Things that sucked at BG '07

[Blazer406]

I'll start....

1.) Test and Tune
Don't publish test and tune hours if you don't want cars to come to the staging lanes during those times.

We were working our @sses off trying to chase down gremlins so we could make a pass with the black T6 powered IROC.... and Friday.... the staging lanes closed like 2 hours before T&T ended. Saturday was similar.... T&T was supposed to be from like 10 AM to 5 PM.... heck... by 2PM the starter said no T&T...they were through.... they did let us make a couple passes in-between the bracket cars running.... but I'm sure there was others in the same situation as well that didn't get to run....

We had a good time... and will be back next year... I just wish they would expand the track hours some.... along with T&T. We could have had a blast to 9 or 10 PM every night....

 

[65malibuss]

I had a similar problem.
Almost everyday about an hour before the track closed they wouldn't allow cars with drag radials to make any runs.
Only cars with full race slicks were allowed in the staging lanes.
They should tell us this rule before hand.

However, I can't really complain.

I don't know of any other event where I can run my car every day for 5 days straight. I got about 30 runs in and participated in both the B4 bracket class and the HOC hybrid class.

 

[BillyRValentine]

I'll start....

1.) Test and Tune
Don't publish test and tune hours if you don't want cars to come to the staging lanes during those times.

The staging lanes were only down for either track prep or for slick only passes and those types of issues are hard to determine as it really depends on when most of the heavy hitters are ready.

We were working our @sses off trying to chase down gremlins so we could make a pass with the black T6 powered IROC.... and Friday.... the staging lanes closed like 2 hours before T&T ended. Saturday was similar.... T&T was supposed to be from like 10 AM to 5 PM.... heck... by 2PM the starter said no T&T...they were through.... they did let us make a couple passes in-between the bracket cars running.... but I'm sure there was others in the same situation as well that didn't get to run....

That is not entirely accurate. I did close down the lanes for radial and drag radial cars towards the end (3:30-PM) so that the cars with slicks could get some time on a fresh track without having the radials tear it up. You have to understand that some folks will drive right through the water box on radials even after being asked not to and drag water right up to the starting line or do a John Force style burnout on a radial tire right past the starting line. That tears up a track and then we have to fix it. The high powered cars that need a decent track to hook up on wait patiently most of the test and tune session for some track time on a decent surface so as to be able to log data for the next days events. As such I am obliged to work with them some and do not believe that an hour to an hour and a half out of the entire T&T session is too much to give them. I was the one who allowed ya'll to run in between rounds because I realized you were broke most of the regular T&T session even after being somewhat blasted by the older gent that was with you. I didn't take offense to it, I simply explained to him that I was working ya'll in and that the two cars that were allowed to run in front of you happened while I was taking a leak. I do have to pee sometime; ya know?

We had a good time... and will be back next year... I just wish they would expand the track hours some.... along with T&T. We could have had a blast to 9 or 10 PM every night....

I would love to expand T&T sessions but the problem is this. We only have the track during certain hours and to run to 9 or 10-PM would have our staff at the track some 13-14 hours only to have to get up and do it all over again all week. We need a little down time. :biggrin:

I had one gent call me an @sshole (Which I found awful ballsy considering my size and usual temperment.) for shutting down the lanes and hour and 15 minutes early. I explained to him that it was only 15 minutes early and he told me I was wrong. When I showed him the clock on my phone there was no apology or anything, such is life. I closed the lanes 15 early on race day in order to finish out what was already in the lanes so that we could have them all cleared out by 11-AM.

I hope ya'll do come back and maybe run the Hybrid class after all. Until next year.......................

Jim C. - GSCA Race Director

 

[BillyRValentine]

I had a similar problem.
Almost everyday about an hour before the track closed they wouldn't allow cars with drag radials to make any runs.
Only cars with full race slicks were allowed in the staging lanes.
They should tell us this rule before hand.

However, I can't really complain.

I don't know of any other event where I can run my car every day for 5 days straight. I got about 30 runs in and participated in both the B4 bracket class and the HOC hybrid class.

Jeff, see my response below regarding the issue of getting some time for the slick cars on a fresh surface. I do like your ride and hope to see you again next year. BTW, don't you need to change the time in your sig? I could have sworn I saw you make an 11.9x pass or am I mistaken?

Jim C. - GSCA Race Director

 

[65malibuss]

The 11.9x pass was not real.
The 60 foot time on that pass was like 1.1x and the mph was only 106.
I think that was Wednesday or Thursday morning and the right lane was not measuring ET properly.
Myself and a few other guys went upstairs and talked to someone about it and it was fixed within a half hour or so.

 

[65malibuss]

In regards to the drag radial vs. slick time - that was explained to me when I was pulling into the lanes and I didn't have a problem with it. If possible, it would be a good idea to put a note about that in next years official program booklet so everyone is aware ahead of time. I'll definitely be back next year and hopefully the Impala will be faster by then.

Were you one of the guys with the pink hats?

 

[Sydwyndr]

The staging lanes were only down for either track prep or for slick only passes and those types of issues are hard to determine as it really depends on when most of the heavy hitters are ready.



That is not entirely accurate. I did close down the lanes for radial and drag radial cars towards the end (3:30-PM) so that the cars with slicks could get some time on a fresh track without having the radials tear it up. You have to understand that some folks will drive right through the water box on radials even after being asked not to and drag water right up to the starting line or do a John Force style burnout on a radial tire right past the starting line. That tears up a track and then we have to fix it. The high powered cars that need a decent track to hook up on wait patiently most of the test and tune session for some track time on a decent surface so as to be able to log data for the next days events. As such I am obliged to work with them some and do not believe that an hour to an hour and a half out of the entire T&T session is too much to give them. I was the one who allowed ya'll to run in between rounds because I realized you were broke most of the regular T&T session even after being somewhat blasted by the older gent that was with you. I didn't take offense to it, I simply explained to him that I was working ya'll in and that the two cars that were allowed to run in front of you happened while I was taking a leak. I do have to pee sometime; ya know?



I would love to expand T&T sessions but the problem is this. We only have the track during certain hours and to run to 9 or 10-PM would have our staff at the track some 13-14 hours only to have to get up and do it all over again all week. We need a little down time. :biggrin:

I had one gent call me an @sshole (Which I found awful ballsy considering my size and usual temperment.) for shutting down the lanes and hour and 15 minutes early. I explained to him that it was only 15 minutes early and he told me I was wrong. When I showed him the clock on my phone there was no apology or anything, such is life. I closed the lanes 15 early on race day in order to finish out what was already in the lanes so that we could have them all cleared out by 11-AM.

I hope ya'll do come back and maybe run the Hybrid class after all. Until next year.......................

Jim C. - GSCA Race Director

I believe that for the most part a good job was done with the exception of track prep on certain days. I also think there would need to be some more announcing when switching from TnT and the actual race to keep everything running smoothly. I did see alot of running around as if some workers seem to have no idea what was going on from minute to minute. It would be nice to run TnT until dark each day.

 

[BillyRValentine]

The 11.9x pass was not real.
The 60 foot time on that pass was like 1.1x and the mph was only 106.
I think that was Wednesday or Thursday morning and the right lane was not measuring ET properly.
Myself and a few other guys went upstairs and talked to someone about it and it was fixed within a half hour or so.

You are right. I found some water in the timing lights. Sorry bout that.

Jim C. - GSCA Race Director

 

[BillyRValentine]

In regards to the drag radial vs. slick time - that was explained to me when I was pulling into the lanes and I didn't have a problem with it. If possible, it would be a good idea to put a note about that in next years official program booklet so everyone is aware ahead of time. I'll definitely be back next year and hopefully the Impala will be faster by then.

Were you one of the guys with the pink hats?

I will make sure to try and get that into the program so it helps clear things up. This was my first year as the Race Director for the GSCA so I am still getting things sorted out for this event. I hope to have it run a little smoother next year.

Yeah, I was the big semi bald dork with the read goatee and the cigar stuck in his face.

Jim C. - GSCA Race Director

 

[BillyRValentine]

I believe that for the most part a good job was done with the exception of track prep on certain days. I also think there would need to be some more announcing when switching from TnT and the actual race to keep everything running smoothly. I did see alot of running around as if some workers seem to have no idea what was going on from minute to minute. It would be nice to run TnT until dark each day.

Nope, I knew what was going on but trying to get people on the radio can be a pain in the butt sometimes. Then you have a constant amount of questions or requests from just about every angle you can imagine. As such, it takes allot of cordination to work it all out. It make look like I am orginizing a Chinese fire drill but as long as it is all smooth on the outside the inside mechanics are secondary if you know what I mean.

As for the announcing, things were announced in a timely fashion and I made sure of that. The issue was actually with the tracks speakers. They had several of them out and as such some of the folks were not getting the announcements. That is why I was on a golf car going pit to pit letting folks know and to get them to spread the word. I spoke with the track owners son Clay to make sure this issue was resolved in the future.

TNT till dark I don't know about. As it stands now we are there 12 hours a day and even longer on race day.

The track sometime will come and go with the heat of the day. When you have that many cars lined up and ready to run the last thing they want to hear is you are going to have to wait even longer so it is a fine line of prepping the track and getting the cars down it.

Jim C. - GSCA Race Director

 

[Lee Thompson]

I was the one who allowed ya'll to run in between rounds because I realized you were broke most of the regular T&T session even after being somewhat blasted by the older gent that was with you.


Who are you calling Old? I'm only 42

 

[BillyRValentine]

I was the one who allowed ya'll to run in between rounds because I realized you were broke most of the regular T&T session even after being somewhat blasted by the older gent that was with you.


Who are you calling Old? I'm only 42

Sorry bout that chief, I meant to say the tall, distinguished gent. :biggrin:

Jim C. - GSCA Race Director

 

[V6RACER]

I will make sure to try and get that into the program so it helps clear things up. This was my first year as the Race Director for the GSCA so I am still getting things sorted out for this event. I hope to have it run a little smoother next year.

Yeah, I was the big semi bald dork with the read goatee and the cigar stuck in his face.

Jim C. - GSCA Race Director

Jim, I want to personally thank you for listening to me and the other TSM racers about the qualifying on Friday. The race on Sat was extremely more organized. Next year we need more/ louder announcements so that we can hear over those loud big blocks...lol :biggrin:

 

[Blazer406]

The staging lanes were only down for either track prep or for slick only passes ....

That is not entirely accurate. I did close down the lanes for radial and drag radial cars towards the end (3:30-PM) so that the cars with slicks could get some time on a fresh track without having the radials tear it up.

I apologize.... however we had slicks.... I called a friend (Quick6-n-KC) who could see the staging lanes... he said there were barrels all across it.... and this was well before T&T was supposed to be closed

......I was the one who allowed ya'll to run in between rounds because I realized you were broke most of the regular T&T session even after being somewhat blasted by the older gent that was with you. I didn't take offense to it, I simply explained to him that I was working ya'll in and that the two cars that were allowed to run in front of you happened while I was taking a leak. I do have to pee sometime; ya know?

I really appreciated that. I also appreciate that people working the race are board members... so they can listen to us carry on about what needs potential changes. Lee was also looking out for our interests knowing what we had been through.... and only wanted us to have the opportunity.... which was given to us. Again... it was me you talked to initially...and you told me to get Alan (88ZNX) to come see you... and you would work him in.... We appreciate that.

I would love to expand T&T sessions but the problem is this. We only have the track during certain hours and to run to 9 or 10-PM would have our staff at the track some 13-14 hours only to have to get up and do it all over again all week. We need a little down time. :biggrin:


I hope ya'll do come back and maybe run the Hybrid class after all. Until next year.......................

Jim C. - GSCA Race Director

IMHO... you need to hire more staff to be able to hold longer hours. It cost alot of money for our group to attend...... hundreds of dollars spent on admission... registration.... etc. for basically one car. I realize the attendance might not be now what it once was.... but the former regime.... got a real bad rep for not giving back to the racers....

IMHO... staff up... and expand the hours (at least through Friday) for T&T....9 AM to 9PM.... that's 12 hours.... and if you must... shorten the T&T hours for cars that are not running slicks.... and publish the hours....

IMHO... there was no reason that people couldn't be testing and tuning while the car show was going on....

In the end we got to make 2 decent passes...maybe next year we won't be fighting so many gremlins...

 

[LV GN]

jim---i think you did a great job and thanks so much for taking care of us when we needed it. Len Freeman :smile: