yakisoba Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Here's what the PDF says: The pole-sitter will take the cars out on track at 45 mph. This speed will be maintained until all cars are on track to provide the largest number of open hot laps to the group. Once all cars are on track, the pole-sitter will begin to pick up the pace. Drivers should position their cars so there is about 1-1.5 seconds behind the car in front of them at the green flag, taking care to avoid the appearance of drafting down the front straight. During the “paced” lap and the first hot lap there is no passing permitted unless the passing driver is specifically given a point-by from the driver ahead. My question is: Do many regions actually do this? How is it enforced? Most of the time, our pole rabbits away and is gone LONG before everyone is off grid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbrew8991 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 My question is: Do many regions actually do this? How is it enforced? Most of the time, our pole rabbits away and is gone LONG before everyone is off grid. You can tell the pole guy that all you want... but... The starts looked good for most of last season, I made corrections where needed but by and large you guys spaced out nicely like you were supposed to - and that's the goal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboShortBus Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 It all sounds good on paper, but at what point does the lead car know that the last car from grid is on the track? And, since the majority of our TT drivers are HPDE-1 instructors, they are often late to grid if TT immediately follows HPDE-1, so a few cars often join the TT session after a couple of laps are in the books. I suppose that it's good to have a procedure in writing, though. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shawn M. Posted January 12, 2011 Members Share Posted January 12, 2011 It all sounds good on paper, but at what point does the lead car know that the last car from grid is on the track? And, since the majority of our TT drivers are HPDE-1 instructors, they are often late to grid if TT immediately follows HPDE-1, so a few cars often join the TT session after a couple of laps are in the books. I suppose that it's good to have a procedure in writing, though. Mark Thats something that each region director needs to figure out and give instructions to the person on "pole". This is part of why download meetings are important and mandatory and not optional as some regions seem to think. Locally, the pole sitter is asked to get to a point on track where he can see "pit out" to know if all the cars are on track before he picks up the pace. On tracks where they cant see pit out, they simply hold their speed down until a predetermined point on the track before picking up the pace. It benefits the front runners on being patient on the out lap speeds. Going out fast only gets them caught up to the back runners sooner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozal92 Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Head out from fastest to slowest oder & no passing (yellow at all corners). A couple turns from start/finish, lead car slows to 45mph. Everbody gets into single file line about 1-2 seconds apart. As cars pass start/finish, they get the green and they make their runs. NO passing for anybody until they cross the start/finish, like a Grand-Am start. If you run with HPDE4 in the same group, put them after the TTcars. Same rules apply. Would give that race feel at the beginning. Not sure if there's discipline to do it though. Again, it sounds good but real world is a different story... Wouldn't mind trying it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboShortBus Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Not sure if there's discipline to do it though. Again, it sounds good but real world is a different story... +1 right there. I have enough trouble getting all of the TT drivers to the grid on time! As it is, several of them show up after the HPDE-4 cars are released after the TT field hits the track. Down here, I'll continue to turn 'em loose as we have done since before I got involved. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brkntrxn Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 The SE front runners were very good about this last season when I ran with them. So were the MA guys at the only event I ran with them (July at VIR). The only problems I had with them was once when the pace vehicle (they used one) goofed up a couple of us front runners and we stacked up going into T1 and stayed stacked up. The MA schedule left a bunch of us instructors getting to grid late every session, so there were always people on hot laps or cold laps and trying to deal with it. From the feedback that was given on their forum, they changed their schedules and I heard it was better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echtm3 Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Here's what the PDF says:My question is: Do many regions actually do this? How is it enforced? Most of the time, our pole rabbits away and is gone LONG before everyone is off grid. I think we are pretty strict about this rule in SoCal, and it seems to work pretty well. When I ran TTD for three years, it helped a lot, not having to worry about traffic, etc and I could concentrate on getting the best time. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor57 Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 This is very easy to execute. Pole driver goes 45 until the last 2 corners or so, and then goes 100% I don't understand where the confusion comes from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedengineer Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 This is very easy to execute. Pole driver goes 45 until the last 2 corners or so, and then goes 100% I don't understand where the confusion comes from. Yup, Trevor's got it. This works out quite well in MW/GL! ...as long as everyone remembers to check their grid position before they grid up...grr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvetthead Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 . During the “paced” lap and the first hot lap thereis no passing permitted unless the passing driver is specifically given a point-by from the driver ahead. .. Oops... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STRINGER Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 . During the “paced” lap and the first hot lap thereis no passing permitted unless the passing driver is specifically given a point-by from the driver ahead. I recall being told (in drivers meetings) that when the track goes green then go....passing included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varkwso Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 We have the lead car hold speed till a set point on track where I tell him to go to race pace so as we cross green it is near or at race pace. No passing on first lap till after the start finish (maybe I should add T1 at Road Atlanta ). Late comers to grid are held till the last car who made grid on time goes by. I brief tight formation laps, and most listen, and the DQs for not listening really catches their attention. Not normally a problem but putting 50+ cars out takes time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drivinhardz06 Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Not normally a problem but putting 50+ cars out takes time. we need F1 standing starts so I can show scott my sequential gearbox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yakisoba Posted January 13, 2011 Author Share Posted January 13, 2011 This is very easy to execute. Pole driver goes 45 until the last 2 corners or so, and then goes 100% I don't understand where the confusion comes from. Yep, it is easy to do, but we don't do it in Texas. At least not last season. Perhaps this year will be different. Note that it doesn't make that much difference to me. TTA is close enough to the front that I don't worry about it. However, the guys in TTF will get caught FAST by the TTU crew. Any pass costs you time, in my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbrew8991 Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 Tim yes I did tell the pole sitter to do that (esp when it was a 1st time pole sitter) starting back January 2008 in my first event as TT director with you guys and the starts looked pretty good last year esp (2009) to me - 3-4 car lengths between cars, no excessive gaps, nobody too tight on each other for the most part - but if you're still not happy with them get with Sean Farrah and ask if they can be tightened up this season. Shrug. You don't want it too tight as 1st lap incidents like the Road Atlanta crap this past December starts to become inevitable, but too loose and the head catches the tail too soon. With our groups, our tracks, I lean towards the second alot more than most as we have the luxury of a bit lower car count coupled with (usually) pretty long tracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomn29 Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 This is very easy to execute. Pole driver goes 45 until the last 2 corners or so, and then goes 100% I don't understand where the confusion comes from. +1. Done and Done. I led out a few times last year in the MW/GL regions. This is exactly what we do and we talk about it in the downloads if it needs improvements - ie faster/slower - as it depends on the track size and # of cars. We take it VERY serious. I ran with Mid-A last year and they had a pace car lead out. It served the same purpose but doesn't work with every track. Depending where the pit-in spot is, the front runners would need to be at WOT prior to the pit-in spot. For example, at the UTCC if you were in the front 3-5 cars, you couldn't be WOT on the 1st 'flying lap' because the pace car would hold you up on the front straight. If you tried to hang back then you'd get passed by several cars and you'd lose your grid position. I just let it happen on that first lap and made the 2nd lap my first flyer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcindric Posted January 13, 2011 Share Posted January 13, 2011 I think the MW and GL regions do a great job starting the sessions. There does not seem to be any problems once the green flag appears passing did not appear to be a problem on the first lap. Jon 2010 GL TTB Champion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yakisoba Posted January 21, 2011 Author Share Posted January 21, 2011 Tim yes I did tell the pole sitter to do that (esp when it was a 1st time pole sitter) starting back January 2008 in my first event as TT director with you guys and the starts looked pretty good last year esp (2009) to me - 3-4 car lengths between cars, no excessive gaps, nobody too tight on each other for the most part - but if you're still not happy with them get with Sean Farrah and ask if they can be tightened up this season. Shrug. You don't want it too tight as 1st lap incidents like the Road Atlanta crap this past December starts to become inevitable, but too loose and the head catches the tail too soon. With our groups, our tracks, I lean towards the second alot more than most as we have the luxury of a bit lower car count coupled with (usually) pretty long tracks. Ken, nothing against what you told the pole guys. I think you did everything right, actually. It's a matter of them doing what you told em. Not a big deal to me either way, as I like to get the good laps done and come in early. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sperkins Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Not normally a problem but putting 50+ cars out takes time. we need F1 standing starts so I can show scott my sequential gearbox Don't make me do my drag race setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brkntrxn Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I'm game... let's do it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sperkins Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 I'll have to pick up a set of skinnies for the front. Seriously though, it wuld be fun to do a day at the drag strip with all of our road race cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brkntrxn Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 We took the Cobras to a National Mustang Racing Association event in Charlotte two years ago for a little fun since we used to drag race a LOT. Without a doubt, I had the only car in attendance with slicks on all four corners!!! When I went through tech inspection, the guy looked at me and said, "What do you do with this thing?" -Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varkwso Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I'll have to pick up a set of skinnies for the front. Seriously though, it wuld be fun to do a day at the drag strip with all of our road race cars. I drive by Jackson dragstrip every day on the way to work. I have even made a few passes there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brkntrxn Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I'll have to pick up a set of skinnies for the front. Seriously though, it wuld be fun to do a day at the drag strip with all of our road race cars. I drive by Jackson dragstrip every day on the way to work. I have even made a few passes there. Blew an engine there in 2008 at the 1000' mark. Kept my foot to the floor well past the 1320, LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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