Live From The St Louis Races

[Bandit 1]

Sounds like someone might need to work on their program in the off season. If you have had this problem before, might want to fix it correctly. Also, the posted schedule showed only 1 qualifier for the second event. Not sure what the problem might be as you made the choice to run said event.

Just my 2 cents.... Carry on.

[Randy Wells]

Originally Posted by Bandit 1

Sounds like someone might need to work on their program in the off season. If you have had this problem before, might want to fix it correctly. Also, the posted schedule showed only 1 qualifier for the second event. Not sure what the problem might be as you made the choice to run said event.

Just my 2 cents.... Carry on.

I know what the problem is read the rule book. We were never at the starting line. And by the way who are you? Do you race?.I spent more money this weekend then you have spent in your whole racing career, if you even own a race car. I don't normally reply to a nobody, BANDIT ONE, are you Burt Reynolds JR? Don't have the balls to post your name LOL. Hell you could be Bill Thorpe sorry I mean William Ouch.

Randy Wells
I/S 5628

[Randy Wells]

Sorry for being so pissed about this, but my brother Bob has been running stock since 1977, never been number one, he has built more motors tgen most people on this forum, he did machine work for Judy Lilly and Dennis .Moure, in the day help Kevin Helms build his 69, he is done racing 70 years old and selling his car. I thought it would be nice to put him on tbe pole, he builds my motors. This A hole DQ him, Bob was building motors when Billy was Sh***** yellow. I gave him a open check book on mine, and it is fast and legal.

Randy Wells
I/S 5628

[Larry Hill]

Another qualified race for Stock #129 got in and won first round. We raced under the lights. If everyone would have gotten a second qualifying run we would have still been racing as the sun was rising. Got the car better, thanks Randy for your help and pointing me in the right direction. With the car better we pickup almost two mph at the 1/8 mile and broke out first round. It?s Pack up time.

[Cglrcng]

Originally Posted by Randy Wells

Letting my brother drive my car today. He pulled out of the water box and the clip came of the throttle linkage, never staged, we pushed it out fixed it and went to the end of the line, they pulled us in made a run. Went 1.05 under number 1 qualifier. Weighed and fuel checked. Then they told us we were DQ because he drove into the water box. I asked to see where that is in writing, he said it was his call. I always understood once your staged the run counts no matter what happens. We spend a lot of money to do this and this A hole makes a call that is not in the rule book and only one Q run. BS. We had this happen once before befor in the water box, pulled around to end of line made a run and it counted.

Oh well we have never been real lucky LOL

Randy Wells
I/S 5628

I knew it would happen to someone else soon enough, I didn't know when, and did not expect it to happen this soon (and was sure it has happened before plenty of times), IE; see my thread about the Sure Start Tree this Classracer Section back inApril 2024, and the rules needing updating concerning Qualifying Fields.

There were plenty of thread readers (a really high number of looking viewers but very few willing to comment on it and push for the NHRA rules committee to discuss necessary rules changes long past due to keep the D.D.'s from making inconsistent on the fly at the event calls.

Very few like I said then, were willing to even discuss here in that thread what cost in April the Div. 7 an EF/S Class a 2024 Div. 7 Wally (and save 2-4" my competitor who was pre-staged (Trans. breakage), from fully staging his car (he attempted it, but it -the car under power would not roll forward, only pushed back by hand), in our only qualifying pass Q1, before class competition later. So, even though he left the ready line to make the Q1 attempt, reached the fully pre-staged position, but never actually reached the fully staged and starter go signal (though his side of the tree did by 3rd stage bulb timer sequence of the Sure Start Tree, time him out proven by the red light on the tree when the opposing lane received the go signal from the starter.

They listed him as broke, but not qualified on the Q1 sheet. (Later but before C-1 he asked the DD to withdraw (on site the answer was reportedly a no answer, changed only days later post event to a withdrawl and his entry fees to be applied to a future event.

Back to the on-site DD ruling (since he was not qualified), that pushed my EF/S entry over into the Auto Combo costing the Div. 7 an EF/S Class champ in 2024 w/ 2 cars having both left the ready line in Q1 of our only qualifying attempt before Class Elims.

So, without the rules updating, here you have 3 conflicting rules (1. Ready Line crossing...Racer must be ready to make the attempt of the qualifying pass), (2. Sure Start Tree Process - Starter throws switch arming the tree, 2 racers and 3rd stage bulb activates the tree starting the fully staged timer / timeout process), and 3. Qualifying Process- In order to call it a qualifying pass you must be fully staged and receiving the Starter Go signal), and (4. The incomplete pass qualifyer which assigns an ET of 28 seconds to those qualifying not completing a qualifying pass.) Forcing 2 different Division Director's to make on the fly conflicting and non-consistent at the event decisions (within just 6 months), instead of a dead set published ruleset straight out of the rulebook that can be pointed to that is very consistent and reliable. Racers spend a lot to get there and D.D.'s don't need the headaches any more than we do as racers.

The suggested rule changes are simple. 1. Reach the ready line be ready to race. 2. Cross the ready line you are making the attempt at qualifying. 3. Both racers pre-stage and Starter has activated the Sure Start Tree the Starter Go signal has been given. 4. The 3rd stage bulb activates the Sure Start countdown timers. 5. Fail to fully stage is a red light no time DQ that is assigned a 28 second qualifying attempt but is a paid entry on the qualifying sheet, actually stage but fail to reach the finish line is an incomplete qualifying pass-assigned a 28 second E.T. but is on the qualifying sheet.

That also fits the withdrawl from event rules which must be done as an action before reporting to the staging lanes for any qualifying passes.

This is just simply racer and Division Director friendly and updates the ruleset (that should have been done 15 years back when the Sure Start Tree system was installed...getting rid of subjective crap. (I can assure you none of our D.D.'s want to be called an A-hole ever! Not my words).

Please, will someone on the Rules Committee take up the charge...If not next time it will be you it affects. And our sport of Class Racing is all about consistency as much as speed and quickness, our ruleset should be at the very least.

I am sorry Randy that it was you and your brother this time just less than 6 months later. And on a top qualifying pass instead of a Class Wally run.

[Randy Wells]

Originally Posted by Cglrcng

I knew it would happen to someone else soon enough, I didn't know when, and did not expect it to happen this soon (and was sure it has happened before plenty of times), IE; see my thread about the Sure Start Tree this Classracer Section back inApril 2024, and the rules needing updating concerning Qualifying Fields.

There were plenty of thread readers (a really high number of looking viewers but very few willing to comment on it and push for the NHRA rules committee to discuss necessary rules changes long past due to keep the D.D.'s from making inconsistent on the fly at the event calls.

Very few like I said then, were willing to even discuss here in that thread what cost in April the Div. 7 an EF/S Class a 2024 Div. 7 Wally (and save 2-4" my competitor who was pre-staged (Trans. breakage), from fully staging his car (he attempted it, but it -the car under power would not roll forward, only pushed back by hand), in our only qualifying pass Q1, before class competition later. So, even though he left the ready line to make the Q1 attempt, reached the fully pre-staged position, but never actually reached the fully staged and starter go signal (though his side of the tree did by 3rd stage bulb timer sequence of the Sure Start Tree, time him out proven by the red light on the tree when the opposing lane received the go signal from the starter.

They listed him as broke, but not qualified on the Q1 sheet. (Later but before C-1 he asked the DD to withdraw (on site the answer was reportedly a no answer, changed only days later post event to a withdrawl and his entry fees to be applied to a future event.

Back to the on-site DD ruling (since he was not qualified), that pushed my EF/S entry over into the Auto Combo costing the Div. 7 an EF/S Class champ in 2024 w/ 2 cars having both left the ready line in Q1 of our only qualifying attempt before Class Elims.

So, without the rules updating, here you have 3 conflicting rules (1. Ready Line crossing...Racer must be ready to make the attempt of the qualifying pass), (2. Sure Start Tree Process - Starter throws switch arming the tree, 2 racers and 3rd stage bulb activates the tree starting the fully staged timer / timeout process), and 3. Qualifying Process- In order to call it a qualifying pass you must be fully staged and receiving the Starter Go signal), and (4. The incomplete pass qualifyer which assigns an ET of 28 seconds to those qualifying not completing a qualifying pass.) Forcing 2 different Division Director's to make on the fly conflicting and non-consistent at the event decisions (within just 6 months), instead of a dead set published ruleset straight out of the rulebook that can be pointed to that is very consistent and reliable. Racers spend a lot to get there and D.D.'s don't need the headaches any more than we do as racers.

The suggested rule changes are simple. 1. Reach the ready line be ready to race. 2. Cross the ready line you are making the attempt at qualifying. 3. Both racers pre-stage and Starter has activated the Sure Start Tree the Starter Go signal has been given. 4. The 3rd stage bulb activates the Sure Start countdown timers. 5. Fail to fully stage is a red light no time DQ that is assigned a 28 second qualifying attempt but is a paid entry on the qualifying sheet, actually stage but fail to reach the finish line is an incomplete qualifying pass-assigned a 28 second E.T. but is on the qualifying sheet.

That also fits the withdrawl from event rules which must be done as an action before reporting to the staging lanes for any qualifying passes.

This is just simply racer and Division Director friendly and updates the ruleset (that should have been done 15 years back when the Sure Start Tree system was installed...getting rid of subjective crap. (I can assure you none of our D.D.'s want to be called an A-hole ever! Not my words).

Please, will someone on the Rules Committee take up the charge...If not next time it will be you it affects. And our sport of Class Racing is all about consistency as much as speed and quickness, our ruleset should be at the very least.

I am sorry Randy that it was you and your brother this time just less than 6 months later. And on a top qualifying pass instead of a Class Wally run.

Agree Gary, these decisions should not be left to the DDs, there is nothing in the rule book that mentions the Ready Line except you can't change suspension settings, and must have your PPE on.. There is, rulings can be made by the DDs and NHRA. I work in a profession where everything is in writing, no gray areas period. If the rule book said once you pass the ready line, you have commited to the run. I would of loaded the car up, but it doesn't, I had a DD in another devision that let me make a Q run when the car quit running while driving into the water box, pushed it out fixed it went to the end of the line and made the run. Oh by the way, I went back up to the tower after I cooled down a apologized to the DD, told him I was sorry he gave me an evil look and told me to leave the track, I said I am really sorry loaded up and left, I am sure I have a target on my back now, oh well, I have plenty of hobbies, drag racing is just one of them.

Randy Wells
I/S 5628