THSCC Forums

Hi Guys,

We had a great time yesterday. Thank you.

My 17 year old son was driving when he decided to stop on course. This was his first Rally X and his total previous racing experience is 3 Auto X and this Rally X. He made the right decision and I am very proud of him.

On stage rallies everyone has to deal with the dust. That's rally. But you are not likely to see course workers within 100 yds of your car until the finish of the stage. Yesterday was very different. I would much rather have someone get a rerun than take a risk.

Thanks
Brad M

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Flat Out and Sideways

So noted. if I'm working and your wheel is about to fall off, I'll make sure you don't get red-flagged. I mean that bogey time would really suck compared to a three wheel finish right?



We all like to compete (I assume that's why we have clock) but I guess I don't take it as serious as some. As long as I have fun it's all good. I quit having fun, winning or not, I'll find something else to do.

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Vincent Keene
'06 Ford Mustang GT (track rat)
'15 Dodge Charger R/T (yeah, it's got a HEMI!)
'07 Ford Fusion SE (205,000 miles and counting)
'98 Chevy Z-24 (retired)
'93 Acura Integra (Team SWB 24HOL Car)

Add a replacement air filter to the list as well. If the AC is being run because of the dust, it's safe to assume that the engine is breathing that dust.

I was riding in the Dirtmaster when we were red flagged for the flat tire. We were aware of a problem with the car, but there had been other problems with the car earlier in the day that gave similar sensations (at least from the passenger seat), so it was assumed that we had a reoccurrence. When the red flag was thrown we stopped. By the time we figured out the problem the lost time did not warrant a "limp home" effort with the risk of cutting up a new tire. We simply threw in the towel. Since the driver was a novice and not running for points or glory, we probably made the best of the situation.
On the other hand, red flagging for a flat tire is should probably not be on our best practices list. The idea of a "meatball" flag sounds good until you think about how difficult it would be to implement. It's likely that by the time the problem was recognized and the flag was thrown, most of the damage would have been done.
In fairness, since the red flag was thrown and the driver obediently stopped. I would suggest the award of a bogy time, which is what we thought would happen. (Again, a stated policy would benefit this situation.) Since it was the last scheduled run for the Dirtmaster it seemed the prudent thing to do, to just pack it in. We did appreciate the kind offer to allow us to change the tire and finish the course, but the time would have been 10 minutes or more, and everyone wanted to go home and get out of the heat.
I think that in the interest of safety and the smooth running of the event, we should allow for a DOC (Disabled On Course) to be awarded a bogey time. This would be similar to rally competitors stopping by the roadside to repair a car before limping to the finish with the exception that other cars would not find them smack in the middle of the course. You'll never win with a bogey time, but it would be a way to keep the event running and most people happy.

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1998 BMW Z3
1987 BMW 325is
2000 BMW
1996 F250 Turbo Diesel

I think we need to sign you up for a remedial reading class, VK. I said in my initial reply that I thought red flags for immediate danger situations were warranted. I think a wheel about to fall off qualifies. I then said that reruns should not be given in those cases. Let me know if there are any other posts I can repeat for you.


Same here. But let's say you were neck-and-neck with someone all day for the SU2 win, you had a great final run going, and someone red flags you 2 turns from the finish for a mechanical problem you already knew about and decided to press on with anyway. Now your good run is ruined, your good battle is ruined, and possibly your season as well. I might venture to guess that would also take a lot of the shine off your day. Allowing the driver the choice seems like the option more aligned with "having fun", by your own definition.

In any event, just because some people can't tell when they've got a flat, and some people would rather be told to stop when they have one, that really doesn't persuade me if the rule is going to also apply to everyone else. The "meatball" or mechanical flag is the only option I see that works for everyone, and even that has its own set of problems. What if your wheel is about to fall off and the corner worker throws the meatball flag instead of the red one, for example?

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Carl Fisher

Be Cool to the Pizza Dude:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=4651531

Good point. And I assume the A/C unit itself has an air filter which is filling up too.

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Carl Fisher

Be Cool to the Pizza Dude:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=4651531

You missed my at the end of the post. "Immediate danger situations" can be subjective too. Maybe visual flames can be considered one that isn't subjective, but I'm sure there are others that are.

The meatball sounds good, but would never work IMO. I guess we'll have to do it the way we always have...wing it!

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Vincent Keene
'06 Ford Mustang GT (track rat)
'15 Dodge Charger R/T (yeah, it's got a HEMI!)
'07 Ford Fusion SE (205,000 miles and counting)
'98 Chevy Z-24 (retired)
'93 Acura Integra (Team SWB 24HOL Car)

Proposal: At the driver's meeting cover the following:

Mechanical red flag -- red flag a car for a mechanical problem if it poses imminent danger to the driver. For example a fire.

If the car is NOT immediately dangerous to the driver please use the following 2 SCCA worker signals and let the driver continue with their run.

From http://www.wcma.ca/whandsgn.htm


Meatball: Tap the back of your head with your fist. (use for any mechanical problem other than flat)


You have a flat tire: Hold out both arms to your side, and bring them together slowly a few times.

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Mike Whitney
whit32@gmail.com, 919-454-5445
V10, V8, V8t, I6, I6, V6, F4t, I4, I4, I4, I4, I2, 1, 1

As a bus worker I wanted to throw in a couple $.02. One of the reasons we started the AC in the bus at the Laurenburg event was me. (I get horrible migranes from heat and sun, a reason I work in the bus, see stupid tree outside Aberdeen) Now the AC worked but it really didn't bring the temp down to much in Laurenburg and I think yesterday it was almost cooler with the nice breeze we had. It would have helped with the flys and the grit I felt in my teeth. Just thinking on extremly hot days its not gonna be enough to cool the workers in the tin can. Again just my $.02.

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Malia Fredrickson
Clear Waters Travel
www.clearwaterstravel.com
919-656-8771