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Re: Speed Week concerns

To: "john robinson" <john@engr.wisc.edu>
Subject: Re: Speed Week concerns
From: "Jonathan Amo" <webmaster@landracing.com>
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2001 20:46:17 -0600
John,

 A couple things I would like to add here ( remember I know nothing )
but the comment, " I am not able to see forward" that is something you should 
keep to
yourself tech guys dont like to hear that kinda talk. I would say if you have a
problem seeing you need to modify something so you can. (Im not trying to be 
ignorant
even though it sounds like it)
The center line was the oil slick I would beleive. Dont know what else one 
could want.
Or explain center line, I thought it was dead in the middle myself.
As for your generator problem I can relate. The ECTA guys were very kind in 
marking a
pit area for Landracing.com (Joe Amo, Jon Amo) and Mountain States Automation 
that was
VERY clearly marked and to my suprise I went back and some racer took both the 
pits
that were marked for us. When I confronted them they said OO I didnt know they 
were
marked, the lettering was abount 2 feet high and however long the two pits 
were. I was
pretty pissed, how ignorant could one be. But you know what there is alot of 
salty
pits there. I just found another one. So moral of the story there are plenty of 
other
awesome racers you can pit next too. But he in return is correct he can run it 
as long
as he wants, but really hard to make friends that way, His loss cause Im sure 
you are
a great person.
Just my two cents, and you cant buy much with that anymore.

Jonathan Amo (who knows nothing, thinking of a wierd motorcycle streamliner 
body,
again I know nothing.)


john robinson wrote:

> Howdy,
>         I have a couple of concerns about running at Speedweek this year. I 
>ran
> a motorcycle, did OK with it (actually set a record but it lasted only one
> day), but did have a problem with running on the Salt that other motorcycle
> riders also have.
>         There is no center line to run on.
>         My bike is a vintage racer, and when I drop behind the fairing, I am 
>not
> able to see forward.  As this is the first time I ran a bike at the Salt, I
> asked other bikers how they did it, including the guys in Tech. Mostly, the
> answer was to have a slightly loose helmet that you shove up on your
> forehead, and try to look at the line on the side of the track and follow
> it. Some of the other riders remember when they had a center line to run
> on, and commented that it felt safer running with it.
>         I don't know when the centerline was removed, but for the safety of 
>the
> riders, feel that it should be brought back.
>         One of the reasons I heard (that the center line was removed) was 
>that the
> environmental (I did have a comment here, but deleted it ) concern was of
> putting used oil into the environment at the Salt. I do understand this,
> but feel that the safety of the riders would be a higher concern than the
> amount of used motor oil poured on the salt. ( I >think< you are still
> using used motor oil, please correct me if I am wrong), and if the marker
> is a benign coloring agent, what is the reason for not having a center line?
>         Another concern I had was the running of generators. I was in an area 
>that
> had a guy running his generator, ( an older B&S engined genset, one of
> those with a louder muffler and the usual B&S rattle) about 70% of the day.
> It was irritating, and even though several of the surrounding pits asked
> for a reduction of run time, the gentleman in question said, in effect, I
> can run this if I want to.
>          I did not bring my genset to the salt this year, but have in other 
>years,
> and attempt to run it only as little as I can, mostly for charging the
> racecar battery, and so do understand his position. Maybe gensets could be
> relegated to the perimeter of the pits, at least those that have longer
> runtimes? I'll bet I am not the first with this concern, and would also bet
> much wrangling has gone on about it.
>          Anyway, I thought this years' SpeedWeek went very well, and wish to 
>thank
> everyone involved in its creation. Thanks a lot, drive careful
>
>               John Robinson, Mechanician
>    Mechanical Engineering University of Wisconsin
>                  1513 University Ave.
>                   Madison, Wi. 53706
>                      608-262-3606
>                    FAX 608-265-2316
>         Current World Land Speed Record Holder
>                  Bonneville Salt Flats
>             H/GCC 92 cu.in. 1980 Dodge Colt
>                    131.333 MPH set 1995
>                    136.666 MPH set 1996
>                    140.292 MPH set 2000
>                    144.396 MPH set 2000
>         MPS-PG 441 c.c. 1967 BSA Victor 441                     Motorcycle
>                     95.193 MPH set 2001

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