----- Original Message -----
From: "Rocky Entriken" <rocky@tri.net>
To: "Alan Pozner" <apozner@ptd.net>; "autox mailing list"
<autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, September 16, 2002 12:51 PM
Subject: Re: Late to grid
In the wake of two "reprimands" for this violation, I was looking at that
rule too. IMHO, it is a rule there more for the convenience of the officials
to the detriment of the competitors.
(I did not fall afoul of the rule, BTW -- just observations).
>From my paddock spot near Impound, I figured when I saw cars from Heat 1
coming to impound it was time to get ready for my Heat 3. I did not pick up
on the fact they were doing impound in grid, so the only cars I saw in
Impound were those being weighed. And they did not arrive until more than 30
minutes after their heat was done, and by then heat 2 was well under way.
And more, my first course was the North, so I had no real way of knowing
what was going on up there. Wednesday, when I was on the South, I arrived in
grid and had to wait for the Heat 1 car to clear my space.
And as it happens, that heat 2 was the smallest heat of the entire event! It
took little more than an hour to run it. Of course, I gained another
half-hour with the scheduled coursewalk between 2 and 3, but we were running
Heat 3 at 11 am. These are all factors which could combine to catch the
unwary out.
And why 30 minutes? IMHO 10 minutes would be plenty, 15 max. There needs to
be only enough time to ensure someone does not arrive just before his first
run with well-warmed tires. Grid's only real concern is that the right car
is in the right slot. They have no other real checking to do pre-run. They
have no tech function. Checking helmets on and belts attached is done as the
driver leaves to go to the line. Sticker compliance for contingencies, etc.,
can be done anytime during the runs or even in the post-run in-grid impound.
And how do you enforce it? Time when everyone arrives, then see if 30
minutes passes before the first car is sent? And what if the car in slot 50
does arrive when the car in slot 1 begins his run. Hell, he has another
half-hour before he goes out! Where's the advantage? IMHO it's a busy-work
rule that has some merit in concept but fails in its application, simply
because the time element is unnecessarily long.
--Rocky Entriken
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Alan Pozner" <apozner@ptd.net>
> To: "autox mailing list" <autox@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Monday, September 16, 2002 10:59 AM
> Subject: Late to grid
>
>
> > The late to grid rule is inherently unenforceable.
> >
> > How in the world can I arrive 30 minutes before something that has no
set
> > time? Only heat 1 drivers can know when their heat starts so only heat
one
> > drivers can grid 30 minutes before their heat begins.
> >
> > Example:
> > Suppose I am in heat 5. I cannot grid before the event starts because
> other
> > cars will need to use the grid spot before me. The grid spot is used by
> heat
> > 3. After heat 3 is done they may be in grid as long as 30 minutes
> afterwards
> > for impound. So when do I grid? 30 minutes after heat 3 is over seems to
> be
> > the best answer. But what happens if heat 4 takes under 1 hour to run or
> the
> > previous driver in my grid space take a long time to clear it or impound
> for
> > heat 3 takes longer than 30 minutes?
> >
> > The concept of the 30 minutes deadline is a good one as it allows grid
> > workers to check cars before they run and avoids potential delays in the
> > start of each heat. I also applaud the fact that violaters only received
> > warnings. But the rule is flawed and needs to be rewritten.
> >
> > Regards,
> > Alan
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