Aaron Buckley wrote:
Donnie Barnes wrote:
Remember, everyone working an event like this is a competitor, whether they happen to be in that class or not. As such, they have the right to protest...
Not really Donnie. At a Tour, I don't believe I can protest any car at the event, only cars in my class. I could be wrong, but what would be the reasoning for protesting outside of my class, other than being an a-hole?
The first sentence of 8.1 clearly gives the right to any entrant, driver, or official of a National event to protest. But 8.3 does limit protests against cars to same class competitors -or- the Chief Steward. So it better have been the Chief Steward who filed this one, but I'd bet it was after notification from tech staff.
So you are right on the car thing, other than the fact that the Chief Steward can protest. And have been able to for a long time...
Quote:
Regardless, having impound filing paperwork is a big change in direction. I've been to probably 45 National level events, including 6 straight National Championships from '02-'07, and I've never seen impound file a protest. Removing a wheel, opening up airboxes or removing the valve covers like in STS last year are all fine, as long as a competitor in the class is figuring out what is illegal and throwing the paper.
Then write a letter requesting a rule change on that Chief Steward clause. But IMHO you're asking to remove the ability for tech staff to do any actual inspection, too. Which is what I think you want, I just want to point that out.
Note that this kind of thing has been going on for a lot longer than you might realize, it's just that nobody has been caught and had paper filed this way, I believe. Doug has done compliance checks for things like compression and even displacement in some classes in the past. And again, he's not going to just find something wrong and tell everyone else in the class about it and expect the competitors to decide what to do. In fact, I have a feeling paper HAS been filed via this kind of inspection in the past, but I'm too lazy to go looking it up. I just know for sure that for at least the last three years that Doug has done SOME kind of actual inspection in some classes at Nationals. I remember him looking at CS computers back in the day via a fancy OBDII scanner (2004 or 2005). Had he found an aftermarket reflash you can bet we would have seen Chief Steward paper thrown then, too.
Quote:
I just think that the class competitors either do their homework and know their competition, or they accept that a car might be illegal and would never know it.
When I protested the LaJoie & Wener car back in '07, the car was blatently illegal and they got a 1 second penalty... on day one. Not a DSQ like Jim and Spratte are receiving on day 2. - AB
If you want the process changed you'll have to write a letter about it. As for the penalty imposed and whether or not it was valid, I honestly have no idea. Sounds like Feinberg and Spratte had a different situation than the other cars protested, however, and chose not to appeal. Of course that doesn't mean they accept guilt in the case (I don't know that I'd care to appeal for just a trophy...championship yes, but trophy, I dunno).
I'm sure I'll get to know more about it here soon.
Heck, I sort of wish Feinberg and Spratte had appealed...then I could excuse myself from the entire debate based on conflict of interest. *cough*
--Donnie
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
Jadrice was on 245 square. I believe Hahn was on 245/275. I guess it all "works," it's just a matter of preference. Vanilla versus chocolate kind of thing.
