Rule Clarification on 1/4 Mile Records

[pav225]

These type of 'specialty' hulls are why Kilo's are basically a thing of the past. Once Pav, Reed and the boys start building 1/4 mile 'special' boats the 1/4 mile runs will die just like the Kilo's have............

Matt,
I agree...allowing special boats will kill the event. I believe that's why the original intent was to run regular race boats through the traps.

If you allow special boats, the 25ssH record (which was very fun to watch this weekend) will be close to 80 mph. Once that is set with a special boat, no one will attempt it afterwards unless they buy a new boat to run once a year. That cycle will repeat for all the remaining classes until it becomes pointless to go to the event.

Mike

[Dave M]

Agreed

Matt,
I agree...allowing special boats will kill the event. I believe that's why the original intent was to run regular race boats through the traps.

If you allow special boats, the 25ssH record (which was very fun to watch this weekend) will be close to 80 mph. Once that is set with a special boat, no one will attempt it afterwards unless they buy a new boat to run once a year. That cycle will repeat for all the remaining classes until it becomes pointless to go to the event.

Mike

I completely concur. Must be your regular competition set up, and boat. Any prop. I would even up it to hull must have been raced in at least one Nationals, and two local races prior to a 1/4 Straightaway attempt. The record needs to be attainable by your everyday local racer using everyday normal equipment. Otherwise this will become a one man show once again and in 30 years the next generation will wonder what happened.

[Matt Dagostino]

Sorc

Matt,
I agree...allowing special boats will kill the event. I believe that's why the original intent was to run regular race boats through the traps.

If you allow special boats, the 25ssH record (which was very fun to watch this weekend) will be close to 80 mph. Once that is set with a special boat, no one will attempt it afterwards unless they buy a new boat to run once a year. That cycle will repeat for all the remaining classes until it becomes pointless to go to the event.

Mike

YEP........as a SORC Member i voted to approve the 1/4 mile records Pat Gleason fostered. The idea of running your competition rig through the short 1/4 mile trap was a cool thing. Now if 'specialty' equipment is allowed in the concept is DEAD.

Not sure how to 'legislate' it but i hope we don't let the 1/4 mile records die off like the Kilo's have......

[propnuts]

This is not innovation

There is nothing inovative about building a straightaway boat. Straightaway boats killed kilos for anyone not willing to build a specialty boat, the idea of the 1/4 mile was to revive it. The 1/4 mile will die just as quickly once that same boat sets those records.

Let the innovators innovate, without innovators we would still be racing Jacoby hydros and Sid Craft runabouts.

[csh2z]

Currently the way the rule reads, the boat would have to meet all closed course boat specs and rules as well as heights, weights, tuck etc.

[seanp3]

Maybe a boat inspection at these races should be done and a sticker given by an inspector.the boats must meet the spirit of the rules somehow or these records will become out of reach like most of the kilo records are.in mod bob wartingers records are never going to be broke.i think he set a lot of them in stock also with kilo boats that were built for kilos only.better do something before its to late.

3 of Bob's Kilo records were broken earlier this spring, one just by not enough margin to go in the books.

[seanp3]

There is nothing inovative about building a straightaway boat. Straightaway boats killed kilos for anyone not willing to build a specialty boat, the idea of the 1/4 mile was to revive it. The 1/4 mile will die just as quickly once that same boat sets those records.

I think we need to have clarification in the rulebook soon as we have a 1/4 mi and kilo run this weekend. If a kilo boat runs the quarter mile and sets a record are we going to toss it? Entries are $175 per class and that could tick someone off pretty easily. I like the idea of the quarter mile being different than the kilo, but like Montana Mike posted earlier what's to prevent someone from running a race in a kilo boat just to have that under their belt so they can run it in the 1/4 mi?

[seanp3]

BTW Mike, congrats on the records. Those are terrific speeds

[csh12M]

Out of the box

This might be a little out of the box but maybe you right one very ambiguous rule stating something like.....

"Any record set by a boat not deemed a weekend competition race craft by the Stock Outboard Commission at that racing years annual meeting will be null and void."

If you write a powerful, yet vague all encompassing rule you stop the problem at the front end vs. the back end. What I mean is....without any rule someone will build the specialty boat and set the record to gain a one year benefit. (Hall points, record, ect.) So you will probably kill the enthusiasm for people to try it again. However, you write the kind of rule I stated above you stop that from the start. Who is going to invest in building a boat and the work involved if the record could be at risk by a vote of the S.O. Commission.

I am not a record guy, but watching what is happening on both coasts with competition setups is kind of cool. I could see it happening every year for HOC points maybe.....

on the other hand....I hate that straightaway records will be a major factor in deciding the HOC. We race in circles against people. Nascar does not entertain a race down a drag strip..... if they did Ryan Newman would be much better than he is.

[Dave M]

Maybe

This might be a little out of the box but maybe you right one very ambiguous rule stating something like.....

"Any record set by a boat not deemed a weekend competition race craft by the Stock Outboard Commission at that racing years annual meeting will be null and void."

If you write a powerful, yet vague all encompassing rule you stop the problem at the front end vs. the back end. What I mean is....without any rule someone will build the specialty boat and set the record to gain a one year benefit. (Hall points, record, ect.) So you will probably kill the enthusiasm for people to try it again. However, you write the kind of rule I stated above you stop that from the start. Who is going to invest in building a boat and the work involved if the record could be at risk by a vote of the S.O. Commission.

I am not a record guy, but watching what is happening on both coasts with competition setups is kind of cool. I could see it happening every year for HOC points maybe.....

on the other hand....I hate that straightaway records will be a major factor in deciding the HOC. We race in circles against people. Nascar does not entertain a race down a drag strip..... if they did Ryan Newman would be much better than he is.

Dean,

While I think your intentions are admirable in this spirit of the rule, I think the gray area opened up for interpretation is akin to the mess on the Nationals with the ummm, pickle tip questions...... not to drag that out again, but I can easily see this happening with that rule.

[Big Don]

I think we need to have clarification in the rulebook soon as we have a 1/4 mi and kilo run this weekend. If a kilo boat runs the quarter mile and sets a record are we going to toss it? Entries are $175 per class and that could tick someone off pretty easily. I like the idea of the quarter mile being different than the kilo, but like Montana Mike posted earlier what's to prevent someone from running a race in a kilo boat just to have that under their belt so they can run it in the 1/4 mi?

I take it you were planning on using the Kilo boat base on your post? I agree at $175.00 a class you are owed an answer pretty quick.

[seanp3]

I take it you were planning on using the Kilo boat base on your post? I agree at $175.00 a class you are owed an answer pretty quick.

No, the kilo boat is in a box right now heading to Europe

[brill27]

kilo boats = more money = less people at the event

[G Stillwill]

Dave not everyone goes to every national but I can see passing a rule that the boat has to place first second or third in a closed course race in the prior 12 months before the record attempt and a sticker placed on the boat by an inspector or ref that states that.

[reed28n]

Why stop there

I guess we need to discourage the extra lexan Brewster added and the new windshield Austin added, we might as well include in the rule that if you have not raced the rig or you don't own the boat you can't attempt a record. that way someone couldn't try to pile on HOC points.

Is anyone concerned about the timing device used? Should we demand 2 or 3 blade props? Bronze or Stainless, heat treated or polished?

Altitude? Baroametric pressure? Water temperature?

I am sure running at different times during the day or having an AX run after a 2.5 Liter is some sort of disadvantage.....

Should the boat be painted a certain color too? Kevlar color? Jacket? Smoke shield or clear shield on the helmet?
Height? Hair color? What about where we live? Can we attempt a record if we are from Region 2?

This 1/4 mile thing gained some traction this year... lets regulate the fun out of it.