Re: Live from Atco , NJ - NHRA Lucas Oil Series
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Re: Live from Atco , NJ - NHRA Lucas Oil Series
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Re: Live from Atco , NJ - NHRA Lucas Oil Series
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Here are some nice actions shots from John DiBartolomeo Editor-DRAG RACING ACTION Magazine http://www.dragracingaction.com/
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Re: Live from Atco , NJ - NHRA Lucas Oil Series
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More pics........
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Re: Live from Atco , NJ - NHRA Lucas Oil Series
I'm absolutely stunned that there were two pages of arguing about the rescheduling date. Back up a sec!
- Why was the event rescheduled? Because they pulled the plug. - Why did they pull the plug? Because the track was deemed unsafe. - Why was the track deemed unsafe? Because multiple cars wrecked (and others didn't wreck, but couldn't get down the track) - Why did multiple cars wreck? Issues with the track surface. Now: What was wrong with the track? Did they have water seepage issues downtrack? That I don't know -- quite possible, given the amount of rain we got leading into the event. If that were the case, they've probably had the same issue at some time in the past, and therefore the result would be predictable, and they should've pulled the plug before the event started. However, regardless of the possibility of water seepage, you had other issues. Someone reported "this track has teeth!". I've heard Atco has a reputation for an outstanding starting line. This weekend wasn't it. If cars hooked well this weekend, it was due to the quality of the cars/tires/chassis setup and not the track. *I* didn't have any problems. My four-cylinder car was just ducky, as well it should be. That doesn't mean that the track was great. Look at the photos: the rubber was spotty at best, and a significant number of guys blew the tires off. No offense, but if you think that track had teeth this weekend, you need to get out of the house more. I think the NHRA Div. 1 crew is a great, experienced group. It's not like they don't know how to prep a track. Think back to a discussion we had earlier this year: Cars have wrecked at NHRA events virtually from coast to coast this year. WHY? I asked that question earlier, "Why, why why?!", and it was suggested to me that "racers should work on their cars". Quite honestly, I think there's an issue with the traction compound, whether its an issue of the right compound being used, the compound being used correctly, or the compound being contaminated. I've heard of similar major issues being caused when the alcohol used to cut the compound mistakenly had top lube in it. It's like skating rink in a can. My issue isn't with the reschedule date (this is the second time I've been to Atco, won first round, and then had the race rescheduled to a time that I couldn't make it back). MY issue is, can someone explain to me why the race had to be rescheduled in the first place, and I mean the ROOT cause? I'm sorry, but if you can't make a track work in 60-65 degree weather on a mostly sunny day, what exactly are you going to do to make the track work two weeks from now? I made three laps in three days. The poor Super Comp guys only made 1 hit! That's just sad. I think we've all been to races with very challenging weather and conditions, and been able to complete the event (or even multiple events). This weekend was like the ill-fated Rockingham World Finals, without the cold weather, the dew, and without intermittent showers the entire weekend. I saw several guys from NC and SC... really? You're going to tell the guys that drove 12 hrs (let alone the guys from around the block) that you can't race when it's sunny and 60+ deg, just come back in two weeks? Good luck with that. I sincerely hope everyone who returns has a safe experience. NOW, all that BS aside... I looked at this weekend as a vacation, and as such, it was a great time. All of the NHRA Div. 1 staff was great as I remembered, and very friendly, from my stint running with them when I first got started in Stock in the late '90s. (H*ll, I think Wiggins is wearing the same big smile as he had the last time I saw him!) I got to see a ton of old friends, and met a ton of new ones. It's got to be the most benchrace-filled weekend I've ever had at a race track, and there were still many folks I wanted to catch up with that I never even got a chance to see. If you want to barbecue and benchrace, NHRA is certainly a great place to do it. I may run a handful of events next year, but realistically, as much as I enjoyed the off-track portion of my vacation, I like to *race* when I go to a race track. Tolls, Entry, Fuel... well, y'know what, it was cheaper than Disney. :p Had a blast. (Don't expect to make any money when I go to Disney either) That said, I'm not going to Disney 12 times a year solely to hang out, and if I were looking at this weekend as a serious racing effort, I would be more than a little ticked. I may go to a few races with them next year, but I'm going to be much more selective, that's for sure. Other notes on the plus side - A big thanks to Billy Nees Race Cars (referring to the multi-national corporate conglomeration obviously, and not Billy himself, as he wouldn't want to be associated with me nor take credit for fixing my carb issue.) - Thanks to Lew, Tom, and JohnD as always for photos! - The rollout was crazy tight there, which was PERFECT for the little car. .014 in the last Q run, and .004 first round! - Thanks to Strange Engineering for the Perfectly Strange Performance Award hat for the dead-on zero run first round! Pics to follow.... |
Re: Live from Atco , NJ - NHRA Lucas Oil Series
Michael,it wasn't a sunny day at all.The sun came out sporadically and the wind was constant for quite some time.When I finally left at about 2 PM it was dead cloudy and the wind calmed down a bit.The weather plain sucked and was not conducive to allowing
high HP cars,whether hitting the starting line or throttle stopping down track,getting good bite. Someone made a point about the super categories expecting to hit that surface with 800+ hp and hooking up.I was also told,by someone who's opinion I fully respect,that some of the recent rash of crashes are due in part to parts failure,due to a lack of preventive maintenance. I totally agreed with the decision to postpone the event before any more incidents happened.By condolences go out to the three racers who had mishaps during the weekend. |
Re: Live from Atco , NJ - NHRA Lucas Oil Series
If they can't make the track good enough to race on in cool dry weather, then we need to not race there in the fall and race somewhere else that can handle all race cars.......like Maple Grove or Englishtown!!! I've raced at Hagerstown on colder days and nights and never had an issue!!!
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Re: Live from Atco , NJ - NHRA Lucas Oil Series
Good points Michael,
But I sure wish they could have rescheduled on Saturday the 16th rather than Friday the 15th.. I believe roughly 60% of the entries remain, couldn't they have finished this all on Saturday and into Sunday the 17th if need be? I also try to look at it like a vacation and I love racing but not all of us can keep getting off for rescheduled events. I personally hate it but perhaps they could have made the rest of the race 1/8th mile on Sunday and then could have finished the race with a stout bottom end track prep? I run alot of the bracket races at Atco and it is usually one of the best tracks as far as bite. Just too much rain preceding this event I guess? Anyways, as the cold weather approaches, I really don't know how alcohol cars will get down the track in two weeks, I am nervous for them. Quote:
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Re: Live from Atco , NJ - NHRA Lucas Oil Series
Track was very good all day saturday , sunday is a mystery , stopped raining friday around 2pm ????
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Re: Live from Atco , NJ - NHRA Lucas Oil Series
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While there were clouds in the sky, I refer to this as "mostly sunny". This was taken after they called the race. I'm a freeze-baby, and I was in a t-shirt as I loaded up. http://www.staginglight.com/photos/a...ce_called2.jpg But anyway.... here's some more pics from the weekend. Here's what we *started* with, Friday morning: http://www.staginglight.com/photos/a...iday_track.jpg http://www.staginglight.com/photos/a...day_track2.jpg http://www.staginglight.com/photos/atco10/lanes.jpg http://www.staginglight.com/photos/a...smo_lanes2.jpg http://www.staginglight.com/photos/atco10/track.jpg |
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