Live from The Rock

[Beth Denysenko]

Originally Posted by 442OLDS

Its probably starting to get cooler and will be dark soon.

Monday....Finish Sportsnationals
Tuesday....All Stars
Wednesday...Tournament of Champions
Thursday....Awards Banquet?
Friday..Finally come back home?

LOL!

BITE YOUR TONGUE, Daryl!!!!! Not funny (though I am starting to wonder).

Just got back from R3. 59.5 degrees, 75% hum. 29.55 Bar. & 833 feet and a marginal track. We heard our opponent Mike Crutchfield had to leave for a family medical emergency. Our prayers are with him and hopefully everything is ok when he gets there. Hot Rod was on the way back up when we were coming back. Round Robin we go.

[442OLDS]

As long as you keep winning,it makes it easier to put up with all of the changes in the schedule.Keep it up!

[Beth Denysenko]

Originally Posted by 442OLDS

As long as you keep winning,it makes it easier to put up with all of the changes in the schedule.Keep it up!

IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT, DARYL!!!! They called us up to the lanes, after stock had been there for an hour waiting to get the ladder sorted out (in R4?!?), we are waiting as they are dragging the track. Lanes are full with almost every class represented. And then, the announcement. Whenever we hear Scooter's voice it's not good.

The very cold air and high humidity is making the track too dangerous. They are calling it a night. Pack it up, start with a time trial at 9 am for every race car at the track.

They are doing EVERYTHING to give us a safe race to run and mother nature is just totally flipping them the finger. We are so tired of the get up there, go back thing go. We have wasted so much fuel warming up, going up, going back for nothing. Thank goodness we brought an extra five gallons but I don't know if it will be enough.

The only good thing is the old friends we are seeing and the new friends we are making here. Everyone has been so nice and we are all in the same boat so a lot of commisserating. I'm going to try and take some pictures during tomorrow's time runs. I don't take pictures during any eliminations, superstitious like that, so sorry I haven't posted any more. Tomorrow will afford some new cars to take shots of as not all in the TOC entered this God forsaken Sportsnationals and have been sitting here for three days for nothing.

[442OLDS]

Originally Posted by Beth Kieffer

IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT, DARYL!!!! They called us up to the lanes, after stock had been there for an hour waiting to get the ladder sorted out (in R4?!?), we are waiting as they are dragging the track. Lanes are full with almost every class represented. And then, the announcement. Whenever we hear Scooter's voice it's not good.

The very cold air and high humidity is making the track too dangerous. They are calling it a night. Pack it up, start with a time trial at 9 am for every race car at the track.

They are doing EVERYTHING to give us a safe race to run and mother nature is just totally flipping them the finger. We are so tired of the get up there, go back thing go. We have wasted so much fuel warming up, going up, going back for nothing. Thank goodness we brought an extra five gallons but I don't know if it will be enough.

The only good thing is the old friends we are seeing and the new friends we are making here. Everyone has been so nice and we are all in the same boat so a lot of commisserating. I'm going to try and take some pictures during tomorrow's time runs. I don't take pictures during any eliminations, superstitious like that, so sorry I haven't posted any more. Tomorrow will afford some new cars to take shots of as not all in the TOC entered this God forsaken Sportsnationals and have been sitting here for three days for nothing.

Sorry to hear about all of this.They just posted the Monday schedule.
Maybe I'm missing something,but why is there time trials scheduled for all cars that remain in the Sportsnationals?
Eliminations are underway, just pick a dial and go for it.

http://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCSt...95829#indextop

[Beth Denysenko]

Originally Posted by 442OLDS

Sorry to hear about all of this.They just posted the Monday schedule.
Maybe I'm missing something,but why is there time trials scheduled for all cars that remain in the Sportsnationals?
Eliminations are underway, just pick a dial and go for it.

http://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCSt...95829#indextop

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.

[442OLDS]

Originally Posted by Beth Kieffer

We have wasted so much fuel warming up, going up, going back for nothing. Thank goodness we brought an extra five gallons but I don't know if it will be enough.

Are they selling your fuel at the track?
I think you might run out.A lot of rounds yet to go!

[MontyC]

Let's see, IHRA planned to run a Sportsnationals race, the Pro national race, an All Star race, the Summit Super Series box and no box bracket race, a Ten Grandslam final (not sure what this is), something called Dash for Cash (not sure what this is either), Tournament of Champions race, elite 8 Pro Stock race, not to mention A/Fuel exhibition and a Jet Truck. I think they should add a junior dragster and a pit bike challenge race. I know they can't control the weather but it seems they try to get too much into this weekend. I feel bad for everyone down there. We went last year and had to wait until Monday also. It wasn't fun.

[442OLDS]

Originally Posted by MontyC

I think they should add a pit bike challenge race.

Don't give them any ideas!

[Dan Bennett]

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.

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.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by MontyC

Let's see, IHRA planned to run a Sportsnationals race, the Pro national race, an All Star race, the Summit Super Series box and no box bracket race, a Ten Grandslam final (not sure what this is), something called Dash for Cash (not sure what this is either), Tournament of Champions race, elite 8 Pro Stock race, not to mention A/Fuel exhibition and a Jet Truck. I think they should add a junior dragster and a pit bike challenge race. I know they can't control the weather but it seems they try to get too much into this weekend. I feel bad for everyone down there. We went last year and had to wait until Monday also. It wasn't fun.

Its run to late in the year (to cold when the sun goes down and dew on the track) and to many races within a race. Its like putting 10 lbs of poop into a 1 pound bag, How long would it have run if the weather had been great? Whoever wins will have really earned it.