ER Cup #2 March 13

[Majik]

You know POS I saw a toy Fiero at big lots yesterday and I thought about you.... :P

Ouch, someone took out the timing lights? That makes the event a little more expensive than you thought huh.

[SpinOutF500]

Yes, it was a fun and fast course, I just wish I didn't choose to run on my oldest tires and then have to fight to get the thing turned at every corner. A few DNF's are what I got for that choice.

But o'well. You gotta burn them off, you can't just trash them.

From what I saw, the computer/timer issues today were all operator error. Missed car in line so the following cars get the wrong time. Had to fix those times (I learned how to do that part today) and I think that happened at least twice.

The Corvette took out the light, but suprisingly the light survived, a little less for wear. We just bent the base back into shape, taped up the top to help keep it from moving in the wind, and it ran the rest of the day.

We solved some issues with the computer and printing with the lastest version of AXWare, but there are a few things left to do. Operator training is definately on the radar of things we need to do.

It was a long day and I have the results to audit (first time ever for me to do that) Monday, so I hope to have them posted in a day or so. There are a few things I know of that need to be cleaned up. The PAX multiplier should be correct this time. :)

Later,

SpinOutF500

[tailchaser]

Thanks in advance for a speedy audit, F500! 2nd heat should be pretty clean other than the "missing" 77.1 for Eddie H due to my operator error. Please don't ask.

I thought the course was a blast! Everything flowed nicely. No real punisher turns/gates, and some fun speed... at least so long as you didn't back a Civic SI through the grass...

I somehow managed another 2nd in Street Tire while discovering that the new Hankooks rock - and that I seem to have finally found the balance on my new suspension.

[sammm]

If TC got 2nd and onething took 3rd, who won tire class? How did our new '99 Sport owner make out?

[tailchaser]

If TC got 2nd and onething took 3rd, who won tire class? How did our new '99 Sport owner make out?

That darn silver 'vette... I think jolberry missed his Azenises and will have a much more pleasant transition to rear-driver land once he's back on them. On the plus side, he didn't get out of the car and puke after he rode with me...

[jolberry]

No puking this time. I definitely need to put the Azenis on the car for the next event. I had a blast...This car is so much more fun than the honda. My first run I felt like I was drifting though every turn, trying to keep the car from spinning. Second run was a little smoother until turn 5 right before the lights.
My last run was definitely the smoothest. I kept the car from getting too upset...My times were slow but, I now have a greater understanding of how the car is going to react. I love rwd!!!

[POS Racing]

Well how did you kids do in CS?

What about Team Monkey how did you guys do yesterday???

[Titus]

Well how did you kids do in CS?

What about Team Monkey how did you guys do yesterday???

I am going to go out on a limb and guess that Mrs Monkey added another trophy to the mantle!

[tailchaser]

Well how did you kids do in CS?

What about Team Monkey how did you guys do yesterday???

I am going to go out on a limb and guess that Mrs Monkey added another trophy to the mantle!

I heard it was a 1st place trophy, too...

More importantly... onething... were you able to visualize Phil Zass when you drove the course?

[Ataim]

Over all I liked the course. It was fast The tires that I bought from Altiain worked well for me excpet that two of them are now corded. Bummer, but I did have fun. I have more tires for the next race though. White handled pretty good, I was not chasing setup at all.

Here is a three videos of the races. On Mrs. Monkey's runs the battery was dead

This one is of cone down on the most northern portion of the run. Its on the left side. Had to tell trailer about re-run.

http://a-wardsurveying.com/a-wardsur...%205%20RUN.AVI

Next coner works on the course and no red flag ANYWHERE I had to go to the trailer to tell about this re-run also. Damn corner workers.

http://a-wardsurveying.com/a-wardsur...%206%20RUN.AVI

Stephens next to last run.

http://a-wardsurveying.com/a-wardsur...%205%20RUN.AVI

[altiain]

Well how did you kids do in CS?

lugnutjon cleaned up on the regular runs with a blazing fast 86.2. General Default secured 2nd place with an 87.1, and I couldn't manage any better than an 87.8 in the regular runs, so no trophy for me. Kestrel had to leave early and so he only made three runs, but I believe he beat John B. for 4th place with an 88.3.

For the RapidPax I managed to dig my head out of my ass and run an 86.5 to beat both lugnutjon (86.6) and General Default (87.0). I finished 6th in the Pax, jon was 7th, and the General was 9th, iirc.

[tailchaser]

...something about re-runs...

To get a re-run, you must:

1. Come to a complete stop
2. Wait for a corner worker to approach your vehicle
3. Explain the problem to the corner worker

[POS Racing]

...something about re-runs...

To get a re-run, you must:

1. Come to a complete stop
2. Wait for a corner worker to approach your vehicle
3. Explain the problem to the corner worker

If they understand your request! Didn't you have an issue with that yesterday.

[tailchaser]

...something about re-runs...

To get a re-run, you must:

1. Come to a complete stop
2. Wait for a corner worker to approach your vehicle
3. Explain the problem to the corner worker

If they understand your request! Didn't you have an issue with that yesterday.

True... True... I did flip my rear-view down and keep an eye out for the car coming up behind me...

[altiain]

Yep. No stop, no rerun. You can yell and point and slow down all you want. but if you don't stop, you have no right to expect a rerun. You may get one, but you may not, either.

It sucks to come to a stop and hold up the event momentarily because of a downed cone. It sucks even more to ignore a downed cone that you didn't hit that won't affect your best run of the day, only to find that the corner workers called it on you because they didn't notice it until after you went by. So, the correct procedure is to:

• 1. Come to a complete and controlled stop.
• 2. Wait until you are approached by a corner worker.
• 3. Inform the corner worker of the downed cone, and that you expect a rerun.
• 4. Continue down the course at a brisk pace, once instructed to do so by the corner worker.

Unfortunately, we had some green corner workers out there yesterday. Don't always expect them to know what they're supposed to do. Don't expect them to notice the cone and automatically call a rerun in for you if you don't follow the above procedure. Remember, you aren't the one holding up the event - it was the corner's job to get that cone righted before you came by. Sometimes it's no one's fault, often it is the fault of slow or newbie corner workers. It is never the fault of the driver stopping for the downed cone.

[Ataim]

...something about re-runs...

To get a re-run, you must:

1. Come to a complete stop
2. Wait for a corner worker to approach your vehicle
3. Explain the problem to the corner worker

On the down cone I did not come to a stop, I guess I should have stoped and pointed it out as per the above comments. On the workers on the course, two to be exact, they should have call that one in. When I got to the trailer to verify my re-run they looked at me like I was crazy. Well maybe I am crazy, but thats for a different thread.

[Kestrel]

Computer issues with ER... let's see...

Dennis R., SpinOutF500 and I actually managed to sorta fix the error that has been causing us problems with the printer. We keep getting a "Print Spooler" error, as the PC seems to get confused between the Laser Printer and the Dot Matrix Printer. We have an A/B switch (and yes, we switch it correctly), but if we switch it to the Dot Matrix Printer (to print timeslips) the software prints one or two, then [mysteriously] switches back to the Laser Printer. We "fixed" that by deleting the Laser Printer as an option, and viola!... time slips print just fine!

We didn't have any problems (that you'd know of) in the Trailer during the first heat. The Hollinsworth's know what they are doing (Control and Timing), and the Computer Operator manages to hang on.

Second heat computer/timing problems were caused by (1) the wind knocking the timing light out of "aim", and (2) operator error. I don't know what happened in heat three, 'cuz I wasn't there. Anyway, if I recall correctly, we had a complete noobie on Timing, and a guy who is only vaguely familiar with the software on Computer. I'm not sure why those two people were chosen to do those critical jobs, other than I suppose they asked for the slots... sometimes you gotta take what you get. And everyone starts with little or no knowledge.

I feel that we must do some formal training for all Trailer people -- Computer, Timing & Control -- before letting them take those jobs. And I'm not talking about a 1 hour "meet-at-Outback-Steakhouse-and-chat-over-beers" kind of training. I'd see two or three different sessions, each with "classroom" and "lab" work. Complete Trailer/Timing/Computer set up. A course run by remote control cars, to simulate an event. "Corner Workers" calling in cones/DNFs. Unregistered cars coming up to the "line". A timing light malfunction. In short, trying to not just learn the jobs, but what to do when life isn't perfect.

The problem is, who is going to take time out of their busy schedules to learn? Working in a covered environment hasn't really enticed many people to sign up... would half-price on a year's pre-pay sweeten the pot enough?

[tailchaser]

... would half-price on a year's pre-pay sweeten the pot enough?

It would certainly keep me interested...

[Treibenschnell]

... would half-price on a year's pre-pay sweeten the pot enough?

It would certainly keep me interested...

No lie... same here!

[POS Racing]

... would half-price on a year's pre-pay sweeten the pot enough?

It would certainly keep me interested...

No lie... same here!

Hey Bean I think you may need to be present to win! :P

I too may be game to try life in the trailer!