Eurodragster.com FAQ

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Eurodragster.com FAQ

Visits is the number of individual visitors which Eurodragster.com receives each month. Visits are logged on a daily basis; if the same person visits Eurodragster.com twice or more in one day then only one visit is counted. Eurodragster.com quotes Visits as its preferred access statistic.
Page Views is the number of individual pages which have been viewed each month. Hitting the Browser's Refresh button - for example during live Event Coverage - will result in another Page View, therefore the Page Views will be higher for months including Event Coverage. This statistic is not available for all months.
Hits is a count of data requests made to the Eurodragster server each month. As loading even one page of Eurodragster.com can result in a number of hits (one for the page itself, one each for all images loaded, etc.) we do not quote Hits as an access statistic unless specifically requested.

* Below denotes estimate due to statistic server failure.

Month/Year	Visits	Page Views	Hits
January 2012	188,402	443,936	7,261,872
December 2011	195,846	391,158	6,596,361
November 2011	204,787	494,689	7,792,462
October 2011	240,464	647,380	8,348,123
September 2011	326,287	1,433,892	17,770,847
August 2011	279,863	1,224,465	14,791,601
July 2011	260,308	855,380	12,378,986
June 2011	271,102	1,060,480	14,735,080
May 2011	323,209	1,700,932	18,446,246
April 2011	233,328	963,188	13,877,422
March 2011	210,780	533,405	9,761,820
February 2011	191,553	448,239	6,558,546
January 2011	202,717	503,730	6,974,499
December 2010	191,052	471,506	6,942,327
November 2010	204,628	484,131	6,650,080
October 2010	208,032	580,761	7,206,187
September 2010	266,434	1,522,173	16,688,926
August 2010	266,744	1,324,617	17,744,244
July 2010	240,740	1,335,337	13,393,186
June 2010	212,924	843,150	11,237,644
May 2010	267,753	2,481,528	19,050,728
April 2010	221,521	1,525,510	12,111,491
March 2010	198,312	453,496	9,450,254
February 2010	174,527	679,646	6,687,148
January 2010	191,041	533,760	6,685,934
December 2009	172,147	409,378	6,226,021
November 2009	182,269	455,330	6,077,458
October 2009	201,048	681,492	8,401,483
September 2009	248,820	2,144,916	17,436,984
August 2009	225,100	1,251,611	12,716,667
July 2009	229,305	1,536,467	13,234,430
June 2009	191,129	767,990	8,009,957
May 2009	237,162	2,551,872	15,714,240
April 2009	209,744	1,917,632	13,454,394
March 2009	180,518	545,211	7,013,399
February 2009	162,572	445,549	5,909,334
January 2009	167,356	575,217	5,537,796
December 2008	153,646	472,128	5,618,374
November 2008	170,189	654,235	6,020,544
October 2008	183,091	582,445	6,555,518
September 2008	268,958	2,512,570	13,414,340
August 2008	255,000*	1,300,000*	9,800,000*

The above statistics were collected using different software to those below so the figures may not be directly comparable due to differing collection methods

July 2008	312,604	1,328,048	11,266,852
June 2008	240,676	907,299	7,809,212
May 2008	301,522	2,064,954	12,049,045
April 2008	260,147	840,163	6,533,722
March 2008	244,000	1,477,771	10,362,978
February 2008	187,192	390,305	4,992,881
January 2008	195,809	425,677	4,821,273
December 2007	180,083	373,279	4,454,703
November 2007	190,457	380,730	4,377,795
October 2007	203,184	435,701	4,832,596
September 2007	244,447	1,276,273	8,630,167
August 2007	252,536	579,071	5,684,824
July 2007	309,992	1,198,694	8,037,694
June 2007	282,809	677,686	5,851,367
May 2007	264,824	1,409,817	9,185,120
April 2007	243,493	1,014,618	7,122,308
March 2007	222,171	444,628	4,968,007
February 2007	190,185	357,358	3,991,755
January 2007	200,367	401,751	3,460,115
December 2006	187,895	339,638	2,964,039
November 2006	186,322	381,440	3,117,043
October 2006	202,708	525,642	4,033,195
September 2006	228,215	1,031,170	6,335,711
August 2006	202,806	589,304	4,432,479
July 2006	212,482	738,184	5,322,628
June 2006	187,126	463,976	3,410,145
May 2006	218,486	1,168,657	6,616,032
April 2006	193,790	1,039,714	5,691,986
March 2006	187,886	458,538	3,669,438
February 2006	140,232	337,707	2,359,262
January 2006	147,245	357,160	2,146,132
December 2005	134,846	307,897	1,821,326
November 2005	138,193	478,384	2,635,241
October 2005	138,032	444,012	2,249,456
September 2005	154,471	908,148	4,009,374
August 2005	138,156	393,769	2,357,667
July 2005	140,152	512,817	2,586,468
June 2005	140,388	467,457	2,976,132
May 2005	165,986	967,254	5,294,219
April 2005	143,866	489,001	2,975,334
March 2005	146,273	626,259	3,759,678
February 2005	118,823	326,059	1,745,886
January 2005	128,157	320,503	1,704,786
December 2004	108,173	276,262	1,251,715
November 2004	100,920	335,896	1,406,253
October 2004	118,822	348,869	1,641,551
September 2004	144,476	693,304	2,898,174
August 2004	128,118	387,455	1,575,127
July 2004	116,352	275,074	1,557,109
June 2004	120,278	n/a	2,473,931
May 2004	134,876	n/a	3,157,512
April 2004	122,720	n/a	1,942,448
March 2004	107,369	n/a	1,260,360
February 2004	93,483	n/a	1,061,001
January 2004	99,806	n/a	1,022,380
December 2003	85,221	n/a	832,481
November 2003	93,330	n/a	960,973
October 2003	99,121	n/a	1,191,842
September 2003	121,763	n/a	2,407,432
August 2003	96,982	n/a	1,260,551
July 2003	94,970	n/a	868,112
June 2003	92,892	n/a	1,269,569
May 2003	122,373	n/a	2,141,327
April 2003	92,718	n/a	1,375,287
March 2003	76,481	n/a	727,916
February 2003	73,730	n/a	622,842
January 2003	79,861	n/a	769,419

For which Browser is Eurodragster.com designed?

All pages on Eurodragster.com including the webcam are designed for Microsoft Internet Explorer and a screen resolution of 1024x768. The site has also been tested on Firefox, AOL, Safari, Google Chrome and some mobile phone browsers.

Where is the Eurodragster.com web server physically located?

Since its inception and registration in late 1997, Eurodragster.com has been hosted by US company Selfnet. Selfnet's operation, which includes the Eurodragster.com web server, is physically located in Cleveland, Ohio.

I think that your web server may be down

Our web server is not down if you are reading this FAQ. However, that aside, like all computers our web server has problems very occasionally and Eurodragster.com will not be available for the duration of the failure but that is usually no more than a minute or two. Obviously if there are problems then if we can let our readers know we will.

If you think that our web server is down then you can always drop an E-Mail to webmaster@eurodragster.com to enquire, which is not as illogical as it sounds because the web server and mail server are separate. It is pointless posting "Is Eurodragster.com down?" threads on discussion forums since no-one apart from the Eurodragster.com staff will know what is actually happening, and no-one else is authorised to speak on our behalf. In any case, if we have web server problems then answering forum postings will be the last thing on our minds.

Why doesn't Eurodragster.com have a discussion forum?

The main reason we do not have a discussion forum is that the site keeps us busy enough already without piling on more work moderating a forum. In addition, Eurodragster.com is widely known as the source of unbiased European drag racing news and Event Coverage and given how contentious discussion forums can get we would not be comfortable watching people argue over news items we have worked hard to procure and post. Nor would we wish to get a name as the place to go for a good argument. It's not what our sponsors are supporting us to do. Finally, we don't have the stomach for slapping down those who think they know everything, for asking those with axes to grind to desist, or for mollifying those with fragile egos.

If you have a long enough memory you will remember that Eurodragster.com briefly hosted a discussion forum in the late 1990s. Those few weeks were enough to put us off the idea for life. Due to the behaviour of a very small number of individuals Eurodragster.com was threatened with legal action and almost lost sponsors, and members of the staff and in one case one of their spouses received abusive and threatening phone calls at home. Ten years later and a lot of bad taste remains. So don't be telling us that we should have a forum.

Which awards has Eurodragster.com won?

Eurodragster.com and its staff have been privileged to be presented with the following awards:

2000: Super Series Special Award
2001: SPRC Alex Brachtvogel Memorial Trophy
2004: Svensk Dragracing Eagle Award
2004: Wild Bunch Award for Services to Drag Racing
2005: APIRA Iris Page Memorial Trophy
2008: Leslie Lovett Memorial Photo Contest: Roger Gorringe, 3rd place
2010: APIRA Alan Wigmore Memorial Trophy: Tog

Can you help me to get media access to a track or an event?

Eurodragster.com frequently receives requests for assistance in securing media access to tracks or events. Whatever anyone may think, we have absolutely no influence in such matters with any track, Club or promoter, and even if we did you would still be wasting your time asking us. If you do send us an E-Mail asking for help in securing media access it will neither be acknowledged nor answered since we've just advised you not to bother.

I like Eurodragster.com / I don't like Eurodragster.com

If you enjoy Eurodragster.com and would like to write to tell us so, then please drop an E-Mail either to editor@eurodragster.com or to the individual staff member whom you would like to compliment (see above for individual staff members' E-Mail addresses).

If there is anything you don't like about Eurodragster.com, if you have constructive criticism or suggestions for improvement or new features, or if you would like to comment on something we have published, then please drop an E-Mail to editor@eurodragster.com. We reserve the right to explain ourselves and possibly disagree with or contradict you, but so long as you keep a civil tongue in your head then you will receive a fair hearing and a polite reply.

How do I submit a news item to Eurodragster.com?

If you would like to send a news item to Eurodragster.com then please E-Mail news@eurodragster.com. Alternately you can click on the Send a News item link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

You may send your news item either as a standard E-Mail, or as a Word etc. attachment to an E-Mail. Please see note below about embedding pictures within Word documents.

Can I send pictures with news items?

Please feel free send pictures with news items (but see note below about pictures in Word documents). We reserve the right to crop and resize pictures submitted with news items. If sending large pictures (more than 250K) then please send the news item and pictures to eurodragster.com@btinternet.com rather than the usual news address, since the BT Internet address has a much larger mailbox.

If at all possible please do not embed pictures within Word documents. This is because the first thing we will have to do will be to extract the picture from the Word document, and the extracted copy is not always of usable quality. If using Word for a news item, then please send the text in the document and attach the pictures to the same E-Mail.

Can I send a news item in a language other than English?

We are happy to publish news items in languages other than English, although we reserve the right to send foreign-language submissions to an interpreter for content checking before publication, just to make sure that no-one is saying "Eurodragster.com is crap" in a language they know we can't read

Why are the Eurodragster.com News updates sometimes posted overnight and sometimes posted during the day?

We run Eurodragster.com in our spare time. Sometimes personal, home or family commitments have to come first, and sometimes work commitments have to come first. However the usual reason for a switch from overnight updates to daytime updates is simply to have a break from constant late nights and loss of sleep.

How do you decide the order of news items on a day's update?

Deciding the order of news items is quite complex as there are severable variables. Some of the deciding factors are:

Updates for racers' attention (rule changes, event closing dates etc) are placed first on a news update;
News or previews come before reviews;
Depending upon the content of the news item, class hierarchy is often observed;
The order of news items is sometimes decided by the number of pictures in that day's update - pictures have to be spread evenly through the update so that they do not collide or so that we do not have to leave big gaps in the text;
Long and short news items will be alternated;
An obituary will always be placed first on a news update. In some circumstances an obituary will run on its own and all other news will be held to the next day;
News items which are blatant advertisements for someone's products or services, although welcome, will always be placed towards the bottom of a news update;
After all other considerations, news is published in the order in which it is received.

What is the significance of a red headline on the Eurodragster.com Home Page?

A headline in red means that the news item concerned has been added since that day's news update was originally posted. A red headline effectively denotes Stop Press.

Direct links to Event Coverage will also appear in red since they are clickable.

Must you edit my news item?

We reserve the the right to edit all submissions for clarity, factual accuracy, grammar or spelling, length, decency (we assume a family readership), or for any other reason deemed necessary. Please take the time to give submissions at least elementary punctuation and please, for the love of criminy, do not send news items all in upper case. We also reserve the right to decide the position of a news item in a day's update.

If you do not wish your news item to be edited then please mention this when you submit it. We are amenable to such requests and would then only edit the news item if absolutely necessary (factual accuracy, decency etc). We are also amenable to requests regarding the positioning of news items.

Can I put an embargo / publication date on a news item?

We are happy to observe embargoes on news items or press releases. We prefer to receive news items or press releases in advance because it gives us more time to code up the text. If you want a news item published on a certain day, even at a certain time on a certain day, then we can do that: please ask when you submit it.

Is there a deadline on the submission of news items before a race?

The earlier before an event you send a news item the better for us. You can send a news item early and by all means ask us not to publish it until the day before the race, or whatever timing you would prefer. This is a lot better than sending a piece the day before a race, because last-minute news items are unlikely to be published. As a general rule we would prefer to receive previews or news items about a specific event two evenings before that event, at the very latest.

I don't send news because I race in the ... class and I don't think anyone is interested in me

We beg to differ. Every class has fans, and thousands of those fans read Eurodragster.com every day. Eurodragster.com is a drag racing web site, and that means every class: the day we become a "Big classes only" web site then we'll tell you although you may have a very long wait.

We are grateful for every news item received. It doesn't matter to us or to our readers and your fans who you are, how many wheels your race vehicle has, whether you do the quarter mile in nineteen seconds or four seconds. We have thousands of readers every day who like us love drag racing regardless of which class you contest. So they, and we, are interested!

Even if you think no-one is interested in you (and sorry, but you're wrong), think of your sponsors or potential sponsors. Check out our access statistics above to see how many readers around the planet could be reading your sponsor's name.

Can I tell you something off the record?

We are quite often given information off the record, either to help us to understand what is really going on, or to help us prepare the background for a news item some time in the future. We appreciate being taken into confidence and you can be assured that every member of the Eurodragster.com team can be trusted not to pass on anything said off the record to anyone, except to fellow Eurodragster.com team members. All we ask is that you make it clear to us that you are speaking off the record rather than for publication.

Is there more to this news item than you are letting on?

We are often asked if there is more to a news item than we are actually saying. Most of the time that is not the case. But if there is more than we are letting on, then the contributor obviously wants it kept private or it would be included in the news item. Therefore there is no point in asking us the question, since even if the answer is "Yes" we won't tell you.

One particular instance in which we are asked this question is when we post an obituary. If we do not state "...after an illness" or "...in an accident" but just "has died" then it seems pretty obvious to us, and it should be obvious to anyone with a brain, that the family of the deceased wish the details of the death to be private and that it is no-one else's business. However, we still receive E-Mails and phone calls asking how the person died. We find this practice abhorrent and reprehensible and we reserve the right to be rude in our reply. Similarly when we use the phrase "For personal reasons" in a news item - don't even bother asking unless the next time you have a personal problem you would be cool with several thousand people reading about it the next day.

I clicked on the Send a News item link but it didn't work

The Send a News item link does not work for AOL users because that link contains multiple E-Mail addresses in a format which AOL E-Mail does not like. If the Send a News item link does not work, then please E-Mail news@eurodragster.com directly. Then sign up with a decent service provider.

I submitted a news item to Eurodragster.com but it has not been published

If you submit a news item and it is not published within a couple of days then the most likely explanation is that we did not receive it. Sometimes E-Mails do not reach their destinations. Try resubmitting the news item to our backup address which is eurodragster.com@btinternet.com.

The most likely reasons for not immediately publishing a news item which we have received are as follow:

We are low on news and we are spreading what we have across days to keep the service going;
We ran out of time to code up all of the news that day, so it will be published on the next update;
The news item is very long and requires editing, or it requires special formatting, both of which take time;
The news item is not about European drag racing;
We consider the news item inappropriate for a family audience;
We consider that the news item is not factually accurate.

Should we have an issue with any news item submitted to us then we will contact its contributor. If you have any enquiries about a non-appearing news item then please E-Mail editor@eurodragster.com.

I don't do E-Mail, can I phone you with a news item?

Yes, we will accept news items by phone. You will however have to send one E-Mail, to editor@eurodragster.com, to let us know that you would rather phone through a news item. Please either give your phone number in the E-Mail or ask us to give you our phone number so that you can call us.

If you do phone through news items please respect the 10:00 pm cut-off for calling us at home.

Are there any news items you won't publish?

We are happy to publish news items about any subject to do with European drag racing, in whichever class and on however many wheels (contrary to what you may have heard Eurodragster.com is not "Just a car site", we are a drag racing site). However we do have our limits:

Eurodragster.com covers European drag racing. That's what the "Euro" bit is about. With the exception of obituaries, only in special circumstances do we publish drag racing news from outside Europe and even then usually with a European connection. Race series, Clubs, promoters and racers in the USA, Canada, Australia, the Middle East and several other countries have their own official, magazine and fan sites which should be visited for their news.
We will either edit or refuse to publish news items criticising or attacking any individual by name, whoever they may be and whatever they are meant to have done. You would not want anyone to slag you off in public, would you? Because Eurodragster.com is not a discussion forum, in the case of disputes we will give each side one say on the News page and then close the matter.
We will either edit or refuse to publish news items containing accusations of cheating, incompetence, bias etc or other attacks on racers, promoters, tracks, race officials, clubs, or any other party. We will publish constructive criticism or suggestions for improvement, but it's our call what constitutes an attack and what constitutes constructive criticism. Quite often such news items are sent in the heat of the moment and the contributor will have calmed down by the time the piece would have been published, so our refusal to publish will save that contributor embarrassment. Because Eurodragster.com is not a discussion forum, in the case of disputes we will give each side one say on the News page and then close the matter.
We will either edit or refuse to publish news items criticising or attacking another web site or publication, whichever site or publication it is and whatever they are meant to have done. Yes, we know that others do or have done it to us either openly or slyly but we would rather present a professional image of European drag racing to planet Earth. The major drag racing web sites and publications in Europe generally get along on very well and/or help each other out in one way or another and we are not going to allow that to be wrecked.
Commencing with the 2010 season we will remove from news items points standings or Championship positions calculated by anyone other than the Championship or Series Co-ordinators. It is the Co-ordinators' job to calculate and post points and they are prepared to take the rap if they should make a mistake. We are no longer prepared to take the rap if a racer makes a mistake in their calculations in a news item which we have published.
We will not publish news items about illegal street racing since we do not approve of it, there is nothing at all clever about it, and (duh) it's illegal.
We will either edit or refuse to publish news items which either promote or appear to promote the drinking of alcohol at races or in any other situation which involves the driving of, or crewing for, race or road vehicles. One of the Eurodragster.com staff was almost killed by a drunken driver several years ago and we all feel very strongly about this subject.
We will edit news items which contain what appear to be approving references to vehicle control issues such as hitting timing reflectors or almost hitting the guy in the other lane. It's not "What Fuel Altereds do", it is grounds for disqualification and could get someone killed. By all means send a news item explaining and/or apologising but if you're going to boast about it then save your energy.

Please note that it is our call whether we publish news items on Eurodragster.com in the first place. If you're one of those very few but very sad individuals who goes around telling people that Eurodragster.com doesn't publish controversial stuff because we've been suborned by organisers, or in order to keep our media access, then (a) You really don't get what we're about do you, and (b) Go away and make up stories about someone else and come back and talk to us when you have several thousand readers a day.

How do I send a news item or picture anonymously?

We will not publish news items submitted anonymously: that is to say that if you do not tell us who you are when you submit the news item. If you do identify yourself, then you can ask us to keep your name out of it when we publish the news item.

We will publish spy pictures anonymously if asked, but even then we would prefer to know who you are - we just won't publish your details.

I've got a great piece of gossip for Eurodragster.com News

We do not do unsubstantiated rumour or gossip, at least in public. All published news is authorised by the racer, Club, official, promoter, track or other party involved. Like everyone else we enjoy off-the-record rumour and gossip; just make sure you tell us that it is not for publication.

I think you may have got your facts wrong

All material submitted to Eurodragster.com is accepted and published in good faith. We check what we can, and we have pretty good bullshit detectors, but we are not about to call our contributors liars and we assume that no-one is going to try to mislead us deliberately. If a news item turns out to be incorrect then it is highly unlikely to be our fault, and it won't have been deliberate. If you have a problem with the content of a news item then in the first instance please talk to the contributor, if named. If the news item is not credited then please get in touch with us at editor@eurodragster.com.

Can I ask you to amend or remove a news item after publication?

If you submitted the news item, then you can ask us to amend or remove it. If you are named in the news item, then you can ask us to amend the part which mentions you. Otherwise we would not normally amend or remove a news item once it has been published. However, you should feel free to get in touch with us at editor@eurodragster.com and we will give you a fair hearing.

I've taken exception to the content of a news item

If you don't like the subject or content of a news item, for example a rule change, then there is no point in moaning at the Eurodragster.com staff because, although you will get a courteous hearing, it will change precisely nothing. If you have an issue with the subject or content of a news item then you should get in touch with its originator, who will be mentioned in the item.

If you don't like a news item because you feel that you personally are being criticised, then your first assumption should be that it is not deliberate because we do not allow anyone to be insulted deliberately on Eurodragster.com. So if anything gets through then it will not have been done on purpose. Get in touch with us at editor@eurodragster.com and if we see your point then we can quickly remove or amend the item at issue.

Because Eurodragster.com is not a discussion forum, in the case of disputes we will give each side one say on the News page and then close the matter.

Can I copy a news item or picture from Eurodragster.com?

The quick answer is "No", but read on because there are exceptions.

All material on this web site is ©Eurodragster.com. The copy-protect on the News and Event Coverage isn't there for nothing. In addition our sponsors pay good money for our news items and Event Coverage to be published on our pages bearing their logos. Copying news items, pictures or other material from Eurodragster.com without permission is a breach of copyright, we view it as theft, and it upsets us a lot since we work very hard on it. We reserve the right to take the appropriate action - up to and including legal action - against any party stealing our work or that of our contributors.

If you wish to use our material - text or pictures - then please write with your enquiry to editor@eurodragster.com and we should be able to work something out. We are amenable to standing arrangements with serious web sites and paper publications to use our material without having to ask every time - again please get in touch. If you copy our material first and ask afterwards, not only will the answer be "No", but we will demand its removal.

Can I send you this really great piece of news or picture I found on another web site?

As a matter of principle, we do not copy news items from other web sites or discussion forums. So although you might think you are being helpful, and although we do appreciate your thinking of us, we cannot accept news items or pictures copied from other web sites or discussion forums.

We expect the same courtesy towards Eurodragster.com from other web sites and discussion forums but do not always receive it because some of these sites have no principles at all.

Have you seen how this European racer is getting on at the NHRA/IHRA/ProStar race?

Yes! When European racers are competing in the USA or elsewhere, please do not copy results from the local web site and send them to us. We do actually read web sites other than Eurodragster.com and we are just as capable as anyone else of reading race results. In any case we quite often have a direct line to a team when they are abroad.

Have you read about, or seen this YouTube video of, the big crash at the NHRA race?

Yes! But Eurodragster.com publishes European drag racing news and we have to draw the line somewhere. So if an American or other foreign racer does have a spectacular crash or is injured or heaven forbid dies then please don't send us a link to a news report or YouTube video because we will already have seen it, and we will not publish it on our European News page unless there is a European connection or special circumstance.

Can I say Happy Birthday, congratulations etc to someone via Eurodragster.com News?

We are more than happy to publish birthday and other greetings on the News page but please do not leave it until the last minute: you do after all have 364 days to tell us about birthdays for example, and we will not add late greetings to that day's news update. Do you like receiving belated birthday cards? Also you should not not expect us to remember from the previous year.

Can I wind someone up via Eurodragster.com News?

We are happy to take part in wind-ups, friendly rivalries between racers etc so long as you tell us that you are doing so, so that we are covered.

How do you decide which events are covered on Eurodragster.com?

Eurodragster.com is a UK-based web site. Thus we cover all UK National Championship events at Santa Pod and Shakespeare County Raceways and both of the European Championship events at Santa Pod. We also cover certain test days such as the Peak Performance Days at Santa Pod, usually before Easter and the FIA events, and certain Run What You Brungs and Test and Tunes at Santa Pod and Shakespeare County Raceways.

We also traditionally cover the Veidec Festival at Mantorp Park, the drag racing content of shows such as Autosport International, pre-European Championship event Press Days, and various other events. We are also able to offer photo coverage of events which the core team does not attend courtesy of our Reserve Photographer.

You can check out our Event Coverage schedule by clicking here or by clicking on the Event Coverage link on the left-hand side of any Eurodragster.com page.

We occasionally receive E-Mails, sometimes quite rude, asking why we do not cover particular events or events at particular tracks. Before getting in touch, please ask yourself if the event in question clashes with a Championship event elsewhere, since that will always take priority, or check our Event Coverage schedule and see when was the last time we had a weekend off. Even the Eurodragster.com staff have families and homes to run, and without the active co-operation of those families we would not be able to attend anywhere near as many events.

Why are some events covered only by a photo gallery and not a report?

At certain events covered by Eurodragster.com, such as some Run What You Brungs, there are few racers present and so their performances can be reported upon via captions in the photo gallery. Those Eurodragster.com staff who usually sit up in Race Control reporting tend to photograph these events to stay in practice.

Why doesn't Eurodragster.com cover other European Championship, NDRS and Toyo Series etc events?

As we have day jobs, we only have a certain amount of time off work and just about all of that is taken up by those events which we already cover. Like anyone else, we also have occasional family or personal commitments. And just like everyone else we are not made of money so jetting around Europe is just not an option.

Do you have a direct link to the timing system at the track?

No. Unlike race reporters in the USA we do not have a hard-wired link to the timing system at any track, so all of our race reports are produced and typed up manually. However we get a huge amount of help from the timing crews everywhere we go. At most tracks we are provided with our own timing system repeater console, at Santa Pod we have access to a laptop networked to the timing database, and we have access to the qualifying sheets as soon as they are printed.

Once qualifying commences we produce race reports and qualifying standings manually in real time, watching the changes in placings on the timing console and then using pen and paper and a calculator (or brain) to calculate performance against dial-in etc or checking against the timing database laptop and then typing up, referring to the timing sheets only for confirmation of our reports. Working manually gives us the advantage of being able to report upon the changes in standings during each session. If we did not work in real time but waited for the timing sheets then we would quickly get behind, and we would not have the time to spot the changes in the standings.

Why do you track only the top fives in Sportsman qualifying but full fields in Pro qualifying?

We track only the top five in Sportsman classes because they run through so quickly that it is very difficult to keep up especially when performance against index or dial-in has to be calculated before typing up. The extra time taken by Pro classes, for example in burning out and backing up, gives the reporting team the extra time to type up the results and a brief commentary on the runs and also work out the qualifying standings manually.

How do you decide whose pictures to include in the end-day galleries?

We try to give our readers as much variety and interest as we possible in our galleries. Therefore we will not necessarily post pictures of, for example, the number one qualifier every day since that becomes a bit predictable. As well as posting the pictures one would expect we also try to look for stories: for example if someone moves from #23 to #4 in a qualifying session then that is a story and that racer is likely to get into that day's gallery. Or there may be a good story from the pits which we can illustrate with a picture of the racer involved. New vehicles, new paintjobs, new riders or drivers, new sponsors are all candidates for a gallery as are European or National records, Personal Bests (see below), spectacular wheelies, out of shape launches, engine explosions (unfortunately, sorry) and so on. As a general rule the same racer will not be featured in a photo gallery more than once per event.

Why can it be two or three hours after the track closes before you post that day's pictures?

We usually publish thirty pictures at the end of each day of an event. We cannot start work on the pictures until the track has closed, and this can be quite late in the day. We then have to decide which thirty, often out of three hundred or more, racers are to be featured in that day's gallery (see above) although we try to keep a note during the day, and then our photographer has to find those thirty racers from hundreds of photographs taken that day. The pictures then have to be resized and maybe retouched, the thumbnails generated, and captions written. We also need to have dinner at some point although we usually eat whilst working.

The webcam is offline or is pointing in the wrong direction

We monitor the webcam whilst it is running, therefore we know if it is offline or if it is pointing in the wrong direction.

The webcam is never offline for no reason. Reasons for the webcam being offline are such things as the loss of internet access, the track being closed, or the aftermath of an accident within the view of the camera. If the webcam is offline then the reason will be explained in the race report as soon as possible. If you write about the loss of webcam service when the explanation is already on the race report then we reserve the right to send a moderately sarcastic reply.

The webcam is securely mounted but is sometimes knocked out of position, most usually by jet cars but also inadvertently by visitors to Race Control who have not yet learned to read "Warning - webcam below" signs. As we monitor the webcam on a regular basis we usually pick up on it very quickly should it be moved out of position and we will re-site it as soon as possible - when jet cars run we are usually holding on to everything else. If the webcam is pointing in the wrong direction then please let it refresh a few times before getting in touch: we have had instances of complaints arriving within a minute of the webcam moving and with the pressure of live event coverage that sort of impatience is the last thing we need.

Also bear in mind that whilst covering events live we may not see or read E-Mails for some time after they are sent (see why below).

I ran a Personal Best, why didn't you mention it in the race report?

Because we didn't know, and we didn't know because you didn't tell us! With upwards of three hundred racers at some events it is impossible for us to carry around a database of racers' Personal Bests in our heads although it sometimes seems expected of us. If you run a Personal Best at an event, or if anything else of interest or significance happens to you, then be sure to grab one of our Pit Reporters and tell them, or come to see us in Race Control. It's what we are there for and we will be very happy to mention it in our race report.

I have a sponsor looking in on your coverage, can I get a mention or can I get into your photo gallery?

We will move mountains to help a racer promote a sponsor so long as we know in advance. If you want to ensure that you feature in our Event Coverage then please send an E-Mail to editor@eurodragster.com preferably in advance of the event. We will then do everything we can to give you coverage at that event.

What is your reporting policy when there has been an accident?

If there is a minor spill, such as a racer tagging the guardrail or a bike racer coming off the back of their bike on the start line, then so long as the racer is not injured then we will report it at the time.

In the case of more serious accidents we will say nothing on the race report until the Race Director has briefed us and given us permission to mention it in the report, or until the track announcers have been given the go-ahead to say something on the PA. If the aftermath of a serious accident is within view of the webcam then we will stop the webcam.

When there has been a serious accident we always receive E-Mails demanding to know what happened and/or how. It is no-one's business but those involved, and it puts us in an awkward position, so please do not do it. Such E-Mails will neither be acknowledged nor answered. Similarly, if asked verbally about a serious accident, every member of the Eurodragster.com staff will always reply that they do not know anything about it. Please accept that answer and do not press us.

Can I contact the Eurodragster.com staff whilst you are at the track?

If you would like to get in touch with any of the Eurodragster.com staff when we are covering an event then please do, but please do not get upset if you do not receive an instant reply. If it's a toss-up between posting Pro Mod results for everyone's benefit or replying to a personal E-Mail or text message for one person's benefit then the Pro Mod results will win every time. In any case it may be some hours before we even see your E-Mail or text message, let alone reply. If our reports are not updated for more than a few minutes then there will be a reason for it, which will be explained if necessary (one example is Sportsman finals running since we post the Sportsman final results in one go), so please don't write demanding to know why it has gone quiet. If you understand and accept all of this then feel free to get in touch.

Can I send feedback about your Event Coverage?

If you would like to get in touch specifically with feedback, suggestions or queries about our Event Coverage, either during an event or in between events, then please E-Mail coverage@eurodragster.com. If you send feedback during an event then you may not receive an immediate reply (see why above), but be assured that your feedback will be read.

Can I ask you to get a message to someone whilst you are at the track?

Eurodragster.com is not a personal messaging service and we are far too busy with the event coverage to deliver casual messages to individuals such as "Good luck" etc. If it is an emergency and you have exhausted all other options such as mobile phone and trying to get through via the track's own phone or E-Mail then please do E-Mail us and we will do what we can to help. However please note that whilst working on the event coverage we quite often do not have Outlook or Webmail open and so your message may not be seen until the track closes that day.

Can I copy results or pictures from Eurodragster.com's Event Coverage?

The quick answer is "No", but read on because there are exceptions.

All material on this web site is ©Eurodragster.com. The copy-protect on the News and Event Coverage isn't there for nothing. In addition our sponsors pay good money for our news items and Event Coverage to be published on our pages bearing their logos. Copying results, pictures or other material from Eurodragster.com without permission is a breach of copyright, we view it as theft, and it upsets us a lot since we work very hard on it. We reserve the right to take the appropriate action - up to and including legal action - against any party stealing our work or that of our contributors.

If you wish to use our material - results or pictures - then please write with your enquiry to editor@eurodragster.com and we should be able to work something out. We are amenable to standing arrangements with serious web sites and paper publications to use our material without having to ask every time - again please get in touch. If you copy our material first and ask afterwards, not only will the answer be "No", but we will demand its removal.

How can I get a print, CD or other copy of a picture on Eurodragster.com's Event Coverage?

If you would like a copy of a picture from our Event Coverage then check out the photographer's name at the bottom of the page showing the picture and E-Mail that person. If you are in any doubt about the identity of the photographer then drop an E-Mail with details of the shot to photography@eurodragster.com and we will be in touch, with a price if appropriate.

The usual form for personal use is that for a fixed but small fee we can send you a CD with the camera original, or we can arrange prints from postcard size up to A0, or we can E-Mail the camera original. If you are purchasing pictures for use on a web site then please mention this when ordering. Commercial use such as magazines, advertising, promotional material etc. naturally comes a little pricier but if you are enquiring for commercial use then you likely already understand this.

Some photographers give away photographs for nothing, but it is not Eurodragster.com policy to do so (although obviously we are very happy to donate pictures for raffles, charity etc). This may seem mean in comparison but the reason is simple: one of the Eurodragster.com staff and some of our media colleagues make their only living photographing and reporting, and Eurodragster.com sponsor Supercharged Images sells photographs, so every picture handed out for nothing is money these parties have lost. Would you like someone taking away part of your salary each month? Of course not, and nor would we. Nor do we believe that racers are that shallow that we have to bribe them to send us news or otherwise be nice to us. We believe that our rates are reasonable, and some of the money we make on the sale of photographs is put back in to Eurodragster.com.

How do I submit a link to Eurodragster.com?

Links should be E-Mailed to links@eurodragster.com. Include the web site address and a brief description, a logo if you like, and state on which Links page you would like your link to go.

Does it cost anything to post a link on Eurodragster.com?

Links to web sites on our Links pages are free. This is not to be confused with banner advertising, which is not free (see the Sponsoring Eurodragster.com FAQ section).

Are links inserted automatically?

No. Link requests are forwarded automatically to our Links Co-ordinator who will check the site and then post the link on the relevant Links page.

How long does it take for a link to be posted on Eurodragster.com?

We run Eurodragster.com in our spare time so Links will not necessarily be posted immediately. However, links are usually placed within twenty four hours of submission.

Are links ever rejected?

We will not reject links so long as they have a connection with European drag racing. This also means that we allow links to performance part manufacturers, Speed Shops etc outside Europe, seeing as most performance parts come from the USA, and to racers' sponsors should they be outside Europe.

If the link has no connection to European drag racing then it will not be posted. Since Eurodragster.com is a family site we reserve the right not to post a link to a site which has adult language or content even if it is relevant to European drag racing.

I've got a new sponsor, will you place their link on your Sponsors Links page?

We will place your sponsor's link so long as you submit a link to us. We will not post a link without being asked, and we are not psychic although quite often expected to be.

How often do you check your Links pages for dead or outdated links?

As well as ongoing checks or tips from readers we undertake a major exercise once a year to check for dead or outdated links.

If you find a dead or outdated link then please send details in an E-Mail to links@eurodragster.com.

What proportion of Eurodragster.com's operating costs is covered by sponsorship?

If we do our sums properly then Eurodragster.com's entire budget is covered by sponsorship. We try to run Eurodragster.com as a non profit making concern to keep costs and sponsorship rates to a minimum, but when setting the budget at the start of the year it is difficult to foresee everything which may happen. So in some years the sponsorship funds have run out and we have had to put in some of our own money.

How much is Eurodragster.com's annual budget, and where does the money go?

We are happy to give our sponsors a budget breakdown on demand, but we do not believe that it is anyone else's business. However a lot of it is pretty easily worked out by anyone with eyes in their head.

I am interested in sponsoring Eurodragster.com, how much does it cost?

Our sponsorship rates are confidential between our sponsors and ourselves. If you are interested in sponsoring Eurodragster.com then please drop an E-Mail to webmaster@eurodragster.com.

What do sponsors get for their money?

Sponsors get their logo on Eurodragster.com, linkable to their own web site. They also receive mentions on the News page and in Event Coverage at the least excuse, and we are pleased to run blatant advertisements for their products and services as news items so long as they have a drag racing connection however tenuous. We also encourage our readers to use our sponsors' services and our sponsors tell us that this does indeed happen. We also hope that those of our sponsors who race, or who support race teams, would give Eurodragster.com their news first, although this is not mandatory.

What is the sponsorship period?

Sponsorships normally run for twelve months, from 1st March to 28th or 29th February. New sponsorships and renewals are negotiated in February with payment due by 28th or 29th. Sponsors can however join Eurodragster.com during the sponsorship year and will pay for however many months are left to the end of the following February.

What sponsorship slots are available?

Advertising is available at any time on the left- and right-hand columns of the News page. Other slots such as the Main Sponsorships, Event Coverage sponsorships, and logos on both sides of the Home Page may (but probably won't) become available in February of each year when renewals are negotiated. We are also amenable to suggestions for sponsorship slots or award schemes. If you are interested in sponsoring Eurodragster.com then please drop an E-Mail to webmaster@eurodragster.com.