So, any highlights?  I was a total backmarker this weekend - couldn't even see anyone else finish....  Figured I would go with Rain tires for Saturday's race, but unfortunately the skies did not open up.  Sunday, I had the rains on, switched back, then drove through the deluge that opened up just before our race.  Got stuck in the pack through the first three turns and never got a chance to make up any ground.  I'll be ready for Hallett - hope to see Ted back in action by then....

I'll post since I won Saturday!

Saturday I Qual behind Donato and Lance.. Got a good jump on start and Donato and I were bumper to bumper.  I guess 2nd lap (could have been first) don't remember was behind a red neon that was just about to climb over the left fender and hood of an IT RX7. Managed to miss that, then next lap around we have yellow and see Ted G's car mashed up at corner workers station. Fortunately Ted was ok.  After lengthy double yellow managed to pass Donato going out of infield for win!!

Sunday I Qual 2nd behind Tony.  Rain is looming all day.. Rains early, but then stops most of day. We decide to go out on dry's. Sure enough, by green flag, rain started pouring. Donato got a great start and went high and I got bunched up behind a bunch of cars tip toeing through turn 1.  No way I could catch them.. I ended up backing way off as window fogged completely and spray was so bad I couldn't see anything. ended up 4th. glad to make it through without incident.  Unfortunately Lance spun and a car clipped him and bent up his front end.  Fortunately, Lance and Ted have both found cars and hopefully will be ready for Hallett.

On a side note.  Yes there was some unfortunate events that happened in Saturday's race.  Evidently the driver of the red neon, not only ran over the front of the IT car, he swipped the side of a 4th Gen RX7, then after getting passed by Ted on the straight going to the oval, he came over on Ted and clipped Ted's rear sending him into the wall and totalling his car.  There is video out there to confirm this.  After the race, this driver did not come over to any of the three drivers he was involved in to apologize. So when the three of them went to discuss with him, he evidently told them to "F" off!  So upon Ted discussing with officials, they told him they have known this driver for 20yrs and he has a clean record. So basically told Ted they wouldn't do anything about it.! WOW..

Had this been a NASA event. NASA would have had immediately brought in a panel of non-biased drivers, reviewed any video and taken appropriate action, such as suspending the driver for a period of time or indefinately.  I have been at a race where this occured.   

ok. I ment Friday and Saturday.

Well, I had a decent weekend (actually it was outstanding compared to Ted's).  I decided to start tinkering with my carb and my car ran terribly the whole weekend.  Friday I managed to drive through all the mayhem and carnage on lap one and finish 5th.  Saturday I benefitted from Travis' vision problems in the rain and finished 3rd.  Overall I liked the track and had a good time.

So, as far as the reckless driving issue goes:  I agree that every racer should take some responsibility, understand and follow each of the sanctioning bodies rules and procedures.  I also think that the sanctioning body should take some responsibility for racers who are acting in an unsafe and unsportsmanlike manner at their event and be a bit proactive about their approach.   They have a vested interest in doing so.  I think they should also make an effort to help a racer navigate successfully through their processes rather than make it difficult and create obstructions.

My experience is this: 

Ed Peters-  I witnessed him driving erratically and unpredictably at ECR as well as at TMS.  I personally felt the need to distance myself as soon as I saw the way he was driving and was pretty frustrated by the lack of respect for faster cars that were not in his class. 

SCCA vs NASA- I agree that neither is perfect and both have shortcomings and strengths, I think SCCA should have taken a more proactive approach given the severity of the damage inflicted by one person on 3 separate occasions.  Considering how serious the SCCA tech inspectors are about equipment safety (which I would consider a strong point), I would have expected more concern from the organization about drivers safety. 

Jack,  

I would suspect that In casual conversations elusive comments as to who did  what are the norm.

Given the number of incidences involving the same car and as much car damage   as happenned an investigation may have been warranted.( do you think? )

Officials are empowered to undertake ( ie you as a steward ) investigations which require statements and evidence be presented and a descion as to who where or what was at fault.,

Simply stating that when evidence is presented .................I will do something..................ensures that nothing will be done  ( sorry but thats why we have officials)

I beilieve there was a breakdown in communication between race officials when stating the 30 minute time limit .............there were other ways to proceed

This is Teds first year ( maybe second) of racing not doing what's right ( remember stewarts have the authority ) is what getting us ( SCCA)  a bad name.

Tony Lee

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tony wrote Jack,   I would suspect that In casual conversations elusive comments as to who did  what are the norm.

Ofthen it is hard to believe everyone is talking about the same incident!  :)

Given the number of incidences involving the same car and as much car damage   as happenned an investigation may have been warranted.( do you think? ) Officials are empowered to undertake ( ie you as a steward ) investigations which require statements and evidence be presented and a descion as to who where or what was at fault., Simply stating that when evidence is presented .................I will do something..................ensures that nothing will be done  ( sorry but thats why we have officials) I beilieve there was a breakdown in communication between race officials when stating the 30 minute time limit .............there were other ways to proceed This is Teds first year ( maybe second) of racing not doing what's right ( remember stewarts have the authority ) is what getting us ( SCCA)  a bad name. Tony Lee

Tony, you point up one of the bigest problems a Steward faces-how much is too much. From experience gained going back to early SS on through SRF, SRX7 and now SM it is obvious there are two conflicting schools of thought. On one hand is the philosophy that body contact is not allowed and all should be investigated, blame assigned and someone punished. On the other hand there are those who believe that the drivers will take care of things and for the Stewards to leave things alone. They say "witch hunt" a lot. So what's a Steward to do? It can be a fine line and if you step over it either way you will make someone mad.

One of the other questions is can the incident be resolved. It can be hard just to get a witness-few years back at the ARRC I had a "lynch mob" in my face calling for the head of a certain driver on a platter. When I asked them to fill out witness statements all I heard was "I don't want to be involved....". If there are few witnesses and the testimony conflicts it's hard to drop the hammer on someone.

In a protest each side presents their case, the Stewards don't do it for them. Same thing with an SOM or CS investigation, I have to have something to work with be it video or witnesses. Personally I don't mind staying late to hold a hearing if there is a chance of acomplishing something, but if it's just a "he said-she said" finger pointer it's just a waste of everone's time.  

As far as the 30 minutes goes, when in doubt file the protest! Remember it is the SOM who decide time limits, not the CS or some Steward waiting to get to the beer. If you are over time and the SOM choose not to hear it all you are out is a little time, you should get your money back.

In the TMS incident there was nothing solid presented. I talked to Ed, Joan, Ted and another fella who's name I didn't catch. It was a classic "Not my fault-he/she hit/cut me off". WIth nothing else to go on I didn't persue it Saturday evening. I did ask for the video and if I had gotten it I would have gone where it led me.

Jack

Jack,

Since I  can not post on SCCA website here is what I saw with Ted's accident.

I was behind them coming around T-6, as I had been caught up in the Joan accident. Ted was on the right hand side of the track making a pass on Ed. Before the braking zone, Ed turned into Ted. ( my two cents, if Ed was having mechanical problems under braking, he should have known that from the corner before and he was not in the braking zone when he hit Ted.) I said to myself when Ted started to spin was "That's going to hurt". If you need me to write or sign something about what I saw just let me know. This was not a racing incident.

I wanted to see the "FILM at ELEVEN"! Why no diclosure on the video? There are a million crazy moves on video all over you tube. This story is interesting, but moving pictures would make it a best seller!

So this video must be racings answer to the "Zapruder" JFK film!