Recap from Hagerstown/feedback from those who were there

[Mike Carr]

~We had a pretty good weekend, as stated elsewhere, this past weekend in Hagerstown. Second biggest ever total weekend car count and Sunday car count, and tied for the biggest Saturday race count. Weather was pretty good. A little chilly at times, and a brief passing rain shower Saturday afternoon. I've been there when it was better (warmer) and when it was worse (a LOT colder) over the nineteen years I have been there for this race. Any day in November where it's dry and warm-enough to race as far north as Maryland is a pretty good day in my book.

~The starting line appeared to be excellent all weekend long. I did hear a racer say he and another racer were experiencing some 'radial wobble' downtrack in (only) the right lane through the weekend. Was this an issue for anyone else? Would like to know, so I can see if there was something different about the down-track conditions this year.

~Schedule. Saturday was very different than years past. Always they have cars in designated lanes (S/SS, street tire and slick tire test and tune). This year, everyone was lumped intogether in all the lanes. I will rectify this for next year's Saturday activities. Especially as it gets close to the call for Round 1, so the track can run out the remaining S/SS cars to give them some time to get ready for first round of eliminations. Sunday ran smooth and as normal for every other year in the past. Two TT runs for racing classes then eliminations. We started at noon, and the S/SS final was pulling into the waterbox at 5:58 pm, about the same time as 2011 when we had 63 cars for round 1.

~I want to thank Jeff and Ronnie Boyd for posting money into the weekend. The Long Distance Tow was John Kurzenberger, who towed his CC/SA COPO Camaro from Tennesee 570 miles. Also thanks to Jim Boburka, who could not race on Sunday because of a family committment but contributed to the purse. Also Carl Schodde sent his entry money even though he could not be there, as he has done all year long. Also Association sponsors Jim Lydon, Jan Cavacini and Jim Evanuik.

~Thanks to Larry Mohar, for the annual reservations at the Crazy Horse Steakhouse and Saloon. Was a little quiet this year compared to years past, without Tim Worner and others to tell jokes and stories...LOL.

~I tried to get around to see everyone and talk to them a bit over the weekend. With a fast paced schedule and a lot of cars, I still missed a few, I'm sure. We didn't even have time to eat during the day, either day (I did get a handful of chips on Sunday). I will be looking into getting a scooter or something for next years races to get around more easily and still be able to rest somewhat (I was diagnosed with M.S. three years ago).

~I know we had quite a few racers who were there for the first time (either at Hagerstown or first time at ANY race that I have done). And I know we are far from perfect (nobody is). We'd love to hear your opinions on what was good, what was bad, what you did/didn't like, and what could be addressed/changed possibly for races there/anywhere in the future. Hearing input and addressing it helps to keep improving things.

I think this addresses just about everything. Again, any comments and opinions are more than welcome--it's how we learn.

Hope you had a great time this past weekend. Elmer has already said he's good to go with next year at Hagerstown, so we will be there for the twentieth straight November. It's a 230 mile drive and there s NO PLACE I would rather be than there in November (what, rake leaves and watch football?) LOL) I will be working on our local schedule (Pittsburgh and Quaker City) as soon as NHRA and IHRA release their Divisional schedules.

We hope we will see you in 2014 !!

Mike, Wendy and Gary Carr

[Matt Welker]

You already addressed my main concern/issue, Sat. T&T. Being grouped like that was dumb. I much prefer our own lane as we had in the previous years. I'm sure some missed the race on Sat. either stuck in the T&T lanes or having just made a run. I missed it.

I made almost all my runs in the left lane, and fish tailed on every other run from 60-660' both days, more on Sunday. Could have been my car and new combo and not the track. I don't know since my car isn't dialed in yet. We never had that problem before at MD, even when it was much colder. Probably my setup.

I never even unpacked my scooter, next year, if you need one, just let me know. It takes about 2 mins to load and unload.

[Chris1529]

[QUOTE=Matt Welker;407468]You already addressed my main concern/issue, Sat. T&T. Being grouped like that was dumb. I much prefer our own lane as we had in the previous years. I'm sure some missed the race on Sat. either stuck in the T&T lanes or having just made a run. I missed it.

I agree. We all knew that the way the track was doing it wasn't the way it had been done in the past.


I think there needs to be something different for the parings for round one. The track gets in way too big of a hurry to get round one in the lanes. An extra 15-30 minutes won't hurt anyone.

One other thing I'm really wondring is how was the bye run determined?



I have three suggestions:

1- give everyone who has entered the race ( paid money to you) a dedicated time trial and set your ladder by reaction times as you do after the first round for the round two pairings.

or

2- have everybody who has entered the race draw a number and do the ladder that way.

or

3-ask the track to let us come down four lanes. have a wheel to spin, or use cards, or do something more random than running the car who comes down beside you in the lanes. Fairmont Dragway (AKA Eldora) used a wheel to pick what two cars run each other.

any one of those suggestions would be better than the way its being done right now.

One more thing..... for first round the way it was done, if you went down lane 5, that meant you wanted to run left lane. If you went down lane 6, you should assume you were going to be in the right lane. Likewise, lane 4, right lane, lane 3, left lane.
I know of an instance where a car in lane 5 pulled into the right lane on the track and forced the other car in lane 6 ( who wanted to run right lane ) to run the left. The car that did that has been to this race before. He knows how it is supposed to work unless he had someone else driving and that individual was unaware of the sitution.

[Bart Kilraine]

Bye run for 1st round is best reaction in time runs,2nd round starts with ladder for the amount of cars left,and so on.I also would like a ladder for 1st round ,but you would need another person to run it with a 60 some car field.

[Chris1529]

Thanks for the reply Bart. maybe if I had known that, I would have tried for an.001 in my car!



good race with Chris second round Sunday. quickest pass my car has ever made.

[Bob Bender]

Make the fastest car under the index have the bye like we do all the time. The other thing is flip for lane choice.

[Ryan Horensky]

I had a great time at the event. The track was great and very fast. I was unable to attend the combo race on Saturday, but Sunday's race was a lot of fun. I must say that I've never raced in conditions as good as they were on Sunday. It was definitely fantasyland to say the least. lol! Great job with the event, Mike!

[blkjack]

I would like to see the Stock and Super Stock segregated for the 1st one or two rounds with a ladder for the first round. I know later it becomes too hectic to do anything involved. ............3 seconds can be a long time to wait

[Dan Fahey]

Originally Posted by blkjack

I would like to see the Stock and Super Stock segregated for the 1st one or two rounds with a ladder for the first round. I know later it becomes too hectic to do anything involved. ............3 seconds can be a long time to wait

WELL that works both ways

D

[MORT did it]

Came down from upstate New York for the weekend just to spectate . My first visit to Mason-Dixon and had a ball ! Thanks for all the work Mike .