INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

I'll start this off by saying I love racing at INDY.

but.....

Here were two common complaints from numerous (stock and ss) competitors at this years race.
NO.. NOT THE WEATHER.

#1 - Trying to get 170+ racers paired up for class eliminations is a complete joke. Who dreamed this "ladder" system up for class. It just doesn't work at this race. The NHRA crew can't handle it... just send everyone down their class lane and let the racers handle it like they did for the last 50 years. if you think it worked so well.... you weren't there.

#2 - The "Artificial Cooling" police were on high alert (in the staging lanes). Anyone "caught" with ice bags were told to leave the lanes, or get them off. No "chillers" allowed in the lanes either. Chillers I can understand... but ice bags have been around for years. If someone screws up and leaves ice on (and spills it on the track), dq 'em. Don't bust everyone's balls for cooling an intake like they have done before.

ps... you could park on the road just outside the lanes and cool all you wanted (chillers or ice)!!! Now, guess how many cars want to run up there and line up in the lanes while everyone else gets to cool down back outside the lanes. This will cause major backups just outside of the lanes.... major issue!

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

Tom, how about all the frigging bald spots? Worst starting line I've been on in some time.

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

Ed.... yes there were some. I just went around them.... no problem...lol

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

Tom...I agree.

@ your #1: The lanes on class SS elim day were nuts...never seen it like that - plus, once cars were paired and got in line, you had a SS/DA pair followed by a SS/JA pair followed by whatever...making it hard for the fans to understand and follow.

@ your ps: Traffic outside the lanes equally crazy...cars backed up down around the oval.

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

Maybe I am missing something, but the class ladder didn't appear problematic to me. I didn't hear anyone in our class complaining about it at all. I think our group liked it ok, but someone might chime in with a different opinion.

The cooling police didn't say anything to us in Stock, but they came with riot gear during Super Stock class. Ed gave us a heads up about it and saved us a lot of grief.

I haven't been to that many national events, but I was very disappointed with the starting line. My car never spins and it was so bad that the left side gave way and I nearly crossed the center line my first round of class. They had to tip me over to get me unstuck from my seat after that run.

I am not sure this was the starting line problem, but there seemed to be a lot more killer stick shift cars at this race than others I have been to. Yeah, Stubbs, I am calling you out! Ha!

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

No kidding. What the hell was up with that?

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

I had nobody to spot me, could not seem to miss them until first pass the second day, (Q 3) when it hooked, hit wheelie bars and shifted before the tree, then swallowed #4 intake valve when I clicked it off. Not my week. LOL

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

the problem is nhra forgets that stockers and super stockers are trying to get every bit of horsepower out they can. plus dont see what you have to drive through to get to the staging lane

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

A tech official jumped on me about not being pulled far enough up. I told him I always check in to let them know I was nearby and ready and couldnt help it that you couldnt get past the cars with their asses stuck out in the road. I had already checked, my guy wasnt in the lanes yet, why add to the mess? If I had pulled past other cars, it would have created more congestion, then what? The bottleneck was way worse this year than it had been for some reason and caused some of the officials to be more "edgy" than normal.

As for the ice, if you leave any on the start line, dq them. You can shake some of it off before you hit the water box. The Emmons gang can show you the dry hop technique if needed! But, only allowing it before the lanes will REALLY cause some to be late for pairings.

My .02 cents, which aint worth squat....

Wade O

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

It looks like the rule book reads differently than what the cooling police were enforcing. Note: the staging area is the staging lanes.

Under General Regulations Section 20 Page 5

Fuel/Air: Any method of artificially cooling or heating fuel prohibited (i.e., cool cans, Freon, wet rags, etc.), except as noted in Class Requirements. Cool cans, wet towels, etc. are permitted in Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super Street, and E.T. classes. Wet towels, rags, ice, etc. must be removed before vehicle leaves staging area. Ambient-temperature air only; cooling or otherwise changing the conditions of the intake air is prohibited. Spraying of intake with any artificial spray or coolant prohibited.

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

Thomas let me thank you for the great pics, anymore will be appreciated. No ladder for the first round for stock, super stock I saw how panic they were trying to pair up everyone, second round could be a little more manageable. If you wan't to give a show to the spectators maybe handicap the start just like elimination. I know as a spectator I found it dangerous just walking through the pits as racers after racers were trying to get past the oval to get into the staging lanes. No ice past the first spectator cross over, this would allow 100' of dry asphalt(not a problem this year with the heat dissipating the water anyways) and no water cooling device in the lanes or in the oval(your pit only if you're lucky enough to be pitted first)Mind you I saw a racer in Super stock with his hood open when paired up and ready to run, he was upset when the senior tech official close his hood for him and told not too do it again, he didn't understand that he was slowing the line.lol Give the buy run if it's available to one of the first ten to show up, this might be an incentive to get up there quick. As a spectator I enjoyed watching same class runoffs but as a racer I can understand the hell it can be if you have a staging **** yelling and shouting at everyone since he's under the gun also(or maybe just a little overzealous with power) Claude

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

I observed Jerry Emmons preparing his car for a qualifying run in the staging lanes. All ice had been removed, he was using a towel to absorb the remaining water, then the remaining moisture was blown away using a blow nozzle that was hooked to an air tank. The result was a dry engine that was cool as a cucumber. Did I mention the car is a bullet?

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

One of the best way for sure, Larry how long have you been using the grassy knoll?lol Claude

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

It may have been difficult to pair up, but it is the only fair way to do it. No one can play games with who they feel they can race and beat. I think most spectators that care about class run-offs are smart enough to figure it out. Dyno

Re: INDY (still the best.... but....)
 

Bald spots were avoidable except #4 qualifying attempt. The whole starting line was a bald spot. We hit the rev limiter at 8k on that one.