Latest word out of Akron is the calibrated wheel sets in groups of 12 for the All American is not going to happen. I guess they thought it was not possible to pull it off this year. Roger I guess your ideas were heard but not implemented. Champs be prepared to lose or win your heat by up to 3 car lengths. I guess we can now call this the 71st All American crap shoot.
Wheel bank is, or has been discussed, won't happen in '08, logistics and lack of manpower is biggest concerns, but idea not totally dead. Don't give up hope for future. BHH
With all those pot bellied Regional Directors standing at the ramps you would think there was more than enough hands to change wheels. Fairness is not at the top in this race.
DEREK
I must admit that I'm more than disappointed that Akron didn't approve the Wheel Bank Concept this year. I was probably Naive again to think with a new Competition Committee and Jim Huntsman even talking about it on the AA web site that it had a VERY good chance to happen. I really don't buy into the fact they don't have the Man Power or Logistics to make it happen. In business we always say I don't want to hear "WE CAN"T DO THAT" it should be "HOW CAN WE DO THAT"! This holds so true when everybody knows there's a problem that needs to be resolved. If you have a problem and everybody knows it - Somebody needs to figure a way to correct it. It's simply in your best interest. You develope a plan and work the plan. First year may not be perfect but you make changes as needed.
How great it would have been for Akron to make an announcement about going to a "Wheel Bank" and make a big deal out of it. BUILD SOME EXCITEMENT FOR THE RACE. Talk about the nice changes to make an Event / Show even better!!!! I'd been blowing the HORN LOUD AND CLEAR about it. Bring in excitment when everybody is worried about the financial side of things. What a buzz there would be about this years race if they went to the Wheel bank. Focus on the Positive and not the Negative. In my opinion - they missed a GREAT OPPORTUNITY here when they proably need a shot in the arm so to speak.
Well- enough said on my part. I still believe in the AA program and what it stands for. I believe it needs to be an Event / Show and continue many Champ traditions many of us hold dear to our hearts. It is the All American Soap Box Derby and we can only hope it continues on for many many more years. Lots and lots of good people trying very hard accross the nation to make that happen. Having that Can DO MENTALITY that is so needed.
Have a great day.
Roger Van Waart
Great Idea Roger...
Ok they blew it. What about breaking up the wheel bank into six seperate equal groups instead of one big one. One for each division. That would be easier than making one big one. Just a thought. That would get it a little closer.
See ya
Roger great to see a little fire burns in there. I do not believe it promotes values of this century. Fairness to all should be the up most concern. Forget the stupid show we've had that nonsense for years. As a child the first thing in derby that was taught to me was to LIE!!! To tell a child to lie about building a car that a child could not build was plain ignorant on the organzations behalf. I was one of those kids that could build a car but it developed over time. These values totally disgust me and are one of the reasons I started this site. Its a matter of time before this desturctive course CRASHES. AASBD better wake up as a lot of high ranking government officials are watching. When I look at the tax returns on www.guidestar.com it does not take a idiot to see frivilous spending. we as particiapnts in this sport desreve answers which are hard to come by.
DEREK
A shame. While I was originally excited about Huntsman, I realize after a conversation with him that he brings no value to the AASBD. How freaking difficult is it to implement something like a wheel bank WITH AN ENTIRE YEAR OF PREPARATION?
Fortunately, me and my child value GETTING to AKron more than actually being there. It's the journey, not the destination. Winning our local last year was the best.
Can someone explain to me how the wheel bank will make the race fair? I know and agree that the wheels are a crap shoot right now. But if you have a wheel bank you would still have a problem with the lanes. If you take the wheel draw out of the equation all someone would have to do to give a car a better chance of winning is to give it good lanes.
The only person I know of that has a high opinion of Huntsman is Huntsman himself!
Fritz,
You are right about having to have the lanes correct! They need to be calibrated and simply do the very best they can! I think they can do that but they will not be perfect all day long. They do vary and that would be part of the luck of racing. I'd still take my chances with all that in mind over what they have right now. You can not get over 500 sets of wheels to be equal. Never going to happen. Getting all 3 lanes to be close - better odds in my opinion. Getting 12 wheels in a grouping that are all equal - This can be done and fairly easy. Perfect, nope - Better, with out question.
Don't think anybody who would like to see a wheel bank in place believes it would make the race perfect - just better and more fair. You would not see cars getting beat by 2 to 3 car lengths. Wheels are still the biggest factor in the race! You need to make wheels a non factor. Get the lanes close and that too could be less of a factor. Now we are down to what I see people want - car, driver and some luck. Racing luck not wheel luck.
Have a great day.
Roger Van Waart
They really need to be calibrated after that little hole they had above lane one. I think the city just lifted the plates and cleaned out the sand that had washed into them. Then they just eyeballed the plates and said we'll get em later. This weekend was alot better than two weeks ago. They still need some work.
If people had a gripe last year about lane one, then this year could be a loo-loo!!!