official ai/aix nationals update page

[Jay A.]

I wish I was out there with you guys this season. I just could not make it happen this year. I am tying for next year though so watch out!

 

I have been on pole many times and know the routine. It is my job as the pole sitter to control the field behind me. That means no sudden accelerations or decelerations ( I have heard this in every driver’s meeting I have ever been). There is a lot of strategy available to the pole sitter. However accelerating or racing to the flag is not one of them. If a higher speed is desired there is a ton of time and distance to slowly gain speed from the time the pace car peals to when the green flag flies. I personally have missed the 2nd to 3rd up shift during a start to know that I want to be in 3rd gear. This usually means a gradual increase in speed after the pace car exits. I have been known to keep it in second and slow it down a little too. It is the pole sitter’s job to keep a nice tight grid for the cameras. Got to look pretty.

 

I wasn’t there so I don’t know what went down but there are more ways to skin the cat. Congrats to all that made it to Miller and the West coast guys that made the podium.

 

Jay Andrew

[ST#97]

It's not a crock at all. One of the most egregious jumped standing starts in the history of NASA (or any other series!) was committed by a CMC national "champion" at the 2006 Nationals and no one in charge on pit wall did a damn thing about it, probably because no one was looking. But photos and video clearly showed it after the fact. The guy was pulled out of line and alongside the car ahead of him before the lights were even off. Pat is right that standing starts need to be policed. Actually, so do rolling starts. For some reason nobody seems to think that start judges are needed for rolling starts, but as this year's Nationals proved, they can be screwed up pretty bad too.

 

Yeah, the world ain't perfect...but this IS "GRASSROOTS" racing...Just make Ginsberg race director...he ain't afraid to throw a black flag at anyone!

 

GRASSROOTS? My ass. I felt like the only trailer trash in the paddock this year. Hell, I had a 4 year old motor with 6 year old shocks on the car with the same springs I put on the car in 2005 before the aero. Imagine if I had a team of 6 guys working on the car and deep pockets with a room over at the holiday inn express!

 

Tell you guys what...just give me pole next year and I guarantee a 2nd gear 2500rpm roll. I ain't got no special clutch to worry about or no truck motor for torque so that should make things fair....right?!

[King Matt]

Yeah, the world ain't perfect...but this IS "GRASSROOTS" racing...Just make Ginsberg race director...he ain't afraid to throw a black flag at anyone!

That's really all it takes--officials willing to enforce the rules we already have.

[brucebyerly]

 

GRASSROOTS? My ass. I felt like the only trailer trash in the paddock this year. Hell, I had a 4 year old motor with 6 year old shocks on the car with the same springs I put on the car in 2005 before the aero. Imagine if I had a team of 6 guys working on the car and deep pockets with a room over at the holiday inn express!

 

Tell you guys what...just give me pole next year and I guarantee a 2nd gear 2500rpm roll. I ain't got no special clutch to worry about or no truck motor for torque so that should make things fair....right?!

 

 

[firehawkclone]

This is what i seen from the back.

 

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v635/firehawkclone/?action=view&current=MillerNatracestart.flv

 

I for a split second wanted to fly around the left side of the red camaro in front of me, but we hadn't received the green yet! Its a good thing i didn't!

 

This was my first year at nationals, and with the car going down a cylinder and wouldn't turn worth a damm, i just wanted to finish and hold on to the spot i had.

 

I hope to see you all next year.

[tacovini]

Holy Yellow Winchester, Batman!

[QUASAR]

Holy Yellow Winchester, Batman!

 

No kidding! And didn't he somehow end up on the outside of T1?

[Holster Maker]

John, Was there a green when the yellow car went by EVERYBODY...(almost)?

[firehawkclone]

John, Was there a green when the yellow car went by EVERYBODY...(almost)?

At .24 sec in we get the green, right after the car in front of me hits his brakes. Check my rearview mirror, he is full tilt already

[Red Tornado]

I can see everyones point but damn I have to admit not being there these videos are funny as hell.

 

Everyone looks like they had fun races (except Dean at end) and thats really the most important reason why we do this anyway.

 

I agree with Jay's point though and personally I have faced the 2nd or 3rd dilema also.

[Jay A.]

So...Who in the back had a radio and a spotter saying GREEN, GREEN, GREEN, BOOGITY, BOODITY, GO, GO, GO??

[firehawkclone]

So...Who in the back had a radio and a spotter saying GREEN, GREEN, GREEN, BOOGITY, BOODITY, GO, GO, GO??

 

I had the wife on the radio, with it keyed up. She watch's the starters arm to start coming up, So you have to jump the start if your going to beat me to the jump.

 

I'm not mad about the jump though, i just wanted to finished the race with a bad car. After the start i had a wide open lane up the middle that i could have passed(and/or damaged) atleast 4 cars. I just couldn't hold them off,and i didn't want to work on the car anymore

 

With the speed the car had, it was clear early on in the weekend i was there to have fun!

[swhiteh3]

For the record, I'm totally against standing starts. It's an invitation for carnage and chaos.

 

I wasn't there, and I'm not faulting Pat, but that start was clearly a cluster. The pace car should set the speed, and that's that. Allowing the lead driver to change the speed is a guarantee for the chaos that followed. How do you police how fast he can go? 5 faster than the pace car? 10 faster? 25 faster?

 

The leader should get one advantage - he should HAVE to lead the field, even if only by a bumper, across the start finish line taking the green. This guarantees a non-jump from the second line of cars, and gives the leader an advantage - but all cars respond to the same green flag command. No stalled cars from standing starts, and minimal accordian chaos.

 

NASCAR is a mile away from perfect, but they've got the starting procedure and re-starting procedure figured out.

[tacovini]

Duly noted, Scott.

We'll learn from this Championship and make it even better next year. Enough with the Monday Morning Quarterbacking everyone, it was truly a great event. We didn't have nearly the drama in years past of yellow flag starts or 20+ people blowing thru yellows forcing a shuffled grid. Nor did we have any substantial car to car contact. The racing was clean....we were green for most of the race....the fast guys worked themselves to the front...and in the end, we had our champion and podium finishers! (The folks who raced hard, raced clean and made the least mistakes.) There were heart breaks & failed brakes...but hey that's racing!

 

Time to finish my Director's Highlights and get them out!

 

-=- Todd Covini

Group B Race Director

[RWinchester199]

hahaha that video is pretty impressive. that was the speed i was going to catch up and i got the call it went green so i just stayed in it. and yes i went from inside to outside so i didnt run over anyone that got brake checked like the car with the camera.

[tacovini]

...or...."Don't hate me because I'm beautiful."

[B-MAC]

...or..."Don't hate the player, hate the game."

 

Good job, Covini. I had a blast.

 

By the way, check out the start White, #97, got dealt at turn 1. Winchester scored on that ordeal, also.

[ST#97]

Winchester scored on that ordeal, also.

 

It was short lived....

[RWinchester199]

i knew it would be. driver ran out of talent, as is usually the case. it was fun while it lasted tho.

[Tommy55]

I have a cure for next years rolling starts. I will get the pole and will start the race in a normal fashion. Problem solved

[Jim P.]

Hey all,

Nancy Suddreth took a lot of photos of the AI/AIX races -

Click HERE to see them

 

See you all next year!

[Jeff F]

Late to the party, just got back from Utah yesterday (stayed out for Mustang Challenge/Grand Am race).

 

Here is some video you will want to see!!!

Race start and first two laps from #22 Rusty Ferguson:

 

***Shameless Plug*** This video was taken with an AiM SmartyCam. I am an AiM dealer and have been helping test SmartyCams for the last few months. We were not allowed to post public videos from SmartyCams until they were released to the public, which officially happened today, so now I can post this up! Note that I haven't figured out the best way to output the videos for YouTube so I may replace it with a higher quality version later, I will update the link if that happens. The video is full DVD-quality 720x400, 30fps, H.264

 

For more info on SmartyCams:

http://www.optimummotorsports.com/smartycam

http://www.smartycam.com

 

edit: replaced link with higher quality version

Edited September 22, 2009 by Guest

[ST#97]

Late to the party, just got back from Utah yesterday (stayed out for Mustang Challenge/Grand Am race).

 

Here is some video you will want to see!!!

Race start and first two laps from #22 Rusty Ferguson:

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No offense Rusty...

 

But....if that isn't a jumped start...I think the two qualifying races are pointless in the future folks!

 

I was on the second row and pretty well planted the pedal .5s after the flag moved and practically last place went into T1 on my bumper....after feathering to miss erickson?! I am beginning to undertand Dave's disgust...

 

had ANYONE in mid pack gone defensive, there would have been a mass pile up in the wall on the front straight.

 

Sure you guys don't want standing starts?!

[donovan]

Late to the party, just got back from Utah yesterday (stayed out for Mustang Challenge/Grand Am race).

 

Here is some video you will want to see!!!

Race start and first two laps from #22 Rusty Ferguson:

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

No offense Rusty...

 

But....if that isn't a jumped start...I think the two qualifying races are pointless in the future folks!

 

I was on the second row and pretty well planted the pedal .5s after the flag moved and practically last place went into T1 on my bumper....after feathering to miss erickson?! I am beginning to undertand Dave's disgust...

 

had ANYONE in mid pack gone defensive, there would have been a mass pile up in the wall on the front straight.

 

Sure you guys don't want standing starts?!

 

 

I was standing at T1 taking photos, I was very shocked to see three cars from the back row(s) moving through the cars like they were... It was very confusing at the moment, and a little scary watching that yellow S197 running through the field of cars at what looked like 20 MPH faster than everyone else.

 

I was sure the start was jumped and we were going to see some cars roll through pit lane... anyway, lots of people were talking about it for the first couple laps.

 

The videos posted explain it all.

 

Donovan

[Jeff F]

No offense Rusty... But....if that isn't a jumped start...

I don't see how you can come to that conclusion. He comes out of the last turn at approx 45MPH and is right up on the car in front of him as he should be. As soon as he hits the straight, the pack in front of him pulls away, and he accelerates (at part throttle-- look at the green throttle indicator on the bottom left) to keep up. When the car in front hits the brakes, he COMPLETELY lifts off the throttle, then the green comes out, and he goes to wide open. By my freeze-frame, he's going 68MPH when the green comes out, which wouldn't have been possible if the pole sitter was properly pacing it. He didn't jump anything, he just got lucky to be on the tail end of the slinky and be accelerating with space in front of him when the green came out.

Edited September 22, 2009 by Guest