Track is making up rules

[Jeff Goss]

Originally Posted by cicero819

Mr Marvetz, slow your car down to 12:15, Congrats. on beating Don Elgin, one of the greats of the sports, anytime you beat Don Elgin you've accomplished something. I have to agree with the track, don't break out of your index, if it's 12:00 to 12:99 and you go 11:99 I'm sorry but you broke out. If you want to be the fastest than you're taken your chances. Are you trying to be the fastest to have the benefit of the first to red light or just seeing your opponent all the way? Either way they are right, and you have to play by their rules, it's only fair. I've raced in this context many years ago and I made sure that my car wouldn't run any faster than 12:03 flat out. Claude

The issue is, that has never been the rule. A track manager selectively chose to change the way it had always been run. Read the NHRA Summit E.T. Racing rules. It says nothing about a breakout-only the 12.00 limit in Sportsman.

Phil has a gripe here. It again comes down to interpretation of NHRA rules.

[cicero819]

Jeff I was thinking of specific index such as 12:00 to 12:99 and 11:00 to 11:99 If this was explained at the beginning of the year at the racers meeting than it's whatever the track owner sets as his rules. Dale Wilson former editor of Bracket Racing USA had an article on the subject many years ago dealing with this problem and his recommendation was to go to the track management and ask for the rules of his track( every time you went to a new track). Now if the management is changing what is their official rules halfway through the year, now that is different. Just go to another track if one is available. Claude

[Jeff Goss]

Originally Posted by cicero819

Jeff I was thinking of specific index such as 12:00 to 12:99 and 11:00 to 11:99 If this was explained at the beginning of the year at the racers meeting than it's whatever the track owner sets as his rules. Dale Wilson former editor of Bracket Racing USA had an article on the subject many years ago dealing with this problem and his recommendation was to go to the track management and ask for the rules of his track( every time you went to a new track). Now if the management is changing what is their official rules halfway through the year, now that is different. Just go to another track if one is available. Claude

Claude, I completely understand what you are saying. If that was how the rules were presented, at the beginning of the year, then all is good.

The rest of the NHRA tracks-that compete in the NHRA's Summit E.T. Racing Series-do not do it the same way. This presents a problem. Mission Raceway is among the elite in the Division, and to have the rules change mid-way-without the input from the racers (which is the way they always have done it)-undermines the Mission Team's ability to compete on a level playing field, and alienates the racers.

If NHRA did this as a wide, sweeping change of the rules across the Nation, then I would agree that everyone is in the same boat. But, to change at one track-on the whim of a Manager- is unacceptable.

This is why tracks have Class representatives. Apparantly, they were not advised of the proposed rule change.

I have no dog in this fight, but right is right.

[larry dowty]

sorry phillip i didnt get what you were saying, if they go faster than 12.00 in sportsman they should loose period

[Mickey Whaley]

disqualify everyboby then they can shut the gate because of this steupid *** rule?

[Phillip marvetz]

Originally Posted by cicero819

Mr Marvetz, slow your car down to 12:15, Congrats. on beating Don Elgin, one of the greats of the sports, anytime you beat Don Elgin you've accomplished something. Claude

I didn't beat Don, He let me have it. Our win/lose ratio is in his favor by a long ways. I ran 12.01 flat out trying to catch him so it's not like I was holding a tenth all day. The car picked up a few hundredths after first round and I got lucky on 2 double breakout races. .008 in the 3rd round.
That's when this all started, The head of tech stopped the fellow from 3rd round and told him he should protest me. He refused to protest the race but did go ask the race director what the rule was, They both went thru rulebook and couldn't find anything. The race director came to me next and my response was that the tech was mistaken about the rule. He then went to the tech guy and they went to section 2 page 6 and decided they could use that rule. That rule is for .90 class cars at NHRA event's though, Not Summit E.T bracket cars. I pointed this out but the tech guy won't hear any of it from me. The race director was supposed to contact NHRA for more info and get back to me. A few day's later this new rule is posted on the website.
I can slow the car down and be safe but that really isn't the point. I just want them to do what's right, Not cram a made up rule down our throats. They could have called a meeting of the sportsman racers or consulted with the class reps for input.
The funny thing is last year was dominated by cars dialing the bottom of the index, not this year though. A lot of the slow cars have won, Jim Mantle even took me out the first weekend with his Pacer.
I know they can do whatever they want but this seems unnecessary and not very well thought out.

It is a club owned track but none of the members race in sportsman as far as I know so I don't think that is the reason, Unlike Bremerton

Dion, I've won 2 out of 7 completed races so far, There were 3 cancelled races also. Are you coming down for the National open?

[Toby Lang]

Originally Posted by Phillip marvetz

He then went to the tech guy and they went to section 2 page 6 and decided they could use that rule. That rule is for .90 class cars at NHRA event's though, Not Summit E.T bracket cars.

I don't see how this rule is similar to the rule for .90 cars. A .90 car can run .80s all day long and still win the race. Under the new Mission rule if two cars racing each other both have one warning and they both run under the class minimum, they both should be disqualified.

The new Mission rule is totally made up and has no basis in the NHRA rulebook.


-Toby

[Mark Yacavone]

Could someone please explain the reasoning or rationale behind a rule such as this?
That is, providing the car passes the safety and tech rules for the next higher class.

[larry dowty]

phillip just me but if you go faster then 12.00 you should be out, i see know reason to let you go 11.99 and win, if you both go 11.99 both are out.

[cicero819]

Originally Posted by Phillip marvetz

I know this is a bracket race problem but just wanted to put it out here for all to see and get your feed back.

My home track has decided to make up a rule about breakouts.

"As of July 9th, MRP will be following the rules for breakouts as are printed in the NHRA 2011 rulebook on Page 6, with the following exception. This rule will apply to all Bracket Catagories. If a competitor breaks out of his posted index, he will be warned the first time and will be disqualified the second time. This warning will apply for the year, not for each individual race."

The head of tech thinks that the rule for the .90 class cars should apply to the brackets cars also and has rammed this down our throats.


I have been fighting the good fight on this one trying to make them see how the rule does not apply to bracket cars but have not gotten them to back down yet. It's on the team forum at www.teammission.com if any one has any input.

Phillip, please read your post again, you've asked for some feedback and people have obliged. You might not like what you're hearing but you're getting feedback, plus you're receiving quality answer from one of the most respected Bracket Racer and writer in the Drag Racing community in Bret Kepner. I would listen to what he has to say if he gaved me his opinion I would be listening, he's definitely not a smarty pants. We all understand your problem, you have to just figure who has the bigger stick at the end.Claude Ruel