"Now for a Historical Perspective..."

[DAConley]

So there hasn't been a good thread on this site for a while, so I offer to you a sounding board for traditions / standards of old that should really make a comeback to regain and rebuild the great sport and competition that is Sweepstakes.

If only those involved today could have lived moments of the past...let's offer suggestions. But they better be good ones or you'll be ridiculed.

So here's a few to get you started:
> psych songs before race heats - instead of looking at Andy and Estes for too long! (sorry guys!)
> actual Aumni heats on Saturday - not 'exhibitions' with current students
> organizations actually able to control the speed of their buggies without all these riduculous 'bags' added. In your most sarcastic voice now...Great way to promote the technical competence at an engineering school..and it looks so cool! You never saw this from the competitive orgs back in the day.

[SigNuSi]

> psych songs before race heats - instead of looking at Andy and Estes for too long! (sorry guys!)

If it's Andy and Estes again next year -- disagree. They've got longtime perspective on the sport. Plus the guys in trucks like to hear the calls over the radio because it tells us whether delays are up, crashes, etc. WRCT is the mechanic's friend.

> actual Aumni heats on Saturday - not 'exhibitions' with current students

Totally agree -- the SigNu PiKA showdown of 2010 was fun. However, mechanics should be given the option to run an exhibition if they like. Call it the wrench races or something. Idk.

> organizations actually able to control the speed of their buggies without all these riduculous 'bags' added. In your most sarcastic voice now...Great way to promote the technical competence at an engineering school..and it looks so cool! You never saw this from the competitive orgs back in the day.

"Bags" have always be non-speed controlling devices, they just make the safety chair feel cozy on early spring rolls. Plus, if we remove the bags CIA's going have to come up with a better gag.

[the cook]

To control speed all you have to do is crank down on those ceramic bearings. That brings you to a complete stop in the chute every time.

[Jmohin]

[the cook]

Just boot up Cuda with some of those MPC soft red urethane tires, full ceramic bearings, and throw in some SDC aluminum spindles or maybe rear suspension and we'll see how many pieces I can catch in a single heat.

[Jmohin]

I'll buy you a hockey goalie outfit; that many parts flying off a buggy is an OSHA hazard