Lane Choice

[voltdr]

Originally Posted by Larry Hill

I always want to have a coin flip for lane choice. That way there is no problem if if some one wants to change lanes before pulling into the water box.

It's a rule: flip for lanes

I agree with Larry. Just because we may agree on a lane back in the staging lanes, something may happen to want me to change my mind. Without lane choice, it's a source for an argument later on. Usually I will just start the conversation with, "Do you want to flip the coin or call it?" Or if they insist on asking which lane I want, I just say "their lane".
Dan

[Jon Sarrett]

Originally Posted by voltdr

I agree with Larry. Just because we may agree on a lane back in the staging lanes, something may happen to want me to change my mind. Without lane choice, it's a source for an argument later on. Usually I will just start the conversation with, "Do you want to flip the coin or call it?" Or if they insist on asking which lane I want, I just say "their lane".
Dan

This is only the second time I've heard something like that. I've never heard of doing it that way. You win the flip, you own the lane. I was told one time that I will let you know what lane I want when I pull around to the water box....uhhhh, no.

[voltdr]

The person that has lane choice can change lanes right up until they go into the waterbox. Not sure if it is still in the rulebook or not, but it used to say that the person without lane choice should wait until the other driver pulls into their lane before going forward.
Dan

[jadaniels1517]

It seems then, many of the AH races have not been paying attention about how lame choice works at Indy for class elimination. For the last 15 years we have been going to Indy, it has always been faster car gets lame choice.

Upon an incident in the staging lanes during eliminations, one of my crew members asked an official in the staging lanes to call up to the tower and ask race control. Race control stated that faster car gets lane choice. I further went on to ask Bucky Hess about how he determines lanes choice since he has been class racing for a long time; he stated that it has always been fast car gets lane choice. Bucky has been racing Hemi cars before the Dodge/Mopar Hemi Challenge existed at Indy and longer than many of the driver in the class and he determines lane choice exactly how I thought it is done. I have not been the fastest car before and upon that, I was told which lanes my competitor wanted and I took the other lane. This has happen more than once to me as well and I am okay with it. That is how it has been for years.

Now during the regular eliminator, yes, flipping a coin in how lane choice is decided. In the eliminator, most times, you are running a car completely unlike yours, therefore, if you are the faster car it would be unfair to give lane choice to the faster car. However, when class racing, especially in SS/AH, all of the cars are the same and they have the same engine combinations. Thus, the faster car has always gotten lane choice.

There was no bullying that had occurred for lanes choice. If I remember correctly, a coin was flipped and that person won their desired lane. This driver is the only person I have ran into that has thought differently. From the conversation with this driver about lane choice, they came over to me and actually bullied me into flipping a coin in hopes of trying to throw me off and get into my head.

Furthermore, it always seems that someone has something to say about the cars that live in Pennsylvania. Someone is usually constantly make a joke or comment about our cars and trying to attack us in one way or another. Instead, we try to not play into the drama and games but use that as determination and motivation to work on our stuff and make it the best it can possibly be.

Please watch this video from 2016 and fast forward to 3:45. Listen to what the announcer says. https://www.facebook.com/DanielsRaci...9417143500479/

Jealousy seems to play a big role in this class and it is unfortunate.

Thanks

[voltdr]

In a race where it is "heads-up" who gets to the finish line first, I think the faster car should have lane choice.
Dan

[Crew Chief]

Originally Posted by jadaniels1517

.Upon an incident in the staging lanes during eliminations, one of my crew members asked an official in the staging lanes to call up to the tower and ask race control. Race control stated that faster car gets lane choice. .

Race control needs to read their rulebook rather than spout off a rule from memory. It is clearly stated in the 2018 NHRA rulebook in section 2 page 7 about lane choices. Only in the Pros, Alcohol Dragster and Funnycar, Pro Mod, TS and TD, and Comp does lane choice goes to the faster car. "In all other categories, competing drivers are to determine lane choice by a flip of the coin or a randon-draw lane assignment."

If you did not get to flip a coin for lane choice...YOU GOT SCREWED.

[Lenny5160]

With no rulebook or background information on the class, I would expect a heads-up, qualified field race such as the Hemi Shootout or Factory Stock Showdown would determine lane choice by who was qualified higher or quicker in the previous round.

In the eliminator, agreement or coin flip.

[Dyno]

I did get a coin toss for the lane choice, but the other camp was not happy about it. I also confirmed with Bruce B, he was in the tear down barn, that the faster racer did NOT get lane choice and a coin toss was the correct call. It all turned out well and just because something was done incorrectly before, does not mean it should continue. This is meant to be informative and not punitive. Congrats to the Daniels/Barton team on their 3rd SS/AH win. Dyno

[tim worner]

I flipped a coin one time and the guy called left had I been quick enough I would have said no it's right

[Mike Pearson]

I usually try to make my time runs in the more unpopular lane. Typically there is one lane or the other that the majority of the guys want to run. I pick the other and that way I usually get my lane no matter the outcome of the coin toss. I have raced a few one being Mr. Skillman that just said take what ever lane I wanted. He is a real gentleman for sure. I have never had a problem with lane choice with any of the racers I have been paired with. That's why we are called Sportsman.