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GChambers:

I'm going to take blame for one thing that hasn't been brought up today. Grid was packed. Several things played against us. Turn out wasn't large enough to justify three run groups. Also, in the first run group there were only 2 two driver cars. This made for a very crowded grid. Phil and I had discussed earlier this year about making more room for grid. I told him I would make sure we had plenty of room for grid at the 16th st events. I didn't do it. It won't happen again.

I think Phil, Dave and Lee made exactly the right decision to shut it down. Weather radar on my phone indicated that some heavy stuff was on the way. The RIGHT decision was to get everyone off site. Imagine being them and making the decision to press on and someone gets hurt, or worse, killed by a lightning strike. I certainly wouldn't want that on my concience. Even if they hadn't shut the event down the course was going to need to be moved. There was a huge water puddle right where one of the gates was. Huge as in almost a foot deep in some places. Running the second heat though that would have been a disaster. You can second guess the decision to shut down the event all you like but you'd still be wrong.

We all look at the weather forecast before we go to events. I've driven 100 miles one way to an event that was cancelled minutes before I got there. It's the nature of the beast. If you are not willing to take that risk when the weather is questionable then stay home. I just don't see how complaining about this on the internet is solving any of the weather problems we had today.

Edit:I was on site this morning at 6:20 and didn't get to run for what that's worth. Still, I had a good time, BTW.

 

I agree, except 6:30 a.m. for me, I was a little late lol. As much as shutting down was a bummer. Once that first bit of heavy rain hit I knew it was over for me, no rain tires here. I still had fun though got some good pictures of the first run group, met some new people, and got to talk to all the people I haven't seen since last season. I don't know about you guys, but I'm looking forward to the 19th already.

 

I'll upload all the pictures I took tomorrow or as soon as I can. A lot of nice ones of STU that's for sure.

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89/189 STS Miata

Clemens:

Shahab has it figured out

I just want to say a big thank you to everyone in charge of running todays event.  They had a hard decision to make but in the end it was probably the right one.  I was also thinking that we could have waited it out and gotten a few more runs in, but then lightning started striking just as I got home.  I live on the west side so that storm would have been on top of the site a few minutes later.  If we would have tried to keep going, we only would have gotten maybe two runs in before the next wave hit.  I also want to thank the course workers who didnt get to run.  Unfortunately though thats the way it goes some time.

Overall I think things ran pretty well today.  My only issue would have been to have three run groups instead of two.  It seemed like we were spending an awful long time standing around in grid between runs.  I know we can effectively only have one car on course at a time at this site so that limits things, but smaller run groups would have helped tremendously.  Besides, even in good weather the last thing anyone wants to do is to stand on course as a worker for 2-3 hours straight.

 Oh well, I'm just going to hope for better weather next time but I'll be there either way.

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Dont blame me, I voted republican!

I forgot to thank you again Bryan. Thanks for holding the umbrella while I changed my wheels. I really appreciated it. I owe you one.

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89/189 STS Miata

Clemens:

Shahab has it figured out

Shahab323is:

got some good pictures of the first run group,

 I'll upload all the pictures I took tomorrow or as soon as I can. A lot of nice ones of STU that's for sure.

That's a great picture, Shahab. Looks fast! Did you have a unipod or anything? Settings? (I am trying to learn a little about photography). That would make a great signature for Luke. I am anxious to see if you got any of the blue car on monster truck tires.

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Jason P.
Indy Region Moderator
STU - M3 e46

The Nebulizer:

Shahab323is:

got some good pictures of the first run group,

 I'll upload all the pictures I took tomorrow or as soon as I can. A lot of nice ones of STU that's for sure.

That's a great picture, Shahab. Looks fast! Did you have a unipod or anything? Settings? (I am trying to learn a little about photography). That would make a great signature for Luke. I am anxious to see if you got any of the blue car on monster truck tires.

I have one, but didn't have it with me. Just turn down the shutter speed a bit and hope for a steady hand. Here you go Mr. Impatient. =]

 

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89/189 STS Miata

Clemens:

Shahab has it figured out

My entire drive home (about an hour after we shut down) was a complete downpour with lots of lightning.  That was straight west out 74.  Cancelling sucks and I'm sure I would think differently if I didn't run, but we would all be singing a different tune if someone were to get hurt.  Aside from the lightning, there would have been a lot of standing water in the downpour and visibility would be poor even with wipers on full speed.  If it makes you guys feel any better, I drove 850 miles one way to an event last year with $5/gallon diesel and got rained out...ha ha.

The early start was good.  I thought grid was perfectly fine and 2 run groups saves time overall.

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08 Lancer Evolution X - STU
Quickest and Fastest Stock turbo X
11.4 on the brakes, 3710 lbs :)

 some subies for good measure lol.

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89/189 STS Miata

Clemens:

Shahab has it figured out

GChambers:

I just don't see how complaining about this on the internet is solving any of the weather problems we had today.

 Where did anyone say it was solving a problem? I wasn't aware we weren't allowed to voice our opinions, unless they agreed with yours. I'll keep that in mind for future posts.  Here's a clue. *gasp* People have different reactions to the same events all the time.

 

Edit: That probably comes off as snarkier than I intend. I just don't think stifling dissenting opinion helps anyone out.

brgmcs:

I'm pretty frustrated and disappointed too, but only with the weather.  More specifically, the lightning and resulting shutting down of the event.  As commented on above, even though I'm dedicated (or relalistically, dumb)  enough to have stayed to finish out the event, those in a position of responsibility made what was probably the responsible call given the info available.  I really, really wanted to drive today, but safety is safety and I'd rather lose my driving time than lose the opportunity for future events or worse yet a fellow competitor. 

Things I did like today, which I think are improvements to the program and bode well for future events:

The earlier schedule.  About halfway through the first (only) heat, it felt like we had been out there forever and my broken toe was screaming.  I looked at my watch and it was 11:40am.  There have been events at 16th Street where we hadn't even started driving yet at that time. 

The new pricing structure.  I've only occasionally used the My Auto Events site to pre-reg, mostly because there wasn't a lot of motivation to do so and when I did it didn't speed things up for me at the Registration Trailer.  Today was different.  $5 saved, and it only took a couple of minutes to get signed in.  From the looks of things quite a few others pre-registered too.  As a corollary, the registration trailer seemed to be clicking along on all cylinders this morning - nice job folks.

Rookies.  We've done some things for novices previously, but I thought the Novice Meeting and course walk was well organized and attended today.  Good job Ron.  I'm also guessing that if it keeps up that way that the Solo chairs can trim some additional info off of the regular Drivers'  Meeting at future events.  Reviewing basics today in both meetings made sense since it hopefully cleared the off-season cobwebs out of our heads.

 The course.  It looked fun (wish I had gotten to try it).  Lots of elements, lots of transitions, but it didn't walk like any of it would be painfully slow.  Easy to follow, but demanding focus and looking ahead.  The layout was a little different than is typical for the site, which isn't easy to do given the safety limitations at 16th St.  The last run up the hill to the finish looked like it would be fun and a nice way to end the course.

Weather......bah. I loathe the weather. {shakes fist at the sky}

 

Thanks for the kind words about registration, Scott. I think having 2 computers networked on the same file helps a ton, along with the pre-registration. What really slows us down now is people wanting to join right then and there (not a bad thing, mind you). We could have just used a 3rd person to help out with that. There was the whole microphone issue where we couldn't yell for help or make announcements (like fill out a weekend membership form, or fill out a registration card if you didn't preregister, or help with classing....see the novice helpers). Amazing how something just sits there for the winter....then decides not to work the next time you try it.
Although Pauletta and I were the only registration workers.....and we got started a little late......I think it went well.

Anyone else want to learn registration? Gets your work assignment done early! Takes 3 minutes to learn.

 

Oh....and the delay in the middle of the first heat's runs when T&S had to hold start.....my bad. I unintentionally crashed the timing program. Clearly user error. Good thing Chris had been keeping up with the manual audit sheet (that's why we have that, and it needs to be accurate!).

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Will Lahee -- Indy Region
Section 8 Racing

Knowledge is realizing that the street is one-way, wisdom is looking both directions anyway

Sorry if I came across as a "whiner", that was not my intent. I had been watching the radar all day on my PDA phone, but did not see it the time the call was made. At Grissom, that site seems to attract bad weather, and there is no place to take cover. Standard practice there was to stop the event for an hour, take cover, then have the safety stewards determine when, or if to start up again. Registration did a great job to get us back on schedule. Maybe we could make up signs to separate on-site entrants from preregistered entrants. Also a big "Information" sign would be great.

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Ron Conrad
ST - 86 Honda Civic Si
racepaintusa@yahoo.com

The Nebulizer:

Shahab323is:

got some good pictures of the first run group,

 I'll upload all the pictures I took tomorrow or as soon as I can. A lot of nice ones of STU that's for sure.

That's a great picture, Shahab. Looks fast! Did you have a unipod or anything? Settings? (I am trying to learn a little about photography). That would make a great signature for Luke. I am anxious to see if you got any of the blue car on monster truck tires.

 

I find about 1/160s is a great shutter speed for motorsports.  Shows wheel speed well and you get nice motion blur.  Use of a monopod depends on the focal length your using and how well you can hold the camera.  Good rule of thumb for hand hold shutter speed is anything 1/focal length or faster.  A lens with 2 mode image stabilization makes a HUGE difference too when panning.

 

What are you shooting with? (Canon? Nikon?....)

 I could go on for hours about photography, but I see I am taking this off topic so I will stop.

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Dave H.
2004 Evo VIII
www.IndyProImages.com

The last thing we wanted to do is cancel the event. It wasn't a decision that was made lightly. We had actually made the decision to continue and I had just walked the paddock informing folks that we were going to get going again when there were more lightning strikes close by. We then reversed our decision in the interest of worker safety. We had been watching the radar closely and there was a large cluster of very heavy rains in the area. We had no way of knowing with what we had if those storms were thunderstorms or not. Given what was happening at the time, we assumed that those storms were going to give us more of what we had seen.

I'm like many who didn't get to run, and yes I was disappointed that we canceled. My work assignment started at 5:30 AM (actually it started Saturday when I picked up 'Da Bus) with driving 'Da Bus to the site. I live out in Shelby Co. and was driving in on I-70 when the diverter valve and the EGR valve simutainiously decide to take a dump rendereing the thing to idling along the shoulder at 15 mph. I get it nursed to the Mount Comfort exit and it somehow make it up the ramp and into the Pilot Truck stop. It's 6:10 AM and I'm supposed to be at 16th St at 6:20 AM so we can start setting up. That didn't happen. A quick diagnosis revealed the problem and I figured out a solution that would at least give me enough manifold vacuum to make the stupid bus move again. Spent $50 out of my own pocket to releive Pilot of every pair of locking pliers they had in stock and set about blocking off air tubes until it would run well enough to actually go down the road.

With the engine cover off, one hand on the wheel and the other hand holding one pair of pliers just so while simutainiously plugging and un-plugging the vacuum hose to the EGR to allow the engine to make enough power to move along at the brisk pace of 30 mph, I set off and finally made it to the stadium around 7:30 AM. The other volunteers already there made quick work of setting everything up and getting the whole show back on schedule. It was a beautiful thing I tell you.

Meanwhile, I cover for Bob in tech who can't make it due to a stomach virus which also meant that I didn't have a car to drive in the event. So, while tech-ing cars, I'm also trying to find a ride for the day. Thanks to both Kyle and Charles for offering up seats in their cars.

So, yeah, I'm disappointed that we had to cancel. I like all the others who put in the hard work to make every event happen don't want to see an event get canceled. But safety is first, and all the worker stations are located right next to these huge lightning rods and it just wasn't worth the risk to continue.

I take comfort in the fact that more went right at the event than went wrong and what did go wrong was pretty smoothly corrected or compensated for. There was a real chance that the event might not had gone off at all. The folks that volunteer to make these events happen are really looking out for those they serve and for the good of the Club.

We're making it right though, everyone who didn't run is being compensated by a free entry into another Indy Region event. If this were a short track, or a drag strip, enough of the event was completed that it would have been called and those who didn't get to run would just be out of luck.

 

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Dave Dusterberg
2010 Indy Region Assistant Regional Executive
2010 Indy Region Club Race Chair
SCCA #374620
ITA #9 Dodge Neon

BTW: I still had fun!

 

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Dave Dusterberg
2010 Indy Region Assistant Regional Executive
2010 Indy Region Club Race Chair
SCCA #374620
ITA #9 Dodge Neon

Eclipse2Lancer:

Anyone else want to learn registration? Gets your work assignment done early! Takes 3 minutes to learn.

 

 I'd be more than willing to come out early to the next event here in a couple weeks and learn to do registration.

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Dave H.
2004 Evo VIII
www.IndyProImages.com

lyric911:

GChambers:

I just don't see how complaining about this on the internet is solving any of the weather problems we had today.

 Where did anyone say it was solving a problem? I wasn't aware we weren't allowed to voice our opinions, unless they agreed with yours. I'll keep that in mind for future posts.  Here's a clue. *gasp* People have different reactions to the same events all the time.

 

Edit: That probably comes off as snarkier than I intend. I just don't think stifling dissenting opinion helps anyone out.

My comments were not directed towards you in any way.

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90 Miata - STS #90/190

If it aint broke, don't fix it.