newcomers question

[emx]

how is the speed measured ? over a certain length ? or just maximum ?

[Brian Westerdahl]

It is the average speed for your fastest mile.  The clocks are from the 2 to the 21/4 and from the 2 to the 3 and 3 to the 4 and the 4 to the 5.  That is the long course.  The short course is only three mile long.  There is an exit speed clock just for tuning.  Brian #7796

[Glen]

The timing is over a known distance. The elapsed time of that distance is converted into MPH.
At the dry lakes it is 132 feet.
At Bonneville it is over a one mile distance. The long course has three measured miles where the short course is only one mile. Each has a timing trap from the 2 to the 2- 1/4 mile as well .The long course has a 132 ft trap at the end of the last (5th) mile This is a terminal speed trap and is not used for records. If the timing venue is used for FIA there is a Kilo in the middle of the course.

Glen ( Chief Timer retired)

[narider]

( Chief Timer retired)

Does that mean you wore the tires out on the Indian clock?

Welcome EMX,
Todd

[Sumner]

............ Each has a timing trap from the 2 to the 2- 1/4 mile as well ...............Glen ( Chief Timer retired)

You know I'm glad you mentioned that.  I guess I never gave it much thought and thought of the 2 1/4 speed as our speed at the 2 1/4 not the average from the 2 to the 2 1/4.  Sometimes it takes a while for the light to come on  .

c ya,

Sum

[Cajun Kid]

Hmm,, So for a single run your fastest single mile is used?  If Mile 2 to 3 is 200 MPH, then mile 3 to 4 is 202 MPH and then due to some unforessen reason you back out in mile 4 to 5 at 100 MPH  and terminal trap speed is only 98 MPH,,,  Only the  202 MPH  will be recorded as your official time for that run?

[Sumner]

Hmm,, So for a single run your fastest single mile is used?  If Mile 2 to 3 is 200 MPH, then mile 3 to 4 is 202 MPH and then due to some unforeseen reason you back out in mile 4 to 5 at 100 MPH  and terminal trap speed is only 98 MPH,,,  Only the  202 MPH  will be recorded as your official time for that run?

Yep and if you qualified for a record in the 2nd mile that is the mile that will be used on your backup run to see if you do set a record.  You will still see the 2 1/4 speed along with the other mile speeds and exit speed on the timing slip you will receive,

Sum

[narider]

Thanks Glen and Sum.. I didn' realize some of that either(especially the back up run's time having to be done in the same mile as the qualifying run). Good question CK, one I was apparently "too smart" to ask
Todd(forever sad I never got timed by you before you retired Glen)

[Stainless1]

Hmm,, So for a single run your fastest single mile is used?  If Mile 2 to 3 is 200 MPH, then mile 3 to 4 is 202 MPH and then due to some unforessen reason you back out in mile 4 to 5 at 100 MPH  and terminal trap speed is only 98 MPH,,,  Only the  202 MPH  will be recorded as your official time for that run?

Yes and no, they are all official times for the run, if you qualified, and the next morning you ran 206, 202, 100 your largest average would be in mile 1, and 203 would be your official record.  But if you ran 206, 214 and 324..... see how it works, pretty simple  

[Sumner]

Hmm,, So for a single run your fastest single mile is used?  If Mile 2 to 3 is 200 MPH, then mile 3 to 4 is 202 MPH and then due to some unforeseen reason you back out in mile 4 to 5 at 100 MPH  and terminal trap speed is only 98 MPH,,,  Only the  202 MPH  will be recorded as your official time for that run?

Yes and no, they are all official times for the run, if you qualified, and the next morning you ran 206, 202, 100 your largest average would be in mile 1, and 203 would be your official record.  But if you ran 206, 214 and 324..... see how it works, pretty simple  

Yes and no  , but if the 200 mph in the first mile didn't qualify you for the record, but only the 202 in the second mile did then I don't believe you could average the first mile the second day, no matter how fast, to the first mile the day you qualified, but it might send you back to impound.  Wow, is that right Stainless    ,

Sum

[Dr Goggles]

You know I'm glad you mentioned that.  I guess I never gave it much thought and thought of the 2 1/4 speed as our speed at the 2 1/4 not the average from the 2 to the 2 1/4.  Sometimes it takes a while for the light to come on  .c ya,
Sum

Ya know I read this post earlier and nearly clicked "reply" and then I thought " na , don't be a nerd"...........but I can't help it now......Miles Per Hour....there is no such thing as an instantaneous speed it is how long you've taken to travel a certain distance .....that might be two thousandths of an inch.....3/5ths of 5/8ths of F.A but it has to be a distance , or , you ain't ,er, moving   ...whether you break a light beam or bounce some radar waves back at the source ( slower, or faster)

that I understand

but how an electron can be in two places at once?.........that I don't.

[Stainless1]

Sum, I'll bet Dan knows....    Ya Jack, I figure you also know....    OK, Glen too 
I've never been part of the ruling party so I couldn't tell you for sure... but I would guess the fastest relative mile average is the record.  Your qualifier just lets you run the second half because you proved you could go faster than the record as some point.

Doc, you are right, gotta travel a distance to record speed.... Standing still we are really moving 1000 MPH, just not relative to the earth... 

[Sumner]

You know I'm glad you mentioned that.  I guess I never gave it much thought and thought of the 2 1/4 speed as our speed at the 2 1/4 not the average from the 2 to the 2 1/4.  Sometimes it takes a while for the light to come on  .c ya,
Sum

Ya know I read this post earlier and nearly clicked "reply" and then I thought " na , don't be a nerd"...........but I can't help it now......Miles Per Hour....there is no such thing as an instantaneous speed it is how long you've taken to travel a certain distance .....that might be two thousandths of an inch.....3/5ths of 5/8ths of F.A but it has to be a distance , or , you ain't ,er, moving   ...whether you break a light beam or bounce some radar waves back at the source ( slower, or faster)

that I understand

but how an electron can be in two places at once?.........that I don't.

True, but they have a short trap distance at the end of the 5th mile, so it is almost your exit speed, at least an average over a much shorter distance than a 1/4 mile.  I should have realized before that the 2 1/4 mile trap is an average for 1/4 mile since whenever I look at our video or someone Else's I always look for the 2 /14 light, notice I said light and not lights, so that should of been my first clue that like you said this was really not a true speed at the 2 1/4 mile mark.

My head hurts I'm going to stop now  ,

Sum

[Stan Back]

And I do believe that they have (or gonna) use a 1-mile time between the One and the Two for slower vehicle that are all-out at the One.  That should speed things up and help not wearing out the engines going full-blast for another mile after they've long past reached terminal velocity.

[JackD]

It was common for the vintage racers to push down a mile before they lit the fuse, and save the rest for another day.
The gas racers, if they were still running at the end of the week , would put a big load in it and push down a bit so nobody else would smell the mix.
They would often set a fast mark that showed up in the results under their gas entry, but pretend to have broken it and just go home.
The bikers didn't play with fuel that much, but sometimes wanted to try some inappropriate streamlining.
That is the reason the class designation was required to be put on the # plate so to keep everybody honest.
There is a reason for everything in the rule book, some are better than others.
Be sure and study, there is going to be a test.