[thomas sheehan]

I'll start this off by saying I love racing at INDY.

but.....

Here were two common complaints from numerous (stock and ss) competitors at this years race.
NO.. NOT THE WEATHER.

#1 - Trying to get 170+ racers paired up for class eliminations is a complete joke. Who dreamed this "ladder" system up for class. It just doesn't work at this race. The NHRA crew can't handle it... just send everyone down their class lane and let the racers handle it like they did for the last 50 years. if you think it worked so well.... you weren't there.

#2 - The "Artificial Cooling" police were on high alert (in the staging lanes). Anyone "caught" with ice bags were told to leave the lanes, or get them off. No "chillers" allowed in the lanes either. Chillers I can understand... but ice bags have been around for years. If someone screws up and leaves ice on (and spills it on the track), dq 'em. Don't bust everyone's balls for cooling an intake like they have done before.

ps... you could park on the road just outside the lanes and cool all you wanted (chillers or ice)!!! Now, guess how many cars want to run up there and line up in the lanes while everyone else gets to cool down back outside the lanes. This will cause major backups just outside of the lanes.... major issue!