Difference a year makes, new list, more meetings
When the Camaro came out last year it was immediately put up in tests against the 2010 Mustang and Challenger. Pretty much across the board it would win these comparisons and clearly won the performance tests with shortest braking, fastest acceleration and 1/4 mile times. The V-6 Camaro stomped the Mustang and Challenger equivalents.
Well Ford went all out for the 2011 model making a number of changes, the largest of which was an all new 5.0 liter motor that produces 412 HP. That number is still short of the 426 HP that is produced by the Camaro’s significantly larger 6.2 liter power plant. However the Mustang is also several hundred pounds lighter than the Camaro. These numbers resulted in a dramatic shift in power in the performance numbers.
In the latest head to heads I saw the Mustang was now about a half second faster than the Camaro in both the V-8 and V-6 variations in the 1/4 mile test. In the Challenger/Mustang/Camaro face off the Camaro now was rated last instead of first. Wow, what a difference a year makes. I still want one. 🙂
Last night was another running club board meeting. You may recall last month there were some fireworks when I proposed some changes that went against the grain of some long time club members that are resistant to change. In the past there have been a number of hotly contested issues at these meetings. Far too often after the argument occurs the actual issue gets tabled and not followed up on, perhaps to avoid further conflict. Well I wasn’t ready to let my issues die on the vine.
Once again I pushed for changes to our registration procedures and pushed for the changes to start sooner rather than later. Again I met up with some resistance, some of which I found particularly annoying as conclusions were being drawn that made no sense. After an extended session of back and forth points from various board members we sort of agreed to move forward with some changes, dipping our toes into the water slowly.
I also was voted in as an official board member last night. Even though I have attended many, many board meetings over the past few years I have never been an official board member meaning I couldn’t vote on stuff, bring up motions and things of that nature. It was by my choice that I wasn’t a board member, I didn’t want the stigma. Well last night we all sort of figured I might as well be one as my issues and opinions are often main topics in meetings since I am the timer.
Last night I was also annoyed when I found out that Ali and I were committed, without my prior knowledge to time yet another event in October, a regional cross country event. Evidently this possibility was brought up nearly a year ago but was not brought back up to either of us until last night. The lack of communication is a common theme in our club and as always I found it aggravating.
On top of that, this would probably be one of the most challenging races I have timed to date. There will be 5 different races going on back to back with the different groups like varsity boys, varsity girls, jv and so on. Timing it will be an all morning event. Sure I like a challenge but I also like getting paid for my expertise and time.
If I was an independent timer I would be charging at least a grand or two to do this. It makes me think seriously about the viability of buying some used equipment of my own and timing races as a source of additional income to do things like pay for a Camaro.
My lengthy, humorous, volleyball tip list has been one of the more popular pages on my site for a long time. The other day I thought that a similar list, written with the same toungue in cheek fashion about tips on life could have some equal giggle value. So I simply copied my existing vball list and started over. Hell I even left the volleyball background. Feel free to take a look at the birth of what is sure to become another internet craze. See it here.