The Compulink AUTO START System once armed to :ON

[Cglrcng]

While I was not actively racing in 2008-2009 (I raced actively from 1975- early1997), then back again in 2023-).

I was actively watching that 2.5 decades, and remember when it went into effect and read, watched everything I could fully expected to return to the sport I love. Here is the article from 2009 explaining the changes.

https://competitionplus.com/featured...s-tree-routine

I made a mistake above, 3 different variations of the code are actually (Pro's, Pro Stock, and all the rest of us Sportsman), and each has minor reasonable slight timing differences, and all once the 3rd bulb actually activates the tree are slightly variable, to keep the guessing game to a minimum emulates human involvement (within reasonable tiny increments, without actually having a human involved beyond throwing the switch to arm the system to :ON!! Then no timers start till both pre-staged, then boom 1 driver will trigger it by lighting bulb 3. (Compter and last driver in hybrid control, but time is running to foul countdown), The Ghost of world famous Buster Couch RIP, is telling you get your butt in, stage already! Quit playing staging games.

[Cglrcng]

This all boils down to 3 easy to follow steps now (and has since NHRA season start 2009).

1.Track is checked and cleared, Starter gives go signal to drivers to pre-stage and throws Compulink Auto Start switch to armed:On!!

2. Drivers both pre-stage.

3. First driver to stage turns on bulb 3, and activates the "reasonable" last to stage countdown timer, and activates the tree. The computer Sure Start timing system takes full control. (Though the starter always maintains control of competitors (hand signal commands, voice, etc....plus has E-stop control to override the computer in case of emergency, breakage, etc).

Fairness is assured. It is a very simple system, faster, more efficient, more fair, dang near flawless. And it has been in place now almost 15 years...

So, what is the problem and why did this old dumb geezer even bring it up?

I love the system, I will eventually go to my grave, and I don't think the system will be replaced with anything better I can think of, not a single thing need ever be done to the Compulink Sure Start System.

But there is 1 flaw in my opinion. And it isn't a hypothetical issue, it is a real issue. And it can, and should be fixed. It needs to be fixed soon in my opinion, and it really isn't hard to do.

And it does not concern the Compulink Sure Start System, but NHRA itself (who never asked for it, the drivers did), and NHRA allowed it, tried it, liked it, and installed it, made it a permanent part of the game we play...they allowed the sport to evolve,, and evolve much fairer..

Then, for nearly 15 years failed to update the rules reflecting "Race Proceedures." In the NHRA Rulebook.

What in heck is this idiot talking about....?

[Bobby Fazio]

And then there's this lol!

https://www.facebook.com/reel/761688246114778

[Cglrcng]

Oh Bobby, you are killing me brother, I don't have Fakebook, ok where was that Final so I can find it please and watch it, as you have my curiosity up on overdrive. Ty

[Cglrcng]

I got past the login window. Either the Sure Start switch was not thrown, which technically does not require it to be thrown until at least both are pre-staged (the guy in the left lane absolutely went deep, backed up, then re staged, easily seen), or it was not used (the Sure Start System at that track), or the starter had his head anywhere but in the game and on the job at hand. Please tell me that was not called a good race for driver in the left lane.

[Cglrcng]

Ok, I feel like I am standing on a bridge over a river, a lot of racers are standing around up here, I think some of you, at least 10, have participated in the thread, and ty to every one of the 10, some multiple posts, but we have almost 4 000 views so far, lots of people have their phones out just taking video.

Some of you for sure in my mind know exactly what's next, maybe many don't but I am not jumping in the river, I am going to calmly walk across the bridge, full steam ahead, alone if necessary, just hoping I have company in the end.

When I was 18 and first cracked open an NHRA Rulebook that was borrowed, I was able to prep my racecar so well for my first trip to the track, not as a longtime fan, but as a future racer, and tech was a breeze (just 1- 2 min repair), and I was tetched and ready to race.

Why, because published rules are great. Unless you find (especially if accidentally), a conflict in the rules. And if you do, it is your responsibility to publicize it, point it out. And attempt to get it changed. Rules should reflect reality, not fantasy.

[Cglrcng]

Let's look at race proceedure rules, does anyone even see in that section the mention of the Compulink Sure Start System as used in "Qualifying?"

What does the "Qualifying"section read?

Does that section reflect the reality of before, or after the addition of the Compulink Sure Start System?

It isn't that hard to fix the rules to reflect reality, it is simply adding the system, and moving a few words around, to actually reflect the reality of real world the way it is now, oh yeah, and has been for the last 15 yrs., and keep Division Directors from having to make on the fly decisions for no good reasons (when weird stuff happens), if the wording reflects reality.

Ok, not a hypothetical situation, real world, On Saturday April 20, 2024 (2 racers in EF/S Class woke up at Las Vegas and both were entered to run in D7-4 the 2nd race of a double w/class racing. But Q1 is first and just before 8:30 AM, see the Div 7 NHRA Saturday at Las Vegas replay of live feed on youtube, and move slider to 44:00. Start it and stop it at 45:00 (ok my angle, I am at the ready line, in the right lane, getting ready to watch my scheduled only competitor in EF/S make his Q1 pass (our class race is due to happen in a few hrs C1which is also Q2. Now start the vid, watch the tree, and the car in the left lane Bill O'Conner in his Slow Roller. At 45:54 what do you see? Pre-stage and red correct?

Ok, now, the camera did not show all, here is what I saw, the 2 competitors both pre-staged, Farmer on the right staged, O'Conner in left lane attempted to stage, but the car would not roll forward, he was attempting to, from side view just before Farmer leaves, and after O'Conner hand comes up off the steering wheel as he just timed out and got a red light foul, but he was just a few inches from fully staged, tyranny was broke. I have seen a pic of the shrapnel in his pan, no doubt in my head what happened, we have same transaxle, carrier pin dropped out of the spider gears.

At that point in time, I had no idea what happened except it was not good, and I am headed out next, 1 pr between us. And I am still looking at his pre stage bulb and red on at 45:58 right now. And Farmer is just entering the 1,000 ft beams. At 46:03 car is locked in forward and reverse, as starter begins rocking it.

Then the race timer hits the screen at 46:08., and they back his car off.

Question of the day...Was that a legal qualifying attempt?

Back to my view, they both Pre-Staged, Farmer staged, O'Conner attempted to stage, 2 times, then timed out red, tree activated and came down on both sides, and for a split second O'Conner side had Pre-Stage Blue upper/white line lit plus green plus red. By the time camera view went from Side view Farmer front bumper in the air to the rear view again, it was pre-stage left plus red, car stuck, never fully staged. The Compulink Sure Start System :On found him after that 3rd light turned on. (It happened to him, I am just affected outside of feeling horrible for him after I find out why later, bur I am only tangentially highly affected later).