M.g.

[bill dedman]

Gary,

You make some good points, but if I gave the impression that this double red light system of doing things was ever MY IDEA, then I mis-spoke. It is a good idea; I WISH I had thought of it, but I participated in and watched drag racing for at LEAST 35 years using the "old" first red light system before a guy explained the double red light system to me. He had to explain it to me three or four times before I "got it," so ingrained was the "old" system in my so-called brain.

I'd LOVE to take credit for having thought this up, but...
I'M NOT THAT SMART! Obviously...

But, Tthanks for the kind words...

Bill

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by bill dedman

Gary,

You make some good points, but if I gave the impression that this double red light system of doing things was ever MY IDEA, then I mis-spoke. It is a good idea; I WISH I had thought of it, but I participated in and watched drag racing for at LEAST 35 years using the "old" first red light system before a guy explained the double red light system to me. He had to explain it to me three or four times before I "got it," so ingrained was the "old" system in my so-called brain.

I'd LOVE to take credit for having thought this up, but...
I'M NOT THAT SMART! Obviously...

But, Tthanks for the kind words...

Bill

Well Bill,

We now have three things in common, we both agree with the double redlight system, our families (at least my dad's side of my family--Newport/Little Rock--& you by residence) share the same state, and we both have been involved (either as a live fan or racer) in drag racing for about the same length of time (34yrs for me). That's ok about your not wanting to take the credit for this ideal, but I hope that by your mentioning it, that the members of the Stock/Super Stock rules committee will present this thought to the powers that be in Glendora, or also to the IHRA's headquarters as well....one can only hope, however this one comes from the same person who still wishes that Glendora will do a reshuffling of the current divisional layout (much the same way that the NFL did 3-5yrs ago)? However, just like that one I'm not going to hold my breath on this one either, because like that guy and you felt, it's too logical to work!!!

Have a good weekend, and whoever is fortunate enough to be racing this weekend, have fun and good luck to you all...wish I were there!!!

[bill dedman]

Gary Hampton said, "That's ok about your not wanting to take the credit for this idea."

Gary, I'd love to take credit for it, but it was never my idea.... as I said, I participated in (for awhile) and watched racing with the "first red light" system (that's now in place) for many, many years before some guy explained the one-sided nature of the system to me in a way that I could understand it.

I would ~never~ have figured it out on my own....

It's not through a sense of humility that I deny any involvement in figuring out a fair way to fix this; it's facts. I had to have it explained to me repeatedly, before I understood what was wrong and how to fix it.

Appparently, I have a very thick skull....

BTW, I don't know how old you might be, but I am 70, and went to my first race in 1955.... and, was hooked. Can't imagine my life without drag racing... Don't want to, anyway...

Thanks for your interest and comments; you make a lot of sense to me!

Bill

[GarysZ24]

Originally Posted by bill dedman

BTW, I don't know how old you might be, but I am 70, and went to my first race in 1955.... and, was hooked. Can't imagine my life without drag racing... Don't want to, anyway...

Bill

I just turned 51 this past 24th of May, and although I watched my first car race in the mid-60's, I didn't learn about drag racing until after my oldest sister died back in '72 when she was 18, and I was 13. I saw the Winternationals where Bill Jenkins took the '72 Vega he debuted at Pomona to the winners circle, and I watched it on "ABC's Wide World of Sports", and also read about it in "Car Craft" Magazine (I had that issue bought for me prior to my sisters funeral, but tossed it years later, and now wish I had that "April, 1972 issue back!!! I'm sad that I lost my sister very much, but it was through that sad (confusing for me because I was too young to understand why they couldn't diagnose her blood clot sooner) time, that I learned about drag racing soon enough to plan for what I'd do with my first car once I bought it...I guess we didn't start racing at the same time afterall, because my first race was 20yrs later than yours.

I too however, can't imagine my life without drag racing...nor do I want to either !

[Mark Yacavone]

Been this way for 46 years. Not likely to change any time soon.

Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET-- Speed
4708 S.E. Buchanan ************************** 3077 Bill Dyer
E4 ****WINNER**** -0.039 11.288 114.28 ******** -0.028 12.390 106.26
G/SA Dial: 11.28 (+/-): 0.008 ************** N/S Dial: 12.33 (+/-): 0.060
Prior rounds:
E3 (T Mosbek ) 0.015 11.281 -1.019 (N Grier ) 0.008 12.346 0.026
E2 (S Kopejtka ) 0.041 11.343 0.023 (J Nicholson ) 0.015 12.386 0.066
E1 (T Henderson ) 0.020 11.320 0.060 (C Stephenson) 0.095 12.356 0.036
Qualified: #11 11.242 -1.058 #39 12.319 -0.931

Buchanan will face Scheitlin in round five.

[bill dedman]

Isn't that a shame?

[S.E. Buchanan]

As I have told you in an earlier post. Most of the time if you see an opponents red
lite in time(which I did in the above case) I tried to see if I could red lite if I left
with just a hint of yellow instead of my usual solid yellow. As you can see I could.
This proves nothing in the last many pages of posts except You are distracted or
relax or can try something if you see a red lite in time.

I hope this ends this debate.

It was a very lively one.

[John Kelley]

Originally Posted by SEBuchanan

.
This proves nothing in the last many pages of posts except You are distracted or
relax or can try something if you see a red lite in time.
I hope this ends this debate.
It was a very lively one.

The debate is NOT over...!
With the proposed new programming of the christmas tree.....NEITHER RED LIGHT would come on until BOTH cars left the starting line.
Either change it or do away with "First or Worst" on breakouts. Make the first to the finish line on a double breakout the LOSER........PERIOD !!

[Bob Don]

Originally Posted by SEBuchanan

As I have told you in an earlier post. Most of the time if you see an opponents red
lite in time(which I did in the above case) I tried to see if I could red lite if I left
with just a hint of yellow instead of my usual solid yellow. As you can see I could.
This proves nothing in the last many pages of posts except You are distracted or
relax or can try something if you see a red lite in time.

I hope this ends this debate.

It was a very lively one.

What if you DIDN'T see your opponent's red light? You wouldn't know how well they hit the 'tree and YOU would have to try and cut a good one (and take the risk or redlighting yourself).

[GarysZ24]

Mark: This is just another wrong that should (but won't) be righted...my thoughts on the divisional layout being the first, but I gave my .02 last year following the end of the '08 season, with meager support although parity in geographics would arise if implemented...

Bill: It's a major shame that with all of the other changes that've been made that affect the way we Americans live, that something old that's served its time and should be modernized won't, but who're we???

John: Bill, Bob, and I are with you in regards to this debate not being over, because what's fair for one should be fair for all...I hope that the rules committee will explore the rationale behind the collective ideas of yours, Bill's, and mine (plus anyone else who understood & agreed with the logic behind our ideas), when this season is over.

In the mean time, I'm fretting over the fact that there's only 22cars in Stock Elim. this weekend in Fallon, Nv., and I'm not able to be up there in it (for budget & time off from work restrictions). I'd be willing to bet some bucks that Div. 6's holding a divisional the same wknd had something to do with the reason both Stock/Super Stock car counts are much lower than they would be if those races weren't contested the same wknd., when they're within 800 miles from each other (for one), and Boise, Id. is actually closer to Fallon, than it is to Spokane, Wa.??? Again, my .02 worth