The Whole Team Concept

[pdub]

While we were away from home, at some point we got the rule book in the snail mail for the new ECTA. I haven't read through it but for a few pages yet. But I'm looking for what I want to see. I need some facts. That'll take a while, but it's leisure reading. We're retired. We now have time to sit and read a whole spiral-bound book, and I for sure will. When I get caught up on chores around the house. And we will be sure we will comply with all of the rules before we even go there, and we're going.

What I'm looking for...I have picked up on a rumor that Morton Thiokol has one leftover solid rocket booster that was intended for the space shuttle. It can be had for cheap. But it's undetermined if that propellant can go bad over time, and I'm willing to take the risk on proper functionality.

We can attach that booster to Bubba the Truck with duct tape and baling wire and light it, and see what he'll do at The Mile. I'm sure Turk and the Team will approve it during inspection, and I've already got a fire suit, per the rules.... This will be epic fun.

[silver_bullet]

You've got way too vivid of an imagination for me to enable that course of ludicrous speed parts!

[pdub]

You've got way too vivid of an imagination for me to enable that course of ludicrous speed parts!

Go big or go home. And I'm the guy who showed up in a stock Ford Fusion.....HAHAHHAahahahahH!!!!!!!!!!! DAMN, that was fun, and we're gonna do it again.

[RockJustRock]

Can I offer to hold your beer?

[pdub]

Can I offer to hold your beer?

Having done road courses, that's really where my heart is. That's the thrill - the driving. But land speed, that's a different drug. They are both very cool. The downside of land speed is waiting in line to do it, but that's the upside, too. Walk around in the waiting line, see what everybody's running. Great friendly people, everybody. And there's nowhere else in the world where you can mash the throttle down and just hold it for a whole straight mile, and see what comes of it. You just can't do that every day and stay within the law, no matter where you are.

[RockJustRock]

Sounds like me during time trials at the drag strip. That losing part got tiresome. Everyone imagines win, win, win, until they actually go to the track.

[DanStokes]

Sounds like me during time trials at the drag strip. That losing part got tiresome. Everyone imagines win, win, win, until they actually go to the track.

Rock - it's a whole different thing from drag racing (I've done both). Basically, LSR is NOT about "competition". It's not unusual that if 2 vehicles show up running that same class, the likely faster guy will let the likely slower guy run first so he can hold the record, at least for a while. I deliberately picked a class that no one has ever run so I can just go out and see what I can do. There's no money in it and not even a trophy. It's pure sport. Oh, and drag racing tech does not translate well into LSR and vise-versa.

Time trials are fun but there's no target to shoot for. In LSR there ARE records from Bonneville, El Mirage, etc. so there's sort of a yardstick for each class although a record set at a different facility really doesn't apply from track to track so folks tend to look at records from their track when those exist. According to what I've seen online, there was a truck in my class that ran El Mirage at 138+ so that's my target though El Mirage is a 1.5 mile track so it's apples and oranges.

If you haven't been to an ECTA or other LSR meet it's really worth going. I don't think you're too far from El Mirage. There's a whole different vibe in LSR - people having fun and helping each other. It's pretty cool.

Dan

[pdub]

It's pretty cool.

Dan

Dan, help me out here....when you're done with the April event let me know if I read the rule book right. What I think I read would be a new procedure to me. They will keep a running board and they'll call you on your cell phone when it's your turn to stage up. Did I read that correctly? That would be pretty cool, it would allow us the opportunity to actually establish a "pit" area somewhere. Did I read that right?

[corvettedad]

Sounds like me during time trials at the drag strip. That losing part got tiresome. Everyone imagines win, win, win, until they actually go to the track.

I used to go basically for the time trials, run the crap out of car which is really all I wanted to do and if I won bonus!
The road course thingy, yeah I'll get there eventually.

[cstmwgn]

I have a team - sort of like PDUB's - my chaperone is Willow!

[pdub]

I have a team - sort of like PDUB's - my chaperone is Willow!

Like....the tree?

[DanStokes]

Dan, help me out here....when you're done with the April event let me know if I read the rule book right. What I think I read would be a new procedure to me. They will keep a running board and they'll call you on your cell phone when it's your turn to stage up. Did I read that correctly? That would be pretty cool, it would allow us the opportunity to actually establish a "pit" area somewhere. Did I read that right?

My new rulebook has yet to arrive so I'm clueless on this idea. Not a bad plan if that's what's going on. Other than actually going down the track my favorite part of the whole deal is being in line and getting to know the other folks around me so I'm sort of "of two minds" about this. I leave Truck and the trailer in one spot and work from there so I consider that my pit. I head back there after each run, check whatever I think I should check (like adjusting the front end height, etc.) then head back to the line. No doubt I'm a bit further back in the line after my pit stop but I don't mind it so that's OK with me.

You're more than welcome to pull up next to my little nest and leave stuff on my trailer or whatever will make your day easier. Truck has an assortment of everyday tools (not my good stuff but enough to help in an emergency) so you won't need to drag those along.

And sure - I'll let you know after the meet - whatever you want to know.

Dan

[pdub]

And sure - I'll let you know after the meet - whatever you want to know.

Dan

Our rule book and the membership card came in the mail sometime this past week. Yeah, let me know. That running board thing would be a huge improvement. The Strupps are thinking....and I like it, if that's what they end up doing. That would be over the top cool. Yeah, a glaring improvement. A whole new ballgame. I'm liking what I think I'm reading.

[corvettedad]

Like....the tree?

Yep, but a lot prettier and hadn't got all them flies!!

[Deaf Bob]

Like....the tree?

Wind in the willows. Fats' song in Blueberry Hill..