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team summit and the pit "curtains" (2 Viewers)

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How many of you remember the duck tape/give away cards being taped all over the intake manifold area. As I remember most of them were pretty funny. Good shit as my son says.
 
Ever been to a Nascrap race? Heck, even a local Saturday night race? Pfffttt..... For awhile, I considered buying a spec truck, until I found out that Nascar or the track, isn't too keen on fans or family being in the pits for whatever reason. Makes me appreciate drag racing even more. I'll probably get flamed for this, but whatever.... IMHO, drag race fans take walking around the pits for granted. Sure, NHRA sell the "access to the stars" thing, but come on, it's a job for Team Summit. Besides that, Greg was having trouble getting the car down the track that weekend. Maybe they were changing things and not wanting a distraction. I'm NOT making excuses for them.
If you want to see a fan friendly guy, go to a race where Billy Glidden runs. He and his wife are totally accessable unless they are in the middle of something.
 
At Norwalk last week I noticed WJ and Kurt both had covers on the rear
suspension of their cars . First time I had witnessed this . One has to wonder what the PS guys don't want others to see. Special shocks, traction control-who could spot it?, different traction control setup or whatever.
 
This isn't the first time the KB team has done this. They put curtains (I think they were gray back then) around their pit at Phoenix in 2004. I remember seeing it when I was in the pits but didn't think to much about it until I saw the TV coverage later in the RV when ESPN2 did a "segment" about it. If I remember correctly, I think one of the other PS teams were complaining about it but I cant remember that part for sure so I won't mention any names. :)
 
Registered member said:
Unless its something new, that is the rear of the pits...However, they do have the engine area of gregs car blocked off...Pic taken at Route 66...

ASIDSC01577.JPG
Click to expand...

looks to me like the end were the fans normally observe was left open as always. If that was the case than Jon Asher kinda threw the KB team under the bus without doing any further investigating.
 
Registered member said:
At Norwalk last week I noticed WJ and Kurt both had covers on the rear
suspension of their cars . First time I had witnessed this . One has to wonder what the PS guys don't want others to see. Special shocks, traction control-who could spot it?, different traction control setup or whatever.
Click to expand...

They can cover whatever they want to cover. Bottom line is that all the cars are inspected before racing.
 
I can't intelligently comment on the placement of these curtains, because I wasn't there, nor have I ever seen any. I will say, however, that I agree with Jackee in that I don't care what they cover on the car, as long as they're not allowed to completely shut the fan access side of of their respective pits. I believe that will be a huge step in the wrong direction from a marketability standpoint. We can't afford to give up one of the sport's biggest selling points.

Sean D
 
I think it was Jim Yates who, being pitted next to GA / JL at a race a few years ago, set up a video camera looking into the GA / JL pits, primarily as a joke if memory serves. Greg probably didn't think it was very funny.
 
Lame is right. I've got pictures and I'll post them tomorrow.

To be honest, it seemed like everytime someone was there taking pictures from a weird angle, they got a staredown from a member of the Summit team.
 
Registered member said:
I think it was Jim Yates who, being pitted next to GA / JL at a race a few years ago, set up a video camera looking into the GA / JL pits, primarily as a joke if memory serves. Greg probably didn't think it was very funny.
Click to expand...

I think you're right Tom. :)
 
The end of the pit has been covered for at least a year now. The only thing new was the curtain around Jason's car. If you buy an NHRA program, take a look at the "anatomy of a pro stock car." Apparently all P/S cars are now running a big black blanket over the front frame rail (ironically it obscures the header & left side of the engine from the photograph :D). This has been going on forever in drag racing, especially pro stock.

Perhaps Mr Asher doesn't like the particular type of curtains. I still have the NHRA logo curtains my mom sewed for me when I was a kid. Maybe those would make everybody happier? :)
 
First, I have already publicly acknowledged that the shot we ran on CompetitionPlus.com was taken from the front end of the pit area simply because the curtains didn't show as well from the back end.

Regardless, in my opinion secrecy is an overblown item only because the other people racing in Pro Stock are also pretty smart, and it's hard to pull something over on them for long.


The bigger issue here is, I believe, fan friendliness.

Walling off a pit area is akin to telling the fans you don't want them around and could care less what they think.

Yeah, you may THINK your job is to win races, but that's only part of your responsibilities. It's also your job to win friends for your sponsors, for the Pro Stock class itself, and yeah, for yourself, too.

Drag racing needs all the fans we can get, and doing anything to turn their visit to the track into a negative is obviously a negative for the entire sport.

Pit access is one of the best thngs we have going for us, and the term "pit access" implies access to both the drivers AND their cars. We have all seen fathers pointing out technical things to their children, just as we've seen adult fans pointing out things to their contemporaries.

"Denying" some of that open access is a detriment to the class and the sport.

In my opinion, one way the Pro Stock teams could enhance the fan's experience while at the same time winning them new friends is to BACK their cars into their pit spaces so that the engine was exposed to the fans. Feel the need to cover your intake? Okay, but don't go any further.

What happens now is that clutch adjustments, valve adjustments and just about everything else takes place OUTSIDE the view of the fans, and to me, that's not doing the class any good at all.

How many of you have cruised the Pro Stock pits at a national event and seen almost nobody actually working on their cars? They're inside the rig adding weight to the clutch, or checking the computer or whatever, but you're not seeing it, and neither is anyone else.

Openness means making friends and right now some of the Pro Stock teams out there aren't doing anything to enhance the popularity of the class, their sponsors or themselves.

Having a box of handouts behind the rig isn't even close to being an adequate replacement for openness and accessibility.

Jon Asher
 
Registered member said:
First, I have already publicly acknowledged that the shot we ran on CompetitionPlus.com was taken from the front end of the pit area simply because the curtains didn't show as well from the back end.

Regardless, in my opinion secrecy is an overblown item only because the other people racing in Pro Stock are also pretty smart, and it's hard to pull something over on them for long.


The bigger issue here is, I believe, fan friendliness.

Walling off a pit area is akin to telling the fans you don't want them around and could care less what they think.

Yeah, you may THINK your job is to win races, but that's only part of your responsibilities. It's also your job to win friends for your sponsors, for the Pro Stock class itself, and yeah, for yourself, too.

Drag racing needs all the fans we can get, and doing anything to turn their visit to the track into a negative is obviously a negative for the entire sport.

Pit access is one of the best thngs we have going for us, and the term "pit access" implies access to both the drivers AND their cars. We have all seen fathers pointing out technical things to their children, just as we've seen adult fans pointing out things to their contemporaries.

"Denying" some of that open access is a detriment to the class and the sport.

In my opinion, one way the Pro Stock teams could enhance the fan's experience while at the same time winning them new friends is to BACK their cars into their pit spaces so that the engine was exposed to the fans. Feel the need to cover your intake? Okay, but don't go any further.

What happens now is that clutch adjustments, valve adjustments and just about everything else takes place OUTSIDE the view of the fans, and to me, that's not doing the class any good at all.

How many of you have cruised the Pro Stock pits at a national event and seen almost nobody actually working on their cars? They're inside the rig adding weight to the clutch, or checking the computer or whatever, but you're not seeing it, and neither is anyone else.

Openness means making friends and right now some of the Pro Stock teams out there aren't doing anything to enhance the popularity of the class, their sponsors or themselves.

Having a box of handouts behind the rig isn't even close to being an adequate replacement for openness and accessibility.

Jon Asher
Click to expand...

Well said Jon!
 
Registered member said:
First, I have already publicly acknowledged that the shot we ran on CompetitionPlus.com was taken from the front end of the pit area simply because the curtains didn't show as well from the back end.

Regardless, in my opinion secrecy is an overblown item only because the other people racing in Pro Stock are also pretty smart, and it's hard to pull something over on them for long.


The bigger issue here is, I believe, fan friendliness.

Walling off a pit area is akin to telling the fans you don't want them around and could care less what they think.

Yeah, you may THINK your job is to win races, but that's only part of your responsibilities. It's also your job to win friends for your sponsors, for the Pro Stock class itself, and yeah, for yourself, too.

Drag racing needs all the fans we can get, and doing anything to turn their visit to the track into a negative is obviously a negative for the entire sport.

Pit access is one of the best thngs we have going for us, and the term "pit access" implies access to both the drivers AND their cars. We have all seen fathers pointing out technical things to their children, just as we've seen adult fans pointing out things to their contemporaries.

"Denying" some of that open access is a detriment to the class and the sport.

In my opinion, one way the Pro Stock teams could enhance the fan's experience while at the same time winning them new friends is to BACK their cars into their pit spaces so that the engine was exposed to the fans. Feel the need to cover your intake? Okay, but don't go any further.

What happens now is that clutch adjustments, valve adjustments and just about everything else takes place OUTSIDE the view of the fans, and to me, that's not doing the class any good at all.

How many of you have cruised the Pro Stock pits at a national event and seen almost nobody actually working on their cars? They're inside the rig adding weight to the clutch, or checking the computer or whatever, but you're not seeing it, and neither is anyone else.

Openness means making friends and right now some of the Pro Stock teams out there aren't doing anything to enhance the popularity of the class, their sponsors or themselves.

Having a box of handouts behind the rig isn't even close to being an adequate replacement for openness and accessibility.

Jon Asher
Click to expand...

I agree to a point. Ever been to a Nascar race? Or have you ever been to the pits at a Nascar race? As a fan, not as a person with media credentials.
That is the reason I opted out of a spec truck. Not very fan/family friendly.
Nascar has what a billion fans or so?
How about the next time you're crunching for a deadline or trying to make a "scoop" or exclusive, can I take a peek over your shoulder? What's the difference? You have the ability (whether you or others admit it or not) to influence maybe millions of people by what you write. Why don't you ask Team Summit why they put up "a wall" instead of just taking a picture.....
I still cheer for Team Summit whether or not I can see them working on their cars.
I still cheer for Barry Bonds even though he wouldn't sign an autograph for me a few years ago.........
 
Gary, ex-CSK Del's car? Jon, if they go with your suggestion they can still cover up rear end...ha. I always enjoy reading your take on Drag Racing, especially whats been going on lately.
 
Registered member said:
I agree to a point. Ever been to a Nascar race? Or have you ever been to the pits at a Nascar race? As a fan, not as a person with media credentials.
That is the reason I opted out of a spec truck. Not very fan/family friendly.
Click to expand...

If you are talking about the hundreds of weekly races across the country, ummm, then yes. Both as a paying spectator, and as an Entrant. Just about every Racetrack has a NASCAR sanction, so the tracks can hold Street Stock, Modifieds, and Late Model races. Spec Trucks are not a NASCAR class, but you still need a Pit Pass for access. BTW, the "Back Gate" money is mainly where the Purse comes from. . .
 
Registered member said:
For awhile, I considered buying a spec truck, until I found out that Nascar or the track, isn't too keen on fans or family being in the pits for whatever reason.
Click to expand...

That's because having fans and family in the garage area makes it too crowded for the sponsors and VIPs they like to let wander around.

Jim
 
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