Illegel,Gutless,Strategy????

[SMACdownracing1]

I have seen MANY MANY racers doing this as they approach the staging lanes... picking and choosing who they run. I am relatively new to drag racing and have a question...is this against the rules? Is this a generally accepted racing strategy? or is it a wimpy thing to do?
I can understand a guy at the top of the points trying to run down someone else who is close to them in the points and take them out early. But... I have also seen veteran guys chasing down less experienced ones to further their efforts as the race winds down.
I have also seen drivers pull into the left lane initially and then move to the right as the right lane begins to fill up.
It seems to happen more frequently as the points wind down.
Illegal....Gutless...or Good strategy??????????
that is the question.
SMACdownracing1

[ferndaleflyer]

Like so many things about racing---part of this is track rules. I don't think I have ever heard that Pageland has a rule affecting changing lanes in stageing. Most tracks do. Once you pass a certain point you can not change lanes.

A very successful bracket racer once said "working the lanes is as important as anything else" to determine the outcome of the race. I noticed awhile back when Ducky was 1st and Lockhart was 2nd in the left lane that everyone else lined up behind them---even those that usually run the right lane. SKEERED--maybe. But also a good strategy as this forced 2 of the best to run each other. I figure once you choose a lane you should be required to stay in it after some point. On the other hand they changed the lanes on us once and I went up in the wrong lane. At many tracks you can't choose a lane and never know who you will run as they will pull 2 or 3 cars from one lane, sometimes 1st out gets lane choice sometimes not. Nothing wrong with working the lanes if you can.

Is Billy glad he scrapped the button now??????

[SMACdownracing1]

Is Billy glad he scrapped the button now??????
Yes. No doubt.
It is our opinion that a button is useless without the delay box to go with it. All it does is get your hopes up and as soon as the track thightens up or the lighting changes, it burns you "RED". It appears that some guys are having success using a button as a line-lock at staging though...we haven't tried that one yet.
SMACdownracing1

[bryn1]

The rule at one time was when you made the curve at the bottom of the hill. the lane you were in was the lane you had to run in. no switching was allowed. maybe point it out too the person at the head of staging.

[MarkV]

Gutless.

[Mike Bradley]

It's always been my understanding that once you get to the line at the bottom of the stagging lanes where the fence starts and the chain is attached that blocks stagging you have to stay in the lane you committed too. I've heard the stories of people picking and choosing their opponents especially late in the season when they're jockeying for track points. Do I think it happens, ABSOLUTELY. Partly for a perceived competition advantage but also so someone doesn't have to run their friend.

To directly answer the question yes it is illegal and most of all gutless. If you don't have enough confidence to pull up beside a Brian Hicks, Alonzo Moore, Buddy Plyler, Mike Threat, Michael Beard, any number of Pageland racers, then maybe Friday night is the best night for you to come practice until the confidence is obtained for Saturday.

The thing about Pageland is there aren't any lame ducks to pick on. One has to look no further than the 2009 IHRA Bracket Final championship team. Pageland has a team of racers that I would put up against anyone in the country.

[Joe McCoy]

Some years ago at Greer we use to use a card draw in staging to pair the cars up. While it was a PITA it totally eliminates picking and searching. There is no way to know who you run until the cards are drawn and you don't know what lane you get til then as well. If you think picking and searching is a issue that will totally fix it. Just a thought. And a well deserved congratulations to everyone involved in the Pageland championship. You guys ROCK!