Excellent idea, I have a 13 year old son who has a Suziki GSXR50 max speed
approx 35mph, full leathers,snell95 helmet the works but haven't been able
to get him an opportunity to run down the track.I am behind you 100% and
would be happy to help set it up, at least on the east coast.
Jim from Salem VA
-----Original Message-----
From: Hyatt Engineering Ltd. <Hyatt-Engineering-Ltd@fuse.net>
To: land-speed@autox.team.net <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Date: Saturday, January 29, 2000 3:42 PM
Subject: Re: Youngsters
>I have enjoyed the threads regarding youngsters. It is good to observe
>people sharing what they love with kids.
>It seams that a logical extension of that would be to define a class for
>"Junior Land Speed Racers", something parallel to what NHRA has done with
>Jr. Dragsters. But it should be distinct from the Jr. Dragsters and
>tailored around the things that make LSR special, the innovation, the
>absence of handicaps (bracket racing), the attention to safety, etc.
>
>Anyone interested? I have four kids who would sign up in a heartbeat!
>
>I roughed out what I had in mind below. I am sure that there will be
other,
>and probably better approaches. But I thought it might stimulate
discussion
>if there were some specifics to react to.
>
>
>Jr. LSR Class Proposal
>
>Goal
>Provide an opportunity for youngsters to safely get involved in LSR with a
>direct migration path to adult racing.
>
>Rules
>The existing rules would be applied to the cars. The only difference
between
>Adult and Jr. cars would be the displacement of the engine, with the Jr.s
>limited in size to limit the maximum velocity attainable to a level
suitable
>for the age group. Therefore the child could drive the parents car with an
>engine swap down to a K or L engine?(L=250cc?, M=125cc?). Or a car built
>from scratch for the child could transition to adult racing with an engine
>swap up in displacement.
>The rules regarding the engine should support the innovation associated
with
>special construction categories, with classes for various engine types
>(flat-head, OHV, electric, etc.) as well as displacements.
>
>Ages
>This approach could not be applied to the entire 8-16 age group that NHRA
>has defined without limitations. Eight year olds clearly cannot drive
heavy
>door-slammers with sticks, chutes, etc., no matter how small the engine and
>how slow the car. Perhaps the age allowed should be dependent on the
weight
>and complexity of the car. For example:
>
>Age Max. Vehicle Transmission Maximum
Max,
> Weight Engine Class
>Velocity
>10 1000 lbs. centrif. M (L if side valve?)
>50 mph
>13 1800 lbs. centrif. or Auto. L (M if fuel?)
>75 mph
>15 2500 lbs any K (J for heavy cars?)
>100 mph
>
>Records
>Records could be listed per age group, for example a class might be. age
12,
>GL/M
>
>Track
>If it caught on and there were too many of them to share the short track,
>how much trouble would it be to give them their own small circle track (1
>mile?) with a single clock?
>Or they could run late in the week, after their parents have all blown
>engines and there is more track time!
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "DOUG ODOM" <popms@thegrid.net>
>To: "JAMES CANNON" <dr.piston@worldnet.att.net>
>Cc: "LAND-SPEED" <land-speed@autox.team.net>
>Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2000 11:09 AM
>Subject: Re: Youngsters
>
>
>> Jim, I have three daughters all in their twenties now. Went racing with
>> me from before they where born. We tried to always take an extra day on
>> the long race trips and find something that was of real interest to the
>> girls. One day at school I asked the teacher if missing a few school
>> days a year was bad. She told me my daughters were the envy of the other
>> kids because they got to go places and see things their parents never
>> took them to see. She also said that she did not hear other kids brag
>> about their dad (even when we didn't do good). So take her every chance
>> you get and some day when she tells you that some of the best times she
>> had growing up was going racing you will know how I feel.
>> Doug Odom in sunny cal.
>>
>> JAMES CANNON wrote:
>> >
>> > You guys sure hit me at home with this discussion, after 1 trip to
>Maxton
>> > last Oct my 8 year old daughter has now dubbed herself land speed mama,
>at
>> > least has written it all over her school books.
>> > p.s. dads a little tickled by this but mom may need a little work
>> >
>> > Jim from Salem VA
>> >
>> > no snow, no heat, no sun
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: Louise Ann Noeth <lanspeed@west.net>
>> > To: Keith Turk <kturk@ala.net>; dahlgren <dahlgren@uconect.net>; DOUG
>ODOM
>> > <popms@thegrid.net>
>> > Cc: Land-speed@autox.team.net <Land-speed@autox.team.net>
>> > Date: Saturday, January 29, 2000 3:22 AM
>> > Subject: Re: Youngsters
>> >
>> > >Because I have been 50% deaf since childhood, the melodic sounds of a
>> > finely
>> > >tuned exhaust note were not only heard, but felt by this young girl.
>Many
>> > of
>> > >my tactile encounters are partnered with sound. Quite different than
>the
>> > way
>> > >most people "hear," my "listening" is a more involved process of
>sensing,
>> > >interpreting and analyzing. It has driven people crazy over the years
>> > trying
>> > >to figure out how I understand so much about ICE's, rockets, jets and
>other
>> > >propulsion energy devices.
>> > >
>> > >If my life depended on it, I could not translate my level of spatial
>> > >comprehension to the satisfaction of an empirically trained engineer,
>but I
>> > >can talk their language with relative ease. Always have, always will,
>no
>> > >book learning required. I understand people like Preston Tucker, Red
>> > Adair,
>> > >Amelia Airheart, Madame Curie, et al. It is my opinion that these
folks
>> > >immersed themselves in the process and the process revealed itself to
>them.
>> > >
>> > >At age 7, when I first recollect becoming aware of engines, that
>> > >"ruppety-rup-rupp-pup pup" that leaked out from the warped wooden
>boards of
>> > >the garage across the street, it was as if the Pied Piper had taken up
>his
>> > >flute, as if the moth detected the blazing bright bulb and I have been
>> > >following the tune ever since.
>> > >
>> > >Crazy as hell, but it is a journey loaded with tales of many splendid
>> > >trips -- fast trips usually, but even the ones that crawl along have
>given
>> > >me cause to pause throughout my life.
>> > >
>> > >Best of all, the sounds that have given me the greatest joy have
always
>> > been
>> > >brought to life by the most amazing people I have had the good fortune
>to
>> > >know. When I stand in the pre-dawn quiet, all alone in the middle of
>the
>> > >salt flats, I smile to myself thanking God for his gifts to me as the
>sun
>> > >spills out over the Newfoundland mountain range and ignites the
>crystalline
>> > >surface with colors galore.
>> > >
>> > >It is a great time to be alive.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >LandSpeed Louise
>> > >
>> > >-----Original Message-----
>> > >From: Keith Turk <kturk@ala.net>
>> > >To: dahlgren <dahlgren@uconect.net>; DOUG ODOM <popms@thegrid.net>
>> > >Cc: Land-speed@autox.team.net <Land-speed@autox.team.net>
>> > >Date: Thursday, January 27, 2000 3:57 AM
>> > >Subject: Re: Youngsters
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >My High school shop teacher was a guy Named Gary Densham..... I think
>he
>> > >races funny cars now.....
>> > >
>> > >Not that I don't remember polishing aluminum on his car in auto shop
>and
>> > >going to the next class with the smells of Nitro.... and yes that was
>an
>> > >impetus to racing for a young kid.
>> > >
>> > >This thread is exactly what I was trying to start with my constant
>> > harassing
>> > >folks to do the Intro's... wanted to hear how we all got into cars in
>the
>> > >first place.... for some reason I enjoy hearing the tales.... Keith
>> > >----- Original Message -----
>> > >From: dahlgren <dahlgren@uconect.net>
>> > >To: DOUG ODOM <popms@thegrid.net>
>> > >Cc: <Land-speed@autox.team.net>
>> > >Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2000 5:23 AM
>> > >Subject: Re: Youngsters
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >> Real nice thought even if they never race a car in their life..Kinda
>> > >> what is all about in the big picture..I remember working on Nascar
>> > >> Modifieds as a very young boy and will never forget the 'chances' to
>get
>> > >> a ride while they pulled it up on the trailer.. My neighbor had one
>that
>> > >> Carl 'Buggsy' Stevens drove before he was famous. An injected SBC,
at
>12
>> > >> I could do the air density stuff and come up with the right pill
size
>> > >> while my buddies were struggling with their 'hill buggies' LOL..
>Those
>> > >> sounds and smells are what got me in the racing business for life.
>All
>> > >> started at the tender age of 8. Later in high school as a senior we
>had
>> > >> a substitute auto shop teacher that claimed to drive a TF car. He
had
>> > >> pics and brought in the fire suit and we talked a lot about racing
>and
>> > >> safety but all thought he was BS'ing us all. He finally brought it
in
>> > >> and fired it and did a short couple of burnouts in the parking lot.
I
>> > >> got the honor of priming the blower with alky to fire it while two
>> > >> buddies wrestled with the starter.. A real hoot if there ever was
>one. I
>> > >> thought we were going to break every window in the building.. Oh
well
>> > >> sorry to ramble but this thread reminded me of some nice days gone
by
>> > >> now..
>> > >>
>> > >> Dave Dahlgren
>> > >>
>> > >> DOUG ODOM wrote:
>> > >> >
>> > >> > Dick, Your message about your crew member in school made me think.
>I
>> > >> > take our car down to the local high school auto shop once a year.
>The
>> > >> > shop teacher makes arrangements with the other shops and even the
>math
>> > >> > teachers to have a small assembly. The kids ask a lot of questions
>and
>> > >> > are interested. We try and explain how much math and calculations
>it
>> > >> > takes to run fast or for a record. The fact that an attractive
>woman on
>> > >> > the team drives the car with the E motor in it and is in the
200mph
>> > club
>> > >> > brings extra interest from the girls. At lunch time the word has
>spread
>> > >> > and a lot of non shop kids come down and take a look also. I think
>if
>> > we
>> > >> > can get some of the younger people interested more people will
>enjoy
>> > the
>> > >> > sport.
>> > >> > The shop teacher will have one or two kids that are the
top
>of
>> > >his
>> > >> > class and I'll let them come over to the shop on a weekend and
help
>> > with
>> > >> > some little thing on the car. I'm no teacher, but if you show some
>kid
>> > >> > how to make a fender brace with the shrinker - stretcher and you
>put
>> > the
>> > >> > part on the car that he made, you will see their eyes light up.
>> > >> > Just a thought, Doug
>> > >>
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>
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