151 replies to this topic

[OrangeCrush86]

I would like a flagger to chime in. Do you actually know how many cars fit on the starting straight at whichever track you are at? Throwing the green before everyone one is in line and collected is dangerous in my opinion. My first car contact in SM was from someone hanging back and "anticipating" the green.

 

Maybe I just got spoiled by the incredibly tight start formations of karting.

[Peter Olivola]

I would like a flagger to chime in. Do you actually know how many cars fit on the starting straight at whichever track you are at? Throwing the green before everyone one is in line and collected is dangerous in my opinion. My first car contact in SM was from someone hanging back and "anticipating" the green.

 

Maybe I just got spoiled by the incredibly tight start formations of karting.

 

The short answer is, in many cases it can't be done.

 

There are a number of tracks where getting the entire field within sight of the starter is not possible.  Probably the biggest example is Road America where 3/4 of an 80 car field is still coming up the hill.  Suggestions to move the starter are not feasible without an investment by the track in a secondary start stand between pit out and T-1 and even then some of the bigger fields won't be visible as the track begins to slope down exaggerating the loss of visibility to those still coming up the hill or even at the crest.  

 

There aren't many tracks with the front straight long enough to get the maximum allowed cars within the starters sight.

[Richard Astacio]

Super Tour Races only......Rolling start race 1, Standing Start Race 2....

[Richard Astacio]

https://youtu.be/lLw0-kmDG9E?t=5m23s

 

Not as exciting as Pmoney video...but a perspective from the Larry's in the mid pack that finishes ahead of the "People's Champ"

[Steve Scheifler]

You can't do that. I agree action should be taken to keep drivers bunched. All drivers. The action has to be consistent. Drivers will take the advantage they can get away with or feel others are taking.

+1

Note: strictly about bunching up, not about the overall pace leading to the green flag, though I recognize the latter can influence the former if not everyone is attentive and playing by the same rules.

[Jim Creighton]

If I recall correctly, for some of the Runoffs races at Road Atlanta, they actually moved the start to the end of the pit road out. And reason was to get all cars in sight of starter. Other than having to have a lift arm platform for starter, what's the problem for just start being moved? Everything else including finish at proper line. If Runoffs were ever at Sebring, sure would make good sense.

 

BTW, and I know you get tired of hearing how we do things at short tracks, but they work, we do not allow the pole position car to pass the pace car once it pulls down off the track for the starts. The pace car maintains the same 35 MPH speed it had while in front of the pack as it continues off the track and down pit road. Only when the pole sitter reaches the start box and the command for green is given, can he increase speed. And if he slows from the 35 MPH, he is penalized. No brake checking, etc. allowed. The start is not a game. This is an example of why we do what we do. No car would ever get away with passing that many cars before the start. We want the cars to race not be wrecked before the race even starts. In October, we ran 2 races of 176 laps each at Hickory Motor Speedway which is .365 miles and had only one caution and that was for a spin with no contact. Races can be run without costly body damage and even worse, physical damage to the driver. No one wants to get hurt having fun.

[Danica Davison]

https://youtu.be/lLw0-kmDG9E?t=5m23s
 
Not as exciting as Pmoney video...but a perspective from the Larry's in the mid pack that finishes ahead of the "People's Champ"

 

Lol .. you forgot to mention I fell back to 45th on lap 1 and still almost beat you

[Danica Davison]

Breaking News:  Richard Pistachio busted his nut when he found out he beat the People's Champ for the first time ..

[Richard Astacio]

Lol .. you forgot to mention I fell back to 45th on lap 1 and still almost beat you

 

Ha that was on race #1....I was all screwed up in race #1....I am not going to make excuse that I went out on 6 heat cycles tires and I had no grip....No sir I am not going to say that. For some reason race 1 I did not feel comfortable at all. It was like I just wanted to come into the pits and curl up into a ball.....

 

Now race # 2 I felt good and confident. I even stuck my finger out the window in turn 15 where you were spectating....I kept waving that you were number # 1

[zoomzoom22]

If you can't laugh at yourself... 

 

This is how your 2x national Champion warms up his tires.. A very special skill set, not for the faint of heart

 

https://youtu.be/ZAuDe_OVloY

 

Hey 2 time, at my driver meeting they said if you spin on the out lap you had to fall to the dead last rear of the field.  Or was this practice/qually?

[Danica Davison]

Hey 2 time, at my driver meeting they said if you spin on the out lap you had to fall to the dead last rear of the field.  Or was this practice/qually?

 

You must have missed that I already pointed that out as well as others . I know, I know, reading is hard.

[Jim Drago]

Hey 2 time, at my driver meeting they said if you spin on the out lap you had to fall to the dead last rear of the field.  Or was this practice/qually?

my ability to attend and pay attention at drivers meetings is on par with my tire warming ability at Sebring