I have enjoyed the threads regarding youngsters. It is good to observe
people sharing what they love with kids.
It seams that a logical extension of that would be to define a class for
"Junior Land Speed Racers", something parallel to what NHRA has done with
Jr. Dragsters. But it should be distinct from the Jr. Dragsters and
tailored around the things that make LSR special, the innovation, the
absence of handicaps (bracket racing), the attention to safety, etc.
Anyone interested? I have four kids who would sign up in a heartbeat!
I roughed out what I had in mind below. I am sure that there will be other,
and probably better approaches. But I thought it might stimulate discussion
if there were some specifics to react to.
Jr. LSR Class Proposal
Goal
Provide an opportunity for youngsters to safely get involved in LSR with a
direct migration path to adult racing.
Rules
The existing rules would be applied to the cars. The only difference between
Adult and Jr. cars would be the displacement of the engine, with the Jr.s
limited in size to limit the maximum velocity attainable to a level suitable
for the age group. Therefore the child could drive the parents car with an
engine swap down to a K or L engine?(L=250cc?, M=125cc?). Or a car built
from scratch for the child could transition to adult racing with an engine
swap up in displacement.
The rules regarding the engine should support the innovation associated with
special construction categories, with classes for various engine types
(flat-head, OHV, electric, etc.) as well as displacements.
Ages
This approach could not be applied to the entire 8-16 age group that NHRA
has defined without limitations. Eight year olds clearly cannot drive heavy
door-slammers with sticks, chutes, etc., no matter how small the engine and
how slow the car. Perhaps the age allowed should be dependent on the weight
and complexity of the car. For example:
Age Max. Vehicle Transmission Maximum Max,
Weight Engine Class
Velocity
10 1000 lbs. centrif. M (L if side valve?)
50 mph
13 1800 lbs. centrif. or Auto. L (M if fuel?)
75 mph
15 2500 lbs any K (J for heavy cars?)
100 mph
Records
Records could be listed per age group, for example a class might be. age 12,
GL/M
Track
If it caught on and there were too many of them to share the short track,
how much trouble would it be to give them their own small circle track (1
mile?) with a single clock?
Or they could run late in the week, after their parents have all blown
engines and there is more track time!
----- Original Message -----
From: "DOUG ODOM" <popms@thegrid.net>
To: "JAMES CANNON" <dr.piston@worldnet.att.net>
Cc: "LAND-SPEED" <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2000 11:09 AM
Subject: Re: Youngsters
> Jim, I have three daughters all in their twenties now. Went racing with
> me from before they where born. We tried to always take an extra day on
> the long race trips and find something that was of real interest to the
> girls. One day at school I asked the teacher if missing a few school
> days a year was bad. She told me my daughters were the envy of the other
> kids because they got to go places and see things their parents never
> took them to see. She also said that she did not hear other kids brag
> about their dad (even when we didn't do good). So take her every chance
> you get and some day when she tells you that some of the best times she
> had growing up was going racing you will know how I feel.
> Doug Odom in sunny cal.
>
> JAMES CANNON wrote:
> >
> > You guys sure hit me at home with this discussion, after 1 trip to
Maxton
> > last Oct my 8 year old daughter has now dubbed herself land speed mama,
at
> > least has written it all over her school books.
> > p.s. dads a little tickled by this but mom may need a little work
> >
> > Jim from Salem VA
> >
> > no snow, no heat, no sun
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Louise Ann Noeth <lanspeed@west.net>
> > To: Keith Turk <kturk@ala.net>; dahlgren <dahlgren@uconect.net>; DOUG
ODOM
> > <popms@thegrid.net>
> > Cc: Land-speed@autox.team.net <Land-speed@autox.team.net>
> > Date: Saturday, January 29, 2000 3:22 AM
> > Subject: Re: Youngsters
> >
> > >Because I have been 50% deaf since childhood, the melodic sounds of a
> > finely
> > >tuned exhaust note were not only heard, but felt by this young girl.
Many
> > of
> > >my tactile encounters are partnered with sound. Quite different than
the
> > way
> > >most people "hear," my "listening" is a more involved process of
sensing,
> > >interpreting and analyzing. It has driven people crazy over the years
> > trying
> > >to figure out how I understand so much about ICE's, rockets, jets and
other
> > >propulsion energy devices.
> > >
> > >If my life depended on it, I could not translate my level of spatial
> > >comprehension to the satisfaction of an empirically trained engineer,
but I
> > >can talk their language with relative ease. Always have, always will,
no
> > >book learning required. I understand people like Preston Tucker, Red
> > Adair,
> > >Amelia Airheart, Madame Curie, et al. It is my opinion that these folks
> > >immersed themselves in the process and the process revealed itself to
them.
> > >
> > >At age 7, when I first recollect becoming aware of engines, that
> > >"ruppety-rup-rupp-pup pup" that leaked out from the warped wooden
boards of
> > >the garage across the street, it was as if the Pied Piper had taken up
his
> > >flute, as if the moth detected the blazing bright bulb and I have been
> > >following the tune ever since.
> > >
> > >Crazy as hell, but it is a journey loaded with tales of many splendid
> > >trips -- fast trips usually, but even the ones that crawl along have
given
> > >me cause to pause throughout my life.
> > >
> > >Best of all, the sounds that have given me the greatest joy have always
> > been
> > >brought to life by the most amazing people I have had the good fortune
to
> > >know. When I stand in the pre-dawn quiet, all alone in the middle of
the
> > >salt flats, I smile to myself thanking God for his gifts to me as the
sun
> > >spills out over the Newfoundland mountain range and ignites the
crystalline
> > >surface with colors galore.
> > >
> > >It is a great time to be alive.
> > >
> > >
> > >LandSpeed Louise
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: Keith Turk <kturk@ala.net>
> > >To: dahlgren <dahlgren@uconect.net>; DOUG ODOM <popms@thegrid.net>
> > >Cc: Land-speed@autox.team.net <Land-speed@autox.team.net>
> > >Date: Thursday, January 27, 2000 3:57 AM
> > >Subject: Re: Youngsters
> > >
> > >
> > >My High school shop teacher was a guy Named Gary Densham..... I think
he
> > >races funny cars now.....
> > >
> > >Not that I don't remember polishing aluminum on his car in auto shop
and
> > >going to the next class with the smells of Nitro.... and yes that was
an
> > >impetus to racing for a young kid.
> > >
> > >This thread is exactly what I was trying to start with my constant
> > harassing
> > >folks to do the Intro's... wanted to hear how we all got into cars in
the
> > >first place.... for some reason I enjoy hearing the tales.... Keith
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: dahlgren <dahlgren@uconect.net>
> > >To: DOUG ODOM <popms@thegrid.net>
> > >Cc: <Land-speed@autox.team.net>
> > >Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2000 5:23 AM
> > >Subject: Re: Youngsters
> > >
> > >
> > >> Real nice thought even if they never race a car in their life..Kinda
> > >> what is all about in the big picture..I remember working on Nascar
> > >> Modifieds as a very young boy and will never forget the 'chances' to
get
> > >> a ride while they pulled it up on the trailer.. My neighbor had one
that
> > >> Carl 'Buggsy' Stevens drove before he was famous. An injected SBC, at
12
> > >> I could do the air density stuff and come up with the right pill size
> > >> while my buddies were struggling with their 'hill buggies' LOL..
Those
> > >> sounds and smells are what got me in the racing business for life.
All
> > >> started at the tender age of 8. Later in high school as a senior we
had
> > >> a substitute auto shop teacher that claimed to drive a TF car. He had
> > >> pics and brought in the fire suit and we talked a lot about racing
and
> > >> safety but all thought he was BS'ing us all. He finally brought it in
> > >> and fired it and did a short couple of burnouts in the parking lot. I
> > >> got the honor of priming the blower with alky to fire it while two
> > >> buddies wrestled with the starter.. A real hoot if there ever was
one. I
> > >> thought we were going to break every window in the building.. Oh well
> > >> sorry to ramble but this thread reminded me of some nice days gone by
> > >> now..
> > >>
> > >> Dave Dahlgren
> > >>
> > >> DOUG ODOM wrote:
> > >> >
> > >> > Dick, Your message about your crew member in school made me think.
I
> > >> > take our car down to the local high school auto shop once a year.
The
> > >> > shop teacher makes arrangements with the other shops and even the
math
> > >> > teachers to have a small assembly. The kids ask a lot of questions
and
> > >> > are interested. We try and explain how much math and calculations
it
> > >> > takes to run fast or for a record. The fact that an attractive
woman on
> > >> > the team drives the car with the E motor in it and is in the 200mph
> > club
> > >> > brings extra interest from the girls. At lunch time the word has
spread
> > >> > and a lot of non shop kids come down and take a look also. I think
if
> > we
> > >> > can get some of the younger people interested more people will
enjoy
> > the
> > >> > sport.
> > >> > The shop teacher will have one or two kids that are the top
of
> > >his
> > >> > class and I'll let them come over to the shop on a weekend and help
> > with
> > >> > some little thing on the car. I'm no teacher, but if you show some
kid
> > >> > how to make a fender brace with the shrinker - stretcher and you
put
> > the
> > >> > part on the car that he made, you will see their eyes light up.
> > >> > Just a thought, Doug
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >
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