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wannabe

Pro
Posts: 1931

posted June 12, 2004 03:48 PM

What would you do?

Ok, I'm watching the qualifications for the NHRA race in Columbus. They spent quite a bit of airtime on the bikes. Unfortunately, it was because 3 bikes went down (including Karen Stoffer.) For those of you who don't know, the runout in Columbus is really short. Just about every bike misses the turnoff and barely gets stopped before the sand trap. Multiple people elected not to take their last qualifying runs.

I've been racing for two seasons now, and I just tried to picture myself in that position. You're qualified in the field, and you just saw two bikes go down in front of you. You're racing at a track where you shit your pants every run hoping that you get the bike stopped in time.

Would you back out or make a run? What would you do? Would it be a different choice if you weren't in the field?

TurboBlew

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Posts: 4590

posted June 12, 2004 07:12 PM

Interesting. How short is Columbus? I cant imagine an NHRA track with such a short distance.
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wannabe

Pro
Posts: 1931

posted June 12, 2004 07:45 PM

I don't know exactly how short the runoff is, but I did not see one bike make the turnoff. Everyone passed the turnoff and just barely stopped just before the sand trap.

George Bryce was saying that all three people went down because all of them hit the front brakes too hard in an effort to not go into the sand pit. I guess when you're going 180+ mph, getting on the front brakes too hard is not a good thing. I wouldn't know. My TFA butt has only gone 147 in the 1/4.

wannabe

Pro
Posts: 1931

posted June 12, 2004 07:47 PM

Oh, to answer my own original question, if I were already in the dance, I would skip the run after seeing multiple people go down in front of me. But, if I weren't in the top 16 yet, then I would just suck it up and deal with it.

I figure that nobody thinks that they're going to go down, but why take a chance if you don't have to?

swft

Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION

posted June 12, 2004 11:19 PM

What was her trap speed? What would yours be? 10 mph difference through the traps would make a hella difference as to how much room for shutdown.

harryzx-12

Needs a job
Posts: 3643

posted June 13, 2004 02:01 AM

I believe her trap speed was about 180. I saw that race too. That's about a chickenshit racetrack. I wouldn't race there. Same reason I don't race in deland near daytona during bike. No runoff area!

I wish harley davidsons had to comply with the same rules as all the other prostock riders. Fuckin boatanchors!
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