questions concerning christmas tree

[bill dedman]

Alan,

All the complaining in the world about the problems you mentioned has nothing to do with this issue.

If you think it's not important, then, ignore it. It's not worth your time.

I think it's a mole hill, but one that people have been tripping over for 36 years, and it's time to level it out, and level the playing field, in the process.

Doing so, won't affect any of the many other problems you mentioned in the slightest... one way, or another.

In all your verbiage, you still have not come up with one single reason NOT to fix it... none. Even YOU can't logically defend keeping this lopsided rule in effect.

That is very telling.

Glendora couldn't care less, I am sure; if they cared, it would have been fixed long ago.

I'm not holding my breath...

Thanks for your comments.

[bill dedman]

Originally Posted by Ed Fernandez

>>>You own it,but do you race it in S/SS?

I believe I told you that I can't afford a class car. Do you even read my posts, or do you just scatter-shot them, hoping to find a loophole? Do you think that when I race, because I'm not running an NHRA Stock Eliminator car, I am somehow, magically immune to the universally-accepted FIRST RED LIGHT rule?

Let me clue you in; I'm not. If I race against a quicker (bracket) car, and I red light, he never gets his chance to.

I asked Alan, where is the other side of THAT coin; he never answered me (couldn't, because there IS none...) Maybe YOU can tell me... How about it???

>>>I don't believe you have any grade points for 2008-2009.So you are basically an ex racer who is now a key board racer.

What am I doing in the picture I posted; eating Wheaties? I beat that Mustang, BTW....

Just because someone is not running an NHRA class car, doesn't mean he's not racing...

>>>Your constant blathering about every aspect of our racing can in fact be picked up by the wrong yahoos in Glendora and have changes that affect us.Key board racers will not feel the effects of these changes.

I would surely hope that they pick up on THIS one, so that guys like you. who are the first to leave the majority of the time, will start getting a fair shake. You may not want to admit it (for reasons beyond my understanding),but you've NEVER gotten a fair deal, unless you ran against a slower car, and that doesn't happen too often, in your class.


>>>>So reminiscing about the old days is fine but you don't have a dog in the fight anymore.

You're mistaken; every time I pull up to the line to run a quicker car, I get screwed by the same system that's screwing you.... but, you don't know it.

There's just no reason to let it continue. I can't get anyone to tell me one, anyway.

..

[442OLDS]

Bill,

You have done an excellent job of expressing your viewpoint in this debate.


I have given this issue a lot of thought,and I have come to the conclusion that unless the race is a double redlight situation,it really makes no difference.


I also have come up with the conclusion that if two drivers redlight,they should BOTH be out.
I don't care if it is a .001 red to a .500 red,you redlight....YOU LOSE...PERIOD.

[bill dedman]

Thanks for the comments. I'm going to have to think about that one for awhile...

What if it happens in the Final???

NO WINNER??????

NHRA would LOVE that (getting to keep the prize money for themselves!!!)

LOL!

Ah, the possibilities...

[Ed Fernandez]

It still comes down to the fact that you are BRACKET RACING not CLASS RACING.Go and tell it to the guys in the bracket racing section.
Oh,and you don't get or need grade points to bracket race.

[Mark Yacavone]

"Do you want to know why a lot of us don't give a damn about this mole hill you are desperately trying to make into Mount Everest? I'll tell you why. Because there are a lot of real problems, that are very serious problems for a lot of racers."

Yes, Alan ,I agree, but this thread is about Christmas tree issues. Ones that affect a lot more racers than those in S/SS.

I suppose I could look at the first redlight thing from both sides.
I haven't sold the Mustang yet, so if I race it next year, I'll be leaving first about 99.9% of the time. Therefore ,I should want the rule changed because it might benefit ME.
But ,on the other hand I'm putting together a 62 Tempest A/FX tribute car to run in Sportsman (12.0 and slower) next year. I don't plan on ever leaving first with that one. So I could say "leave things alone...it's been working fine for 46 years, etc.
Not changing the rule would benefit ME with my bracket car.

Which way would benefit ME more? ... I really don't care about that at all . I would vote for what's best for the sport in the long run.
I would say that would be to change the software to a WORSE , rather than a FIRST redlight rule.

If someone could convince me otherwise...that this would not be a positive step for the sport as a whole, I'd like to hear it. I haven't heard anything so far.

[bill dedman]

Ed,
RE your comment: "It still comes down to the fact that you are BRACKET RACING not CLASS RACING.Go and tell it to the guys in the bracket racing section."

Show me the difference in the outcome in a Bracket race and a handicapped Stock/Super Stock race if I am the first car to leave, and I red light.

There IS NO DIFFERENCE!

In BOTH CASES, the first car to leave has been ruled the LOSER, without the other car ever having a chance to face the same red light jeopardy as I faced.

It's not an equitable situation in EITHER race; The first to leave is screwed, in both cases.

There is another BB on this site for people who actually run a class car with a permanent number. You can't post there, unless you have one. I can't post there, because my racing is just Bracket variety....

This site is for people like me; it's available to anyone who has pictures, stories, and ideas that they feel might be of interest, or for discussion. That's why this site exists.

I am certain that NHRA is oblivious to me, and has no interest at all in what I say here. My "blathering", as you call it, might be read by them at some point, but if it's really just "blathering," then they will have ZERO interest in it. My comments and ideas are directed at people who RACE (Bracket OR Class), who have the ability to think for themselves and who might be open to new ideas.

As I said, it took me a long time (weeks, actually) to be able to grasp the way this works, simple though it may be, because I was so "set in my ways" and steeped in tradition. I'm sure the poor guy explaining it to me ran out of patience, long before I finally "got it".... because it had always been the "other" way.

I would hope that if enough racers get wind of this method of running the red light program, which favors NOBODY, tthat THEY will pressure NHRA to change it, but that may take years, if EVER....

I'm not holding my breath...

[bill dedman]

Thanks, Mark, for a very well-put, and insightful post. I wish everybody could see it like you do; you truly grasp all the aspects of the situation.

Is your A/FX car a '63 421 clone? Is it a station wagon or a coupe???

Those cars were awesome. Too bad the transaxle wasn't up to the job.... I think it was made from 2 Corvair Powerglide cases, and had great ratios; and, if I remember correctly, was available with a clutch OR a converter!!! Ultimately, though, nearly all were replaced with a live rear axle and a B & M-type Hydro, I have read.

Can't wait to see your car. Is it on a website, anywhere?

Thanks for any information....

[John Kelley]

Originally Posted by 442olds

i have given this issue a lot of thought,and i have come to the conclusion that unless the race is a double redlight situation,it really makes no difference. .

uhh.......if the first car redlights...the other car can only get a green light even if he vleaves early........no chance of a double red light....

[Ed Fernandez]

Only in a perfect world............................................. .................................................. ..............