RE: Woodburn: A view from the stands

["Jim Waite" <waite@paroscientific.com>]

Hi Roger & All,

(Sorry I missed meeting you). I also was fortunate to have made the Woodburn
trek (for the second year in a row). Without an actual head count, I'd guess
there were 3-5 times as many spectators as last year (granted, many were likely
Jr. Dragster families/fans) but, even if we double the field......... Also, did
you happen notice the FIVE film crews walking around (ONLY two last year).

Some specific responses to your view;

>>access to the trackside camping is through the main gates, and that those
gates might close sometime Friday night...
>>We suspected we were taking our chances by arriving around 10PM, and sure
enough, the gates were locked when we arrived.
The (very gracious, accommodating, & EV-friendly!) track owner locked the gate
behind me at ~9:20 PM. Last year I didn't arrive until after 11 PM and opted for
*Hotel Cherokee* (parked in the Woodburn Church of the Nazarene's back lot).

>>The Cloud dual GE-powered dragster broke fairly spectacularly on its first run
of the day. .......I was surprised to see the Cloud team busily working away on
this vehicle through the day, and quite impressed when I heard it launch on the
strip later >>while the blown motor sat in front of me in the pits. I still
don't know if they installed a spare or just reconfigured the car to run on
>>the single remaining motor (I suspect the latter). Now that's determination!
Reassembled and running on one motor, Cloud Racing (brother Steve at the wheel)
bravely(?) put their (built-on-a-shoestring) rail down the track for one final
run. I should add, this was accomplished after a 3 hour nuckle-bustin',
grass-squatin', parts-bendin' rebuild, with brother Dave concurrently trying to
run the Electrathon (or Electrathong for you thrill seekers) next door!

>>Bill Dube's Killacycle was truly impressive to see up close and personal and
fear-inspiring to watch on the track. I ride a bike >>myself, and I was more
than a little apprehensive watching the bike twitching violently under Bill on a
couple of his passes.....
Anyone doubting the ultimate commitment to further EV causes by dedicated
members of the EVDL needs to talk to those who witnessed these pure
grit-n-determination runs (and Bill did his in between NEDRA tech inspections,
film crew interviews, endless EV questions, etc., etc., etc.)

>>The electric portion of the Woodburn drags might be best described as an EV
show with the opportunity for participants to >>run their vehicle down a
dragstrip; which isn't at all a bad thing, unless you've attended expecting to
see drag racing. .....For me >>at least, the problem was that I didn't know who
was going to run when, ...........Overall? It was a good time; we met more of
>>the "personalities" of the EV community and got to see some of the quickest
EVs around.
Your point is well made, from a spectators point of view.
>From the pit, I humbly offer that trying to make ONE run in a car which has
possibly never run before, by a driver with less than 12 hours sleep in the last
48, in front of many of the best of your peers, well............ let's just see
what vehicle you or I will be entering/running next year.
Many, MANY congrats to the Woodburn Warriors!
And for the record, I STILL say Wilde's Maniac Mazda beat the Vipors 3 for 3
(the last run by nearly 3/4 of a second) red light or no red light!
regards,
Jim Waite