Live From The St Louis Races

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Originally Posted by Randy Wells

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

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.