Re: Rain

[my friends call me Zappy]

I guess you guys see what you want to see.....you should probably take a look at the video again

Took another look, and when Bob looked back and pointed to the starting line, Light clearly poked Bob in the chest with the radio antenna.

 

[MHayes]

Took another look, and when Bob looked back and pointed to the starting line, Light clearly poked Bob in the chest with the radio antenna.

Not what I saw.....I saw Vandergriff walk into the antenna and Light pulled it away quickly. We'll just agree to disagree.

 

[PJ]

The tint will also affect reaction time depending on time of day. I imagine that kept some drivers from switching over

 

[none]

I believe many bad decisions were made but they did follow the set rule(s). IMO it is a bad rule(s) and needs to be changed but they did follow existing rules. IMO any time a whole session is not completed, the entire session needs to be thrown out. Whether qualifying or racing, either ALL or NONE. Who really thinks it is fair to run most of a qualifying session on Fri night, then stop the last few cars for safety or noise and let the cars that ran benefit from the normally better conditions? The cars that run last on Fri night are the cars that ran best on Fri afternoon. Not fair. Also, who thinks even winning a smokefest on Sunday and losing lane choice on a one lane track is fair? IMO this is a rule that needs to be changed. ALL or NONE...........

 

[None]

I believe many bad decisions were made but they did follow the set rule(s). IMO it is a bad rule(s) and needs to be changed but they did follow existing rules. IMO any time a whole session is not completed, the entire session needs to be thrown out. Whether qualifying or racing, either ALL or NONE. Who really thinks it is fair to run most of a qualifying session on Fri night, then stop the last few cars for safety or noise and let the cars that ran benefit from the normally better conditions? The cars that run last on Fri night are the cars that ran best on Fri afternoon. Not fair. Also, who thinks even winning a smokefest on Sunday and losing lane choice on a one lane track is fair? IMO this is a rule that needs to be changed. ALL or NONE...........

The driver that won this time might have been the driver that lost the last time this happened. How are you going to make a one lane race track fair. Not only on Sunday, but it could make a difference in qualifying also. The only good thing that happened was they did not go to the policy manual where they make up rules to fit the out come they want.

 

[stitcherbob]

The decision to START a race at 7pm was pretty stupid. I can see if eliminations was halfway through and it started raining, but I agree that it was a poor attempt to try and reduce the rain checks for next year (I saved my ticket for the Maple Grove race and they had to honor it a year later...just had to pay an additional 2 bucks -they raised ticket prices )

 

[Tony]

While I do not like Vandergriff for what he did to Millican. His stock went up for this. More if he would have decked the pr***.
Even more when the fines come, he tells them "You know where I am at. Are you man enough to come and take it away from me?"

A pr*** ? Really? How mature. Bet you aren't "man enough" to call Graham Light a pr*** to his face.

 

[Randy]

I know exactly how Bob felt.

In 1996 when I was still driving my TA/FC, I was running the 4th of July weekend divisional at Sears Point. I was going into the third qualifying session not qualified. For some reason they always scheduled the alky cars toward the end of the day Saturday so the fireworks show could follow. Year after year it was the same schedule. Unfortunately, that time of year the sun sets directly off the end of the track slightly to the left, so if you are in the right lane you can't see the tree or the track. I told the new division director (not going to name names...it wasn't Mike Rice) about the situation and he shrugged it off. This was before the renovations were done at Sears Point by Bruton Smith and the Good Year pedestrian bridge still crossed over the track near the finish line.

I did my burnout and could barely see through the tire smoke inside the car as the sun shining through the windshield lit it up like a bad case of fog. After backing up I started pulling forward to pre stage but could not tell if the pre stage or stage bulbs were on or off because the sun was shining through them from behind. All of the sudden some guy runs out on the track holding a sheet of plywood. He gets behind the Christmas Tree and holds the sheet of plywood up to block the sun. YHGTBKM! In the left lane next to me was Bucky. He was a little more amazed and was probably saying YHGTB-F-KM!

The ambers came on and away we went. As soon as I launched the car, between the sun reflecting off the dash, the sun in my face and the sun lighting up the clutch dust I could not see a thing. The car felt strong and there was no lateral moves that I could feel so I stupidly stayed with it. When I got to half track the sun got behind the Good Year bridge allowing me to finally see where I was going. Unfortunately, I was pointed at the concrete wall at 1/2 track. I grabbed all the wheel I could but I still bounced off the wall and did a lot of damage to the body, header and their brand new infared 1/2 track timing sensor.

I limped it off track where I was met by the new division director who proceeded to tell me that I just smashed a brand new $300 infared sensor. I told him we already had a conversation on why we should wait an extra 10 minutes for the sun to set, and I asked him if he had any idea what a bent Centerline Convo rear wheel, smash header, possible frame damage and tin, body tree and body/paint repair might cost. When I told him my car was clocked at 200 miles per hour at 1/2 track when I hit the wall he appeared to have no clue that TA/FC's went that fast at that point in the run. The following year they changed the schedule to allow for a break to let the sun set before running cars.

When you are up against the wall you make decisions you may not normally make. And when your concerns fall on deaf ears it is very frustrating.


.

 

[Nunz]

Wow, great post Randy.

 

[StockersRock]

Wow, great post Randy.

As usual!

 

[TR]

As usual!

Seems to me you should have decked that idiot division director. What a moron you could have gotten hurt and all he cared about was his sensor?

Rick

 

[None]

A pr*** ? Really? How mature. Bet you aren't "man enough" to call Graham Light a pr*** to his face.

Yes I would. The statement stands, see Vandergriff fined for Light being wrong. The defenders of the NHRA are just like the Obama fans, they believe what ever B.S. is thrown at them.

 

[.]

A pr*** ? Really? How mature. Bet you aren't "man enough" to call Graham Light a pr*** to his face.

I bet I am. And that's not the only thing I'd call that dipsh!t either. He's an embarrassment to the NHRA. I'm surprised the idiot didn't trot out his idiotic "optical data" BS again as an excuse. Living in Eastern Iowa I've got several national events within a few hours drive. Want to guess how many I'll attend now? How about zero. NHRA can kiss my butt over this fiasco.

 

[.]

I bet I am. And that's not the only thing I'd call that dipsh!t either. He's an embarrassment to the NHRA. I'm surprised the idiot didn't trot out his idiotic "optical data" BS again as an excuse. Living in Eastern Iowa I've got several national events within a few hours drive. Want to guess how many I'll attend now? How about zero. NHRA can kiss my butt over this fiasco.

You have your chance starting tomorrow. Head on down to Topeka over the weekend. Maybe we will see you on the starting line.

 

[.]

Head on down to Topeka over the weekend. Maybe we will see you on the starting line.

Dad and I are planning on going to Eddyville on Sat. for the door car shootout. I might head to GLD on Sunday too.

 

[.]

Dad and I are planning on going to Eddyville on Sat. for the door car shootout. I might head to GLD on Sunday too.

Graham Light wont be at Eddyville.

 

[.]

Graham Light wont be at Eddyville.

Good, that means he can't screw anything up!

Maybe you can pass on my thoughts to him for me.

 

[.]

Good, that means he can't screw anything up!

Maybe you can pass on my thoughts to him for me.

Why would I pass anything along? You were the one talking smack and saying what you were going to do. Like the Nike ad says "Just Do It".

 

[.]

Why would I pass anything along? You were the one talking smack and saying what you were going to do. Like the Nike ad says "Just Do It".

I already called NHRA headquarters and spoke to them and told them exactly why I won't be attending any national events. I also made clear my exact thoughts on Dim Light. I left them my name and number and told them to give me a call if any of them, or Dim himself, want to speak to me. I'm not wasting my time or money going to a national event.

 

[.]

I already called NHRA headquarters and spoke to them and told them exactly why I won't be attending any national events. I also made clear my exact thoughts on Dim Light. I left them my name and number and told them to give me a call if any of them, or Dim himself, want to speak to me. I'm not wasting my time or money going to a national event.

I am sure the NHRA will probably fold now.