I guess I may have hit a nerve with last week’s Blog - https://dragracingactiononline...21/11/i-told-you-so/ - with regards to some thinking I was knocking the very timing systems we all have to rely on. No, that’s wasn’t my intention, but my Inbox was full with comments. What I merely wanted to point out was there are sometimes instances that may be out of our control, yet we still have to live with those consequences.

Along with that, if you’re having an inconsistent problem with your car and it’s happening at a lot of different tracks, then by all means, the problem is most likely your car, something you should deal with and fix. Don’t look to point a finger at something else. However, I have noticed over my years of racing where sometimes you can have an inconsistency problem at one track yet no where else. I don’t have an answer as to why that happens as it could be a multitude of reasons.

In speaking with Allison Doll of Port-A-Tree, we discussed my concern over incoming voltages and how they can affect the timing system. She remarked that most timing systems rely on low voltage power transformers, meaning they operate on voltages in the 12 to 24-voltage range. This means that should the incoming voltage to a race track be less than the ideal 120 volts, it wouldn’t matter. My example last week of my incandescent light bulbs dimming may not hold water. She also revealed that should the incoming voltage drop; it will usually cause other issues. So much for that.

Once again though, I still stand by my theories that if you’re having an inconsistent problem, don’t hesitate to check with others, but don’t forget to look yourself in the mirror and make an attempt to fix your car.

On another subject, I’ve been noticing some questioning the maybe lack of or declining sportsmanship; if you want to call it that; in our sport. This in regards to some people attempting to play starting line games as a way to get into the heads of their opponents. I don’t believe it’s a wide-spread sort of thing but it does happen. Is that damaging to the future of the sport? I don’t know. What are your thoughts? While some of these things are happening on the bracket side of the fence, what’s to stop it from eventually transferring to other classes as well? Or is it even a concern?

Let’s face it, it’s getting harder to win these days. Everyone can seemingly cut a good light and our cars are more consistent today than they ever were. So how does one gain some sort of advantage? Maybe by so-called trash-talking. Obviously “talking trash” can be a stretch of terminology when we’re around running engines, but I think you get the idea. However, why is it no different than any other sport? Michael Jordon, Muhammad Ali, Larry Bird, Mike Tyson; they’re all known to talk “trash” towards their opponents from time to time. It’s their style. Now of course, they were being paid millions to produce, but does that make it any different?

Actually, I believe that in that respect, drag racing is rather serene. We’ve all heard stories of competitors helping one another when someone has a problem. But once the helmet goes on and the engine started, it’s every man for himself.

A couple of months ago I broached the subject of a shot clock in drag racing which may tend to force people to stage faster. I don’t know how that could ever come to fruition in our sport but it brings up a point. This practice of taking longer to stage creates its own problems. Forgetting the fact of it being annoying amongst the competitors, it tends to lengthen a day of racing if everyone does it.

As I asked earlier, what’s your thoughts? A lot of questions and maybe no real answers.

To me, sportsmanship does not end when the helmet goes on...verbal intimidation attempts or staging tricks do not enhance the sport/hobby...they simply show how weak your opponent is to have to resort to those tactics...those who feel the need to play games should examine their core principles...contrary to Vince Lombardi, winning is not the only thing....how you win is very important as well...that's my story and I am sticking to it...lol...

People can't get in your head if you don't care what they say. I had a friend tell a guy one day "Is that how you feel man? Well that's too bad because I really don't care."

Other guy just walks away, because without a reaction he had nothing.

Change auto start to two bulbs instead of three. If it times out because neither want to go in first – both eliminated. Problem solved.

I also don’t think the shot clock is a bad ideal and could work in regular bracket racing - for clarity; I dont feel in Top Sportsman or Dragster type racing this should apply, but common bracket racing, yes.

What is the time for a competitor to fire and report to the water box? Two minutes typically? Start a shot clock in an automated way after the prior pair receive the green. Leaving a “logical” amount of time to heat the tires and light both top bulbs. Then another time span for getting your second lit. (obviously there may be extenuating circumstances that would have to be “overridden” by the starting line official such as track or timing system issues).

I think the part that flare up most people and I agree….if you roll up there and wheel flip” with no intention of going in first…."good sportsmanship” is at question.

There are all kind of ways to mind ***** someone without trying to foul them out before the race even begins. So trash talking and etc I feel is totally different, not my style….but there are those types in every crowd, every venue.

On blinking the light---at Galot recently I unintentionally blinked the 2nd bulb. Problem was the other guy was already staged and I timed myself out. I knew better! Guess it was a senior moment. I think most racers are civil, a few not so much. What I have noticed among a few supposedly "elite" racers is they never speak or make eye contact, and they seem to always stick together in the pits. I get along with most but one racer in particular I wouldn't p iz z in his face if he was on fire. But I go there not mad at anyone and want to leave the same.

Good question, I do think it is poor sportsmanship to play starting line games and it makes me want to beat them more. I also do not have any respect for those who play those games. Still you need to understand how they work and be prepared for them. I generally know what to do when they play games but like everyone I had to learn many of them the hard way.

To me one of the most important things is to be prepared and do not let them get into your head.

I don’t play games of any kind, but I’m going to advocate for the “wheel flip” here.

If you think it is to your advantage to stage last, you can either go up there and just sit and hope the other guy goes in, or you can work to develop a technique that allows you to force your opponent to go in.

For the rest of us, two guys can sit there all day holding up the program, or one guy can blink the bulb and we know the tree is coming down about 10 seconds later.

quote:

Originally posted by Jerry Kathe:
Change auto start to two bulbs instead of three. If it times out because neither want to go in first – both eliminated. Problem solved.

I also don’t think the shot clock is a bad ideal and could work in regular bracket racing - for clarity; I dont feel in Top Sportsman or Dragster type racing this should apply, but common bracket racing, yes.

What is the time for a competitor to fire and report to the water box? Two minutes typically? Start a shot clock in an automated way after the prior pair receive the green. Leaving a “logical” amount of time to heat the tires and light both top bulbs. Then another time span for getting your second lit. (obviously there may be extenuating circumstances that would have to be “overridden” by the starting line official such as track or timing system issues).

I think the part that flare up most people and I agree….if you roll up there and wheel flip” with no intention of going in first…."good sportsmanship” is at question.

There are all kind of ways to mind ***** someone without trying to foul them out before the race even begins. So trash talking and etc I feel is totally different, not my style….but there are those types in every crowd, every venue.

A race to stage! Skip the burnout all together and put two bulbs on.

I can't speak for "The Big Leagues", but I think there is a lot more sportsmanship at the local level than there are game players. Sure, there are a few who just have to try something to get an "immoral" advantage, but I would say those are unnumbered by folks who actually go out of their way to be above board. I told the story of a deepstager who backed out of the beams after I was timed out while he was getting in deep. He sure didn't have to do that. He could have simply cruised down the track with the win in his pocket. Did he want to win? Absolutely, we were well into the rounds. For each of the folks who insist on playing games, I'd like to think there are double that number who behave like that deepstager. Take care. Tom Worthington

quote:

What is the time for a competitor to fire and report to the water box? Two minutes typically? Start a shot clock in an automated way after the prior pair receive the green. Leaving a “logical” amount of time to heat the tires and light both top bulbs. Then another time span for getting your second lit.

So let's make bracket racing even more difficult for people to understand, and discourage ever more people from wanting to get into. or stay in racing.

If you all keep worrying about seconds adding up...Hurry your azz up so others have time to screw around.

The OP posted this subject to create dialogue and thought. The one thing I did not comment on is; “Or is it even a concern” My personal belief is NO, its only on an isolated, rare occasion that this ever really surfaces. I was only throwing stuff out there for the “open dialogue ” perspective to brain storm upon.

With that said; contributing thought is attempting to be part of the solution and not part of the problem. Criticism certainly isn’t a positive contribution to a solution…in any subject.

How many people get timed out because they don’t have the ability to get staged in the programmed auto start allowance? The "shot clock" concept would be no different, if that makes it too complicated, then maybe it is too complicated for you to begin with(?)

Currently there is no limit of such, so should there be? Dunno, but one thing is certain, with no limits for the “pair” to cycle from burnout to turn out, the event coordinator is simply left with making an individual call if needed and without some reference of rules to base it on.

I race just a handful of times per year, but I think everyone has this question in their mind when you go to the higher car count events – How does that promoter get 500 cars ran to completion in one day and this promoter cant get 250 done in one day?

I (and probably a good number of others) have even heard the promoter justify his event change due to 500 cars and each pair take an average of 3 minutes from start to end, that leaves “X” amount of time to complete….yadayadayada….So keeping in consideration things that prevent the individual pairs from purposely stalling and wasting very precious time….and when they do, there would be some documented legislation to stand on.

Now full circle back to "is it really a problem"?

I have commented on here before on what you mention above. Some just don't understand the concept of--if there are no cars going down the track you are wasting time. Waiting for someone doubled is especially troubling. If they are not there go on without them as they chose to double. And whatever happened to "round robin racing"? Or having the next class in the lanes as soon as there is room for them and no 1/2 hour stop between classes. If you aren't there you missed the round, to bad. Don't those qualify as sportsmanship. Get the race done and stop the excuses.

We have got sidetracked here some but it is a legitimate point in how fast the track runs the program.

We raced at one track (Now out of business due to bad management) First time we raced there it took forever to run it and We had a talk with them and told them we would not be back if it happened again. They wanted us back the next year and promised it was all good, manager change, blah, blah, blah.
So we get out there on a Beautiful fall day late in October. It was about 70* at Noon and we are doing our first time trials. There was not many cars there maybe 100? And there was a good crowd. So the track would run a pair of cars and talk about selling rides in the dual seat dragster. Took until 6:00 for us to get our first time trial with probably less than 100 cars. We had a meeting and said we are only getting that one time trial if we ever finish it and going right into racing because at this rate on Saturday it would Tuesday before they finish the race. Then after dark the dew set in real hard the track was wet, there was water running down the windshields and it was just unsafe. We did not finish that race until 3:30 in the morning and it should have been done by 10:00 if they took their time. The crowd all left, nobody is going to sit in the stands if there are rarely ever any cars going down the track. They had a pair of "Grudge racers do test and tune there. No problem but they would say ok your turn, then they got out aired up the tires and spent 10 minutes letting them back down, 5 minutes getting dressed and strapped in, then they did a bunch of nitrous purging and took them a very long time before they finally staged then BOTH of them oiled the starting line and could not get down the track. So another 20 minutes to clean up that mess after it took the 15 minutes to get 2 cars to run. We we were strapped in and ready to run. We do not mess around.
That track could not run more than 6 cars down the track in 15 minutes when there was not any problems. It was ridiculous. It was a nice track but poorly ran and that is probably why they went out of business.

Texas Raceway in Kennedale used to run cars one right after the other and I do not even know how many they got down the track in an hour but it was probably more in one hour than the other track could to in 12 hours or more. Now at TXR when they called you then you better get up there because they would not wait. If you missed it then you missed it and they did not care. They tell you right up front we got a curfew and we are going to get it done. In later rounds they would give you a few minutes to cool off but early they call you and you not there you are out.