NMCA/zmax completely unhappy

[Bad Gas Racing]

I am so sorry but we will probably NEVER go back there to zmax even if NMCA goes again (which I hope they do not). This staff was absoultly horrible! Im sure Bob Kurgan feels the same!

Couple examples:

Issue #1 -

I know this was NMCA/NMRA's call but we as racers were completely pissed off on how SLOW things were going. We know that there was not the turn out that was expected but COME ON! A car cannot start the burnout until AFTER the cars turn off the track? cause we were "going too fast". Or taking a break after every 10 runs. At one point there was more then 1 hour downtime.. FOR NOTHING

I was talking with Troy Coughlin in the staging lanes, even he agrees. A lot of families come out to the races and race, and would like to spend time together maybe at the hotel pool, or out to dinner and not be at the track until 10pm or later.


Issue #2 -

Track staff - these guys had no clue what they were doing. Honestly, the track prep during the day was absured. I understand it was hot, and I understand there was direct sunlight, but there are MANY tracks that face the same issue and maybe people that know what they are doing.. Take a lesson!

Also they were running things so slow and then to start rushing people because they want it NOW but these drivers were sitting in their car for 10-15mins and all of a sudden it is now.

For example... you leave X/S sitting in the staging lanes and Bob Kurgan was getting ready (hans device) and then you send Chuck B up to the line and tell him to start his burnout (BAD SPORTSMANSHIP ON HIS PART AS WELL) and proceeded to RED LIGHT Bob Kurgan while he was in the lanes, car running but blocked in by the next 2 cars!! WOW!

Also - not following the NHRA Rule Book.. We were with a prostreet car that had a problem with his trans, we backed him up, and they shut him off and said tow it away. The car was fixed and according to the rule book we have 15mins to fix the problem if we DID NOT TAKE A LIGHT.. Wasn't allowed..



OK rant over..

[brian@afm]

In the final round, the guy "running" the hose for the water box accidently sprayed the back half of Mark Anderson NMRA P/S car, including the left rear wheel. Since I wasn't there, I watched the video this morning on StangTV and saw a track official pointing at the car, showing someone in a white shirt, assumably an NMCA/NMRA official, the water. Nothing was done and Mark had his hands full trying not to wreck the car and his opponent. In fact, Mark and crew were later told that nobody on the line saw anything. Reeeeaalllyyyyyy, why the pointing at the car then?

My rant in just beginning.

[shawn zubler]

ZMAX has had many complaints from different people over this last year of business..i hope they get it worked out soon..

[WarrenRacing71]

My complaints have already been heard.

That track has a lot of homework to do with treatment of racers and crew. There were a couple of nice guys in the lanes, but that was about it. I think they don't like us because we only make one left turn and don't have big double digit numbers on our doors. lol

I think the place will be ok once they get some experience.

[Mike Davis]

I will not go back unless things change. Getting in and out of the track was like a maze. The track officials had lack of people skills.
What was up with up hill staging lanes??
Track prep was terrible. Maybe we are supposed to zig zag back and forth on the way to staging to heat the tires.
The garbage truck in the middle of the pits in the hot sun was overbearing.
Price of admission for crew was totally out of line.

Now the good part. Track security had too much of the small guy syndrome. I tried to take my 4 month old puppy to use the bathroom and they refused to let me right outside the gate in the grass. I asked if there was a place to take her and they said no. I told them that was absurd and they ran me down on my 4 wheeler and 3 of them decided to grab my shirt and try to stop me, causing me to almost wreck and drop the dog. They proceeded to yell and surround me. They were lucky I didnt press charges are better yet take a ball bat to all three which the later is what I should have done.

I guess that is what you get when NASCAR rednecks with money bulild a Drag Strip.

I feel the Organization is going away from a Grass Roots deal that made it so popular in the first place.

[WarrenRacing71]

The security guy on the track was just as bad. He grabbed my dad's credential necklace, pulled on it real hard to look at the # sticker, then thew it back down. He was giving him beef about being around the track, when I was the next car out.

He was also told to "Get the f*ck off of the track." because he was trying to inform the officials that they had our indexes wrong. *since Ken and my hands waving, horns honking, cars not staging, and shutting off wasn't clear enough that something was wrong* I have always been told to check your dial in boards before your run. If it is wrong, do not stage and let someone know. That's what we did.

[Mike Davis]

Originally Posted by WarrenRacing71

The security guy on the track was just as bad. He grabbed my dad's credential necklace, pulled on it real hard to look at the # sticker, then thew it back down. He was giving him beef about being around the track, when I was the next car out.

He was also told to "Get the f*ck off of the track." because he was trying to inform the officials that they had our indexes wrong. *since Ken and my hands waving, horns honking, cars not staging, and shutting off wasn't clear enough that something was wrong* I have always been told to check your dial in boards before your run. If it is wrong, do not stage and let someone know. That's what we did.

I was watching that. They would not let the person that was with me help put me in the water box even though she had the credentials.
I walked up to look at the track before my first round. Had on fire pants, race shoes, and my ticket/credentials around my neck. I was told I could not come up there unless the car I was with was running.
I told them I was a driver and was looking at the track-I was told they did not care.

[greg w.]

Would someone from Promedia please chime in here and help address this bunch of problems? I don't understand this, Promedia is a big venue and shouldn't be treated like this.

[drphillips]

holy crap guys. that is not the way that they should treat customers that pay there salary. damit Paul Blart rent-a-cops. good thing i didnt go. you should have told the gustopo. that you were with brutons daugters top fuel car.lol

[NMCA Aaron]

Originally Posted by greg w.

Would someone from Promedia please chime in here and help address this bunch of problems? I don't understand this, Promedia is a big venue and shouldn't be treated like this.

Just so you all understand: We recognize there were many challenges over the weekend, not only for you racers and your families, but also for the track crew, our crew, the vendors, sponsors, the fans, etc. This is still a new facility when you consider how few events they've had and obviously some bugs need to be worked out. Once we all get back (many of us are still on airplanes) we'll be going over things and will try and communicate it all on here.

In the meantime please feel free to PM me or post any constructive criticizm and I'll present it all. The only thing I ask is that we keep it professional.

Thanks,
Aaron Hahn

[coulterz28]

My car chucked a rod right out of the burnout box shooting oil all over the headers. My friend and wife both were yelling fire and everyone just watched. Finally my friend grabbed the fire extinguisher and put it out. The whole time I was still strapped in the car. No one was doing anything so I assumed it was not serious. This could have been a really bad situation. I have most of it on video as well.
.

[Robin]

Originally Posted by Mike Davis

I was watching that. They would not let the person that was with me help put me in the water box even though she had the credentials.
I walked up to look at the track before my first round. Had on fire pants, race shoes, and my ticket/credentials around my neck. I was told I could not come up there unless the car I was with was running.
I told them I was a driver and was looking at the track-I was told they did not care.

In the NHRA release that you sign it states that ylou have inspected and "accept" the track as safe. If the track personel denies you access then they are in violation of the NHRA policy. Notify the race director and explain the situation. If nothing is done then anyone with issues on the track has a good case against the track, promoter and the insurance company.

In short, they cannot deny you access without exposing themselves to a lot of liability.


It's always the large tracks with little understanding that have a problem with this. Write a letter to the NHRA and their insurance company just for fun!

Robin


BTW
I had heard many stories about the track. While security outnumbered operations personel I didn't have any issues. All people that we met were very helpful and curtious.
We were pitted on the south side of the pits. After changing a clutch on our Camaro in Jim Blair's stacker I needed to get back to my trailer on the south end of the pits. The securtiy guy told me that it was not possible. I mentioned that I could cross at the end of the track like when we were parked on Friday. He then said OK but drive SLOW. As I did another security guy followed me to the other side. No problem.

[REDGAR]

that whole crossing to the other side at the top end was not the safest thing I felt. I had to cross a few times and never felt good about it and limited it doing it, which pretty much kept me from going to the other side.

I find it hard to believe a state of the art faciliy has no other way to get to the other side. It must have been they did not want to open something.

[texoutsider]

Well chit..they could have used the extra 2 lanes for traffic...lol

[brian@afm]

Originally Posted by texoutsider

Well chit..they could have used the extra 2 lanes for traffic...lol

Or, they could have had a REAL CAR WASH.