Day 1 Recap

[jwade]

Let's not get too optimistic now.

It's optimistic but it's not crazy. Their last three raceday times were 2:08.55, 2:11.22 and today's 2:10.339. I don't think they could take 4 seconds off the freeroll. But, if they could take a couple seconds off the freeroll that might build enough organizational interest to take a couple more seconds off the rest of the race.

[abordick]

On a sad note for competition, Pika A and SigEp A are both DQ'd

[DangerMike]

On a sad note for competition, Pika A and SigEp A are both DQ'd

I have to say, I'm a little shocked to see PiKA going out on a 5-second violation. This is the second year in a row that mechanical issues have pushed the best men's time from PiKA over 2:20. The last time PiKA had two years in a row that slow was in the mid '70s, and that was not a slow time then!

I'm not trying to be a dick when I say this, but I'm used to PiKA being a well-oiled machine at rolls and on race day.

[TommyK]

On a sad note for competition, Pika A and SigEp A are both DQ'd

that's lame. 5-second rule really? who protests that? Where's the sportsmanship? save it for when it causes an actual problem ... now it might cause a GIANT day 2 dilemna ... Pika C, Sig Ep B and Spirit B could all monkey with their lineups to get their best teams out there ... what a clusterfart that would be.

also lame that cmuTv says they are re-broadcasting but only have a clip of SDC D and CIA C ... although the driver sized girl pushing on 5 with the pushbar near her forehead is entertaining.

lemuroid, too right. wouldn't want to wake the ghost of '04. i'm going up to the halau to ask for rain later.

cook, you should verify but I heard 50 seconds crosswalk to window zero may have been breached. also payable to BAA.

[RedTachyon]

Great coverage folks. Thanks for all the commentary and broadcast quality. It was not a productive morning at the office, but a great day at work. Really enjoyed seeing all the races (well, most of them) and especially my favorite driver.

[Carl Nott]

On a sad note for competition, Pika A and SigEp A are both DQ'd

that's lame. 5-second rule really? who protests that? Where's the sportsmanship?

WHAT the FUCK. We had PiKA A on TAPE in '98 with a 5-second violation during finals. AFTER our Women's A was DQ'd in prelims for BULLSHIT. AND we didn't protest because we FUCKING KICKED THEIR ASS.


Also, I may have wanted a nap and walking up the hill to the head judge was too much effort. I was so fucking tired. My God. I almost skipped awards ceremony because I wanted to sleep more.

[Elmo Zoneball]

For those of us old farts who are not steeped in the minutia of the current rules, would somebody please explain what the "5 second violation" is all about .... I've never heard of such a thing, except in basketball, where I think it's three seconds...

[DangerMike]

After the starter announces that there are five seconds remaining to the start of a heat, nobody except the drivers and Hill 1 pushers of the entries in that heat, and the starter, may be within five feet of any of the buggies in that heat, until that heat begins.

[Elmo Zoneball]

After the starter announces that there are five seconds remaining to the start of a heat, nobody except the drivers and Hill 1 pushers of the entries in that heat, and the starter, may be within five feet of any of the buggies in that heat, until that heat begins.

Sounds like a rule in search of a problem.

If there's no interference with other teams, why on earth would anyone care?

And since no Spring Carnival would be complete without a full-fledged screaming match about Buggy rules, I declare this rule to be utterly and completely bizarre, unnecessary, and bureaucratic. In fact, it sounds like something the Vogon's in "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" might dream up.

Petty red tape at its worst, I say.....

[aepibuggy]

that's lame. 5-second rule really? who protests that? Where's the sportsmanship? save it for when it causes an actual problem

I would generally agree with this. With that said, 5 second DQ is one of the "Top 10 Ways to get DQed on Raceday", and we have been DQed in each of the last 2 years for it, and 3 of the last 6 (in ways that, at least I would argue, don't interfere, as we're generally the last place team anyway and no one ever got a re-roll because of it).

So while it may be a "red-tape" rule, it's an evenly enforced one, and one that should come as no surprise to an org. If they didn't enforce it because it was Pika A, I'd be far more upset.