August 21st
  • Site Changes/Update

Our wonderful Solo Nationals site is undergoing some maintenance this year.  To accommodate the Air Force using the west ramp in the oncoming years, the Lincoln Airport is resurfacing a large part of the west ramp to eliminate concrete irregularities.

These changes will be in progress during our visit this year for the Solo Nationals.  There are a few things you need to be aware of during the week.

    • 1) A VERY large area of the paddock has been milled down three (3) inches to prep it for asphalt.  The entire perimeter of the milled area will have a 5 (five) foot wide ramp from the milled surface to the non-milled surface.  The angle of this ramp is 2.8 degrees.  This should allow any race car to move from milled to non-milled at any point necessary.
    • 2) The practice course isn't at the far north end of the paddock anymore.  Nobody wants to practice on asphalt and race on concrete.  The practice course is front and center now, just to the left of the entrance gate.  This means there is a hot area in the middle of the site.  The practice course will be fenced in with jersey barriers, but please be very careful around this area.  Remember, this is an ACTIVE course area which means no minors in the practice course areas or practice course grid.  If you're not participating in the practice course activities, please remain on the outside perimeter of the practice course and grids to reduce foot traffic and minimize risk.
    • 3) If you haven't noticed already, the paddock layout has changed drastically and will, most likely, remain in this configuration in the future.  Please familiarize yourself with the traffic lanes as they aren't in the same places they were in the past.  This is a big change from what we've been doing for the past 10 years.  Heads up!

The Lincoln Airport has been incredibly accommodating to us during this time and over the past 11 years.  In my 33 years with the Club, I have not dealt with a better partner in our activities. When you see someone from the airport, please thank them for letting us come play on their playground.

Mark E. Walker
Chief of Site Operations
Lincoln Airpark Liaison

The area in pink below is the affected area:

 

  • Worker Change on the Fly

We will be changing workers on the fly.  What does this mean to you?

  • Workers should still plan to check-in at their courses posting tent once the second half of the third runs have started (Run 3B) in the heat prior to the one they are scheduled to work BUT when they do, they should report directly to their assigned work area, NOT wait until the end of the heat to show up and head out. 
    • Worker Check-in should be in place at the posting tent and prepared to begin checking in workers as the middle of the 3rd runs begin during the heat prior to the one you are scheduled for work. (ie- if you are the Worker check-in person for Heat 2, you should begin checking in workers when Heat 1 begins the second half of the 3rd runs).
    • Grid will go to the first grid spot (101 or 201 depending on their heat) and meet their Grid Chief (or their designee) to receive instruction for the next heat.
    • Timing will go to the back of the trailer and wait until the heat is over and the current timing folks come out.
    • Impound will go to the Lincoln Drivers center and wait for instruction from the Chief of Impound.
    • Tire Cleaning will check-in and head down to Tire Cleaning and relieve the current worker.  Please head straight there and relieve the worker.
    • Starter will go to the start line and shadow (looking for release points and other course-specific things to be aware of).  The starter should also know what classes he/she is starting for so they are aware of the speed differentials between the vehicles.
    • Sweep will shadow the current sweep driver for route and other pertinent information for efficient corner station sheet retrieval.
    • Photo Spotters- Since the change will be on the fly, you will have to find the photographers on course or in the grid area.  Since you will be checking in with ½ a heat of cars remaining, you should have time to locate the photographer and replace the current spotter.  Please note that the photographer will not find you, it is your responsibility to find them.
    • Scanner will shadow the current scanner. Find out if there have been any scanner issues, if there are boundaries to the scan distance, etc.
    • Sound will locate the sound station and then safely head out toward the sound station, staying clear of all competition vehicle drive and sightlines.  You will gather information from the current sound worker that is pertinent to your job in the next heat.
    • Course workers- workers will safely head out to their assigned stations staying clear of all competition vehicle drive and sightlines.  You will head out after you check-in at the middle of run 3 the heat prior to your work heat and be in place by the time the sweep car is making its final run of the heat (the heat prior to the one assigned for working).  All current heat workers will remain in place during the final runs of heat 3 and will pass along information to the next heat’s workers (ie: which cones are being hit the most, are people DNF-ing in certain areas, any other pertinent information that will help the event go smoother and make the transition seamless) Radio and Clip Board workers should remain in place until the heat is over in order to maintain consistency with the workers at your corner station and with timing and scoring.  In the few minutes of downtime prior to your heat starting, check the cones in your area to make sure they are all in place and centered in the boxes.