Hurry Up and Wait

In these days of instant everything: food, media, messaging, phone calls, et al, the idea of waiting for something is unusual. But even in this modern era, we still have to wait in line for rides at amusement parks, theaters, check out stands (this really gripes my a** - people WAITING to PAY to get OUT of a store) and even waiting in traffic like on freeways - which by the way, I do not miss at all since moving away from Los Angeles. It's sort of a hurry-up-and-wait life we lead.

To the staging lanes

In the world of drag racing, there's a wonderful little thing where teams are always pressed to hurry up and wait by race "organizers", with organizing being a generous description. You have a schedule but really, the paper that schedule was written on you might as well use in one of the tracks beautiful port-a-potties. The most notable situation is being called to the staging lanes. Typically, someone will come by and notify you and then it's usually announced on the Public Address. So everyone gets their gear together and loads up for the trek over to the staging lanes.

The track officials guide you to the two lanes you'll be coming out of and there you settle down. A team might be told to be ready in the next several minutes and within a short time, possibly notified to suit up the driver - uh, probably not.

More than likely, the team should get comfortable because this location of yours will be where you sit for the next 15 minutes ... ha ha ha ha. 15 minutes? That would be nice. No, usually it will be another 15 minutes, then another 15 minutes and this could go on. Oh, but wait! This is where it gets interesting as you're told to suit up, that you're next. Everyone suits up. Ah, yes. Hurry up and wait ... some more.

Heat is on

So, there's your driver, all suited up and nowhere to go as you wait ... and wait ... and wait. Now on those days when it's 100 degrees and God knows what on the asphalt, the driver bakes. Sure, we give them something to drink - that's easy to do with a full-face helmet. It's more like they spill it on themselves. The team keeps a shade over them like an umbrella, but not too close or you'll make an oven out of the cockpit. Little electric fans work but remember, they have these huge driver suits on and a helmet that becomes a nice little suffocating place, in and of itself. No place for claustrophobics.

Our team had an instance about ten years ago at Bakersfield where my dad, Ron Hier, sat in the car for almost an hour on the nice black asphalt of Famoso on one of those usual Summer days (it wasn't a March Meet) in Bakersfield (temps said 105 but it felt like 20 degrees hotter). How a guy pushing 70 held out, I've no idea. Thank goodness he likes heat.

Anyway, the next time you're at the drags and it's a warm day, remember the teams and especially the drivers, and know they go through a lot more than the few minutes you see them on the starting lines. It's another reason drivers seem worn out at the other end - they're worn out from having to hurry up and wait to get there.

Sources - NHRA