Tuff Block placement

LowPsi
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LowPsi
I watched the track workers repeatedly put the Tuff Blocks TOO far inside of turn 5 "Cooper Tires" turn. They caused numerous crashes. Baggett and Sexton both went down. Riders would hook them with their foot and pull them into the riding line. I watched this go on all night. Did anyone else see this ???
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Gavzx7
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Gavzx7 1/21/2018 11:29am
1/21/2018 11:29am
I was sitting directly in front of this turn and my blood pressure was sky high all night from watching this unfold every lap. It’s all about the sponsors and less about the racing unfortunately. My high school buddy used to work for feld and was told, “make sure the camera see’s that banner ad and if a motorcycle happens to get in the picture also, that’s a bonus!”
Kenny Lingus
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Kenny Lingus 1/21/2018 12:02pm
1/21/2018 12:02pm
I've long bitched about them. These are my gripes in no particular order...
1) They cause more harm than good. For every example of helping in a crash they cause 10.
2) Making a tech run out in a live track to retrieve one is dumb and dangerous for all.
3) They are usually placed on a ridable surface. Seems like if they were off to the side, the track would get wider. Wider track is always better.
4) Not held in place. A good fart moves them.

The oversea races have some cool inflatable ones. You would think a company with a CEO worth a billion could invest a little into improving the current ones or a new and better way to help in a crash and knock down an out of control bike
Rockinar
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Rockinar 1/21/2018 12:10pm
1/21/2018 12:10pm
Gavzx7 wrote:
I was sitting directly in front of this turn and my blood pressure was sky high all night from watching this unfold every lap. It’s all...
I was sitting directly in front of this turn and my blood pressure was sky high all night from watching this unfold every lap. It’s all about the sponsors and less about the racing unfortunately. My high school buddy used to work for feld and was told, “make sure the camera see’s that banner ad and if a motorcycle happens to get in the picture also, that’s a bonus!”
Feld does not decide that. The control room director does.
Dirty Points 1/21/2018 12:19pm
1/21/2018 12:19pm
Gavzx7 wrote:
I was sitting directly in front of this turn and my blood pressure was sky high all night from watching this unfold every lap. It’s all...
I was sitting directly in front of this turn and my blood pressure was sky high all night from watching this unfold every lap. It’s all about the sponsors and less about the racing unfortunately. My high school buddy used to work for feld and was told, “make sure the camera see’s that banner ad and if a motorcycle happens to get in the picture also, that’s a bonus!”
Rockinar wrote:
Feld does not decide that. The control room director does.
Who do you think the control room director works for?

The Shop

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C.Worthy
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C.Worthy 1/21/2018 12:56pm
1/21/2018 12:56pm
I was there too and it made no sense. The tuff block would get knocked over multiple times every race. Instead of reaching out 2ft. with their arms to pull the tuff block in during a big gap between the riders, the dig dugs would leave the tuff block there until the whole pack went through. The TV show didn't catch how many times it was being knocked over and the poor placement of that tuff block each time by the dig-dugs.
KirkChandler
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KirkChandler 1/21/2018 2:41pm
1/21/2018 2:41pm
I think the main issue was the guy that pulled the Tuff Block onto the track were not the riders to crash from it. Baggett and Harrison both crashed after hitting a Tuff Block in the main line. AC almost crashed, but saved it.

That section didn't develop like it was designed to. It reminded me of a mid 80's Supercross section. No one went outside to jump off and double out. Maybe if the whoops where bigger guys might have gone wide to build more momentum instead of just jumping into them.
liver
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liver 1/21/2018 2:50pm
1/21/2018 2:50pm
Gavzx7 wrote:
I was sitting directly in front of this turn and my blood pressure was sky high all night from watching this unfold every lap. It’s all...
I was sitting directly in front of this turn and my blood pressure was sky high all night from watching this unfold every lap. It’s all about the sponsors and less about the racing unfortunately. My high school buddy used to work for feld and was told, “make sure the camera see’s that banner ad and if a motorcycle happens to get in the picture also, that’s a bonus!”
Wait, that would suggest it's a business, not a charity...
LowPsi
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LowPsi 1/21/2018 3:06pm
1/21/2018 3:06pm Edited Date/Time 1/21/2018 3:09pm
KirkChandler wrote:
I think the main issue was the guy that pulled the Tuff Block onto the track were not the riders to crash from it. Baggett and...
I think the main issue was the guy that pulled the Tuff Block onto the track were not the riders to crash from it. Baggett and Harrison both crashed after hitting a Tuff Block in the main line. AC almost crashed, but saved it.

That section didn't develop like it was designed to. It reminded me of a mid 80's Supercross section. No one went outside to jump off and double out. Maybe if the whoops where bigger guys might have gone wide to build more momentum instead of just jumping into them.
Exactly !!! the guy hitting the Tuff Block pulled it onto the main line and created a problem for the following riders.

If the "placement was just fine" then why did it cause multiple crashes?
hamncheeze
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hamncheeze 1/21/2018 3:06pm
1/21/2018 3:06pm
The problem was one rider would hit the tuff block and knock it back, then the next 10 guys would come through and not see it there, then next lap it would be replaced way out in the turn and someone would hit it. One could blame the DigDug moving the block, or the riders but the real blame was that section was just downright awful and waste of dirt. Surely during press day the riders must have got a feel for how lousy that section was going to race, I wonder if the right questions were asked if it could have been fixed up to make it better??
tcallahan707
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tcallahan707 1/21/2018 5:46pm
1/21/2018 5:46pm
As long as the Tuff Block is placed in the same spot, then it's on the riders. It marks the edge of the track. If you don't want to risk hitting it, go wider. If you want to cut it tight, then go for it. As far as other riders hitting it, that's racing. They should be aware that there may be a tuff block in the way in a corner that is being cut that tight. It's called situational awareness.
Kenny Lingus
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Kenny Lingus 1/21/2018 6:35pm
1/21/2018 6:35pm
tcallahan707 wrote:
As long as the Tuff Block is placed in the same spot, then it's on the riders. It marks the edge of the track. If you...
As long as the Tuff Block is placed in the same spot, then it's on the riders. It marks the edge of the track. If you don't want to risk hitting it, go wider. If you want to cut it tight, then go for it. As far as other riders hitting it, that's racing. They should be aware that there may be a tuff block in the way in a corner that is being cut that tight. It's called situational awareness.
No, it's not situational awareness. If it is a closed course race riders can reasonably assume there will be nothing on the racing surface other than other competition and their bike. You can't honestly be blaming the rider for hitting something that shouldn't be there? A tuff block is no more different than chunks of concrete, wood, metal etc. They don't belong anywhere bikes go.
tcallahan707
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tcallahan707 1/21/2018 6:47pm
1/21/2018 6:47pm
tcallahan707 wrote:
As long as the Tuff Block is placed in the same spot, then it's on the riders. It marks the edge of the track. If you...
As long as the Tuff Block is placed in the same spot, then it's on the riders. It marks the edge of the track. If you don't want to risk hitting it, go wider. If you want to cut it tight, then go for it. As far as other riders hitting it, that's racing. They should be aware that there may be a tuff block in the way in a corner that is being cut that tight. It's called situational awareness.
Kenny Lingus wrote:
No, it's not situational awareness. If it is a closed course race riders can reasonably assume there will be nothing on the racing surface other than...
No, it's not situational awareness. If it is a closed course race riders can reasonably assume there will be nothing on the racing surface other than other competition and their bike. You can't honestly be blaming the rider for hitting something that shouldn't be there? A tuff block is no more different than chunks of concrete, wood, metal etc. They don't belong anywhere bikes go.
I understand that a rider should reasonably assume nothing is on the race surface and agree, but not in regards to tuff blocks. As long as tuff blocks are used to mark the track, they need to be aware of them. I'm not blaming a rider if they hit one, because many times they don't have a chance to avoid it, but they still should be mindful of situations that are more problematic. I would compare tuff blocks to referees in other sports. Sometimes shit happens, but if you can be aware of their positioning, you can limit the risk of a negative interaction. Until someone comes up with a solution to remove refs and tuff blocks, they are a part of sport and therefore, something the participate should have situational awareness for.
Johnny Depp
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Johnny Depp 1/21/2018 6:52pm
1/21/2018 6:52pm
Tuff blocks suck in general, and that was terribly poor track management that was obvious on the TV show too. Makes the sport look like a bunch of retards.
EZZA 95B
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EZZA 95B 1/21/2018 7:01pm
1/21/2018 7:01pm
Kinda off topic but, I couldn't help but chuckle at what they say here in regards to the barriers...
Kenny Lingus
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Kenny Lingus 1/21/2018 7:05pm
1/21/2018 7:05pm
tcallahan707 wrote:
I understand that a rider should reasonably assume nothing is on the race surface and agree, but not in regards to tuff blocks. As long as...
I understand that a rider should reasonably assume nothing is on the race surface and agree, but not in regards to tuff blocks. As long as tuff blocks are used to mark the track, they need to be aware of them. I'm not blaming a rider if they hit one, because many times they don't have a chance to avoid it, but they still should be mindful of situations that are more problematic. I would compare tuff blocks to referees in other sports. Sometimes shit happens, but if you can be aware of their positioning, you can limit the risk of a negative interaction. Until someone comes up with a solution to remove refs and tuff blocks, they are a part of sport and therefore, something the participate should have situational awareness for.
That's why I don't like them. They shouldn't even be able to get on the track. If they only punished the guy that hits it is one thing but that never happens. Their concentration level is so high one more thing to worry about is no good. We already know most of them can't see the blue flag. Haha!
tcallahan707
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tcallahan707 1/21/2018 7:14pm
1/21/2018 7:14pm
tcallahan707 wrote:
I understand that a rider should reasonably assume nothing is on the race surface and agree, but not in regards to tuff blocks. As long as...
I understand that a rider should reasonably assume nothing is on the race surface and agree, but not in regards to tuff blocks. As long as tuff blocks are used to mark the track, they need to be aware of them. I'm not blaming a rider if they hit one, because many times they don't have a chance to avoid it, but they still should be mindful of situations that are more problematic. I would compare tuff blocks to referees in other sports. Sometimes shit happens, but if you can be aware of their positioning, you can limit the risk of a negative interaction. Until someone comes up with a solution to remove refs and tuff blocks, they are a part of sport and therefore, something the participate should have situational awareness for.
Kenny Lingus wrote:
That's why I don't like them. They shouldn't even be able to get on the track. If they only punished the guy that hits it is...
That's why I don't like them. They shouldn't even be able to get on the track. If they only punished the guy that hits it is one thing but that never happens. Their concentration level is so high one more thing to worry about is no good. We already know most of them can't see the blue flag. Haha!
I totally agree! They are going to cut the track as tight as possible so we need a safe deterrent though. I just don't have a better solution.
Johnny Depp
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Johnny Depp 1/21/2018 7:18pm
1/21/2018 7:18pm Edited Date/Time 1/21/2018 7:19pm
You can't cut the track where there is not dirt. The elevated corner was poorly executed by the track builders.
Motodave15
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Motodave15 1/21/2018 7:32pm
1/21/2018 7:32pm Edited Date/Time 1/21/2018 7:34pm
I was sitting there as well.. and was getting pissed that the director or whoever was radioing the guy to put that particular tuffblock back on to the track. (That tuffblock took out riders in the back of the pack too, for the people who were at home and didn't get to see it)... Personally if i was the director, i would've told them to just leave them knocked down for that particular corner.

On the flip side, that bend of a section was designed terribly, because they never put lips on the left side of the off exits to allow the riders to double over the first then roll around the outside to double double before the whoops.... The track crew left the exit's completely flat... which then cause that inside rut to develop

One thing i can say, that the old school time of jeremy's era.. was that in practice after a rut would develop the guys would put haybales in the developed line and force the riders to make a new one.. I always thought that was a better way to cultivate multiple race lines developing.... Something that is just not possible to force on a track now, due to the timed fast lap for qualifying.
JustMX
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JustMX 1/21/2018 7:56pm
1/21/2018 7:56pm
So you bitch if they get knocked out in front of a,rider and they redesign them with an anchor system or simply add weight to them and then you can bitch when a rider snags one and it stops them.

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