Second Annual Practice Tree Race!

**CobraII** · 01-05-2009, 10:57 AM

We're doing it again, all are welcome, just please let me know if you're coming, so we have enough food!

Second Annual Practice Tree Race!

Beat the winter blahs! Come on out and have some fun at a practice tree race, that we hope will become an annual event. Mark Romeo, AJ Casini, and I (Chuck Turocy) have been working to get this together for awhile now, and it's going to happen!

Date: Saturday, February 21, 2009
Place: New Alexandria Volunteer Fireman's Club, 8370 State Route 22, New Alexandria PA 15670.
Time: Gates open at 12 noon, sign up, eat, racing starts at 1PM, til ???
We don't make a dime off of these races. We put this together for the chance to get together in the offseason, share a bite to eat, and have a lot of fun in an extremely informal atmosphere. Once expenses are covered, EVERY dollar goes out to the participants, both in the races, and in random drawings.
Thanks to our sponsors:
TBD
Entry: Cover charge: age 13 and over, $5, age 6-12, $3, age 5 and under, free. That entitles you to the food (fried chicken, some sides) and drinks (tea, lemonade, water). We will not be offering soda, but you are welcome to bring your own snacks and beverages (cover charge WILL still apply), but no alcohol please. This is a family oriented event, and there will be kids present.
Races:

Race 1 is $5 entry, race 2 is $20 entry, race 3 (if time allows) is $5 entry. All races will pay 50% to the winner, 25% to the runner up, 15% to the semis (split between the 2 racers), 10% to the quarters (split between the 4 racers). Only race 2 will have buybacks, for $5. We are not looking to make a dime on this. All money will be paid back 100%. If there's anything left after expenses, it will be put into the racing.
Rules: Round 1 in races 1 & 2 will consist of both racers hitting the tree twice as "time trials." Round 2 and on will have no time trials. All rounds with the exception of the final will be best of 3. Final round is best of 5. Race 3 will have 1 time trial in Round 1, with Round 2 and on having no time trials.
How to enter: "Tech cards" will be 50/50 type tickets, different colors for different races. Buy your "tech card" for each race you want to enter. Write your name CLEARLY on the ticket you hand in.
Pairings will be randomly drawn.
Bye runs will be randomly drawn at the beginning of the round.
Racing is off of the handheld button only.
Racing is off of the bottom bulb only.
The tree is full sized, with LED bulbs.
Tree will be in time trial mode, or, as if both racers have the exact same dial in.
Rollout will be able to be set for each racer. The christmas tree decides all winners, ie, if 2 racers in competition have identical reaction times, the winner is the one whose lane is flashing on the tree.

**NovaPRP** · 01-05-2009, 03:30 PM

It really is a blast and an opportunity to win some nice $$$. Hope to see some SSS guys out there!!!

**Shorty429** · 01-05-2009, 03:37 PM

This sounds stupid, but i don't realy understand what this is. Can someone please break it down a little for me?

**NovaPRP** · 01-05-2009, 04:02 PM

Not a stupid question at all. Assuming you have been to PRP or have seen drag racing on TV then you have seen a "Christmas tree". A lot of us, typically bracket racers, have things called practice trees, we use these to sharpen our skills on the tree. A practice tree race is where you pair people against each other, much like an actual matchup at the track. The best reaction time is the winner in each pair. We had some really nice door prizes as well as prize money in our race last year. It is worth it just to come out and BS with the guys/girls about racing to break up a long winter of no racing. If you have any questions just ask, myself (Mark Romeo) or Cobra II will answer any questions you have.

**CobraII** · 01-05-2009, 05:10 PM

Anyone attending can choose to skip the big dollar race, and enter the $5 race if they wish. The coverage charge applies to all though, to cover our expenses for the hall, food, necessities, etc. We don't make a profit from it at all. And we should have some nice door prizes, which we randomly draw. I'll post those once they are confirmed.

Good question, Shorty. To expand on what Mark said, click the link for the results of a search on "practice tree" on Summit's site:
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...alse&N=700+115

If you scroll down, you'll see a full size tree. This is what we'll be using, with hand held switches, which is like a transbrake button in a car. You can see a switch 3rd pic down from the tree. I'll see if we have a pic from last year's race floating around, to give another visual.

**Ares** · 01-05-2009, 06:43 PM

I'll be there for sure. I'm just hoping for alot of snow so I can cruise in with the stang again

**Martin0660** · 01-05-2009, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by Ares

so I can cruise in with the stang again

I thought it was going away?????????

I'm supposed to be in Tennessee the scheduled date, but will see what happens between now and then. Would love to make it.

**Inkdcountryboy** · 01-05-2009, 07:53 PM

get many beginners? i might come out and try this looks like fun

**NovaPRP** · 01-05-2009, 08:05 PM

Beginners are more than welcome. I will tell ya what, if you come I will even give a personal crash course on what exactly to do and the concept of how to do it. That is not a promise that you will be good (of course you could be GREAT) just a commitment to teach you the ropes and get you started.

**Balaska347** · 01-06-2009, 12:26 AM

There are lots of beginners. All age are also welcome. Younger kids really love it too.

**Inkdcountryboy** · 01-06-2009, 12:31 AM

<<< younger kid of 24 so i should enjoy it lol

**NovaPRP** · 01-06-2009, 06:36 AM

I'm only 22 so I KNOW you will enjoy it, we have a good time.

**CobraII** · 01-06-2009, 12:32 PM

Those are the pics I was thinking of, thanks Mark. In the one with Kev and AJ, it looks like Kyle Penn is crawling on Barry's head. lol :D

Eeeeddddddddddddddddd!!!!

Inked, definitely, c'mon out and have some fun. You can choose to skip the $20 race if you think you wouldn't be competitive. We are pretty certain we'll have 2 trees, 1 for the main races, and the second we may be running some high roller stuff on, that might also be used for tutoring/warm up.

Bob, even if you're last minute, c'mon up, you know you're welcome.

**Shorty429** · 01-06-2009, 09:05 PM

i might stop out, it sounds like a good time

**CobraII** · 01-07-2009, 11:15 AM

Our first 2 sponsors have pledged support, details to follow. Many thanks to Pittsburgh Raceway Park and Jones Race Car Trailers/www.jonesrv.com

**AdamantiumSilvr** · 01-07-2009, 07:05 PM

I'd luv ta check somethin like this out, maybe if I ain't got anything goin on that day I'll stop by. I need practice on the tree since I've been starting to get out to the track more often.

**CobraII** · 01-08-2009, 10:30 AM

Another sponsor has stepped up... Modified driver Jason Weaver, of JW-Kustomz Signs and Graphix (www.jwkustomz.com), will give a vinyl lettering package to the first .000 reaction time in eliminations of the $20 race. The package consists of names for both driver's and passenger's side windows, and 4 numbers in any color they choose for their car.

**Balaska347** · 01-08-2009, 05:11 PM

sounds good it keeps on growing

**CobraII** · 01-09-2009, 10:30 AM

And it continues to grow...

Team HUYA (one of my favorite race teams, both for their name [Head Up Your A--] and people: Jeff Noon Sr, Top class, '81 Malibu in the 9s, Vanessa Noon, Street class, '95 S-10 in the low 12s, and their son Jeff Jr, '95 S-10 in the low 12s), have graciously offered as prizes EIGHT Summit Racing 40th anniversary spring/summer jackets to the practice tree race. The sizes are: one medium, two large, three extra large and two 2XL's. We'll probably award one to the winners of the races, and give out the rest as door prizes. Thank you Team HUYA for your generous support!