[bill dedman]

bsa396 wrote:

"Bill why was you so eager to change something about a class that you dont race in ?"

First off, I don't like people writing notes on this forum who are too unethical to use their real name. I have a mental image of some furtive little coward who is afraid of his own shadow, yet feels brave under the cloak of anonymity that monikers like "bsa396" give him... and it's not a very complimenrtary image.
But, in your case, I'll make an exception because you're so "easy.".

Your question, "Bill why was you so eager to change something about a class that you dont race in ?" seems honest enough, but why would you care what my personal reasons are for wanting this change? Why I want it has nothing to do with the situation as regards the racing that goes on, week-after-week. But, since you asked, I'll tell you.

First off, my perspective may well have a different point of view than yours since I started racing at organized drag evenys in 1955. That is 8 years before the appearance of the Christmas Tree. Flag starts were the norm, and there were no red lights (jump sttarts, yes, but no red lights.)

When the 'tree became popular, I was happy with the situation as regards red lights and how they were handled by the system (first red light is the loser, period.) To tell you the truth, I never gave it a second thought, EVEN WHEN THEY CHANGED THE BREAKOUT SYSTEM FROM "FIRST BREAKOUT LOSES" TO "CAR THAT BREAKS OUT THE MOST LOSES." I wasn't smart enough to see the correlation between this breakout change and the red light situation. I stumbled blindly on, accepting the "first red light" rule for many, many years.

Then, one day a kind soul who shall remain nameless here, took the time to explain to me that the situation involving handicap starts always gave a free ride to the car that leaves last, IF the first car to leave red lighted. I can't tell you how dumb I felt that once it sunk in, to realize that I just had never thoiught about it in that way.

But, there it was... a fact.

He explained to me that this situation existed for a long time because there was not software to "FIX" the situation, so nobody attempted to do anything about it. It went on for so long that it became "institutionalized"... an integral part of "the way things are done."

Now, however, it IS possible to hold off the red light until BOTH drivers have had their equal chance to red light, making for a more level playing field in that one area.

If you have an opinion about capital punishment, then you are in the same position I am. No, you've never killed anybody, or been killed, but you surely have an opinion about what should be done with the people who perform that legal infraction.

Well, I have MY opinion, and this is a public form for discussion of ideas regarding things having to do with class-legal drag racing, so that is my right, as I see it, to give the people who read this board my two cent's worth...

I run a bracket car, which is handicap racing not totally unlike Stock is, most of the time. The same inequity exists in bracket racing; sometimes I'm the faster car, sometimes not. So, I can benefit from the stsus quo )first red light loses), when I leave last, but I am not comfortable with that "free ride," knowing that it's no longer necessary to have this inequity. I want my chance to red light, too... crazy though that may sound, it's only fair.

Then bsa396 wrote:
"most of us who does didn't want it! That's just the way it is...and it's a problem for some.."

I'm not sure exactly what that means ("most of us who DOES???), but I assume he thinks that the majority of the folks on this BB are happy with the system as it is.

I don't know how he can know that, but I won't argue becasuse I haven't interviewed all the people on tthis board; I assume he has...
He may well be right.



Then, he wrote:

"it's the constant urge for changes (in all area's)that need to be stopped...and slowed down!"

I can't argue with that, either. Too much "enhancement" has driven a lot of people from the Stocker ranks, and it never seems to end. Constant change is a really bad thing in this venue, I think, and totally unnecessary.

HOWEVER, in my defense, let me just say that this ONE ISSUE (the first/worse red light rule) is the ONLY issue I have ever suggested a rule change for. My involvement in this racing deal has showed me that there have been way too many changes already, and for that reason, I have never been involved with, or supported or even SUGGESTED any other changes... just this one, out of a sense of fair play.

So, bsa396, the fact that I no longer race a Stock Eliminator car doesn't mean I don't care, or have an opinion about what goes on in Stock.

You don't have to be a woman to be a good gynecologist...

I just saw what I perceived as an injustice of long-standing, still ongoing, with now, an easy FIX, and thought it was definitely overdue to fix it. This change would filter down at all forms of handicap racing (of which I am a participant in one), so it's not like I have made suggestions to a venue that would never affect ME. It will, eventually.

I have an undying love for Stock and S/S eliminator, and always want it to be as good and as fair as it can be. This seemed like one way to change it for the better. My 2-cents...

bsa396, try putting your real name on your posts; you'll feel better, and you'll garner lot more respect from the other people here.





Bill