sand bagging at the dragstrip

[rosco15]

I wanted to run this by you guys and get your thoughts on it. At the end of the year TDR dosn?t run a bike class. They run a top and mod class with the break at 12.50. I had the street bike out Sunday and in time trials I ran a 12.24 and then a 12.30. I entered the mod class and just figured to put a wheel on the guy and dial a 12.50. I figure it?s safer running the slower cars then running the 8 second cars doing 150 mph compared to my 110. The first round there was a guy there running a white mustang dialing a 12.72 and I put up the 12.50. I caught him, put a wheel on him, and then sat there. Near the stripe he totally got out of it and then jumped back on it to try and go around me. I got back on it and kept out front to the stripe. I ran a 12.59 and he ran a 12.84. He actually treed me and would have made me break out had he not gotten out of it. So he basically beat himself.

At the end of the track he?s hanging his head out the window and yelling at me about how I was fucking with him and on and on. Up the return road he kept slowing down and speeding up. So I followed him over to his pit to chat. He was mad saying he came out to race and here I beat him in the first round sandbagging and that?s not racing and on and on. He figures the cars shouldn't even race the bikes because we can see better. I told him I was only trying to stay away from the fast cars and keep myself from getting run over. Later in the lanes he?s telling everyone how I?m a cheater and so on.

So I was wondering what the thoughts are on this. I?ve run my honda for a couple years now and had the fast street bikes do it to me. I usually just put my head down and push them out the back door. Most of the time I win having cut a better light and they break out. I always thought it was a part of racing and a finish line tactic. I never got mad about it. I just learned how to beat them. Any thoughts on it.

 

[mike J]

Ryan, I think that if you want to sand bag that's your business. It's hard to try and guess what your running based on what your opponent does. I think the guy in the car was just a poor loser, he tried to play games with you and he lost. I would much rather dial what I know I can run flat out and just try and run my race. Sometimes in an index situation you don't have that option unless you can slow your bike down consistently. And you guys are crazy for racing cars anyway Mike

 

[RacingJake]

I don't think a couple of tenths is called sandbagging. Besides he slowed down too and that means he was sandbagging too. He got beat by his own game.

Good for you Ryan

The only time I had a problem with sandbaggers was during a race that they were suppose to dial in at + or - .10 of their Q-runs. I played by the rules that night but a few didn't and they didn't get caught. The following week they did enforce their own rules.

When I raced my hot rod Pinto against 10-12 second cars years ago they called me names too. They didn't like a 21 second, 60 mph Pinto beating them.

 

[lecroy]

You have to love those car guys. I did not think any tracks would run the bikes against the cars because of the possible problems.

The people who run the index classes have to sand bag. The bikes are normally built to run much faster than the class they run in to allow for track and weather conditions.

I really don't see what his bitch was other than he went out first round. Seems like the winners always get called cheaters. Hope you get used to it!!

Texas Jake, no posts for a while. What's been going on?

 

[SqDancerLynn1]

It's all part of racing brackets. You need to keep that extra tenth in reserve. Suppose you get a lousy launch-spin, weather changes. And know if you run it 200 rpm's higher it will run a tenth quicker run. It's not sandbagging unless you have a ten second car and dial 14.0

 

[Hap Call]

You played by the rules, won, and he's a sore loser..too bad, so sad!

Hap

 

[Anonymous]

I always thought it was a part of racing and a finish line tactic. I never got mad about it. I just learned how to beat them.

I thought you might like a comment from someone who is not a drag racer. I am not even sure I completely understand the issue in dialing and running slower than you can at flat out. My understanding is that it is about consistency above all else and cutting a good light. BFD if you can run faster and don't. But that's me.

Anyway, if you didn't break the rules, weren't DQ'ed for an infraction and nobody official said anything, then TOO BAD. Head games and tactics are a part of all racing ( I prefer roadracing myself) and if he can't handle it, that's his problem.

Mark

 

[RacingJake]

Texas Jake, no posts for a while. What's been going on?

Bought a new house and been moving, didn't know I had that much stuff. I'm tired too!

 

[lecroy]

Bought a new house and been moving, didn't know I had that much stuff. I'm tired too!

Great news!!! Hope it has a ten car garage!!

 

[rosco15]

You guys are echoing how I feel about it. I usually dial real close to what I think it will run. I thought maybe I was missing something after his reaction. I guess he was just being a poor sport about it. Thanks

 

[skip]

screw him!! if you ran with in 1 tenth of your dial, you did your job no matter what your bike was capable of running. If he had done his job and ran within a tenth of his dial it would have come to the tree and thats were most get decided anyhow. what about the delay boxes and throtlestops that drop the cars on thier face about 50ft out? Is that sandbagging too? screw him! he should have shook your hand and said "good race" like most real sportsman do.