Post-Run Etiquette
 

Hello all, quick opinion thread here to see everyone's thoughts on post-run decorum. I'll tell you what I did and my experience and you can let me know if it was warranted or ill-advised.

I ran at the D2 race at SGMP this past weekend which was shortened due to rain. That being the case, we were only allotted one qualifying run. Because of the hurried nature of the race, D2 officials decided not to do fuel check and just weighed cars after the one qualifying hit and each round of elimination. I made my Q1 hit, weighed (I'm about 35#s heavy right now, came in at 3570 where my min is 3534) and went on about my day. Like I said, they also weighed the winners after each round of elimination. I was fortunate enough to win 1st and 2nd round, so I was required to weigh after both of those rounds.

Now it is my understanding that if for some reason a car does not pass a fuel check and the weigh-in, they are disqualified from the race and there opponent is awarded the round win. I got beat on a good run against Jeff Adkinson 3rd round, let go .033 and went -.007 under my dial to his .040 and a couple above. After the run, I made the first turn off given that I only went 99mph and Jeff went to the end after his 143mph pass, so I was in front of him coming back to the ET shack. Once I got the paper work on the race, I pulled over to the side to wait for Jeff to pass me. I wanted to make sure he 1.) Didn't drive by the scales or 2.) Fail to pass the weigh in. Now I know Jeff has been doing this for a long time and I'd be shocked if he forgot to weigh or flunked the check somehow, but I waited anyway. He did so and passed, so I fired up and drove back to my pit.

Is this bad taste? I didn't really see anyone else do this, but I felt like I was just doing my due diligence and making sure Jeff did what he was supposed to. I went up to him after the round to congratulate him and shake his hand. He didn't mention anything about the maneuver and was very humble in his round win, even thanking me for joining the stock ranks which I really appreciate.

What say you fine folks? Anybody else doing this? It probably would've been different had I been behind him to start with as I could have seen him drive onto the scales and pass, it just felt a little awkward pulling over and shutting off to wait for him.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

You do you. It doesn't bother me in the slightest if my opponent watches at the scales after a run.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

No way am I leaving until I know my opponent passed all checks post pass win.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

Personally I never wait at the scale if I get beat. I have been racing with the D2 guys in SS for over 49 years and have never had anyone come up light at the scale. I have had a few wait on me though. Absolutely nothing wrong with what you did.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

It is a great question and you absolutely did the correct thing.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

I was at the Gators and in the semi finals, I got beat by a well-known racer, I waited at the scales and he drove right by never stopping. I spoke to the NHRA official, he said that they'll just make him come back, which never happened. If the roles were reversed, I'm sure I would've been tossed.

Casey Miles
248H Stock

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

CYA Cover Your A

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

Last summer I ran a guy who was a long time bracket racer at BIR. I had no 2nd gear but tried to get some round points, he beat me first round and he was so excited to get his first round win he drove right by the scales.

I had stopped by the scales to take my jacket and pants off for the drive back and the tech guys asked if I wanted him tossed. The thought never crossed my mind, I told them call him back to the scales it’s an honest mistake. They did and he went on to the semi finals for the event.

I would never think twice if a competitor stopped to make sure I scaled or did fuel check, it’s part of the S/SS race. If they get upset then that’s on them.

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It never means anything and less it"s a heads up class run.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

DP, I sat at the scales and waited on you. I didn't think about the first turn off and when I came by your pits your car was already charging and you were probably eating a sandwich.

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Only time I really wait is in a heads-up and I have had time that they wanted both of us to wight and fuel ck.
Normal run I don’t stop As I know most of the racer are not near the min at most time when it a dial in race. But that being said I have had a few that had waited and it dose not bother me one bit as it is there part of the run.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

Your win light didn’t go on
So proceed to load up and go home
If it’s not a heads-up way bother
I hate when someone sits by the scale hope to get a freebie
I make sure to disappoint that person and go over the scale.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

hahaha, I think I made the first turn off every time down the track XD. Yeah I was probably knee deep in a bologna sandwich by then! Good run, next time don't forget I'm slow and that you gotta block!

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

Back in the day at a IHRA div race after a heads up race [got beat] went over to the scales to congratulate the guy [ I was pitted next to the scales] the guy at the scale told me I was ten lb lite, not my car. Went to the tower and they told me the scale was old so I still lost after I weighted my car that was ok.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

I always wait when I get beat. You never know what might happen.

I was at the old Vegas track many years ago for a points meet. After my first run I was light on the scale by 10 pounds. This was strange as this car was always 50 over at Bandimere my home track. I had no weight box or safe way to add weight. Myself and this genius pitted next to me decided to hide some weight under the seat. I went about the rest of the race and was ok on weight. 3rd. round win I got on the brakes hard. The weight slid forward and was just sitting there on the pass side floor. It was at night and in the excitement of the moment I did not see this. On the scale the tech guy opens the pass door to tell me my weight. He reaches down and picks up the loose weight and says "illegal ballast your out" and slams the door.

I am sure the other guy was glad he waited.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

go back to trailer and take it like a man. you shouldn't have taken 40 stipe to be 7 thou under. i thought i taught you better.

ep-keeping it real

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

some years ago racing at Gainsville national I didn't wait for the scales and my opponent failed....Curt was chasing me around the pits looking for me and gave me hell( thank god he looked for me) sooooooooo I now wait.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

bruh :/

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Yeah, pop. Like we all haven’t done that before!
Keeps in it real lmao

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If get beat I go straight to my trailer and go to lunch no need to stop by the scales I might need to go to lunch quicker lol

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

You can wait, you can drive by and get lunch, you can try your luck at the buy back window. You can do anything that a spectator can do. OR, you can go back and listen to some music, like Loser, by Beck.

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After what happen at the texas motorplex at the nats a couple of years back,I don't even trust the win lights to come on wether I think I lost or won.I ran 1st rd and didn't get a win light. Since they decided to not give time slips the only way you knewif you had won was by the light. Well the light in left lane as not working and they had run several of us that ran early and unless you had one of them phone with track hookup you got the shaft. They wouldn't think about having a rerun for us.I'll never drive past scales again in eliminations unless I get a piece of paper saying I lost.

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If I am going to win or lose it will be on the racing surface, not at the scales, ok maybe on a heads-up run; I will delay the lunch time I may just to make sure my weight is correct, lol

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

Ya know, I understand that it's the 21St Century and we're all supposed to be sympathetic to our fellow competitors situations and all sorts of other B.S. but, the rules are the rules. If my competitor is supposed to weigh this and run a fuel that checks this and it doesn't, I don't care whether we're in a heads-up run or not! The rules are the rules and they're written for every competitor, in every round of every race!

Don, maybe we should all just start running pump gas in all but heads-up runs. Maybe pull a couple of hundred pounds out too! You know, more fuel efficient, less wear-and-tear on parts and tires!
Maybe we can get together at the end of the day and sing kumbaya and polish up our participant trophys!

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Billy, you are right, the rule states you must go thru scales if you win and fuel check if they have it . Now I know rules don't apply any more, the sheriff has left town and it's the wild west again.

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I find it funny when some claim the scale is off. The same scale that everyone else passes. I’ll be more than happy to fill in for the next round if the guy that beat me cant follow the rules.

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Old guy comments here, but the scales used to be a big headache as a lot of tracks were using wood platforms. They would absorb or evaporate moisture as the day went on. And it was never a pound or two.

One especially troublesome one was at topeka. It was situated on a raised area and that part of Kansas can be pretty windy and with gusts. I can remember my team's car on the scale for 5 minutes or so before they got a stable reading. Later years, they'd have a couple tech guys hold up a large sheet of board to block the wind.

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I got a piece of paper at Sonoma many years ago that said I lost. Looking at the RT and numbers it just didn’t add up but the other lane was “winner”, I loaded up and left for the long drive home. A few weeks later I get a call from division director to confirm where to send round money and asking why I was a no show for the next round!
Even paper is not always correct.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

First of all let’s be real
You get fuel check 1 time in time runs and maybe 1st rd
After that there is no fuel check unless it’s a heads up
So in this day in age of stock go to your pit with your losing ticket like the winner is
Wait until we go paperless and you have now clue who won.
Free Lance Line

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

I know at Maplegrove you pick up your winning ticket on the scales and if you know you lost you can pick up ticket next to the scale. When there is a good race and you don't know who won I think it would be safer to just go over the scales. It only takes a minute and you don't feel like your stalking your opponent. In this case I asked at the scales and they don't mind "losing" competitors from going over the scales. Ray

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

I was on both sides of that coin a few times. It always got corrected and we waved the other on. The first time you get in that position, it will make you start thinking, but its just another lesson.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

I love all the different ways people look at rules as if there was an accepted etiquette that people have grown to rely on, yet nobody has actually quoted the actual rule yet fully on the question. Me, I just don't have a set of scales at home yet, I actually called someone when I first got my car completed on the rebuild that had a set of scales for sale locally, and actually paid his time to come over and scale the car as a favor for me a year ago, so I could get it to min. plus car and driver before I entered my first event back. Then of course The world famous 150 yr. old Bakersfield Wooden deck Beam scale was not calibrated well, and took 3 people to even operate it. Lol.

I wanted to input on this thread back when it was started, but held off a bit .

"I just would have said do not take offense if I weighed mine after a loss, I am trying to get my weight correct and not race 50 lbs. over as my turtle is heavy enough in my class. (Most others I am racing, or not yet. in my class are 125 lbs-500 lbs lighter than my minimum wt)."

Then, here I am today researching something else in the same category (Race Procedures, Section 2, page 14), and I read the rule this question actually deals with in the current 2024 Rulebook.

WEIGHING OF VEHICLE/FUEL CHECK
It is always the responsibility of the racer to stop at the scales and fuel check to confirm with tech officials whether their car needs to be weighed or its fuel needs to be tested. Under no circumstances may a competitor reject scaling his or her vehicle or fuel check. Any competitor who runs quicker than any of his or her previous runs during the event in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, Pro Stock Motorcycle, Top Alcohol Dragster, Top Alcohol Funny Car, Pro Mod, Comp, Factory Stock Showdown, Super Stock, Stock, or JDRL and fails to report to post-run inspection (scales or fuel check) will be disqualified from the event and be subject to additional disciplinary action in the sole and absolute discretion of NHRA. The event will be charged against the competitor's points events with a zero (0) point counting toward the driver's claimed races. Any object that is not found on the vehicle during the run is required to be removed from the vehicle before scaling.
__________________________________________

Very interesting I would say. And, I have driven by the scales for my last time on a qualifying pass, round win, or round loss period (unless waived on), by an official of NHRA.

As the rules never mention losses or losing, personal choices (lunch, bologna sandwiches, courtesy, or junking up the 2 required check lines), or at least reporting to the officials present there (to be waved around by them if they so choose, and we know they do often choose to do so).

In fact it requires just that, it also requires that "if you run quicker than any of his or her previous runs during the entire event" (nowhere there does it mention won or lost rounds of competition), just running faster than any of your prior passes during the entire event (that could easily be a simple breakout loss in any round), that you must stop or report to the officials (both scales and fuel check), or you do not just get (you will be), disqualified from the event, but that you can also lose all points for that event and still be charged with the event. And all that is fully at their (NHRA's), discretion.

So, take it as you will, as for me, if it can happen, my luck is it will happen...to me! And at these costs to run, no way can I risk the 30 points to tech the vehicle on any pass. My lunch can wait., and sadly so can you if you find yourself behind me, so pardon me in advance :o, I'm just playing by the published rules as I find them. Things change, I will adapt.
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Look for my next thread question, it will be an interesting rule(s) debate for sure. A different rule for sure (1 that should have been updated long ago, as technology marches on, and as it did, a rule was not updated to reflect the latest technology used), but in the same Race Procedures Section.

Because if it can happen to us, it can happen to you also.;)

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

Very well stated! And thank you for bringing the actual rule to our attention! Since I posted this thread I have also continued to wait patiently for my opponent to be weighed and pass fuel check before I make my way back to the trailer after a loss. I mean no offense, just following the rules stated above!

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

I also, but waiting is not enough under the stated rule, that is what is crazy, maybe it has become "accepted" over the years, but that rule is very specific, and can be costly to only go that far.

Re: Post-Run Etiquette
 

I realize, that so far I am 1 of the slowest entries in the category, if not the absolute slowest. I have learned a very valuable lesson (back in the 90's), and again at my 4th event last year at Pomona that was very costly by accident running - 666 under off the trailer, shifting it at exactly the same shift points as I did just a week before at Vegas where I was running just .126 under. Everyone in my specific class is faster, weighs in lighter, and few are HP factored and hit at over 6 percent 6HP/99 Factory HP, so I'm not going to necessarily show my stuff, (good or bad), on the Q sheet until I have to, so reading the rule the way it is written and looking at my published Q results, I will probably more often than not run faster in E1, E2, maybe later if lucky, and that rule requires the stop at least w/ intent until waved off.

I know I am not totally alone in the prospect of faster than Q time shows runs. It is a budget Stocker, because I'm on a budget...lol. But, I will run it out when necessary. I am older, and I want it to last. Then the added, I have to leave first always, last class and all, if it is just a bracket race, it is in my best interest to be slow. Sry, that is just good strategy.

Limited events so far I know. Just 7 events this late life go around (5 Div/2Nat), and win or lose, all were E1 or E2 faster than each spot so far on the Q sheets, so I needed to get in line each time by the explicit direction of the rule.

I was trying to be courteous and sportsman like, but I earn those measly points so far paying,can't afford to lose the few I paid for or earned going a couple of rounds.

I cannot complain about 1 rule, and not follow another rule. Black writing on white pages, no gray areas. It is what I have always loved about the NHRA. Their published rules, even if I disagree, I know "usually" what to expect as long as I take the time to read and understand them.
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On a different note, rules of any organization that has been around years, decades, etc., are piecemeal bult of time, be it drag racing, a Constitution or
By-Laws, and not always is everything out there cut and dried, sometimes a rule change is instituted (or advanced technology applied), and it isn't nreflected in another place it should have also been applied, and can create a conflict with an existing rule until (sometimes accidentally), discovered
brought to someone's attention and subsequently corrected.

Not saying this 1 needs correction, just being informative as we all have our own way, and ideas about dealing with it. You do you, I'll do me. Sry if I get in your way, but it will give more time to tell you congratulations for a great race.