I've been to NHRA races when it was a rainy event and they would send cars down track and I was at half track watching and I was getting wet and watched a guy get sideways before they stopped racing

I watched my friend 2 cars in front of me go thru the top end running S/C and saw what was a water mist fly up as he went thru the traps....They stopped

We sat for 1-2 hours waiting for the track to stop weeping at that event

Maple Grove had top end water issues for years....bad drainage under the track....Warren Johnson flipped out over it one year...

I've been at my local track bracket racing and refused to run S/P until they sent slower cars down. They did ...

At that same track the same day Scott Kalitta was killed at Etown....we sat for hours and hours as weepers kept coming up.....Eventually we raced and I got seriously out of shape round 1 after getting on the brakes.....sideways ! Needed new underwear after that ride....

Ultimately it's the racers decision......and I have parked more than once....

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SCDIV1,

quote:

Originally posted by WHOMPWHOMP:
NHRA LOL

X2000

quote:

Originally posted by Big Steve:
NHRA sent the first pair of Top Dragsters down a wet race track at the 2016 Gatornationals. Both cars crashed in there own lanes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJck7wwKGfQ

That was when I decided that I would no longer support the NHRA. Went racing at BMP and later with the PDRA and never looked back.

I do my own thing as most people know.
I evaluate the situation, they are all different.
If I know and trust the other driver and I know the track I MAY go down the track BUT may dial several tenths soft this way if I need to pedal I can, if I don't pedal I will wheel race.
Also, there have been times I've bowed out of the round and loaded my stuff up.
There was even a time during qualifying where the track was iffy and I was next to someone I didn't know. I sat there until he was all the way down before I left.

It's your stuff and your wallet and your life, do with it as you will.
Every situation will be different.

If I MUST be the first competition pair out and I don't like the track and don't know who I'm racing, I probably would stage, idle thru the beams once my lights drop and call it a race.
At least I get to race another day.

I was running super rod at the presidents cup at budds creek maybe 07. Huge storm hit as i was about to roll in the water box. After several hours of drying the track they decided to resume super rod qualifying. It's now dark and the dew has rolled in big time. I was first pair down the track. Everything was good until I was near the mph traps and she darted right then a nice 180 into the wall. To this day I'm convinced that there was still some water on the top end. Haven't been first pair down a track since lol.

I have crossed the finish line at 180mph into a downpour at my local track. I puckered up and got the car stopped without incident. The crew at the finish line (sleeping in the ambulance) never radioed up to tell the starter to stop the race. Sure, it looked sketchy, but I trusted the personnel to do their jobs. Pure negligence on their part and I was pissed.

I was one of the first to go down at the bracket finals ROC in 2002 at a different track. It had rained all week and they had just put down new asphalt in the shut down area. I pulled the chute and it ripped off the car. Due to the experience above, I was able to stop the car on a very slippery track without incident.

Going down track, you assume the risk. If you feel the track or your opponent are unsafe, put the car on the trailer and go home. And, like posted above, the waiver means nothing when it comes to negligence.

Go with your instincts! Most will make the lap, then blame them if they crash. The decision is ultimately yours, NOT the race directors.

Gators ;ast year pretty much same deal as op. Rained like crazy. Nhra gave us one shot to qualify. Track was not terrible but it was far from really being good. Everyone ran. Most all numbers where off some.

In situation posted by op. I would soften the heck out of tune, dial something I knew I could run and send it. Hopefully driver would know if anything happened shut it down and call it a day.

Getting down safely avoiding the WLFT... lol.
He** we had a 4-5 car wreck "IN STAGING" It was a WTF moment.

Every situation is different. YOU have to make your own decision. The only thing I can be sure of, before it becomes a fact, is that I'll not make a pass with a motorcycle is the other lane. Something goes wrong, and the motorcyclist is under my car and dead or maimed. I will not do that. It is not something I could live with if all I had to do was say no. Fortunately, I have never witnessed a motorcycle vs. car pass in North Carolina. Take care. Tom Worthington

I turned sideways at the mph marker 1/8 mile racing once. Mist started on my windshield at about 500' and by the mph marker it went on the rev limiter and turned sideways. Dad was on the starting line and said he saw the side of my car. I was very lucky and collected it. I will NEVER let that happen again. Even a $10k final (this run was almost inconsequential) is not worth the risk. I'll just lift and request a rerun or simply go home.

I tried SST a couple of times and will NEVER do that again either. The track was absolute junk and I spun hard both times and my car will go down almost anything. Complete waste of time and money and loss of trust in the folks that prepped it. I've been first car out several times on a freshly prepped track and it's not a problem if the prep is right. It simply wasn't.

I've been in a couple situations like the OP described with my daughters racing jr's. I will NOT let them run in a situation like this and will gladly pack up and go home if that's what it takes. It's simply not worth it.

These are the options I see in this situation:

1. Talk with your competitor and get them to agree to not run until the track is checked. It might take talking with the entire class or at least the first several pairs.
2. Make ABSOLUTELY SURE to not be toward the front when cars are called to the lanes. I'm riding the pit bike to the lanes and making sure I'm not in front.
3. Request an in-person conversation with the race director and express concerns and request to personally check the track (walk it) as a compromise.
4. Pack up and go home if that's what it takes

Bottom line, safety is a huge concern and tearing up 2 expensive race cars is a close second.

Regardless, the race director put the OP in a very bad situation.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom396:
The only thing I can be sure of, before it becomes a fact, is that I'll not make a pass with a motorcycle is the other lane.

I've raced a m/c on a few occasions (in NC and SC). I don't like it at all! The m/c rider willingly chose to do it. They entered a car class!

quote:

Originally posted by Brktracer:

quote:

Originally posted by Tom396:
The only thing I can be sure of, before it becomes a fact, is that I'll not make a pass with a motorcycle is the other lane.

I've raced a m/c on a few occasions (in NC and SC). I don't like it at all! The m/c rider willingly chose to do it. They entered a car class!

We used to have a motorcycle that ran with us all the time. I was the only guy there that was quicker than him so usually he was behind the cars. I’m not turning away because he put himself in danger. I still wouldn’t want to hurt the guy but I’m there to race and win.

quote:

Originally posted by CURTIS REED:

quote:

Originally posted by Brktracer:

quote:

Originally posted by Tom396:
The only thing I can be sure of, before it becomes a fact, is that I'll not make a pass with a motorcycle is the other lane.

I've raced a m/c on a few occasions (in NC and SC). I don't like it at all! The m/c rider willingly chose to do it. They entered a car class!

We used to have a motorcycle that ran with us all the time. I was the only guy there that was quicker than him so usually he was behind the cars. I’m not turning away because he put himself in danger. I still wouldn’t want to hurt the guy but I’m there to race and win.

I agree with you there if they want to run with us does not matter to me.

As I say, I couldn't live with the fact that I had maimed or killed a motorcycle rider/driver simply because I did not say no. Frankly, I think a junior dragster would be much better off in a tangle. They have rollcages, firesuits, etc. Would you agree to running against a junior? For me, it's about enjoyment. Ya'll can make it about something else all you want. Take care. Tom Worthington

quote:

Originally posted by Tom396:
As I say, I couldn't live with the fact that I had maimed or killed a motorcycle rider/driver simply because I did not say no. Frankly, I think a junior dragster would be much better off in a tangle. They have rollcages, firesuits, etc. Would you agree to running against a junior? For me, it's about enjoyment. Ya'll can make it about something else all you want. Take care. Tom Worthington

I do everything I can to make my cars hook hard and go straight. I make sure I have good brakes and an emergency plan for fire, stuck throttle, loss of brakes or what ever. I try to be prepared on my side as every racer should. I do my best to drive hard and safe. I also understand and accept there may be things out of my control.

Now I may be a little quicker to abort a run if I was running a motorcycle but I am not going to give a competition bye to a guy because he is on a bike. He is going to have to earn it. When we all pull up to the line and stage we are accepting a certain level of risk. The motorcycle racer does to, if he accepts that risk then I sure do. He has more at stake than I do lets run.

Back to accepting responsibility we also have a reasonable expectation for the track to be dry and prepped.

I do not make my living racing...it is a hobby...I have parked my car more than once versus poor track conditions and will again...we all want to race and win but I will not let any track or sanctioning body put me in peril...

quote:

Originally posted by Tom396:
As I say, I couldn't live with the fact that I had maimed or killed a motorcycle rider/driver simply because I did not say no. Frankly, I think a junior dragster would be much better off in a tangle. They have rollcages, firesuits, etc. Would you agree to running against a junior? For me, it's about enjoyment. Ya'll can make it about something else all you want. Take care. Tom Worthington

I travel to a race, I’m a few hundred dollars in already, I make second round and I’m supposed to load up and go home because some jack wagon wants to race a motorcycle against us? Yeah, it’s a no from me dog. You do you though.

Intuition is your soul, soul is Gods instructions for changes.

Adhere.

A definitely check your shorts lol. It is hell when you feel it starting to come around. Someone was looking out for this young lady is an understatement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxDdF4AkD58