Live From The St Louis Races
 

Everyone is parked on pavement. Lots of signs “Please do not park on the grass” and you know what everyone is following directions. Only racers on the grass were the ones walking there pets and taking steps to cleanup after there pets. Everything went smoothly without any complaints. Being the optimist we get two Q’s tomorrow and first round Saturday morning.
Later

Any idea what an anti rain dance looks like?

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

How is the weather looking over there?

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On the weather channel we are all green and the ground is all wet. House cleaning and paperwork morning. Good sleeping weather for most with the pitter patter of the rain and the quiet darkness of the morning.

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A tip of the hat to the management. Most if not all of the sportsman parking spots were marked with paint and very well organized. The pro teams kind looked like ants on a sugar cube with everyone doing their particular job in their pit space. We had a chance to see some pro stuff that I have never seen before fuel car headers that start square and exit round. Machine work on the blocs for weight reduction. Screw in plugs for the water jacket or the holes used to get the sand core out. Oil pan shape to help control windage. Quick disconnect ends on the oil lines. Dry sump oil system with a big pan my guess is the team is try to reduce crankcase pressure. I?m probably wrong but I enjoy the game of Why Did They Do That.

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

Most blocks are machined from a sold block or forged block to tighten grain scturer no sand casting in fuel or most alcohol classes

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My apologies for being not clear. It was a N/A cast iron block.

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The rain has finally slowed and maybe stopped. Not sure about if more will make it here or not, but the wind is quite a breeze, so that should help the drying process. Just hope for no further wet stuff.

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Where is Jeff Dona?

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My guess is that he is home in the garage cleaning his trailer / racecar. Of course he may be spraying mosquitos today .. If the weather breaks and it is dry maybe he will take his awesome musclecar out for a spin …No matter what I sincerely doubt he will make time to watch the St. Louis Cardinals today ….

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Dona is the D3 All Stars rep so my guess is he?s going on west after Texas to wrap up another championship, and I sure wouldn?t bet against him.

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We got beat first round after the only qualifying run. Our Q run was bad but it was fair for everyone. Get back to the trailer and realize the inverter is having big issues. Should get something figured out today.

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330 miles later after installing some new batteries we are at NRC having it diagnosed. We got to hear the finals on the radio as we were leaving.

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We drove 670 plus miles in 27 hours with an inverter change, thanks team NRC. We made it back in time to move to the pro pits within the time window allowed by the track. Enough about the old people.

Today is test and tune day for the double Lucas Oil points race. The weather for the week looks very good for racing. If you?re on the fence about competing here load up and come on down. Don?t be sitting in July of next year wishing you had one more grade point race so you can get it to The US Nationals before it closes. With the All Star race next week in Dallas there are some out of division racers that would just love to kick some Div 3 As_.

There is a World Wide Technology app that is available that shows everyone?s time slip. I think it?s a good tool to show me where I need to work on my car.

Ms Sally and crew have the track in great shape, it is clean, plenty of trash cans that are serviced, clean restrooms and port-a-pots.

And Red Man is in the house. What?s not to like?

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Double post

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Lot of racers here for the double. Test and tune went well they even sprayed the track both lanes in the middle of testing. A funny car was testing and went 4.01 seconds. We should get two Q?s today and start racing Thursday. It could be and has been in the past a qualified field in stock before.

I hope the races from the east coast will be able to make it across the mountains.

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

Speaking of the qualified fields in STK, I would appreciate if somebody could drop the sheets in this thread once qualifying is complete!

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

https://www.nhra.com/results/2024/lu...er/super-stock

https://www.nhra.com/results/2024/lu...ock-eliminator

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WOW! What an event. Gateway has become THE place to be seen.

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That is what runs were in Q2, not final results.

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Final qualifying and ladders on DRC now….wow, almost took Indy like runs to get in.

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It's a rain dance danced backwards. Just like country music played backwards. Wife doesn't leave you. Dog comes home and you don't get thrown out if a bar

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Gateway has been through a lot of changes and even more owners. For me, it's a very bright spot in light of what's happening to so many other tracks.

I had never heard of the present owner when he took over, but can't be more impressed. Previously, there was never any local coverage for major events. Now all the outlets are doing prerace stories and coverage during. And the track seems to be consistently high level prep. It looks like he hired excellent staff from top to bottom.

But probably the most significant change (and I have no idea how he pulled it off) was getting the event moved out of the blazing heat of the summer into its present position. Seems like he managed to get everything put into the best possible place.

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A close friend and veteran racer competes at Gateway weekly and has told me the track's prep is first class and his 60' is stellar.

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WTI is a top notch drag strip. 143 stockers, plenty of room.
I finally met Derby City, a real racer and good guy. Nitro Joe walked buy while we were talking and said who is watching classracer, thought that was funny. Having a good time here and it is going to be fast tomorrow morning.
Randy Wells
I/S 5628.

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

Some real good close racing yesterday. A few folks in the top ten trying to improve. I think Travis Booth picked up twenty or so points to help solidify his third place position. Cody Phillips ran into Marion Stephenson in round two to end his day.

Today we get Q1 and go race

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

Larry Sounds like a great track to be at especially since i am the "Ultimate Pit Snob" and "Starting Line Snob" around. Have fun; we enjoyed watching kind of wish I was there, lol

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Love to see this many Stk/SS cars at these events, and I am fortunate to have a car that can make the field, but I feel like if NHRA has more than enough for a 128 car field we should have 2 qualifying attempts min. We pay enough money for these deals, and I know there will prob be a car that doesn?t make the field for some stupid reason, that could make it back and get in on second attempt. Just my 2 cents.

Kevin

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

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

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

Reinhart was talking about it as the run was happening. Saying it was a no-no and the run wasn?t going to count.

Doesn?t matter to me but I think once you are paired up and sent out on the track, that?s it.

I would generally agree that a qualified class should get at least two hits.

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I agree with you but in the heat of the moment, you get heated up. 1 Hit sucks, NHRA starting to bring national event BS into LODRS pts races especially with beautiful weather all weekend. Its ok the car will be sitting number one at the next one, it has more in it if needed. I can guarantee the linkage will never fall of again. And if you want to tear me down I am ready, just tell me your name other wise GFYS, and if you want to f++? with me thats ok I don't own a half million dollar toter home, but I have a best friend that is a killer lawyer. If things don't go right in November its a moot point anyway.

Randy Wells
I/S 5628.

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

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.

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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

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

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

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

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.

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

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.

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

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

Re: Live From The St Louis Races
 

Re: DD inconsistency, at Bakersfield NT?s were just put to bottom of the ladder.

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It was announced at St. Louis that they would have their regular double divisional race in October and an additional double divisional race in early May that will be a Division 5 divisional race!

That sounds great to us!

Patsy & Larry

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You had a run card, and it should have been punched, so you go back and get in line, you card should have been punched.again, . It was still the first session But they didn't punch after a while.

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129 lost 1st round is what I see. Derrick Wyche, sorry if Iam wrong. Derrick was 129 when we were nimber 1,.must of been another no show.
Ryan Rudrick qualified 127 while we were still on the nimber 1 on Q sheet. Ryan made second round

Randy Wells
I/S 5628