Video of Davis 7/31 main

[Simon]

Here's the the main from my helmet cam.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLJqsJHf2KY

I'll look at the heat video tomorrow and see if I have some other people to look at. I should have some of Rich at least.

[markofzero]

Nice race! I thought Simon was going to make the pass, but he was not quite able to. Simon who's system do you use to get the cool speed and track display overlaid on the video?

[brad42]

Very nice. How was the track smoothness with the repaired areas?

[ron90]

I was told they are still working on the track to smooth it out.

[sean51]

Great video... close racing

[Brad Wunder]

Thanks for posting the video Simon. After watching it I was reminded of something and I want to make a comment and ask a question.

Comment-while the video evidence would suggest otherwise, I did not jump the start. Actually I was on the brakes trying to get back into position but couldn't because of the freight train pushing from behind.

Question-when did NFRA starts turn into such bumpfests? It's been a while since I started up front so maybe it's been going but I just didn't notice. lol But back in the day we used to pride ourselves for nice, controlled, no bump starts. Race directors used to actually thank us for our starts and hold us up as an example of how it should be done.

Seems like the bumping started when other non-NFRA drivers were lumped with us? That isn't a dig against them. I think that is just the way a lot of people think it should be done. I remember when we had that 33 kart field in Reno I was off-pole and was hard on the brakes coming to the green so I wouldn't pass Scoots on pole just like on Sunday. Hell of a way to start the race.

I understand WHY the bumping takes place. However, if you've got the guy up front hard on his brakes I can almost guarantee that line will not get a good start.

We can start however everyone wants. I'm just pointing all this out because I think we used to do a much better job of it IMO. Of course I may just be way off base here. It's just that when I started racing (right around when we started the NFRA) the start was controlled by the driver on pole (he/she set the speed which was generally VERY slow), bumping just wasn't done (as is was considered a rookie maneuver and showed a lack of kart control), and once the green dropped you drove your azz off! Some of that seems to have changed. While watching HPV2s begin their races might be entertaining, I'd rather not be one of them if you know what I mean.

Thoughts?

[norcalacr]

I was asked to bump so I did. As one who generally starts in the middle of the pack I can say it comes and goes. I have no preference so whatever the group decides is good with me.

[Simon]

Guilty ! When I was in the clones we all used to push each other a lot, the throttle roll-on with those carbs is horrible, so keeping the motor puling and having the guy ahead act as your brake was normal. I have tended to carry that on to some extent in the WF, but not as much. As you can see from the video I was being pushed pretty hard into T2 which nearly caused me some problems avoiding being pushed into the rear corner of Brad.

If we as a group decide that NFRA will be non-bump starts, I'm fine with that. It would make the starts a bit safer for sure.

..... but I'm sure it was the mighty push I was getting that propelled me into a position to keep Rich at bay, so I'm not complaining !

[RichH]

Also guilty! I want to say that I was in contact with you Brad at the start, but the bumps were being pushed up the line. I was also looking over at Simon with the angry eyes trying to keep my spot. Should of gone with some more teeth.

I'm all for making an effort to make our starts look clean and fun. I think that would be an attraction to the type of people we want to pull into our group.

Having said that, I felt our starts were a pretty good balance of
aggressiveness, and good driving. Some contact and fighting for positions, but spots were given when earned. Except for a certain on the edge pass going into turn#1 by a #19 ( Sorry Luis )
Great Race

[luism]

Guilty as well... But it was fun.. I dont mind aggressive driving as long as I get to return the favor. I just realized after this weekend that I need to turn it up. It was fun and I hope everyone had as much fun as I did. I think pushing is probably fine on the starts as long as we get off the bumpers by the corner. I don't remember but I think in the pc main I was getting a healthy push coming into the first turn. I don't mind either way.

[ron90]

I was in 6th, I think behind Rich who was behind Brad. As I typically am late on the starts, this last weekend was different. I was used to the green being thrown sooner, and this time it seemed like he waited until the start/finish line to throw it. When I thought the green was being thrown I was hard on the throttle, and on Rich's bumper. Most likely I was pushing you both forward. It's all timing.

It was a fun race. I wish I could have stayed up front after qualifying. But the chain issue threw me to the back of the pack. However, I did get a chance to race with Terry Ives, which really made my day. For those that don't know Terry and my late uncle raced back in the 60s and 70s.

[Simon]

More video for your entertainment. This is Heat 1 and Heat 2 edited down to remove the laps where nothing much happened. I'm very proud of my pass round the outside of T2 in Heat 2 to take 2nd from Rich!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H0rRfXt4J4

[Simon]

Aug 2, 2011 9:23:18 GMT -5 markofzero said:

Simon who's system do you use to get the cool speed and track display overlaid on the video?

I use a little 10Hz GPS receiver (look at the base of my steering column next time and you'll see it) that talks bluetooth to capture the positional data stream. That data is captured by an old Nokia N82 phone I have in my fanny pack which is running this free app www.racechrono.com/ (Believe it or not there were smart phones and apps long before iPhone!)

When I get home I export the data from the phone and run it through this free software www.racechrono.com/news/?p=92
which generates an AVI with the telemetry.

I then take the helmetcam video, overlay the telemetry video, and job done !

Hardly seamless workflow, but the end results are a little different.

[scoots27]

We need to have drivers meetings at every track we go to. At the drivers meetings that the track has I ask the race directer about the start and wether its by the cones or the green flage and theres no reason to push on my poll setting bumper untill the flag man gives me the green. We all need to take it easy through the first two or three turns, then race for all were worth. If you can't make your passes in the next 15 or 16 laps-----well I just don't know what to say.

[Brad Wunder]

Aug 3, 2011 0:28:34 GMT -5 Simon said:

More video for your entertainment. This is Heat 1 and Heat 2 edited down to remove the laps where nothing much happened. I'm very proud of my pass round the outside of T2 in Heat 2 to take 2nd from Rich!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H0rRfXt4J4

You GO Simon! ;D

I hope you guys understand I wasn't trying to be overly critical with my comments, nor was I looking to assign any blame for the bumping. Heck I know I've done it either because I screwed up or was pushed from behind. And I know bumping like crazy is pretty common in a lot of classes. I was talking about heavy duty bumping that can get out of control. When the guy off pole gets pushed ahead of the guy on pole, even though he is on the brakes, something ain't right. That isn't the way we used to roll (not that it is a good thing or bad thing).

While I understand trying to get a good run at the start, my worry is someone is more likely to get hurt because the train pushed then into someone else and the next thing you know somebody is skidding on their head. Simon mentioned that he was getting pushed into me because the momentum from behind. Lucky for me he is a helluva driver and handled the situation. When I think back to Karl's award winning kart flip, at Davis no less (they had Scoots and I start at the back that day so we were right behind the incident and saw it all), it was the same deal. Everybody banging from behind, someone lost it because they weren't in control of their own kart due to forces beyond their control, and voila, Karl is star.

Besides getting people hurt there is the embarrassment factor. Believe it or not but on occasion back in the day we had 14+ F200s rolling to the line, all going the exact speed as the pole sitter, with no more than a foot between each one and we never touched. It was freaking awesome. Getting sloppy on starts and descending into the realm of the constant "1 to go" routine because we can't stay lined up (think KTs and HPV2s) wouldn't be much fun I don't think.

But there is more to it. "Respect your competitors" is more than a slogan on a shirt. That is something we've always done in the NFRA. If I get into you, whether at the start or at some point in the race, I feel like hell about it. And I know you guys (and gals ;D) do too. I don't have the answers, I'm just saying...