NorthEastDragway.Net

I started a new thread because Brian Martin is right. The Whats New Thread should not be a discussion board for this important topic, it deserves its own.

In response to putting Jrs in the new pit area.

The most likely time for an incident to occur is when the Jrs are moving to the staging pad between rounds or when they are stacked on the pad with rear ends hangin out. This is the time all cars are running back and forth between rounds. In between rounds there are always cars manuvering, tow vehicles/trailers pulling in, late cars going through tech inspection. Having the Jrs cross that four way intersection, in front of the tech booth, coming from the new pit area is an accident waiting to happen simply because of the volume of traffic from multiple directions. That is why using the staging lanes is the popular choice because all cars are following the same traffic pattern.

From what I am hearing from previous discussion there are really two problems. 1. There is not enough room on the current staging pad. 2. what can we do to speed up the race program.

IMO there are really three good choices here.
1. Expand and continue to use the staging pad.
Pros
The cars, kids, and golf carts are in a common area out of traffic and everyone's way. There is less chance of incidence with a big car not seeing the small Jr. This has worked thus far without incident. The real problem here is NE Dragway is becoming such a popular place we just need more room for more Jrs. Paint staging lanes on the pad and eliminate drawing cards thus speeding up the process. This is win/win for all. We are out of the way and we speed up the process.

Cons
Costs money to expand the pad and jrs are still crossing through that four way intersection. However no accident has occurred to date.

2. Stage the Jrs in outside staging lane.
Pros
The cars all follow the same traffic pattern thus eliminating potential for accidents. Better organization and speed up the process(eliminate drawing cards). Big cars can see them better. Does not cost any extra money.

Cons
If the cars are in Lane 1 then kids and parents might be inclined to cross back and forth in the staging lanes in front of big cars.

3. Stage cars in the inside staging lane
Pros
The pad can still be used to stage golf cars, parents,kids, etc. and access the jrs without crossing other staging lanes. The cars all follow the same traffic pattern thus eliminating potential for accidents. Better organization and speed up the process(eliminate drawing cards). Does not cost any extra money.

Cons
Less visibility for full body cars. Problem can be minimized by putting top/mod in the outside staging lanes and put street/bikes between the Jrs and the top/mod cars.

This is a tough decision and one that whatever Mr. Trueblood decides upon we will respect. The Jr parents input should be given great consideration here since after all it is our kids safety we are talking about. From what I am seeing, putting them in the staging lanes seems to be the popular choice amongst those parents that have responded and the jr driver(s) that responded (Thanks for your valuable input Hannah) I will say that we Jr parents and drivers want to race with the rest of the NE family and not be segregated to a different time frame or different day.

Thanks for your continued support and respect for the Junior Racing Program at Northeast Dragway.

Skad, thanks for the summary of the problems that a lot of the Jr Dragsters see around them. You could discuss with Curtis Trueblood about the pro and con of what has been discussed here on the forum. Before you do, I am going to let him know of your last post by printing it out and giving it to him so he will be aware of what to expect. Thanks again for taking the time to sincerely address this issue.

Lightning,
This is just my opinion and not necessarily that of the rest of the Jr parents and racers. The only thing I am pretty sure of is that you will find is most if not all of the Jr parents do not want to be segregated with a different time or day to race.

Thanks again for your support.

Let me start by saying that was the most constructive post I have ever read on here.
I personally think option 3 is by far the best choice. Like you said by using the inside lanes for the jrs. & the pad for golf carts, etc. keeps the kids & parents from having to cross in front of the other cars moving in the staging lanes or the return road. It seems to also be the most respectful solution to stay out of the big cars way while they are running.
I really don't think it has been a problem with using the pad the way we have been doing it. That may become a problem in the near future though. We lost 3 jrs. at the end of this season but it looks like we may have an additional 4 to 7 new racers to replace them. When we have 20 or more cars thats when it becomes a problem with cars hanging out into the return road.
The only thing I disagree with is eliminating drawing cards. I could see the potential of some very heated situations if we didn't have a system to keep people from pre-determining who they ran. I don't think the drawing slows down the program since we do it while the big cars are racing. What might help the track is to have a different parent do the drawing each week so we wouldn't tie up the track personel.
Like you said, whatever Curtis decides to do i'm sure we will all respect his decision. Every decision i've ever seen him make involved the racers & fans safety as his top priority.

IF card drawing is a concern there is a way to make it easier. Put the jr dragsters lined up 2x2, have them seated and ready to go. Have someone draw cards. Flip one card, if it is a red card then that car goes in the right lane. Flip another card, if it is black then those two cars run one another the way they are. If two red cards come up then the two cars in the right lane run one another with lane choice going to the higher car. Same for if two black cards are drawn. Downside to this is someone may not get the lane they want. Have seen cars paired like this a other tracks. It works very well. I no longer have a dog in this fight seeing as how we no longer run a jr dragster. I still however do care about safety. With that being said i feel and have felt this way for a long time. That the safest place for the jr dragsters are in the stagging lanes. THEY ARE in a very UNSAFE position on that pad with all the cars going to the track and coming from. Specialy those that feel like their cars run faster through the pits than they do on the track.

I don't mind drawing cards, it is a very fair way to race. What I do not like about it is the time it takes to corral all the kids and get it done, then suit up, and match the cars. This takes to much time.

Pool man has an excellent suggestion!! One that will keep the Jrs safe and reduce turnaround time because the cards are drawn as they come to the front of the staging lane. I think we should try using the staging lanes with Poolman's card selection process for the first month. I think you will see the race progress much faster.

TO THE JR PARENTS IF WE USE THE PAD FOR 2010- The social aspect of racing is a fun part of and is why NE Dragway is so popular for everyone. However, when its time to race its time to race and the kids need to get that and be on the pad and ready to draw. Inevitably there is often one (not one in particular) kid that is not there and we have to redraw. This takes time. The only reason I put it out there was to speed up the process. I am on my kids tail to be at the pad and at the car ready to go when its time to draw and race. If we continue to use the pad for 2010, when it gets close to the time bikes are getting ready to run then the kids need to be at the pad ready to draw whether the car is there or not.

I would love to see it done the way Poolman suggested doing it. That is actually the way it is done at national events and division races. I think it should be done in all classes. The way they do the big cars now (sending cars around to the back of the line) just adds more traffic and more danger at the busiest intersection.

Hi, just a suggestion for drawing cards. I don't think we should eliminate cards, I think that would slow things down even more,but maybe have a box, or something of the sorts on the pad or staging lanes, where ever we stage, and when all the jrs. get to the pad we draw card, and then you dont have to wait for someone to come with the bag to let us draw cards, and while the other cars are racing, in between our rounds, when one of the track officals has the time, they can fix the cards where we have the right amont of cards for the next round, and still have the cards in the vicinity of the box, in case there is a mishap with the cards.

SKAD,
I agree with your idea of putting us in the lanes closer to the pad so we can still use the pad for the golf carts and four wheelers. This will make everything a lot safer for the parents and us jr racers. Hope my point of view coming from a jr racer will help making everything safer for us.

_________________
Wide Open Motorsports

I also agree with putting the jrs. in the lanes closest to the pad, its one of the safest suggestions on where to put us. I think that would really help when it comes to test and tune. Theres normally only two or three jrs. at test and tune, so the bike go to the pad also, making it very dangerus for us, because theres so many bikes on there, and so little amount of jrs. It makes it hard for us to be seen, and ive seen quite a few close calls.