I've been told I can't race anymore on my motorcycle, but I've heard so many people use the term "kicked out" of the local drag strip, without ever asking if they actually got escorted OFF of the premises. I dont think so, but Im curious if anyone has ever experienced someone so irate about you "going too fast" that you've been kicked out of the track.

 

? Elaborate please...

I know my local track has guidelines about running so fast and such on given nights...

 

There are certain NHRA rules that a track must follow as safety guidlines, i.e., how fast a car can go with or without certain gear. Al was thrown out of E-Town NJ a while back (apparently) after he went sub 11.99 (I think thats the new limit) without a cage. On my bike you could wear jeans, leather jacket gloves and boots covering the ankle. If you went over 125 with that combo, your ticket was pulled. After that you needed leather pants....yeah, real safe-right?

Im just curious if people have been asked to leave a given establishment afet violation of such rules....I have heard stories and was wondering if any of them are valid.

 

I've never been asked to leave personally, but what my local track does is stop you from running but allow you to watch... I mean if your really doing sometihng stupid then i'm sure you will be asked to leave.

From what I have found most tracks are run by idiots who tihnk they have a real job but infact are worthless...

The SCCA group, i've found, to be more of a family.... Everyone there is curious as to what your running and willing to lend a hand to help get your car track worthly. And almost everyone running is on a first name basis.

Two completely different atmospheres i know, but SCCA doesn't care if you run with the windows up or down, in shorts or jeans, short sleves or long... I'm pretty sure a car is more likely to flip over autocrosing then going straight... And i'm sure more parts are likely to let go and break seeing how the race is a longer race.



Just my two cents, to each his own...

 

1Q, tell me more about the SCCA, how do I get started AXing?

 

If you're racing in jeans you deserve whatever you have coming.

 

to get started, just find a local scca chapter, find out where they race, and go! I started this year, its as simple as pay your dollars, tech your car, put on the helmet and have fun (safely).

 

You've obviously never been off a bike with leathers on then. Jeans will shred pretty instantly when dragged across the pavement with a body inside them. Leather (3-4mm) is much more tolerant of such an excursion, and yes I've tried it out personally - I used to roadrace motorcycles.

On topic, I've never seen anyone thrown out of a track for running too fast, they are usually just banned from running until the rule violation is taken care of. 13.99 and under requires a helmet, 11.99 and under requires a cage, past that there are lots of requirements based on ET.

 

I was told I needed a helmet by the timeslip dude after a 13.0 run or I couldn't race anymore. I ended up finding one, and lined up about an hour later.

A different guy came over to me and asked to see my last slip before he let me past, and I told him I had a helmet this time. He said oh, ok, I thought you were a little fast last time and didn't care anymore to see the slip!

Not sure what would have happened if I didn't get the helmet though. I think their rule was under 13.9 needs a helmet??

 

www.scca.org

in regards to getting booted, they just stop you from racing again...
unless (like its been said) you act like an idiot.

the cage rule is actually for going under 11.49, but most tracks go for the easy sub 12 second run requiring a cage.

there was a listing of the rules (important ones like that) in SCC about 5 months ago.

 

i don't know to much about what the limits are, every track is different and have a little variences in track speed and what is allowed....i do know that autocrossing is a great way to get started, i just ran my 1st event! and all you really need is a helmet!

 

NHRA Rules are for a 5-point roll bar if you go faster than 11.99.
You need a cage if you are faster than 10.00.

http://www.nhra.com/contacts/tech_faq.html

For 11.99 or faster you also need a fire-proof jacket, scatter shield and a 5-point harness.

 

I ran 11.9, then 11.6, and was "kicked out" of my class. I was told by an official at Englishtown that I can no longer compete in the class (heads up) that I was running in, because I didn't have a roll bar. He did allow me to run brackets, but was not allowed to dial in under 12.00.

Another time, back in 2001, I was literally "kicked out" of Atco, in my turbo Civic. 1st pass I ran an 11.4. They told me to slow down. 2nd pass I ran 11.5, and they told me I have to leave. I made a 3rd pass later on that night, running 12.00, and they came up to my car and told me I was banned for the season (which had about 5 weeks left at the time). A friend of mine was there with me running high 11's in another turbo Civic that night. We both got kicked out. They stood by our cars and watched us pack our stuff, and followed us to the gates. We both ended up getting reinstated a week later after writing an apology letter to the owner of the track.

 

www.newenglanddragway.com will remove you for not have the proper equipment including the often over looked scatter shield.

Harry

 

New England is the only track that I’ve heard of that is requiring you to run a scatter shield if your car is not running 11s, which I think is bull****.

If you guys have any IHRA sanctioned tracks around your area they only require cages after you run 11.49 or faster.