Time for BITD to MOVE UTV Start w/ ALL 4 Wheel Vehicles

[megonzo]

YES! Well said

 

[megonzo]

Ok I don't race so someone help a newb out ... What would be the OBJECTION to starting UTVs with other 4-wheel vehicles ? It seems pretty obvious this is how is should be done.

Start time is usually before the sun rises. It's inevitable that the sun is in your eyes. Those are two negative reasons. However, the positive for and early start is that the track isn't all chewed up. Can't win for loosing..

 

[ironworks]

Seems to me if BITD does not know who it was they have even bigger problem then someone willing to man up and say they did it. In this day and age with all these go pro camera you would think people would be scared of this stuff being caught on tape.

Lack of a confession and to be found on tape a few days later seems like it would be real bad for every one involved.

 

[blurryvision]

Maybe Dondel should post up the raw go pro film the last 5 miles before pit 13 If he and your co-dog friend are not the ones who hit them. Seems easy enough right Joey. After the stuff I just read BITD will have to change this race and SS in how they start racers because if someone does get killed it will be the end of BITD. there will be investigations, law suits, and the BLM shutting acces down.
It is too bad there are bad apples out there.

 

[megonzo]

We watched herbsy go by us 15 miles earlier they were the second truck around us then the incident happened...

ok....trying to understand the situation. Like I posted, the only disadvantage to starting last is that the track is seriously chewed up.

At Blue Water, the TT's run in the afternoon, and UTV's, etc. run in the AM.

I really think that Casey is thinking about the condition of the track.

 

[megonzo]

Sorry I stand corrected. I thought Polaris was a BITD sponsor? So then they are more tied to Mad Media & the Mint, in regards to BITD?

John Deere sponsorship makes since now, and makes it even more clear why they cried for a second UTV class where they could compete.

You right every TT & UTV driver should be calling, but you would be amazed how many will tell you & me their feeling's, but when it comes right down to it, less then 10% will actually call BITD and demand they fix this or we will not race in BITD. You need to threaten the most important thing to keeping BITD alive, and that is money. Either Sponsorship or through entry fees.

But most races wont take the time to call BITD, just as they wont pick up a phone or pen to help fight the Environmentalist & their liberal politicians from closing our public land.

I saw Cam post on the RDC thread about this. Cam will make a phone call when most wont.

I believe that Polaris did sponsor the Mint this year and last year as well.

 

[kmb760]

Random question but are entry fees different between the classes?

Like SxS and trophy trucks!

03 GMC 2500...Edge EVO CT tuner...285/75 tires...Leveling keys...all stock for now

07 Rhino... 09 rotax conversion...long travel...big horn tires...rugged radio setup...prerunner cage... (too much to list everything)

 

[facteryfmf]

Entry fees are different.

Polaris did sponsor the MINT. That's a Mad Media/BITD event.
Us UTVs start DEAD LAST In SCORE in Baja. Behind EVERYONE !!!! It's fine. We deal with it and don't complain.

 

[NIKAL]

For those who think Dale Dondel is a saint, they have not been around long enough. How many remember the TT they had that everyone called the bass boat due to the dark blue heavy matalic flake paint like a bass boat? Lets just say they did not make allot of friends back then either. I think one of the Dondel brothers even got arrested for a fight.

I would not hold out waiting for a call from Dondel to help make thinks right. Guys like the Herbst & TSCO on the other hand are stand up people and typically try to make things right.

 

[Co-Dawg 1915]

For those who think Dale Dondel is a saint, they have not been around long enough. How many remember the TT they had that everyone called the bass boat due to the dark blue heavy matalic flake paint like a bass boat? Lets just say they did not make allot of friends back then either. I think one of the Dondel brothers even got arrested for a fight.

I would not hold out waiting for a call from Dondel to help make thinks right. Guys like the Herbst & TSCO on the other hand are stand up people and typically try to make things right.

Dondel is a coward and a bitch for pushing us off the course and causing us to flip 3 or 4 times, and not admitting it to my face. I am 100% sure it was him. they can say that is wasn't them all they want. A real man would say that he did it. All i want is to see the video from his truck, but i won't because it shows the truth, and he is a coward.

 

[dirtguy]

Back to the original request (demand) that UTV's start with the 4 wheel classes

Please do not take this as an opinion to not make the change I just want everyone to know what it means overall. Go in with eyes wide open.

As was said before the track will be much rougher after all of those 37 and 39+ tires do a job on the track. Bigger holes, deeper silt, markings and banners gone and the ruts are far worse and 91 inches wide. Driving in those wide ruts sucks after a while. But on the other hand this is desert racing we want it rough.

Finishing rates will be down due to the track conditions and now you will have to deal with pit closing times. When the UTVs used to start in the back of the cars and trucks they calculated pit closing times with a 25 to 30 mph average and back then the UTVs averaged 30 mph. It was a constant fight with pit closures. Granted UTVs are much faster now but say goodbye to being able to fix major problems there just isn't time.

Average speeds will slow down due to the track, dust and traffic

Getting space at the pit stops when traveling with the main circus is a pain and if you are far enough behind for that not to be a problem your chase truck better be 4x4 cause the pits get torn up too.

Starting late puts you in the heat of the day at the lower elevations and makes sure you will be racing well into the night. The media and fans will have already gone to the after party.

And the part that bothers me most is you will have a lot more exposure to other 4 wheel classes with dust and much more traffic. It does not take a trophy truck to take you out - just about any class can and when a TT or class 1 breaks and then goes batshit crazy to catch back up you are in the same position you are in now.

With all that being said -if this change would save just 1 life I am all for it but I do not think it is as black and white as it appears.

Tim

 

[NIKAL]

UTVs start in the back at all Score races. All the other classes deal with the ruts and a rougher course, so its just part of racing and the UTVs can handle it. Plus besides the BITD V2R & the Silver State 300 the UTVs race in the morning session with other slower classes on multi loop tracks. So the UTVs see ruts in BITD.

Maybe ruts are needed for the class to revisit the rules and consider allowing a larger tire. Right now the UTVs run the smallest tire out of all the classes. Stock class 11 bugs run a 30 or 31 inch tire. IMO the 30 inch tire size is one of the biggest limiting factors in the UTV class. All limited buggy classes don't have tire size rules, and they run 33 inch tires. Class 10 cars typically run 33 inch tires. Trophy Lites run 33 inch tires.

And just because the class increases the tire size does not mean you have to run the max size, but it opens up allot if options.

 

[dirtguy]

Nikal - I agree with most of the points you make but just because Score does it that way does not mean it is the only way.

I just wanted an informed discussion so we do not fall into a beware of what you wish for situation.

Thanks for your input

Tim

 

[facteryfmf]

It's truly sad to see how the TT guys act. You would think those idiots would be ambassadors for our sport. Instead they think they should be the only racers on the track. It's a joke.

 

[NIKAL]

The format Score uses is the same format every other series uses and its been the only format used in desert racing. Even BITD uses the faster classes start first and then each class starts based on speed or in some cases a class size might get bumped up a starting group or two. Back in the day Score used to look at the two previous races finishing position and that would help them determine the race starting position. So if a 5/1600 continued to beat the 7s trucks, then you could expect to get moved up in the starting line up.

The UTV class for some reason is the only class that BITD has grouped with the bike quad guys. No other series has ever done this, and for sure no series has ever started a slower 4 wheel class vehicle hours before the fastest class TT & class 1 are to take the green flag.

Besides starting the UTV's in the appropriate starting position within the car/truck classes, what other option is there?

 

[NIKAL]

It's truly sad to see how the TT guys act. You would think those idiots would be ambassadors for our sport. Instead they think they should be the only racers on the track. It's a joke.

Its been this way for a long time. There is a reason TT guys are called Country Clubbers.

 

[Kalop]

Its been this way for a long time. There is a reason TT guys are called Country Clubbers.

Seems like TT are schoolyard bully's. Are they (I know there's got to be exceptions) this way to every class of racer or just UTVs ?

 

[facteryfmf]

Its been this way for a long time. There is a reason TT guys are called Country Clubbers.

They're such a joke. Nevertheless, move us to wherever they want us we don't care. We're at the back In Mexico. It doesn't get any rougher than that. SS300 won't get much rougher. V2R might just a bit there's no doubt. But we'll take it and we'll keep racing !

 

[Bret901]

Like I stated before we got passed by roughly 10-15 TT's. I know I moved over as soon as I knew they were coming but more often than not you can't see them until they're breathing fire down your back and sometimes not at all. I told my Nav to stop calling turns and only watch the mirrors. There was a few instances I could see them in the distance on switchbacks and pull over well before they got there but rare. The worst was being passed only to see them pulled over changing a flat a few miles later, knowing they were coming back for more. I have the gopro footage from these passes, I'll put them all together in a short video this week but it's going to take a while to go through 15hrs of footage.

 

[Bret901]

They're such a joke. Nevertheless, move us to wherever they want us we don't care. We're at the back In Mexico. It doesn't get any rougher than that. SS300 won't get much rougher. V2R might just a bit there's no doubt. But we'll take it and we'll keep racing !

Agreed