When I started competing I did it because it was fun.It just seems that the people don't care about the way there car looks & they don't help out the other guy any more.The reason I never went to DB Drag's is because it has always been that way.Every time I have been to a DB Drag I see team of 9 people sitting doing nothing next to a guy that has a problem that he cant fix without help.
I don't think it is because they don't like to help others, I think it is just what the competitors have always seen from others..

I have thought of many ways of changing this.\

The first is to start the first team that helps every one not just the team ,other competitors.

The other is to get DB DRAG & USAC & IASCA to help with the cause.It is going to help them to.They have the best means to get the people to see worth in helping others.

DB DRAG
#1
BEST OF SHOW POINTS & TROPHIES
I think that the only one that is fun to watch is DB DRAG. So they should give ya a reason to give the crowd something to look at.
I wouldn't compete with some of the car's out there even if they did a 190!
#2
A SPECAL INVITE FOR FINALS TO PEOPLE THAT GO OUT OF THERE WAY TO HELP THE OTHER GUY
I have helped other people even if they were in my class.I gave fuses to a guy that almost beat me later that day.It came doun to 000.1.later that year I helped him rewire his system at finals & he took 6th -the point I am trying to make is ,we were in the same class & I took 7th.WINNING IS NOT EVERY THING.I only took 1 second place last year & I was smiling ear to ear because the way I looked at it was I lost to Greg Cobbs which in my mind is bigger than Aluma Gates.

ANY ONE THAT GETS IN THE WAY OF A JUDGE OR SLOWS THE SHOW IN ANY WAY. THERE competitors# IS TAKEN & PUT IN THE BLACK BOOK FOR COMPETITORS CONDUCT AS NEVER ELIGABLE OR SOMTHING.
When I was planing on competing In DB Drag this year I told the guy's I was going to hook the horn back up so I could let people now that it proubly isn't a good idea to stand in the way of what amounts to a Tank with the Brakes of a Pinto & engine of a lawn tractor. NO WON SHOULD BE EVER IN THE LANE THAT DOS NOT NEED TO BE!!!!!!!!!

ANYONE THAT CHEATS SHOULD BE BANNNED FOR LIFE.
CASE IN POINT THE PEOPLE THAT WERE SPIKING THE MIC.
THEY SAID ''''''' da um da IT AN'T IN THE RULE BOOK !
I THINK IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ''''SEE LINE 1

ON THE OTHER HAND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE EVEN WORSE IN MY MIND
I hate to pick on one person when there are so many but TOYS WITH NOISE
The one with the subburban I think 9 DD 15's

They show up at IASCA finals & started DQin people.I could see if it was a ligit problem with someones car but they were going after people that were in other classes.They tryed to get me , I was more than helpfull to there cause,I opened my door's and set a rule book on my "seats" if ya were there ya will find the humor in the "seats" thing.They brought the judges back to my car 5 times.The judges finaly told them we are done he is legal.They then turnd to another guy in my class and found when they got out the ruler that his door panels were 1" to wide.He was in my class & I didn't see the problem.This guy was keeping up with the Amigo with 6 10's & his cab was not out of hand///When I asked them what there problem was they sed " it isn't fair"., I drive my car to work every day.I think he seen it like we should not be seen as better because our # were bigger ,because we could not drive it to the show.
.Maybe if he ever put's his nice car on a trailer every weekend to go to the show's & is forced to drive a PILE OF **** TO WORK or in my case at this point borrow your brothers PILE OF **** he could see some people make bigger sacrifices than he could never begin to understand.
To get off my rant I have herd of this same guy cheeting himself and it is people like that that are ruining the fun of this sport!
There are too many RULES that are just plain stupid.There are a large portion of people using the rule book as a way to win.

I have been down on competing sense last year becouse A LOT of things but this is alot of it & the way I see it if I don't have fun competing I don't want to do it anymore.It is up to IASCA , DB DRAG & USAC to modivate all of us to help the sport grow.I think if they give us a reason to not make it all about the #'s & wining it may get alot more people competing and not just 1 year.I mean realy if it is all about winning A very small portion of people have fun.

Botom line is
I think the compition scene is going in the wrong direction.I think it is because the one's being heard is the trouble makers because they are the ones that are always making noise.I think there is alot more people like me & we need to start making a little noise.I thought that I would just Quit this year
because of them & a couple of other things but I think I may be able to change it by getting other's to see it the way I do.if it turns out that I stand alone that is ok to ,you all have fun fighting!

Pete
IASCA
World Record 171.0
IASCA World Champion 171.2
1441+ ADV
USAC World Champion 173.1
5001+ Dash

There's nothing stupid about the rules. The rules are the rules, if you pay attention you can build your desired vehicle fine without violating them. If you don't like the rules, don't play the game. Also, judges generally do a good job at enforcing the rules and disbarring cheaters.

It is *impossible* to keep db dragging or any other organization like this for that matter a close knit, everybody knows everybody and is nice to everybody group. It simply does not work that way. No matter how much you do, all New Yorkers will never be nice to each other, whereas in a tiny community this is often the case. This is how the sport will evolve, there isn't much you can do. Some people are in it for fun, others have a *lot* of money and time at stake and are gunning for first at any cost. Some people do things for fun, others do them for business. Some people are nice, others are rude. This is how the world works, get used to it.

Sorry to say, but you're gonna find out in a hurry that you can't change the world. Just keep up being nice to others and leave it at that.

I should not be up at this horrible time of nite, I'm going to bed.

read sections 11 and 12 in the rule book and you will see that there are rules and penalties addressing this stuff already. however, the line that must be crossed for there to be an infraction of the rules of conduct for a competitor, specifically 12-1

"All competition team members must conduct themselves in a professional and courteous manner. Physical or verbal abuse of other competitors, the officiating crew, exhibitors, or spectators may result in immediate disqualification, ejection from the event, and possible disciplinary action from the dBDRAG."

is subject to personal opinion by the officiating staff. this is a common moral argument...who's to say who is right or wrong. what some people find offensive may not offend others. Or if left to offensive to the public in general it is a little clearer and i believe that that is what db drag operates on.

as far as rewarding people for best of show or helping other competitors...i agree with the previous and disagree with the latter.

first i disagree for the same reasons that were stated by Atomic Fusion in that it could result in "back-stabbing" (which incidentally could be an infraction of section 12-1 hhehe). it's a good idea but the implementation wouldn't help matters much, same problem, different face.

on the other hand it would be a lot nicer to look at if more of the vehicles had nice, clean installs but i believe that the scope of what could be done is limited by the vibrations and pressure inside the cabin. but putting formica or other such hard surfaces so as to not suck up any sound waves would not be hard and would be much more aesthetically pleasing. but the mission of db drag isn't to look pretty, it's just to get loud so consequently there are no points awarded for install. imagine a 145dB vehicle beating out a 151dB vehicle...the latter obviously is louder but since the quieter install was nicer it gained enough points to override the other vehicles superior SPL. this could be countered by not giving much weight to SPL but that would still be flying in the face of what db drag's goal is. ok, i'm rambling now, i'm sure you all know what i mean....

oh, on that note tho...a best of show trophy or something would be cool...a slight added incentive, perhaps a monetary reward at finals since it is such a big public event (and SBN )

as for DQ'ing people due to not following installation regulations i am kinda ambivalent. at multiple point events i can definitely see it...points are at stake and it's only fair that only a vehicle built within specs is allowed to accrue points.
but at small local shows i don't know so much...unless they beat your score i wouldn't worry about it. if it's by a couple dB let it go...especially if it's because their wall was .5" too far forward. i don't think that that small amount will affect your SPL that much. but like i said, if you're tryin to get points and you get beat i would contest it too. i wouldn't go about any making any negative comments unless it was a blatant attempt at circumventing the rules...however, that will already result in being DQ'd from the event.

in closing...i think that db drag is still a good sport with good people for the most part. every sport will have it's trouble makers and fire starters...it's just something that must be dealt with by the organization and it's rules. most people i know would help another competitor out if they needed it. i know my friends and i do it at every show we've been too (when someone's needed help, don't go around checking up on everyone lol). one time we did and the guy ended up going from not even getting the system to turn on in the lane (USAC) to beating out another guy that came with us and taking 1st he was pretty happy and i personally enjoyed seeing it.

there are alot of younger people in this sport who place alot of emphasis on bragging rights and ego. that is good in the name of competition but when it starts to be directed in a personal, demeaning, negative way then it's crossed the line IMO. most keep themselves in check and generally the worst stuff that is said is between people who know each other personally like different car clubs or teams and is typical of teams/gangs (interpret how you want...both are groups of people with the same goal and are both involved in a kind of competition be it league domination of neighborhood territory) the world over.

just practice what you preach and hope others learn by your example. you're (pete) in a pretty respectable position with regards to your amigo so just keep up what you've been doing and it'll get noticed. same goes for all you other more prominent figures in the SPL world, make an example of yourselves, not idiots