Pretty sure we've trumped the 900+ racers out hear in the West. The record was just shy of 1300 if I remember right.

2BKING

Back in the day, we had a local announcer that worked for at least 3 different tracks. His name was Larry Wright (R.I.P.) and he was great on the mic. One of his famous saying was this: Have'em in the water box, have'em ready. 2 in, 2 out, 2 in, 2 out.

That saying still applies today, if you can keep the cars moving, the race goes quicker.

quote:

Originally posted by Wild Wild West 2:
Back in the day, we had a local announcer that worked for at least 3 different tracks. His name was Larry Wright (R.I.P.) and he was great on the mic. One of his famous saying was this: Have'em in the water box, have'em ready. 2 in, 2 out, 2 in, 2 out.

That saying still applies today, if you can keep the cars moving, the race goes quicker.

Yessir agreed, unfortunately today's "race routine" slows many races down.

The Monkey...See...Monkey...Do... race routine slows the show down.

2BKING

Do away with time trials = most know what their car is going to run and you have 1 or 2 buy backs.

wanna speed it up? one time run for the weekend no matter how many races. one car , one entry , one buyback. no race in race bs . a thousand things could speed it ......

I think Larry’s original post and the subject of this thread is single day events like the SUMMIT ET SERIES, not big $ gambler races which for those ones we compete at are run well and no one is wanting to finish a race day sooner, not when you’ve driven hundreds of miles and paid a 3 day entry at a minimum. You are committed and plan on being on being I. The final on Sunday. The typical weekend/ET bracket racer is not the big $ gambler crowd.

Ed is correct that I am talking about, in general, a one-day, local race.

I think the comment about no time run is valid, however, I think one time run is a good compromise.

And about buyback, for me, charge enough entry fee that the track can make whatever profit is needed and eliminate the buyback.

quote:

Originally posted by 67TSCHEVY2:
wanna speed it up? one time run for the weekend no matter how many races. one car , one entry , one buyback. no race in race bs . a thousand things could speed it ......

I agree with this 100%

Don't understand why if you're doubled you get double the time runs at some of these tracks. Give the advantaged double entry another advantage?

Are we talking about big money races only? Or all bracket racing? You are not going to get away with no time runs at a local saturday night bracket race. People will quit coming because they themselves know they would only make 1, MAYBE 2 runs max.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Woodfin:
As our drag race drivers age, one of the comments is, "finish the race sooner" "let us get home at a reasonable hour"
In order to make that happen I suggest we do away with the water box burnout. Instead, it will be like the old days, one or two dry hops and race. No reversing, always a forward motion. This is all cars including rails. If you watch videos from the old days that was the norm. And with today's tires and track prep I think the performance would be about the same. Plus, I think it could shorten the race day by a considerable time and think of the wear on the equipment that will be eliminated.

Great idea! NOT!

When a race is run right BO's do not add time to a race! Once a pair leaves the line, the BO police should be getting the next pair going! By the time the BO is complete, and the next pair is ready to stage, the previous pair should be just about to clearing the track.

Wear on your equipment is optional, you don't have to do a BO!

If you choose to attend a big buck race with a large car count, that's on you! Completing any race, without delays from oil downs, etc, is directly related to the car count, obviously! Take up another sport if a normal day race takes too long for your liking.

I agree with Ed, there's nothing like being the last to leave the place, no better feeling.

Plus, Glidden's approach was first to the track in the morning, last to leave, says it all.

Typically, I'll hangout and work on the car and/or spectate friends /support, if I lose anyway.

I like being at the drag strip, I'm in no rush to leave.

I am not for doing away with burn outs...I am in favor of closing the lanes after a certain time period after the class is called...the tracks I race at have two in the water box while the two in front are staging...as soon as they leave they call for you to do your burn out...as to buy backs, I am in favor of them particularly if I am out of town...towing 12 hours round trip for a one and out is not that attractive...not to mention they help the track owner make a few bucks...

quote:

Yessir agreed, unfortunately today's "race routine" slows many races down.

Agreed…….anyone can be a Matt Dadas BO/ pre-stage routine…few can be a Kenny Underwood.

i hate the local tracks that wait to have everyone in the lanes before they start the round. Start the round and they will show up or be left behind.
that waste an enormous amount of time. my local track can make a race last 12 hours or more.

ep

Wondered how long it would be before Matt Dadas was mentioned. You could run 5 pairs in the time it takes him to get from the water to prestage.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Woodfin:
Ed is correct that I am talking about, in general, a one-day, local race.

I think the comment about no time run is valid, however, I think one time run is a good compromise.

And about buyback, for me, charge enough entry fee that the track can make whatever profit is needed and eliminate the buyback.

Larry, XRP only gives 1 time trial, your Buyback is your 2nd one if you lose round 1. They have no shortage of cars, 75-100 cars in SP at each race. They run at a extremally fast pace too, I entered my TD at a race last season, they flat wore me out with the quick turn around, no way could of made the call with my car if I had gone into the late rounds

We had our pace at 45 seconds a pair from tree fire, to next tree fire.
We always managed 3 TT sessions, with the option to go 2, if circumstances dictated.

Here;s how I would go today....
Open TT for 1 hour, one "official" final TT.
First round possible bye picked from the front portion of the lanes. Chip draw pairings, with a back chip, first chip has choice, never let the lanes be empty, burnout starts as soon as the pair in front launch, late rounds are laddered pairs, 15 minute maximum turnaround to report to pairings.

Time is money, the hourly cost of operation is about $400 per minimum for a 100-ish car total operation, doing it on the lean and mean.

As I am getting older, I have trouble maintaining the long days.
I cannot for the life of me figure out why tracks want to open the gates at 9 or 10 AM when they know we aren't running 1st round until 7. ??

quote:

Originally posted by ferndaleflyer:
Wondered how long it would be before Matt Dadas was mentioned. You could run 5 pairs in the time it takes him to get from the water to prestage.

Gotta get that tree reader focused just right

quote:

We always managed 3 TT sessions, with the option to go 2, if circumstances dictated.

last time I remember this was like 1992….

quote:

I cannot for the life of me figure out why tracks want to open the gates at 9 or 10 AM when they know we aren't running 1st round until 7

because the track diner serves breakfast and lunch. Racers that can’t start and warm engines at home to do tuning or oil changes do it then.