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Post by dave FF 50-aka "Harm" on Mar 22, 2006 23:09:07 GMT -8
Big field for Sears: 14 CFs, 14 FFs, 18 FVs + 1 F5! At Laguna, we get a 2nd race. dave
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Post by DerElf on Mar 24, 2006 9:58:28 GMT -8
WOOT! 18 Vees! Dat sure is a lot of Pixies in one place! Good job guys.
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Post by qposner on Mar 24, 2006 11:27:28 GMT -8
Are you guys split starting this year?
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Post by Bruce on Mar 24, 2006 14:26:32 GMT -8
I guess that is something that will have to be discussed when we get to the track. The entry acceptance did not mention it. I thinking we should, they did say if we had 10 or more in each group they would give us a split.
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Post by qposner on Mar 24, 2006 14:57:28 GMT -8
Hopefully you will get it. I can't imagine dealing with 28 fords. Especially the slow ones on the first lap...
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Post by dave FF 50-aka "Harm" on Mar 30, 2006 10:09:51 GMT -8
Holy Cow, I just looked and now we have 15 FFs and 21 Vees! Add that to the 14 CFs and 1 F5 and e have a BIG group (51 cars total). I saw one group with about 25 cars total. I think the groups may need to be rearranged. 51 cars is like the SM group. dave
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Post by Bruce on Apr 17, 2006 9:01:40 GMT -8
We did get that split start and everyone can thank Rick Schick as he had to go around and get the petition signed. I hope we will not have to do this before every race this year.
It was wet!!!
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Post by qposner on Apr 17, 2006 10:13:42 GMT -8
Good to hear. However, I can't believe they make you sign a petition. Whatever happened to common sense?
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mack
Novice Driver
Posts: 33
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Post by mack on Apr 17, 2006 17:04:35 GMT -8
Quinn,
That's the way we do it in SF Region. The Region Supplemental Regulations provide for a split start if a majority of drivers want one, and if a majority don't, we don't. Remember "a nation of laws, not men," i.e. democracy? It works just fine and it just takes a few minutes for us to decide what we want. You and your dad come on down. We've got a really good season going.
Mack
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Post by brian on Apr 18, 2006 9:26:45 GMT -8
The stewards have an aversion to split starts since they complicate things. Pace cars, distance between groups, yellow flag management so forth. As a steward in training, I have stressed with them that the quality of the races is what is important and since the drivers are paying for the gig they should have the final say. A split start for 4 or 5 cars makes no sense though.
Have a great weekend, I'm going to Buttonwillow for the National. Let's see if the BRM guys can go 1 & 2 again!! (Sorry mack. I know you built the engine but I couldn't resisit.)
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mack
Novice Driver
Posts: 33
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Post by mack on Apr 18, 2006 21:31:54 GMT -8
No sweat, Brian. We did tune it on your dyno. Show 'em your tailpipe at B'willow.
Mack
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Post by dave FF 50-aka "Harm" on Apr 19, 2006 8:09:50 GMT -8
I think the issue of splits start problems was exemplified by the "starts" we had @ Sears a few weeks ago. The pace/safety car was in front of the Vees, leaving the pole sitting FF an open track which he proceeded to cover at near race speed which resulted in some of the cars of the first wave (FF & CF) still in T9 when he passed S/F (wave off #1). We reformed and approached S/F but the pole sitter jumped the start by nailing it before T 12 prior to the green (wave off #2). This was repeated a second time (wave off #3). The next time through, the field was still in disarray with the leaders going too fast, but the green was given. The officials displayed a black flag for the pole sitter to come in for a discussion (stop & go), but he declined the offer? A black flag was displayed @ T7 and @ S/F EVERY lap till the race ended. After the race, the pole sitter was DQ'ed and fined for racing before the green and ignoring the race officials (multiple times). A Vee driver was also fined for ignoring the officials and fined $100. What did he do? Speaking of which, the fine for disregarding a race official is only a hundred bucks! It costs me almost that much to fill the tank of my street car/tow vehicle! Big F***ing fine. I think the penalty/fine should hurt. $1K and suspension. I do NOT want to race with any one who disregards any official. It is a giant safety issue to me. If I can't trust a fellow race to obey the flags and officials, how can I trust them when I'm side by side in T1? PUT SOME TEETH INTO THE FINES! sorry for the rant dave
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Post by brian on Apr 19, 2006 8:47:50 GMT -8
The offending vee was called in during the pace lap for an inoperative transponder. I was surprised to learn that the transponders are now used to score races. There is a human start /finish line judge for the finish, but the rest of the race is scored by the AMB system. His $100 fine was for driving the pit lane too fast. This particular driver did not ignor the officials but was a bit spooled up driving the pit lane. There is no offical speed for the pit lane, it's based on the pit marshall's sense of when the safety level is jeopardized.
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Post by qposner on Apr 19, 2006 8:56:17 GMT -8
As much as I like them, that is the problem with split starts. As much as most people want them, there are those that try to take advantage of them. That is wrong. Even though we all want to do well and win, you have to consider the fact that its poor sportsmanship to take advantage of a split start. Plus, it usually doesn't do you any good. Some people need to calm down and realize we do this for fun and that you are not going to win it at the start. You are only going to piss people off.
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Post by Bruce on Apr 19, 2006 9:03:02 GMT -8
My understanding was the pole sitter was in his first race and young. Not an excuse, just a contributing factor. Just think how far back the Vee's would have been if there were not a split start.
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