Pictures/Updates/Results from Norra Mexican 1000

[B-Dub 1020]

Thanks for all the groovy pictures and great stories everyone. This event/race is on my bucket list like I said in the beginning to do with my family. Great thread!!

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[AZ45]

Jeff,
I can attest there was a lot of "gaming" happening at the front of the line on the last day. i.e. waiting for clear air "in the box" before starting.

I might have been a little guilty of that but from what I witnessed we were at least 1/2 that from one of those that started in front of me.

Had to think once it got back a ways that there were those that just had to go to avoid timing out.

BS

I dont really know what the point was, but 2 cars were on the main street and jumped in behind me as I went buy. I figured they thought they'd get more chicks if they were closer to me. I wasn't really thinking of any gaming, just getting to the starting as soon as I could. By the time you got to La Paz, there wasnt much on course traffic, if you were in dust you were being passed or faster than the car in front. I think the solution would be to drive faster on the race stage.

[Race Whore]

We had a early start in the transit. It looked like if you had a later start from the hotel, and figure 60sec. starts in the dirt, there was no way you could start the dirt section on time.

[Anders Green]

The interesting thing about rally is that the structure give you more _options_. And whenever there are choices and options, one choice or another may be more advantageous to the overall result. Check in early and take a penalty to gain a dust-free run? Sometimes, it's worth the penalty. And that means that STRATEGY starts to play a big part in winning. People started to figure this out after several days.

There's always revisions and updates to any ruleset each year. Next year will be no different. But I can tell you that while we will likely make some changes to the check-in stuff to increase effeciency and fairness to the whole field, the idea that you might check in early or late for a strategic reason is built in to the DNA of the rally timing system and will still be there.

I hope I got to call you up to the stage this year for a trophy and I hope I'm calling out your name next year too! I'll see you guys out there next year!

Anders

[BSchlimme]

I dont really know what the point was, but 2 cars were on the main street and jumped in behind me as I went buy. I figured they thought they'd get more chicks if they were closer to me. I wasn't really thinking of any gaming, just getting to the starting as soon as I could. By the time you got to La Paz, there wasnt much on course traffic, if you were in dust you were being passed or faster than the car in front. I think the solution would be to drive faster on the race stage.

I think your right, chicks dig that little blue car. Figure it is kind of a "cute" thing. My big "whitey" was nothing special.

Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut on the gaming. Just move along, nothing to be had here.

Also, I took your advice on day #3 and drove a little faster. Trouble is/was throughout the rally with some of those I was chasing, faster was at times minimal and overtaking is an entirely different challenge.

[BSchlimme]

The interesting thing about rally is that the structure give you more _options_. And whenever there are choices and options, one choice or another may be more advantageous to the overall result. Check in early and take a penalty to gain a dust-free run? Sometimes, it's worth the penalty. And that means that STRATEGY starts to play a big part in winning. People started to figure this out after several days.

There's always revisions and updates to any ruleset each year. Next year will be no different. But I can tell you that while we will likely make some changes to the check-in stuff to increase effeciency and fairness to the whole field, the idea that you might check in early or late for a strategic reason is built in to the DNA of the rally timing system and will still be there.

I hope I got to call you up to the stage this year for a trophy and I hope I'm calling out your name next year too! I'll see you guys out there next year!

Anders

Anders,
Hats off to your and your scoring team.

To bring what you do to the event for 4 DAYS PLUS providing results & awards on the same day is nothing short of remarkable.

I hope the cards are in alignment to come back next year.

Ben

[Anders Green]

Thanks Ben!

Yeah, if you think about it... 100 teams, four days... so there you are, sitting at a table with 400 time cards, trying to answer the question "So... what really happened out there in the desert?"

The goal is... ducks. You see them, as they glide along the lake, so smooth, so effortless. And underneath the surface, furiously pedaling!!!! Haha! But you don't _see_ that part. *grin* So thanks for the appreciation, it makes all the pedaling worthwhile.

Interesting new note, everyone: In 2010, on the first stage of the first day, there were 615 passes made, by all the vehicles. (Obviously with that number, many vehicles passed multiple other vehicles.) The 2010 start order was done in the traditional method of class by class by class.

This year, using the average speed method and data from previous years, on that first stage there were... wait for it... 208 passes. A little science, a little math... and 400 passes didn't happen just on stage 1!!! Just think about how much less running in the dust, how much more fun not being stuck behind someone, and how much safer not blasting through 60 miles of dust that really means!

To me, that's just amazing. That's not like "Oh, it's my opinion that this is better, or I like it that way better", that's "Wow, that is a solid and concrete and measurable way that this NORRA race is actually getting even more fun and safer" which I think is pretty cool.

Anders

ps: disclaimer: these stats don't count people who DNF'd on that stage, they might have passed someone or might not have, but since there's no times for them you can't really tell. But even without that info, it speaks volumes.

[AZ45]

I think your right, chicks dig that little blue car. Figure it is kind of a "cute" thing. My big "whitey" was nothing special.

The chicks dig it because its actually a vintage race car, not a station wagon with fat tires and GPS!
Racing in my car is like running a marathon in cowboy boots compared to your ride

[Rory]

<<Just think about how much less running in the dust, how much more fun not being stuck behind someone, and how much safer not blasting through 60 miles of dust that really means!>>

I guess you weren't talking about stage 1 out of Loreto.....LOL.

[Anders Green]

HA! No, you're right, I wasn't. *grin*

But even that stage (D2SS1) there was about 28% less passing than previous years. Now, "if the system was perfect", then we could predict the winner before we even got to Mexico, and what fun would that be?

I can do a lot of good stuff with math and the smarty-pants algorithms... but the desert is still the desert. Math won't tame the desert. It will still whoop us all. That's where the adventure is, right?!?

Plus, it's that vintage dust... and that dust is tasty.

Anders