I have brought up a similiar discussion several times on this list.... the
CHEAP ( I know there ain't nothing cheap bout racing) land speed car...
like the 130 club but one that had basic limits on how much you could spend
and what kind of car it was....
For example .... find something really plentiful in the junk yards like
the 82+ Camaro and set a displacement limit of .060 over the stock 6
cylinder motor. So that you could race the thing till it blew up... and
slip another one in that didn't cost a fortune...... I love this idea....
Just don't know how to make it happen and keep it honest.
Keith
----- Original Message -----
From: Hyatt Engineering Ltd. <Hyatt-Engineering-Ltd@fuse.net>
To: <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2000 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: Youngsters
> 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
> > > >>
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
>
>
|