Quote:
Originally Posted by Beth Kieffer
They are trying to be fair to everyone. Conditions have changed so dramatically over and over it's just the right thing to do. Heck, they have even changed length of the race! LOL And everyone on the property is going to need a hit at some point, either for the TOC, All Stars, etc. It's just easier to get us ALL going somewhere at once and for once. Plus it will give them an idea of who is left and how many cars we have to deal with for the day.
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From what I heard in the tower, the main reason for the time trial is that there were cars on the grounds that never saw the track today. I agree with Beth in that the IHRA staff are busting their butts to get the race done safely, fairly, and as efficiently as possible. It's remarkable how much they care and the lengths they are going to.
Track owner Steve Earwood gets a lot of credit also. Don't forget that every hour the track is open he's spending money on staff, electricity, and equipment. Adding another day simply has more money flying out of his pocket with absolutely none going in.
As far as the finish line incidents, it sure looked liked overbraking to me in each of the races but remember I'm a long way from the finish line so take that with a grain of salt.
This, by far, has been the most challenging race I've ever attended. With IHRA's new year end programs, we are actually running two races at a time. When a class comes to the line it may not be in the same race we were in the class before. Larry Sullivan has to keep watch so he can shut down the computer, reconfigure for the other race, and get it running again before the first pair pull into the water.
I'm not complaining, though. This has been an exceptional experience in many ways, but the most impressive to me is how understanding and patient all the racers have been. I've been at other races where very minor snags had groups of racers screaming their lungs out in the tower. It's a pleasure to be around those who understand it will take all of us to get this thing done.