Post-Run Etiquette

[Kenny Wigington]

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.

[Cglrcng]

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.
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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 , 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.

[JP1738]

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!

[Cglrcng]

Originally Posted by JP1738

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!

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.

[Cglrcng]

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.