h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Drag Racing in the UK - A10281764
Author: Cardi-Bling a yo ho ho and a barrel of rum - U1619796

Just finished off this entry on the fastest of all motorsports and one of the most accessible, Drag Racing!

It's fun to watch, the crews are willing to chat with the fans (unlike formula ! for example) and it's actually easy to have a go yourself.

So it needed a Guide entry, hope its OK! As usual my spelling and grammar is awful so please point out any errors and I'll be happy to correct them!

"Then the car will then proceed to show you that what you thought was loud earlier was nothing but a little light chamber music compared to the rock concert its about to unleash"

Without a doubt one of the best lines I've *ever* seen in a soon-to-be edited entry

Despite the fact that it needs a little grammatical work I have to go to work soon so I don't have time to go through the entry, but I will - oh yes

I too, will need to read it properly. I will tomorrow.

I went to Santa Pod for the first time last year. All the tannoy announcements advised ear protection. I thought I wouldn't bother at a fiver a throw for plastic muffs sold by the vendors. Once the first jet powered beast had launched down the strip, I couldn't hand my money over quick enough!!

Will read again and report back!

Cheers BH its nice to know you enjoyed it.

I hope this does get into the guide, but more importantly I hope it inspires a few new drag virgins to go visit their nearest strip and watch some fast loud drag action!

This looks complete - what a read! Since there is a ton of useful comparative info (eg. "This is more power than the front three rows of a Formula 1 starting grid!") you might add something in about the acceleration. 8g is exceptional - the space shuttle is a paltry 3g by comparison, and I don't think fighter jets exceed 8g. Come to think of it, doesn't 6g for more than a few seconds cause black out? Good grief! Let's try it - yep.

I just found a link w/descriptions of human response to g-force
http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1998/PhillipAndriyevsky.shtml

No you see fighter pilots and the like experience prolonged G forces parrellel to the body. A positive G pushing the blood up into their feet or a negative G pushing it into their heads. A drag racers high G's will be over in less than a second as the car leaves the line (after all the entire run only take 5 or 6) and the force is perpendicular to there body pushing them into the seat and not removing the blood from there brain so no black out. It says in that link at the bottom of the page about roller coasters that most 'normal' people can take 10g without adverse reactions if it is perpendicular to the body. I'll add that link though!

It's a great Entry and very comprehensive. I felt there was little else I needed to know after reading it a few times.

There is a degree of spelling and punctuation problems, but I'm not really the person to ask about all that - I struggle enough myself.

Don't they put some sort of sticky gunk on the track to help with grip? If they do, it may be worth mentioning.

The ET and Super Series. I didn't understand what ET meant. Perhaps a footnote?

Scrutinisers. I do off-road trials. They are known as Scrutineers in that sport. Is this a typo or is that what they are called in drag circles?

Nitrous Oxide induction. You link to an entry under 'fire breathing'. Would it be better here?

When the 'technicals' are sorted, this is going to be a great addition to the guide.

Cool Deep doo!

I've mentioned the glue they put on the track and also clarified what ET means (estimated time).

Yes it is scrutineers that was a weird typo! I've also moved the nitrous link to where I'm describing the supercharger/nitromethane/nitrous bit like you suggested.

Cheers glad you enjoyed the entry.

(a nudge and a to BH re post #2 )

Interesting Entry Cardi Bling

A couple of minor points. I think it would be easier to read if the abbreviations. were in the main section of the entry, rather than as Footnotes the first time you mention them ie - National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and some abbreviations don't appear to have a translation - USAAF

The Subheader VWDRC would look better as the full words.

Emmily

Ah, yes, I did say I was going to come back to this one didn't I Good thing I have the day off tomorrow

Cheers Emmily, glad you like the entry.

I've done as you suggested and changed the footnotes. And I've changed the USAAF reference, I thought most people new the USAAF is the US airforce...(actual it stands for the United States Army Air Force to be pedantic but I'm not going to mention that!)

Just waiting for BH's words of wisdom now

This is a good read on an interesting subject... thanks.

One small query though where you state that:
>The first races we would recognise as a drag race occurred at the runway of the old airfield at Long Marston just outside of Stratford upon Avon in 1959.<

If those were 'straightway' sprints of single vehicles as opposed to two vehicles at the same time, then one event pre-dates that by some long way. The Brighton Time Trials were being held from pre first world war period. I seem to remember they could be over a mile or quarter mile distance and were held on the sea front at Madeira Drive. Indeed they are still held to this day.

Anyway, good job
DK

Right then

"Two 'Hot Rod' cars pull up to the line, the engines rumble and throb under the bonnets"
I reckon that when you say the words 'drag racing', most people will think of top fuelers, and those don't have bonnets.

"but it's an American phenomenon right?"
I'd add the word 'purely' (or something similar) there. There are lots of things that started out as American but which have spread around the world to a greater or lesser degree and drag racing is one of them, so even though it's of American origin, it can't be thought of as an American phenomenon without some qualification, in that context.

"There is a healthy drag race scene in the UK and it is growing every year possibly because unlike other British main stream motorsports drag racing is very accessible"
That sentence seems to race along somewhat (quite appropriate considering the subject matter ). How about slowing it down a bit, perhaps like this:
'There is a healthy drag race scene in the UK which is growing every year, possibly because unlike other British mainstream [one word not two] motorsports drag racing is very accessible'.

You might want to adjust that sentence a bit more. Is drag racing really mainstream? Is it any more or less mainstream than most of the formulas below Formula One for instance? Those all seem pretty accessible to me because they don't have the glamour and money of F1 which means that they're less popular, which means that it's easier (and cheaper) to get tickets. And since they have to be run on a track, just like drag racing, they're as accessible in terms of finding a meet than other motorsports, or drag racing.

"and a feast for all the senses,"
You need a colon there.

"It's truly an all-enveloping magical experience and even more so for the kids"
That 'and' doesn't work there. What about something like this:
'It's truly an all-enveloping magical experience made even more so for the kids by the degree of approachability of the cars, drivers and crews in the pits which is better that almost any [other motor?]sport, enabling the young fan to meet their heroes and see the machines up close'

"a weekend 'at the strip' is an event a true petrolheads should experience"
'petrolhead', or perhaps, given the content of the previous sentence, 'family of petrolheads'?

post war - post-war

"just outside of Stratford upon Avon"
'just outside Stratford-upon-Avon'

"As more and more people became involved drag races on old airstrips became a regular occurrence and eventually a dedicated track was needed"
That needs a little padding out I think, to clarify it and add some colour too.
'As more and more people took part in (and watched) the sport, drag races on old airstrips became a regular occurrence around the country and eventually it was decided to build a dedicated track'
The only problem I've got with this is who would have decided it? A governing body or a private company?

"near the village Poddington Northamptonshire"
'near the village of Poddington in Northamptonshire'

"Now known as Santa Pod after the famous American drag strip at Santa Ana the 'Pod' soon became"
'Now known as Santa Pod, after the famous American drag strip at Santa Ana, the 'Pod' soon became'

"American National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) standards with this new track"
'American National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) standards. With this new track

"Is it really just two cars pull up to a line and then floor it, with the first car crossing the line the winner - well not often"
'Is it really just a matter of two cars pulling up to a line and then flooring it, with the first car crossing the line being declared the winner? Well, sometimes'

Those two paragraphs in blockquote - are they actually a quote? If they're just an explanation in your own words they should be in a blockquote tag. If they are a quote they should be in italics and be given an attribution.

By the way - any words or phrases put into italics for emphasis or to denote them as jargon or a non-English word don't need single quotes as well as the italicisation. Actually, jargon words probably don't get italicised - I think they *do* get put into single quotes. The Sub-ed will know more about that I think (*waves to the nice Sub* Hello ).

both drivers will decided on an 'ET' or estimated time - decide
Perhaps 'declare' would be a better word?

"frantically cleaning the track, a single bit of debris"
Either
'frantically cleaning the track - a single bit of debris'
or
'frantically cleaning the track since a single bit of debris'

"The marshalls also often be seen mopping the tarmac, this isn't water they are spreading on the track but a sticky glue like substance"
'The marshalls can often be seen mopping the tarmac; this isn't water they are spreading on the track but a sticky glue-like substance'

"Finally once the track is safe and prepared a marshall will call"
'Finally, once the track is prepared and declared safe, a marshall will call'

"As the tension starts to mount both drivers will start"
How about changing 'starts' to 'begins', to avoid repetition?

Belay that...
"As the tension starts to mount both drivers will start to do a warm up 'burn out', this is a big deliberate wheel spin that heats up"
'As the tension starts to mount both drivers will do a 'burn-out'; this is a deliberate wheel spin that heats up'
They don't 'start to do a burn-out', they *do* a burn-out. You don't need 'warm-up' because you go on to say that it heats up the tyres, and you don't need the word 'big'. Big as compared to what?

"When satisfied everything is fine the drivers crew chief"
'When satisfied that everything is ready, each the driver's crew chief'
Or is that a crew chief of the course?

"the set of traffic lights sat on the concrete island between the two race lanes known as the 'Christmas Tree'"
'the set of traffic lights known as the 'Christmas Tree' which sits on the concrete island between the two race lanes'
I think it would be good to describe the Christmas tree in full before going any further.

"By slowly creep forwards towards the start line a small white 'pre-stage' light will illuminate this shows they are approaching the start line"
'As they creep [no need for 'slowly - that's what 'creep' means] forwards a small white 'pre-stage' light will illuminate to show that they are close to the start line'

"They will then continue to creep forwards until another small white light illuminates. This is called the 'stage' light and they will now be sat exactly on the start line and are now ready to go"
'They will then continue inching forwards until another small white light illuminates. This is called the 'stage' light and it means that the car is precisely at the start line and ready to go'

Right, the rest of that paragraph needs some serious work. Let's do it all in one hit:
'As soon as the pre-stage and stage lights for both drivers are lit the race is set and after a pre-programmed delay of between x and x seconds, the car with the slower dial in time will get a fast countdown from three big white lights before the green 'Go' light illuminates, allowing him to accelerate hard up the track. This is known as the 'launch'.

Since Driver A had a dial in of 18 seconds and Driver B had a dial in of 10 seconds, it is a case of simple maths: 18 minus 10 leaves 8. Driver B will therefore be sat waiting for his white and then green lights for eight agonising seconds before he to is allowed to launch'

That's the first two sections out of the way - I reckon we should leave it there for now. There are only so many hours in each day you know

Dang it.

"Those two paragraphs in blockquote - are they actually a quote? If they're just an explanation in your own words they should be in a blockquote tag. If they are a quote they should be in italics and be given an attribution."
That ought to be 'shouldn't be in a blockquote tag'.

And:
"When satisfied everything is fine the drivers crew chief"
'When satisfied that everything is ready, each the driver's crew chief'
should be
'When satisfied that everything is ready, each driver's crew chief'

Cheers Deke I'll mention the time trials in Brighton...

BH your a star a useful and comprehensive review as usual!

A couple of replies to your points,

'There is a healthy drag race scene in the UK which is growing every year, possibly because unlike other British mainstream motorsports drag racing is very accessible.'

I'll have a think about this as I was trying to implie that compared to 'normal' motorsport in the UK it is very accessible. The average punter cannot have a go at circuit racing, they could go on a track day but in my experience most track days TELL drivers not to race. Drag strip Run want ya Brung days actually have the cars drive into the pairing lanes and you do race...even if sometimes your slow old Skoda happens to get paired to a Ferrari!

This one...'just outside Stratford-upon-Avon' it's Stratford-on-Avon offically and I ought to know better than to get it wrong, I live just outside the town!

'As more and more people took part in (and watched) the sport, drag races on old airstrips became a regular occurrence around the country and eventually it was decided to build a dedicated track' - The only problem I've got with this is who would have decided it? A governing body or a private company?

I'll have to rearrange that sentence a little then as I'm struggling to find out who it was that decided to build a dedicated track, I'd guess that it was a company but I don't know for sure, the history stuff on UK drag racing is very hard to research!

Right I've made those changes now...just waiting for BH to get a moment to review the second half now!

It might not be for a couple of days - weekends tend to be work/sleep/work/sleep/work/sleep for me, and Mission Impossible III opens today so this weekend could be *extra* busy, especially since it's been given some good reviews. First big film of the blockbuster season - eyes down for a full house.

Ah, I see what you mean about accessibility now. Yeah - completely different thing to what I was suggesting re. spectators. Perhaps a nod in the direction of RWYB would clarify that for the reader. When you said that it's more accessible I was thinking about how easy it is get into a meet as far as empty seats and ticket price is concerned. I was also thinking that circuit meets must actually be *more* accessible than drag racing in that regard because there are so many more circuits around the country than there are drag strips.

On another note, and bear in mind that I haven't read all of the entry in detail yet so this might be mentioned further down - is drag racing seasonal?

If it turns out that you can't find out any info regarding the building of Santa Pod just rewrite it in such a way that you don't need to.

Hey theres no rush BH you've done me a huge favour reviewing the first half to the depth you have already.

Drag racing is seasonal and I do mention that in a footnote at one point. As for the accessability and the history of the Pod hopefully I've rewritten these sections now for it to make more sense.

I know your a very busy man judging from your journal entries BH but have you had a chance to look over the second half of this entry yet?

Good stuff! I haven't time to read it all now. I've looked at the first three paragraphs.

The following punctuation changes are essential:

"are not head to head races instead they are" -- add semicolon after "races"

"a regular occurrence around the country it wasn't long" -- add semicolon after "country"

The following changes are not essential but will improve the readability:

"it is growing every year possibly because it's such a feast" -- add a comma after "year"

"Coupled with the low cost of a race meet a weekend" -- add a comma after "meet"

"Even before the First World War drivers" -- add comma after "drivers"

"As early as 1974 cars were imported" -- add comma after 1974

G