BITD BWDC 2020 RACE DAY UPDATES

[ndvalium]

it was way cool to be in the Helicopter. Totally different experience. Was so hard to not get to talk to the boys. I am sure they are very happy that its against the rules. they would have hated me telling them what to do. LOL

I did have a handheld to tell them if there was a dangerous situation like a car rolled in a corner. I saw a 10 car stuck on the berm in the Python and could not get the helicopter headset off and grab the handheld fast enough. So they ended up hitting the 10 car before I could say anything. it was nuts to see things happen in real time. We saw two rollovers and called them out on the Radio to BITD. The helicopters are all on the same frequency and BITD monitors it. So if any pilot sees something they let BITD know. Pretty cool that all the helicopters are looking out for everyone not just who they are chasing. It was pretty busy in our helicopter with communications and navigation. started to really get the hang of it when they stopped with engine troubles. I felt so helpless not knowing what was going on and or helping so that was a negative of being in the helicopter.

Lots of very professional and talented Pilots up in the air during a BITD race. They do a great job to make us all safer.


Mike

I’ll second this. For people that don’t realize these pilots helps us each and every race. The reports we get from them help us spot issues and in many cases they will warn drivers or provide spotting for my team when we are responding.

Besides I simply like helicopters.

 

[jon coleman]

hey! thats a deal! my next race car ill make a video

 

[SMS81]

The beauty of desert racing is the majority of the time the driver and codriver are the sole inputs to determine your outcome. You only have to go as fast as you think is safe, and in “real” desert racing your biggest competition is the desert. if racing a 6100 or tt at full tilt doesn’t appeal to you, go to a slower class. Desert racing is tough, some like to mix it up, some don’t. Half the fun is beating the crappy elements when the odds are stacked against you! Groomed tracks shouldn’t be a part of a desert race, I always thought the water trucks were for the spectators!

 

[ht racing]

Good question and I agree those words are very vague and what I was referring to is the damage that trucks take when they are racing so close to each other. It's awesome racing and that's what we want but from a damage point these types of races tend to cause the most damage to vehicles. Adrenalin is pumping and testosterone is high and that can cause mistakes. ("I have to stay in front of this guy") and then they push the gas pedal just a little bit to much and over it goes. I'm really just talking about accidents and damage to the vehicles. Watch any race where we have vehicles so close to each other you will always see damage. Are there accidents at the long races? absolutely there are but most people will say there is more carnage and damage to vehicles at a shorter course race. Yes this was a 21 mile loop but still a short race compared to most races.

i agree you push it way harder when your side by side on a 21 mile circle. we all want to think we are the baddest desert racers in the world but when you come home too many times with a car that is destroyed from something like put a little water in a spot that needs it or blade off a spot that several ppl are crashing on it takes all the fun out of it and at some point you say enough is enough. sorry we are not there for the free entry spectator to drink beer and laugh when your car goes end over end either. long races the course will develop and you adjust to it. when you get thrown out there on lap one into a course you have no idea what is coming side by side wide open its a whole different story. did i crash? no i got 2nd but i can also see the problem some are having also. that was my last short race just like rage and battle its not worth it to spend 30k on prep and go 168 miles and your car looks like you did the 1000.

 

[SMS81]

I don’t get it, everyone knew the format before entering and racing, and now it’s a problem? I didn’t like the format so I didn’t race, everyone has a choice!! How did you think the conditions were going to be? Personally I think it is great we have options and multiple organizations putting on events. Go race the ones that suit you, it will make your experience much more enjoyable.

 

[MTPyle]

I don’t think anyone is complaining about the format. I for sure am not. We love the short race formats like Laughlin and BWDC. The BWDC course was super cool and I am bummed I personally did not get to race it.

My only complaint was no water on the start. That added some risk for racers and we paid the price. Not that big of a deal. I think it’s in my right to be bummed about a small detail that I believe cost us the weekend.

I hate to sound like a complainer but sometimes it’s OK to be bummed. Not everyone is so strong that they can’t have a bad day and be upset about it.

In one day we rolled, then blew a engine, had our team mate PJ Jones get air lifted to Phoenix after his wreck, and our close friends that we camped with had their 19 yr old crash going down Shae road on his dirt bike and got a major concussion and ended his race a day early. It was a complete I failed spelling show.

Anyone that says they would not be upset after a day like that just isn’t human. Haha.

but I never complained about the race course (other than start) or format.

Mike

 

[SMS81]

I don’t think anyone is complaining about the format. I for sure am not. We love the short race formats like Laughlin and BWDC. The BWDC course was super cool and I am bummed I personally did not get to race it.

My only complaint was no water on the start. That added some risk for racers and we paid the price. Not that big of a deal. I think it’s in my right to be bummed about a small detail that I believe cost us the weekend.

I hate to sound like a complainer but sometimes it’s OK to be bummed. Not everyone is so strong that they can’t have a bad day and be upset about it.

In one day we rolled, then blew a engine, had our team mate PJ Jones get air lifted to Phoenix after his wreck, and our close friends that we camped with had their 19 yr old crash going down Shae road on his dirt bike and got a major concussion and ended his race a day early. It was a complete I failed spelling show.

Anyone that says they would not be upset after a day like that just isn’t human. Haha.

but I never complained about the race course (other than start) or format.

Mike

Sounds like a shi$$y weekend!!

 

[kyle_pc_75]

Interesting turn of conversation regarding the two at a time start. For our Vernal short course, we've had some years with trucks starting two at a time, and some years without. Some years with a water truck, some years without. We have a little chicane towards the end then a big sweeper. Everyone gets to prerun it. We've never had an incident doing it this way but obviously the risk is there.

The spectators obviously love it, but what about the racers? Just curious, as we haven't decided for 2021 yet.

 

[ht racing]

I don’t think anyone is complaining about the format. I for sure am not. We love the short race formats like Laughlin and BWDC. The BWDC course was super cool and I am bummed I personally did not get to race it.

My only complaint was no water on the start. That added some risk for racers and we paid the price. Not that big of a deal. I think it’s in my right to be bummed about a small detail that I believe cost us the weekend.

I hate to sound like a complainer but sometimes it’s OK to be bummed. Not everyone is so strong that they can’t have a bad day and be upset about it.

In one day we rolled, then blew a engine, had our team mate PJ Jones get air lifted to Phoenix after his wreck, and our close friends that we camped with had their 19 yr old crash going down Shae road on his dirt bike and got a major concussion and ended his race a day early. It was a complete I failed spelling show.

Anyone that says they would not be upset after a day like that just isn’t human. Haha.

but I never complained about the race course (other than start) or format.

Mike

i am no way looking for a graded course like you said but a blade down shea road before day one and let it develop to what it was on day 2 would of saved a few bad days for ppl. otherwise it was not a horrible race just a few details. i saw you guys sitting on the side. at least we did not end up in the hospital.

 

[J Prich]

Interesting turn of conversation regarding the two at a time start. For our Vernal short course, we've had some years with trucks starting two at a time, and some years without. Some years with a water truck, some years without. We have a little chicane towards the end then a big sweeper. Everyone gets to prerun it. We've never had an incident doing it this way but obviously the risk is there.

The spectators obviously love it, but what about the racers? Just curious, as we haven't decided for 2021 yet.

I think this dynamic reinforces my thought I shared previously...that there really is no consensus you know? For everyone who says it's unsafe there is another person who says "that's racing". For every guy that loves the shorter loops, there is someone who hates it. From the event planning side you end up going down these impossible rabbit holes that you can't win. If you change it to single lane, some portion of people will complain. If you go two by two, some people will not like it. So how do you reasonably decide which option is best when regardless of what route you go, some portion of people won't like it?

It just is what it is at a certain point.

 

[MTPyle]

Kyle,

I like the side by side start. Adds excitement for fans and for me as a racer I love the rush. I am not afraid of dust either. If we would have seen the first corner we would have known what to expect and prepared for it even if it was dusty. So a pre run or walking of start is nice.

We did learn a good lesson here, walk the start before any race. I promise we will never make that mistake again. LOL

My favorite start is a side by side with no dust. The only thing that sucks is there is usually a big difference between lanes but thats racing.

Edit- My assumption is you need to go two at a time on short courses to get everyone on course before the starting line gets back around. So thats why we go single start in SS300 and V2R and double start for Challenge races. But like the Mint400 its a fan driven thing and I like the double wide start. In case you guys missed it I blew the first corner at the Mint and was not complaining. It was totally my fault for sending it over the jump and having too much speed in the wet corner. I never for a second thought about complaining about how much water there was and the mud. I had plenty of time to check out the start as it was there for days. The BWDC the start was not marked until just before the race started. So we didn't know where it was.

Mike

 

[ht racing]

i hav

I don’t get it, everyone knew the format before entering and racing, and now it’s a problem? I didn’t like the format so I didn’t race, everyone has a choice!! How did you think the conditions were going to be? Personally I think it is great we have options and multiple organizations putting on events. Go race the ones that suit you, it will make your experience much more enjoyable.

i have raced every blue water race since the start. they were all under bitd with casey in charge he would of never started the race in the first corner without water or shea rd that big on day 1. how did you place in the race??

 

[jon coleman]

that settles it, burning tires land rush start, entire entry list, 11s, 9s tt , 6100 ect.problem solved

 

[jon coleman]

that settles it, burning tires land rush start, entire entry list, 11s, 9s tt , 6100 ect.problem solved

and yes, the class 11 racers are down for that

 

[SMS81]

i hav

i have raced every blue water race since the start. they were all under bitd with casey in charge he would of never started the race in the first corner without water or shea rd that big on day 1. how did you place in the race??

Ha! Like I said, I chose not to race. Congratulations on your distant 2nd place out of 2 running cars!!

 

[green787]

I don't like any man made infield course when I'm desert racing or spectating.... It's man against nature..... The only time I watched a racer die was at BAP on the first little jump after the start..... Spectating was free.....

 

[ht racing]

Ha! Like I said, I chose not to race. Congratulations on your distant 2nd place out of 2 running cars!!

yea we drove the 2nd day not raced it was not worth it and clear rules state its a sealed ls3 not the 525 version but i guess this class is open to anything. but that's a whole other story. 4wd 525 motor just forget 6200 and do class 1 what a mess.

 

[SMS81]

yea we drove the 2nd day not raced it was not worth it and clear rules state its a sealed ls3 not the 525 version but i guess this class is open to anything. but that's a whole other story. 4wd 525 motor just forget 6200 and do class 1 what a mess.

We will see you at Parker in our 6200, hope the class continues to grow! Honestly, I think they are quick enough to play in class 1, see what happens!

 

[ht racing]

We will see you at Parker in our 6200, hope the class continues to grow! Honestly, I think they are quick enough to play in class 1, see what happens!

nope i just finished my new class 10 alumicraft for the 425 that was my prerunner we were running for fun with a 250hp v6 and we won 425 with it but ill build a 525 version if that's what the deal is lets spend some money!

 

[ICR Racing 1044]

Any one notice that Wilson gets awarded for 1st overall car, yet he was beat by Conner Mcmullen in a 4 cyl!
Its no ones fault that heat 5 had a restart and lost to much time for 4 laps, and I hate to take a win away from Wilsons. Their new cars are badass, but credit is due!

#1553 Wilson 7 laps time of 2:31:22 average lap - 21.643
#1020 Mcmullen 8 laps time of 2:42:59 average lap - 20.375