Parade Laps at AX?

[JERRY B]

All run groups got 1 parade + 3 hot to make 4 4 4

[martinreinhardt]

I guess I got it wrong, as I got 1 parade + 4 hot laps In this case then let's lose the parade lap for sure.

[JERRY B]

Sounds like you had a unfair advantage against your competors, Martin You should give back any awards, Just to be fair.
The parade lap is more for students to see the track at a lower speed, Most of the people that dont want it are high timers
We do need to address the problems with the timing system, I know that Kim was working his butt off all day To keep it going

[sean_v8_914]

Kim's reason #2 makes alot of sense . I remember doing it that way when I started at SDR. I think this is a critical step in making a 120+ car AX stay on time without loss of laps. I would gladly give up a parade lap for that to work. I would not show up for only 3 laps. already played at SCCA.

[Tim Comeau]

Ha! I wouldn't get out of bed for the 3 laps the SCCA offers.........
I thought that the parade laps were a good way to show the lay of the course from the more realistic perspective of the driver's seat and that this would result in less cone resetting.
But, it sounds like Kim has thought this out pretty well and there are other benefits regarding time and flow of the event.
I'd say just convert the slow parade lap into a regularly spaced practice lap.

[KeithV]

A "where did it come from spin" on parade lap = black flag, a spin on a regular lap no problem, no parade lap no black flag, no threats, no demoralising innuendos.
Greg 774

Greg, IMHO if you spin on parade lap you deserve all the "demoralising innuendos" that your peers heap upon you.

Have you given any thought to what the "Parade" part of the name means? I guess that to some, "parading" means being so close to your limits that you lose control. The black flag is intended to get you to think what you're doing in a line of moving cars - which is definitely not the same as driving a practice lap.

The other issue I have is people talking about doing parade laps "before the event begins at 9:00am". There is a city ordinance that Enid from Qualcomm Stadium was forever quoting that states cars cannot run before 9 - parading or otherwise.

Personally, I would choose to forgo a parade lap and get one extra practice lap ..... that I can drive at the pace I see fit (within my limits for the most part - but possibly even spinning ..... if I so choose)

[993Panzer]

Personally, I would choose to forgo a parade lap and get one extra practice lap ..... that I can drive at the pace I see fit (within my limits for the most part - but possibly even spinning ..... if I so choose)

Yeah, I know.

[gjb3545]

Keith,I responded to a post with my own thoughts and experience. Due to my "fiddlin" with the suspension my trusty steed responded in a revolting manner.
My speed at the time of the spin was way lower than my normal "comfort"zone. The speed of the Parade lap is controlled by the cars in front of you so logically you can not get up to speed without running into the car in front of you. Never be criticle of the person, be criticle of the event.
I am sure that most AX'rs are not aware of the restrictions that are imposed on us the 9am to 5pm rule for example. I think the track walk time could be better used, something that the "big" tracks don't use, but if we can't run before 9am then the time has been put to good use,there are probalby a lot of participants who really enjoy it,the excerise does us all a little good. Sean Malloy gave the best track walk in my short experince at Qualcomm.
Greg 774

[Mmagus]

Given the that if we had 1 or two corner cone destroying spins on a "first lap" any time gaind by dropping the parade lap would be lost, how about this? We do the first lap similarly to a Time Trial first run session. Drop the parade lap BUT If you spin or go 4 wheels off on your first lap you SIT OUT the rest of that run session. It would apply to the first run sessions of the day only.

[JERRY B]

[ttweed]

The other issue I have is people talking about doing parade laps "before the event begins at 9:00am". There is a city ordinance that Enid from Qualcomm Stadium was forever quoting that states cars cannot run before 9 - parading or otherwise.

The ordinance has to do with sound levels, no? There is a big difference between "run" and "parade" as far as noise goes. If we are allowed to come onto the site in our cars before 9:00am, unload them off trailers and warm them up, drive all around the lot setting the course up and getting through tech, making "safety runs" on the track, etc., how is this any different than driving (not "running") a parade lap before the event starts? As long as cars are short-shifted and not run up to red line, it is no different than all the other driving we do around the lot prior to the event start.

TT

[jenniferreinhardt]

Drop the parade lap BUT If you spin or go 4 wheels off on your first lap you SIT OUT the rest of that run session. It would apply to the first run sessions of the day only.

I know everyone is trying to better our practice lap system, but it was never really broken in the first place. I worry about so many rules and regulations pushing people away, like our sound monitoring did IMHO. (Insert flames below...) If someone was reckless, the AX or Safety Chairs just used to talk to them, and that was that - most people straightened up their act.

My favorite Instructor's motivation to improve run times was to remind me "This is a Race, not a Parade!" I need all the at-speed laps I can get.

[stevemckay]

AS THEY SAY +1,I AGREE WITH JENNIFER,EXCEPT FOR THE SOUND METER PART IN WHICH IS A PART OF THE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY.[and thats anotherpost]