Nhra shouldn't they switch date with N.C event?

[cicero819]

Just my two cents but should NHRA switch dates with N.C event for running the Keystones? CR

[Mike Fuller]

Sounds right to me.

[Ronald Urquhart]

Doesnt seem to matter this race has been in aug, sept, oct, it rains.

[cicero819]

Ron I know you've competed more than most and had success at Maple Grove but I've check since 85 the most successful time have been in the second week after the U.S National. I find that in October you are really taking a chance with the weather in Pennsylvania and that North Carolina has better weather at this time of year . Cr

[ss wannabee]

Isn't it raining in N.C. now?

[ChevyII]

The Charlotte event bumped this event back one week from it's inaugural position of the third week in September. Remember it well because we could attend the Keystones and come back in 2 weeks for the Division 1 Bracket Finals.

When NHRA moved it back to August, I could not understand the logic in the move.

The next adjustment in moving it to the 1st week in October created another issue. Colder temperatures and increased chance for rain just like the Dutch Classic.

Love the countryside and the changing tree colors but if you can't race on a dry surface, it's not a lot of fun attending this race. The grass pit areas become mud bogs and the rigs today are not any lighter, nor smaller to move around.

Would it not make more travel sense to move the event to the 2nd week of September and Charlotte one week later because it is more geographically south? AH, yes then there is the NEW St. Louis event to consider. #%*# it!

NHRA, you have may created a bit of a scheduling nightmare for yourselves and the racers. BUT, I know.......... it's all about the almighty $$$ and who cares about the racers and the fans.

Mike

[jmcarter]

Bruton Smith has the date he wants...end of story. Repeat of the same thread from last 2 years....

[Festus]

Being kind of a local weather hobbyist, thought I'd chime in on this one.

Climatologically speaking, September is the wettest month of the year for southeastern PA with a 4.45" average. October ranks 5th at 3.70". So moving the date a couple of weeks would have no real impact from a long term perspective.

I've been attending the Keystones since 1996 and it does indeed seem like a run of weather bad luck, especially the past several years or so. Last year was almost comical with at least some rain affecting the ADRL, Super Chevy, Rumble, Nationals and the Dutch events.

But if you think about it, it takes an almost unusual situation to get through an entire event with no weather influence in this part of the country. In the warm season, we average basically 1" rain/week. So we don't want a heavy event early in the week since that affects parking and obviously none during the event itself. There's another 3 or 4 days. So what's left? Zip.

So couple the fact that Maple Grove requires a lot of grass parking, does not drain for crap and usually sees precip several times/week on average, it's inevitable the weather will have negative impacts more often than not.

And for the next ten days, I'll say no rain Friday, a sprinkle at worst on Saturday, Sunday too close to call (literally 30 miles will make the difference depending on where the rain axis sets up) and the Dutch will be close to perfect all 4 days (remember, this is 10 days in advance so no harrassment if we have to build an ark next Friday).

[ChevyII]

So Jim, if Bruton has his date and won't budge then it does boil down to whomever is the heavyweight (and NHRA listens very closely to Bruton) and has all the $$$.

Go figure.

Mike