SEATTLE SUN PRESENTS CHALLENGE
Sat, 2009-07-18 08:01
Pacific Raceways is laid out in such as manner the puts the driver
looking into the sun as it sets to the west. At times, racing has to
come to a halt at the NHRA event because the drivers simply can't see to get down the
racetrack.
As Tim Wilkerson lined up for his second round qualifying effort, he felt the effects of the setting sun.
come to a halt at the NHRA event because the drivers simply can't see to get down the
racetrack.
As Tim Wilkerson lined up for his second round qualifying effort, he felt the effects of the setting sun.
"I'll tell you what, I was backing up from the burnout and I called the guys on the radio and said 'I know there's a groove out there somewhere, but I can't see anything that looks like one'," Wilkerson said. "It's tough in both lanes, running into the sun like that, but it's tougher when you're in the left because the sun sets a little off to the right of the end of the track. When you go to stage the car, you have a real hard time seeing the tree. The worst part is the fact the clutch dust and all the other stuff in the air kind of glows with the sun shining through it, and you don't see many details out there. Your challenge is to get it to the other end and keep it in the middle, and that's hard enough to do on when the sun isn't even shining, so you know it's tougher on a day like this.”
Wilkerson must have read the track like a blind man uses braille. His 4.260 second, 285.65 mph run, was good enough to land in the third spot after one day of racing at the Northwest Nationals.
come to a halt at the NHRA event because the drivers simply can't see to get down the
racetrack.As Tim Wilkerson lined up for his second round qualifying effort, he felt the effects of the setting sun.
Pacific Raceways is laid out in such as manner the puts the driver looking into the sun as it sets to the west. At times, racing has to
Tim Wilkerson makes a run earlier in the day, in the early evening the sun poses a problem to the point that racing must be halted in order to allow the trees at the finish line to block off the blinding rays.
As Tim Wilkerson lined up for his second round qualifying effort, he felt the effects of the setting sun.
"I'll tell you what, I was backing up from the burnout and I called the guys on the radio and said 'I know there's a groove out there somewhere, but I can't see anything that looks like one'," Wilkerson said. "It's tough in both lanes, running into the sun like that, but it's tougher when you're in the left because the sun sets a little off to the right of the end of the track. When you go to stage the car, you have a real hard time seeing the tree. The worst part is the fact the clutch dust and all the other stuff in the air kind of glows with the sun shining through it, and you don't see many details out there. Your challenge is to get it to the other end and keep it in the middle, and that's hard enough to do on when the sun isn't even shining, so you know it's tougher on a day like this.”
Wilkerson must have read the track like a blind man uses braille. His 4.260 second, 285.65 mph run, was good enough to land in the third spot after one day of racing at the Northwest Nationals.
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