05:44:18am, Saturday, May 04, 2024
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NTPA Track officials at BG
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Registered: 07/06/2008 Posts: 1,347 |
Posting this as a pre-emptive request for the guys running the show next week. This seems to be an issue only at BG (and Tomah to a lesser extent).
You do a great job, but one request: Please do not have vehicles pulling on each track at the same time. I've been there live many times, and watched the live stream a few times, and either way it's very hard to focus on one run when another tractor is running on the opposite track. The cameras only capture a part of the run ( or not at all), and even sitting in the stands it's not the best way to watch a pull if you're a hardcore fan. It's a tractor pull, not a drag race. I can go to Indy, Norwalk, or Joliet if I want to see a drag race. Thanks |
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Re: NTPA Track officials at BG
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Great point
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Couldn’t have said it better!!! |
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Re: NTPA Track officials at BG
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I like watching both tracks go at the same time. It really doesn't happen to that often anyway. And with all the iron they let on the track at BG, they gave to do something to speed up the show. I would also watch two go at once instead of watching them drag their feet like tomah trying to keep people there longer. |
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Re: NTPA Track officials at BG
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Registered: 03/25/2008 Posts: 2,526 |
It's one of my biggest pet peeves and it should never happen. The guys running the laser should have software (or an electric or mechanical switch) that never allows them to give two green lights at the same time. There are two important reasons why it's bad to pull two tracks at the same time (drag race):
1. It's dangerous for the finish line officials, guys unhooking, and photographers that are standing at center track. I've seen lots of things happen at pulls and I've seen plenty of times when the official on the opposite track has had to lend a hand with a big fire or an engine explosion. It's tough (impossible) to help when both tracks are drag racing. I've also ducked from pistons, pushrods, engine blocks, and other debris during an engine explosion. I've dodged wheels coming off, pulleys, and tons of other rolling or flying parts. I've stepped out of the way of a wild ride that came my way a time or two. I was able to duck and move because my focus was on one track at a time. During a drag race you just can't keep focus on both tracks. I'd hate to see an opposing track official, unhooker, or photographer ever get hurt because their back was to an explosion or wild ride. 2. It's bad for the show. A pulling event is a repetition of 15 seconds of action and 5 minutes of waiting over and over again. If you alternate tracks you get 30 seconds of action and 2 1/2 minutes of waiting. That little change actually quadruples the perceived action (twice as many hooks in half the time). Minimizes the wait time or breaking it up with something is a big deal. It's especially huge for kids/teens/millennials or anyone that's newer to the sport. Entertainment now days is all about action per minute and pulling needs all the help it can get. Drag racing two tracks lowers the action per minute because you either focus on one track or you don't really pay attention to either track even though you try. It's a change in perception that noticeable. That's my take on it and personally I don't think it should ever happen at a big event, especially the premier event in the sport. As a side note, BG has some of the best track officials in the sport, if not the best and I think this is something that needs to happen from the laser crew so we don't have a situation where we ever have two green lights at the same time. Jake Morgan Owner, PULLOFF.COM Independent Pulling News This page is a free service. The cost is covered out of my pocket. It takes a great deal of time and a fair amount of money to keep this website going. Donations for: photos, classified ads, forum discussion, etc... are appreciated. Side Note: We are no longer accepting PayPal donations. They have changed their terms of service and stated they would fine PayPal users for spreading "misinformation" and "hate, violence, racial or other forms of intolerance that is discriminatory". PayPal did not provide definitions for some of these vague terms. Woke corporate policies regarding "misinformation" could result in an automatic fine of $2,500 which would have been removed directly from the customer’s PayPal account. PayPal did backdown from some of their policies but quietly implemented portions of them in later terms of service. A financial institute has no right to monitor social media accounts or speech. This is unacceptable and I'll no longer do business with PayPal. |
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Re: NTPA Track officials at BG
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Registered: 06/30/2008 Posts: 186 |
Jake, you hit the nail on the head with point #2. It was exactly what frustrated me so much about Henry this year. With two less classes, the pull lasted just as long. I ended up putting a stop watch to it; a little shy of 5 minutes between pulls on each track if memory serves me correctly. The sled sat stationary at the start line for near 3 minutes until the next vehicle hooked to it. There was an average for 2 minutes plus "dead time" with no vehicle going down either track. No matter what the watch says, it feels ten times worse.
I understand the track needs repair after each pass, its a no brain'r. But why do we have to have all vehicles off both tracks before the next competitor can get onto the track and hooked? The competitors know the hook order. I admittedly don't know all it takes to make the last minute adjustments, but please have your machines ready as much as you can. I apologize if that last comment makes me sound like an uneducated idiot. It would simply be nice to see a good rotation of vehicles when two tracks are being used. Very few people have the patience to be placed on hold on the phone for 2 or 3 minutes as it feels double the time. Its the same way when there is no action on the track and you see two prepped tracks waiting for vehicles to pass down them. |
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Re: NTPA Track officials at BG
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Registered: 07/06/2008 Posts: 1,347 |
One idea for larger events is to have someone serving as a Track/Event Coordinator. This person would speak into the headset of the track officials and instruct which track goes.
Jake's idea accomplishes the same thing. I had only considered the show aspect and not the safety aspect, but the safety aspect Jake mentions is by itself justification to not have both tracks going at the same time. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/2019 09:23PM by The Original Michael. |
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Re: NTPA Track officials at BG
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Face in crowd
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I disagree. It's a spectacle that fans only get to see at these two events. For me seeing that for the first time was cool AF. I've never been to BG but Tomah has plenty of room to do it. And it's a tradition now.
If you're talking safety, what about those tighter fit two track facilities where a tractor is going down one track and the blade tractor & packer tractor are going down the other in the opposite direction, sometimes only 20' away? The scenario occurs all night long whereas pulling two vehicles at the same time seldom occurs. |
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Re: NTPA Track officials at BG
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Registered: 07/06/2008 Posts: 1,347 |
It's a "tradition" that needs to go the way of tape measures and tricycle front ends. Regarding your second paragraph, it does not logically follow that because there is one issue (both tracks running at the same time) that the other issue you mentioned does not need to be addressed. |
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Re: NTPA Track officials at BG
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Registered: 03/26/2008 Posts: 494 |
From a driver/crew chief and track official perspective, none of us wants to put on a poor show from a fan's point of view or a safety issue. Sometimes the rythm just gets upset. It would be nice if every vehicle has a "good" run, drives off the track with no issues and there is no major track maintenance required. But, that rarely happens, especially at huge super national events and "snafus" happen. I think a lot of fans like to see two vehicles go at once a few times during a show--at least that is the impression I get from the overall fan reaction when it happens. JW |
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Re: NTPA Track officials at BG
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Next week you'll be complaining cause the show lasted 5 hours. They are just trying to speed things up to make everyone happy. |
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Re: NTPA Track officials at BG
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Registered: 03/25/2008 Posts: 2,526 |
Hold one tractor up for 10 seconds won't change anything for making a show run long. The show NEVER ends with both tracks at the same time. One track always runs for 10 minutes or an hour longer than the other. Simply hold the track that's going to end the night sooner. You show time will be the same and the down time will be less. Jake Morgan Owner, PULLOFF.COM Independent Pulling News This page is a free service. The cost is covered out of my pocket. It takes a great deal of time and a fair amount of money to keep this website going. Donations for: photos, classified ads, forum discussion, etc... are appreciated. Side Note: We are no longer accepting PayPal donations. They have changed their terms of service and stated they would fine PayPal users for spreading "misinformation" and "hate, violence, racial or other forms of intolerance that is discriminatory". PayPal did not provide definitions for some of these vague terms. Woke corporate policies regarding "misinformation" could result in an automatic fine of $2,500 which would have been removed directly from the customer’s PayPal account. PayPal did backdown from some of their policies but quietly implemented portions of them in later terms of service. A financial institute has no right to monitor social media accounts or speech. This is unacceptable and I'll no longer do business with PayPal. |
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