins and cars and bikes that go after  60-70 -100 mph records  slow down the meet a bunch, just my 2 cents

[1212FBGS]

if you check the run logs and do the math a 60mph takes about the same time to clear the 3mile as a 200 mph does to clear the 5 mile
kent

[JackD]

A degree of efficiency was realized when the SCTA club decided to do away with the 3 run method to set a record.
Now it just requires 2 runs.
As a result of the media exposure it has become too large for it's britches and the growing pains have become barely manageable.
Most of the suggestions to streamline the running are doable, but a basic change has to happen and it comes under the "Tradition unhampered by progress" plan that has some problems.
It is time to have the record qualifiers return to a special line, within a reasonable time frame, and make the second run the same day.
They would be allowed to make that run as soon as they are ready, again perhaps within a specified time frame.
That would end the dailey parade to the starting area, spread the record runs out across the whole running day, and relieve the crush at certification that will result in a better job.
Start running the line out in the time you saved and run until the sun goes over the mountain.
Dawn to dusk is time to run, anything else is a loss of the most precious thing the salt has to offer.

[Sumner]

A degree of efficiency was realized when the SCTA club decided to do away with the 3 run method to set a record.
Now it just requires 2 runs.
As a result of the media exposure it has become too large for it's britches and the growing pains have become barely manageable.
Most of the suggestions to streamline the running are doable, but a basic change has to happen and it comes under the "Tradition unhampered by progress" plan that has some problems.
It is time to have the record qualifiers return to a special line, within a reasonable time frame, and make the second run the same day.
They would be allowed to make that run as soon as they are ready, again perhaps within a specified time frame.
That would end the daily parade to the starting area, spread the record runs out across the whole running day, and relieve the crush at certification that will result in a better job.
Start running the line out in the time you saved and run until the sun goes over the mountain.
Dawn to dusk is time to run, anything else is a loss of the most precious thing the salt has to offer.

Hey I understood all of that and really like it  .  If you qualify for a record you could return to impound in the allotted time and use up your allotted work time if you so desire and then go to the record return line.  Then you don't have to get up a 4 am, you might not get weathered out of a second run and I think the meet would go faster since regular racing could start right at 7 for the racers that were in line the night before.

Drawbacks:

I like that morning air and density altitude.

They would have less control over you and your car after qualifying and that might raise some concerns about if anyone might possibly think that someone is cheating.

A slight plan modification:

Maybe the option of running that day or taking a chance on the weather and leaving your car in impound overnight and running in the special lane in the morning.

Jack I need to call you about something else, when is a good time?  PM me.

c ya,

Sum

[Sumner]

if you check the run logs and do the math a 60mph takes about the same time to clear the 3mile as a 200 mph does to clear the 5 mile
kent

I hate to bring this us since we are a long course car and this could effect us, but............ maybe someone good on math could figure if we are really saving time by running the long and short course cars on both courses.  I laid awake a few times trying to figure this out in my mind, and you reminded me Kent  .

If you run the cars down the course in the order of short-long-short-long etc. the short course cars are waiting some time for the long course cars to clear the course (maybe Glen can tell us where the car can be on the long course before the next short course car is released).  Now also a long course car doesn't have to wait as long for the short course car to clear the course, but if all the short course cars were on one course they would move along faster as they wouldn't be waiting for any long course cars.  Of course all of the long course cars would still have to wait on another long course car to clear.

So if someone had the average time for long and short course cars to clear the course they could run both scenarios and see which produced more total runs in a day.  Might not be any difference or the difference might be so slight to not worry about.  My mid-night calculations told me that there would be more runs with the old one long and one short course deal, but my math can get fuzzy laying on my back and If I'm right I'll have a lot of other long course racers on my back for bringing this up  .

It does seem to me though that having 2 long/short courses like last year takes up more real-estate that could possibly be the difference of having 3 courses (2 long/short courses versus a long course and 2 short courses). 

c ya,

Sum

[JackD]

The detail is the entry would go to a distant end impound area to insure it's legality to that point, and do the required second run checks.
Perhaps take a picture of the external view for the permanent record, and verify  the seals.
Then , the entry would be required to present it's self back to the original starting point as ready to run into a special line that will have first priority.
Each step would have a specified maximum time frame that can be recorded at each start and stop.

NOTE TO SELF:
OH OH, If Sum gets it, I am more worried now than ever !
I wonder what he wants to yell at me about now ?  

[Evil Tweety]

one thing that i did notice that would help those long lones was that a lot of people wernt ready when they did get to the start line and took a lot of extra time also i noticed on my time tickets i wasnt running any faster from the 2 mile to the 3 mile as i was from the 1 mile to the 2 mile so i started turning off after the 2 mile insted of the 3 mile might of save a little time for some one in line --i think that maybe people think that they have 7 days so whats the hurry --with 500 + entrys i think everything went pretty smooth  just some thoughts  willie buchta

Yeah - I'm also surprised how often I thought I saw the starter giving the thumbs up to a car and they sat or took a while (20-30 seconds or more) to get moving.   I wish I had time to sit with a stop watch and watch for an hour or two.  What is the real data - how long is the course actually clear and ready and the car/driver isn't.    Or how much time the track is shut down because someone didn't get all the way off.  (Read below why I haven't had time to do this.) 

BTW - just to comment on a few other things - my original post was in the interest of getting discussion going.  It wasn't a statement of what I support or what I think should happen.

Also - when running right, Tweety picks up .5 to 1.5 miles per hour (or more) from the 2 to the 3 . . . so we run the full 3 miles.  To anyone that complains about the extra 40 seconds we are on the course please check how often we are suited up and strapped in 3 to 5 cars back in line.  It's very very rare that we hold up the line.  (I didn't say "never" because with as many runs as we get in, it does happen now and then that things aren't perfect.  My hats off to the starters for being so good at what they do - making sure we are as safe as can be.)

And off on that tangent - we did make a lot of runs last year.  But we were always in line, or the car was left in line overnight and we were headed out very early to get in line, etc..   I think we got in 13 runs, including a class change.  It was hard work, hardly a "vacation" in any way, but that's what it takes.  I miss the days when I could spend a fair amount of time in the pits eating and socializing with the other folks in our camp.  But if I want to race then it's breakfast while in line, lunch while in line and a late (or no) dinner.

[Evil Tweety]

A degree of efficiency was realized when the SCTA club decided to do away with the 3 run method to set a record.
Now it just requires 2 runs.
As a result of the media exposure it has become too large for it's britches and the growing pains have become barely manageable.
Most of the suggestions to streamline the running are doable, but a basic change has to happen and it comes under the "Tradition unhampered by progress" plan that has some problems.
It is time to have the record qualifiers return to a special line, within a reasonable time frame, and make the second run the same day.
They would be allowed to make that run as soon as they are ready, again perhaps within a specified time frame.
That would end the dailey parade to the starting area, spread the record runs out across the whole running day, and relieve the crush at certification that will result in a better job.
Start running the line out in the time you saved and run until the sun goes over the mountain.
Dawn to dusk is time to run, anything else is a loss of the most precious thing the salt has to offer.

I did notice that when the weather caused cars to be left in staging overnight that it took a lot longer for the backup runs to go through - they had to come through single file and it felt like there was a lot of time between runs.  Again . . . need a stop watch to confirm.

[sheribuchta]

at speedweek i was about 5 cars back in line early in the morning the line steward came and asked if i was ready i said i was --he said then pull around and make your run  which i did --they either wernt ready or they wernt even there --we had all left our rigs there the day before--there is a lot of time wasted with things like that --i waited behind slower cars short course and faster cars long course --at 120 mph it takes 90 seconds to go 3 miles at 240 it takes 75 seconds to go 5 miles and it didnt seem to make much differance just glad i got to run   just some thoughts  willie buchta


one more thing at el mirage only one run is required for a record and it seemed like time was wasted starting late and stopping early although i know the course was moved and that has to be done in the daylight 

[Stan Back]

I like Jack's idea of running the same day as possible -- you might get two tailwinds and I wouldn't be so inclined to change the jetting and screw it up for the morning air!

[Jonny Hotnuts]

The detail is the entry would go to a distant end impound area to insure it's legality to that point, and do the required second run checks.
Perhaps take a picture of the external view for the permanent record, and verify  the seals.
Then , the entry would be required to present it's self back to the original starting point as ready to run into a special line that will have first priority.
Each step would have a specified maximum time frame that can be recorded at each start and stop.

I am hereby granting JD the power to get this done.

[JackD]

NOTE TO JONNY:
"In a perfectly flat world, things would be perfect." (me)

I have a plaque on my boat that reads
"Marriages performed by the Captain aboard this vessel are only valid for the duration of the cruise."

[Stainless1]

Hey kids, we all would love to not waste all that daylight, unfortunately all those folks standing in the hot sun after getting up early really hate to work late and not get to dinner until 10 because they have to get up early and stand in the hot sun.... 

So if we are all ready when it is our turn and we all clear the course in a timely manner, who out there are the offenders?    All we can do as racers is respect each other and take our turns and try to educate our new racers and our old racers.

I could go with Jack's idea, as long as you had an option of when you had to be ready to re-run, it would need to allow at least a couple of hours.  Yes Jack, we ran a lot during the 3 run days and you had an hour to turn around... if there were enough people running records.
But we've all gotten old and lazy since then... 

[interested bystander]

TWO SET OF CLOCKS (NHRA allegedly uses them) with some sort of CERTIFIED, Bureau of Standards, satelite GPS confirmation,with a hyperaccurate course survey, based on the hypoteneuse of the MOON times PI X R squared, if necessary, if required, should be all that's nescessary for ONE RUN for all records!

This is 2008!

Hasn't anybody realized our technology is WAY beyond speed boat timer (may he rest in peace for his pioneering efforts) John Otto Crocker and the Naval Observatory clock?