Both morning "practice" sessions were qualifying sessions.
One can hire any national championship track almost any time of the year. There are also test days on the friday prior to race weekend something not available at a street circuit so its an entirely different case.
The nature of the cemetery means ones grid position is a lot more influential on ones race outcome than on our wide open race tracks. Riders know this and take extra risks in practice as well as not spending this time trying different lines etc that they may need later in the day hence a high incident rate I believe
Unless it is made a two day meeting or classes or race distance is cut it is not practical to do it any different than it is now[/QUOTE]
the answer is to set the grids before the day starts and let what time is available for practice be used for practice-- not a balls out race for some to qualify.
Like it was done in the past before transponders. Knowledgable people sat down and looked at entry lists, previous experience on the cemetery and other circuits, machine capabilities and set grids to suit. There were certainally less grizzles and problems as there are nowadays.
The whole object is to spread ensure a safe passage through the first corner and then let the race sort itself out.
There have been at least two seroius incidents on the first corner in recent years where front row candidates have had a bad practice and pushed there way through only to cause carnage and also the weather issues in 2007 which saw riders on incorrect tyres after a sudden downpour and while were faced with the decision to risk life and limb to go out and qualify on unsuitable equipment or miss out. This would not have been an issue if the grids were set before the meeting.
Check out all the comments on paeroa's grids this year, they were posted the day before, not a patch on those after Wanganui only weeks before
Its all about safety in the end
So front row candidates had two bad practices which put them back down the grid? maybe they're not as good as they think then
Those crashes were caused because the riders involved made poor decisions, that can happen regardless of grid position
How long ago was it done at Wangas in the way you suggest?
How long has Paeroa set the grids that way and do they change them during the day?
Yet some of us who weren't in the big teams with heaps of manpower were easily able to change the tyres in the time allowed to put the rider out on suitable tyres for the conditions
No emotion involved at all, just pointing out your post was bullshit, because if we could do it in the time provided then anyone else could have as well
Of course if they knew what was said at riders briefing woudn't apply to them then why would they need to go out
So long as there is provision to change the grid position during the day I can't see any problem with your idea, although personally I'm not that sure it will cut the amount of accidents, people will still do dumb shit regardless
How may T1 incidents off the start were there this year?
How many have there been in previous years?
How many were caused by what you see as incorrect gridding?
How many race incidents were caused by new riders?
How many licence signings did they have?
How many involved more than one rider?
Here goes "I" think that the current rules for Wanganui are OK, if they are applied to everyone equally. Riders have to LISTEN at the riders briefing, the black flag should be USED when riders fuck up. The 110% qualifying rule should be applied (with maybe some adjustment to suit the circuit). Mandatory newbie familiarization mandatory 2 yellow flag laps each practice and maybe the introduction of newbie T-Shirts.
However if the 110% rule was applied the fields would be drastically reduced. After visiting mylaps getting the merged qualifying times and doing some sums (which I admit I am not very good at and stand to be corrected) here is what Wanaganui grids would look like.
Class Number of bikes
F1 16
600 16
F3 10
Bears 17
Posties 12
Motard 16
Would 10's of thousands of people pay $30 to watch such small fields ?
Wanganui seems to negate some of the advantages that horsepower usually has but magnify the advantages of skill and experience.
Glen Williams is probably about 100 horsepower down on the top F1 bikes but was 12th fastest round the circuit.
Perhaps a formula Wanganui (with A & B classes if needed) based solely on lap times to give more people the opportunity to race.
Having done it once I think EVERYONE who races should be able to do Wanganui it is an AWESOME event
"You never understood that it ain't no good, you shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you" - Bob Dylan
I think it would be alot safer if we all rode slower, maybe enforce the 50kmph rule ??
Motorsport would be a safer thing in this way
Ive run out of fucks to give
Did ya stay all day at any of them, or toss your toys and bugger off 'cos you could have run them better?
And do track days count as experience for all those of us less worthy to be on the track than you? Plenty of guys ride like muppets at them and think they are race ready when perhaps they are not.
Can I have a show of hands from all those people who I've "nearly taken out" as you say happened to you Shaun. If I'm gonna try something stupid to get round a bend faster, I invariably do it on the outside so as not to endanger others, that wouldn't be a show of experience and forethought would it?
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