Gateway (St. Louis) Buick Performance Enthusiasts - November events

[Keller]

TRACK - The race season at Gateway International Raceway is quickly coming to a close. The club will go to the track on November 1st for their 2nd to last day of the year. (Rain date, November 15th) Bring your GS, T, GN, or anything Buick powered out to enjoy some runs at the track against all the Brand X cars before the track closes for the year. Gates will open at 8 AM with racing beginning at 9 AM and continuing until 4 PM.

MEETING - The next Gateway BPE meeting will be @ the home of Jeff Heinrich on Sunday, November 9th. 8947 Felicia Dr. St Louis, MO 63123 Meeting @ 1:30pm.

At this meeting we will hold a swap meet for all of those unused Buick and other automotive goodies that have been cluttering your garage for years. Bring them to sell, and a lot of cash to buy stuff you really need.

Dues will be collected - $15 for the 2009 year.

We’ll also discuss the slate of ‘officers’ for the coming year. The TR ignition analysis demo and oil info talk can be redone if desired.

The dyno session will discussed, and likely be held in the spring.

MAIL GROUP - Invitations to join the new Yahoo group for the Gateway Buick Performance Enthusiasts have been emailed out. It may be in your "spam" folder. You must reply to it and sign up, or you may not receive future meeting notifications! Please go to gatewaybpe : Gateway Buick Performance Enthusiasts to sign up if you have not already. At the meeting we will discuss if a 'board' type group would be preferred.

 

[tta1401]

I only saw three folks there Saturday. Well, be happy you didn't go race. I was there around 0900 and left at 1530 only got 2 runs in the whole day! I was in line most of the day. My second run didn't even count as they gave no times (1/4mile et, 60ft, etc)!! They timed me out . That was way rediculous. I got maybe 5 seconds (yes, I really mean FIVE seconds to stage the second light and then it went red. I thought that I was going crazy thinking, "Did I roll/push through the second light already? I never even see it light up. ". It's okay to give the big boys time to line up and all but hell, if the little guy takes more than five seconds to stage and you are done! I paid $25 to race just like those folks. I wish there was another track around here. I guess they wanted to speed things up but don't go and screw someone. So, I paid $40 in race gas plus $25 to race and I got one timed run in 6.5 hours. BS is what that is.

 

[Keller]

Sorry I didn't see you there. I was at the track, though late. Didn't bring my car because of some problems I'd been chasing down recently. Craig told me you were there, but I didn't find you walking through the lanes or pits.

Talking to those there, it seemed that the track was very understaffed for the event. And those running all said they did not get anywhere near the number of runs they should have given the time they spent there. Sounds like they didn't have the normal staff directing the staging lanes, either.

End of season dates are usually busy. But this looks like it was *way* over subscribed. The number of 9.0 and faster cars there was much higher than I ever would have expected. Given that they made this an 'all run' event, I guess there was nothing stopping anyone. Takes some work to manage a field that includes everything from 7 second pro-mods to high-teens street cars.

If anyone was truly worried that no one would show up at a late season date if the weather was nice in this area, I think they are very wrong. People really want to race. Now I don't know if a day like Saturday really makes the track any cash, or if its all just fun time (ahem) for the racers. Granted, November is usually not spring-like and would normally require shloads of constant prep just to have a usable surface.

Anyway, very sorry to hear your experience. I spent some of the time there around the pit of someone with a car that he towed to the track in an enclosed trailer and it requires a chute. i.e. Fast. His complaints were basically the same as yours. "If I only get to make this few runs..." "If there were another track that were close..."

Frankly, I think most of the events are run very well. This one didn't seem to be. I haven't seen any chat about it stlsr.com, either.

 

[Bret Kepner]

Sorry to hear about your experience too, TTA, but you should know that the CompULink AutoStart timing system is set at ten seconds from the time of the first car staging until you're timed out. You had ten seconds like everybody else. It may have seemed like five seconds but, trust me, it was ten seconds.

When you're timed out in a test-and-tune session, you should hold your position on the starting line and the starter will reset the system and send you on a timed run. If you run after the system has timed you out, you'll receive no ET or MPH readings because the timing system doesn't even know you're there. You just took off. What was the starter supposed to do? Run on foot down the track after you?

If you weren't aware of how the timing system works, that's okay. You learn from the situation and move on. You'll know better next time.

As for the waiting between runs, please post all stories of how you've had no wait at 300-car events at other tracks you've attended. Waiting sucks but that's life.

Many racers got four runs and I know of two guys who got six and one who got seven. Any race after September is gonna have more than its share of oildowns. Incredibly, there were only three at this event. I noticed how nobody mentioned the decision by new GIR Drag Racing Manager Rich Schaefer to run until 6 PM, either.

Gateway had the normal number of employees working the event. The track prep crew started work at 7 AM.

GIR made money on the event; I busted my butt early in 2008 to get them to run these "post season" test events and I was elated that it was very well supported. However, there were PLENTY of other area tracks racing last weekend where you could've gone including Benton (IL), Sikeston (MO), and Charleston (IL) so the argument of "if there were other tracks open" isn't valid.

I'll warn you in advance that, if the weather is above 50 degrees, the crowd will probably be as large for the November 15th event. Believe it or not, that's the key to a successful business. :biggrin:

 

[Keller]

ten seconds from the time of the first car staging until you're timed out. You had ten seconds like everybody else.

And note that its ten from the first car in. So if the other car goes in both bulbs right away, your clock is already ticking.

I will say that the starters have always been very easy to work with.

I did not run Saturday, of course. I was only told that the cars at the head of the lanes going into the 'chute' weren't being directed. All third person, so I'm just relaying what I was hearing.

Running these extra events, particularly on weekends, is very much appreciated. And I know that many can not make the weekday evening events, particularly if they live further away from the area.

The other mentioned tracks aren't quite so central to the metro STL area, of course. And they are also 1/8th mile. For those picky about getting 1/4 mile data, Gateway really is the prime facility. And is a damn good one.

 

[Keller]

Do not forget this Sunday's meeting & swap meet! Dues are due!

In addition, the Gateway BCA chapter (Buick Club of America - the classic Buick fans) are having a meeting this Thursday. They will be having a speaker some of us might like to hear, so I thought I'd forward a message from their director:

Please pass along our next Gateway meeting to the Gateway Buick
Performance Enthusiasts. We will have a guest speaker from Track Lab..
They have a portable dyno and some other equipment that may be of interest.

November 6th - Home Town Buffet, 12228 St Charles Rock Road, 7 pm

 

[tta1401]

Sorry to hear about your experience too, TTA, but you should know that the CompULink AutoStart timing system is set at ten seconds from the time of the first car staging until you're timed out. You had ten seconds like everybody else. It may have seemed like five seconds but, trust me, it was ten seconds.

When you're timed out in a test-and-tune session, you should hold your position on the starting line and the starter will reset the system and send you on a timed run. If you run after the system has timed you out, you'll receive no ET or MPH readings because the timing system doesn't even know you're there. You just took off. What was the starter supposed to do? Run on foot down the track after you?

If you weren't aware of how the timing system works, that's okay. You learn from the situation and move on. You'll know better next time.

As for the waiting between runs, please post all stories of how you've had no wait at 300-car events at other tracks you've attended. Waiting sucks but that's life.

Many racers got four runs and I know of two guys who got six and one who got seven. Any race after September is gonna have more than its share of oildowns. Incredibly, there were only three at this event. I noticed how nobody mentioned the decision by new GIR Drag Racing Manager Rich Schaefer to run until 6 PM, either.

Gateway had the normal number of employees working the event. The track prep crew started work at 7 AM.

GIR made money on the event; I busted my butt early in 2008 to get them to run these "post season" test events and I was elated that it was very well supported. However, there were PLENTY of other area tracks racing last weekend where you could've gone including Benton (IL), Sikeston (MO), and Charleston (IL) so the argument of "if there were other tracks open" isn't valid.

I'll warn you in advance that, if the weather is above 50 degrees, the crowd will probably be as large for the November 15th event. Believe it or not, that's the key to a successful business. :biggrin:

I do know of those tracks but when race gas is at 10 bucks a gallon and you haul everything in your trunk (I love that!), it gets a little expensive, especially for the up and comers. Either way, it was a bad day for me and others but I am no way saying that this is a reflection of Gateway or it's staff because I have had many, many good times at Gateway. Just by sitting in the lanes and waiting, there were quite a few people that were torqued as they haven't seen it that way either (i.e.- the tech line wrapping around close to the entrance). But, I only go maybe once a month as many others that were complaining so I nor them don't have as good a chance to see something like Saturday hence all the B**ching. The only bad time I do remember having is the Midnight Madness which is crazy busy!!

I knew about being timed out but I did not know exactly when it started. I was under the impression it was the starter that had the call on it if I took too long after I hit the first light and not the other car. The way I do it is hit the first light and then boost the car up until I creep to the second light. As Mr. Keller and Mr. Kepner said, it is 10 seconds with the first car in and like I said before, it was 5 seconds (maybe even less) after I hit the second light. Didn't know; thought I pushed through and didn't even realize it. I guess the guy next to you can really screw you over if it was any actual race by staging right away. The Ford boys were doing that at Thunder Valley in OK at the Buick/Ford shootout a couple years ago. They knew us Buick guys needed all the time we could get to boost our cars up and they took advantage of it. But Satruday, it was test-n-tune and in my mind that day, I really didn't care what that guy next to me does because I racing against my self and not him/her. But, now I know! Never had a problem before but I guess it was my time but hey, I am human and I vent out about it and move on. Maybe I am a big baby!:wink:

I guess the other reason why I was a little short in my rant above is I just put my car back together (I popped a head gasket last time out). I ran an 11.80 with a stock turbo and blown HG last month and in my mind, I thought for sure I could crack an 11.70 with a healthy car but it didn't happen and I wanted it so bad! I also did not know that they were running until 1900 and the $25 instead of $20 to race was also never mentioned or at least I didn't see it.

I really do appreciate Gateway doing events like this, I really do. I have been to packed events where I get 3 to 4 runs in and others where I get maybe 2 but if your play, you pay. Either way, I will proably always vent in some way when it doesn't go my way!:biggrin:

BTW-Mr. Kepner, please don't pick on me on the 15th! J/K I really do appreciate all you do for this track and the rest of the STL area. Please keep on keepin' on sir!

 

[Keller]

Now that I know what the issue was with my T, I'm thinking about the 15th as well. Just a few good passes would make me very happy.

Hope you can make Sunday.

 

[tta1401]

I should be there with car. Not sure if my brother will make it due to work but we all know how that goes.

 

[Tony Shoaff]

I would of rather been there then Coles County Sunday. They ran out of VHT and traction sucked! Brett very well put I will see you next year every Tuesday night. Scott did you see my cage pictures?

 

[Keller]

Yes I did. Should be ready for more nipping at the records!

 

[Tony Shoaff]

You are Correct

 

[1QuickGN]

Tony,

Are you going to the meet on Sunday? I may drive my car to the meeting depending on the weather. How about you? I would like to see your car and how that thing runs so fast.

 

[Tony Shoaff]

I might, very big might??

I am having carpal and cubical surgery tomorrow am on my right arm. I might be down for awhile?? I just prey this surgery repairs my pain and feelings in my hand and elbow I may make it depending on how I feel If not just wait until I am Released from my DR. and my first project is putting adj. upper, 1" LONGER REAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS BUILT BY HNR Parts. Frt upper and lower control arms and QA1 frt dual adj. shocks Maybe a different conv? Boost control for launchin and slicks again to hold the power. It will happen and is it April yet I will keep everyone posted, when I can?

 

[Tony Shoaff]

I made it through the surgery

 

[Bret Kepner]

Good!

Now stay away from doing ANYTHING which will screw it up. I mean it.

 

[Tony Shoaff]

Do Anything

They have me log chained to the floor on the couch Took the race car. No way i will ruin my racing career Bret. I just got started :biggrin: This should only make things better for me time will tell. Thanks for caring tough Take care and I PROMISE to do the same.

 

[Tony Shoaff]

Does anyone in the club live close to the MILLENNIUM MOTEL? I was going to be there tonight with my wife for a work party that I will not be able to attend and was checking to see if anyone was in the area to talk Buick B/S with me? Let me know asap If not I am staying home.