questions concerning christmas tree

[Ed Wright]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

You can just as easily make the case that the faster car does not get a clean tree, and has to wait on the line longer, therefore the faster car is at a disadvantage at the tree.

Alan, you are correct. The slower class drivers don't have to deal with that, if they did they might have a different take on it. Besides the "dirty" tree, the other car leaving is a distraction. I'm about in the middle, I have to give some one second + spots, and get some one second + spots from the hood scoop SS cars. I much prefer leaving first so I have no distractions from the other side of the tree (especially at night) or the other car leaving. I now use a blinder to block the other side of the tree, but the other car moving still bothers me. Maybe the slow guys don't have to deal with that, so only see their side of the deal. I talked to Gary Stinnett at Ennis about him taking his blinders back off, and he said the same things about the other car leaving while watching your own side of the tree. I feel like the first/worst rule balances it out a little. Even though it takes away any control of the finish line, I like to leave first without the distractions. Change that rule, and I will REALLY like leaving first.

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Michael Beard said: Um, me, I'm afraid... More than once I've been backing into guys at the stripe, get my timeslip, and discover they were red. Granted it's only been at one certain track where the win lights are hard to see, and 1/8th mile racing, where you don't have all day to look around while you're motoring down the track. Good practice anyway... right?

Since going to blinders I have done that. More than one track. After doing that a couple fo times I've started trying to remember to check the score board for a win light when the front end comes back down, so maybe I will look a little less silly. Only a little less.