Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 12:26 pm Post subject: Forget The Rules.......! DO NOT DELETE!!!!!
Well, I'm sure I'm going to piss someone off again by writing this but, I really don't care anymore.......
This last Saturday night was a huge loss for, not only my points standings, but also for any respect I had for the rules and officials at Ventura Raceway.
I do understand that there is a chain of command at the track and I understand why it is there (because I was in the Navy), but what happened Saturday night not only during the Dwarf Car race, but after the race that was total BS, and I feel like talking about it.........
Just so everyone knows why I am so mad, I was 4th in points coming into this event with only a 40 point lead over 5th place and now I am in 5th place trailing 4th by almost 100 points.....
During the dwarf main (which everyone that was there saw it to be a crash fest) I was charged with 2 yellows and kicked off the track. This is how it all played out and I would appreciate any and all comments on what im writing.........
Somewhere in the beginning of the race, I was in the middle of the pack and hooked a rut coming out of 4 and pushed straight towards the wall, breaking and gassing trying to get my car to turn, I stalled the car as I was pulling the clutch in and in the process was rolling along the wall (without touching it) and trying to start the car. I did in fact start the car before I came to a complete stop and I continued down the front straight with the green flag still out and the flag man turned and looking towards turn one. As I went into turn one, the yellow light came on and I saw there was a wreck between 1 and 2. I went the next couple of laps under yellow not knowing how many cars were behind me. The green came out and there were more wrecks and more yellows (too many to count) As the race went on, I was in a pack of cars, working my way through traffic and was involved in a big pile up with I think 5 cars. After we were all cleared away from each other, I went to the back of the field and went around the track a couple laps under yellow still. All of a sudden, all the track officials were motioning me to get off the track. Everything felt ok on my car and I was confused as to why I was being black flagged. I went around one more time and the official was walking out onto the front straight so I stopped and wanted to know why I was being kicked off. He did not have an answer so I yelled that I was not getting off the track unless they told me why. After he got word on his radio, he said I was involved in 2 yellows. I was trying to tell him there was no way and he said GET OFF THE TRACK! Being as pissed off as I was at that moment because I knew I was not involved in 2 yellows, I proceeded to slam my gas pedal and break the throttle cable........
Now, sitting in the infield, not one official could tell me they saw me in 2 yellows, but I know they can not watch everything so I waited already knowing I was going to protest the race.......
Now, this is where I say F*** THE RULES!
Just last week I responded to a post on how to protest a race on the dwarf car forum and I knew this rule VERY WELL from a race earlier in the year where I was scored wrong and had video to prove it but I did not know how or how long we had to protest anything.
The rule says we have 30 minutes from the time the results are posted on the "board under the pit stands". Simple enough right? Well, I waited at the pit board for an hour after the main event and no one ever brought the results down to the board, IN FACT, while I was waiting by the tow truck, the board was completely removed from behind me and STILL, NO RESULTS WERE THERE! I asked Jammy as she walked by and she said I had to wait for Cliff or, the Main scorer. After some more time had passed, I asked another official where Cliff was and he helped me track him down. Cliff just happened to be with the Main score keeper so I was able to talk to both of them at the same time. I asked them why I was black flagged and they said I was in 2 yellows, then, they changed there story after I said I WAS NOT and they said I was in 1 yellow and I also stopped on the track (which I did not). Neither Cliff or the scorer said that they actually saw me stop but they said another scorer saw me up against the wall, which I was not, and they assumed that I was stopped there. I asked to see the score sheets right then and there and i could not believe what I saw, the ENTIRE lap that I supposedly stopped on was completely white out with liquid paper and car numbers were all over that column. There is no way that you could decifer what had happened that lap and the fact that there was an accident in turn 1-2, I doubt anyone really was paying attention to turn 4. They told me well, (quote) Mike, thats too bad, what do you want us to do? I said put me the last car on the lead lap then and they laughed saying the results are final, thats just the way it is, and as I stood there pleading my case, they decided right there in the pits that, since I stopped to ask the official why I was being black flagged that, that also counted as a stop on the track so in reality, I really did stop twice. I said that was BS because I would have never stopped if the officials did not wave me down to tell me to get off the track.
So, as it stands, I lost over 100 points in one night and a position in the top 5 overall standing with only 2 races to go to try and make them up.
I think that when rules are made, not only do the drivers need to obey them but it is just as much responsibility of the officials to obey them as well. Rules can not be different every night as they see fit. When the Officials can not do there job, then how do they expect us to respect not only them but the rules as well?
I know one things for sure, the next time something like this happens (if it ever does) I will not leave the track unless someone runs out in front of me or they red flag the race and walk up to my car and tell me to get off the track. Anything could have happened to me the rest of that race, I could have crashed the very next lap or I could have worked my way back up and at least kept my 4th place points position in the overall standings.
Ventura is a great track to race at but when the officials treat us the way they do, then why should we keep going back?
People have no problem venting in the pits after the races but nothing seems to get accomplished by doing that so I am hear to write down exactly what happened with hopes that something will be done about the way things are handled. Basically the protest rule is a crock of sh*t when it comes to protesting what an official says or does..........
I guess this is my 2 cents and I hope to hear from anyone that has gone through the same type of thing or has any response for me other then to pack up and go race somewhere else......
Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:11 pm Post subject: suggestion
TRANSPONDERS. I think every regular driver would have no problem purchasing there own to absorb the expense the track would face, for those who do not purchase there own, could rent one for $10 and leave an ID for collateral. That would answer a lot of questions real easily. USAC had a one way radio on every sprint car, when a caution came out those cars were lined back up in less than a lap, the drives should know where to be, but if the driver is called out there is no question. I ran a legends car 4 times at Irwindale, they run a transponder and a one way radio to the drivers, never once was there question or protest. Irwinalde you have the right to purchase or rent radio and transponder. An additional $300 maximum investment for regulars to own there equipment I think is a simple resolution to make the VRA experience more pleasant.
Aide from clearing confusion, the software that comes with a trandponder program its realy cool to see your laps. Marysville NCDCA national ran transponders, mylaps.com. Realy cool to see how consistant or inconsistant you were. _________________ Eric Alton
92 Pro Dwarf
www.PitImage.com
Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2008 9:17 pm Post subject: Establishing Fault ?
Quadjammer
I thought you dodged a bullet in the last race when you started outside pole ,when you spun taking the green on the start and knocked Stevens to the infield,total restart you outside pole again,the night they cut you from the car ,seemed to me you were not driving the car the car was taking you for a ride,and many full throttle infield excursions.Not a personel attack,just some observations from the grandstand.And you asked for feedback in the above post !! Maybe instead of looking for fault in the way Ventura scores and makes determinations on the track you should look at driving a smoother race and the problem you experianced would magically go away.
Hey...Kyle Busch can drive. What happened to Mike was not fair, I know what happened, he got over it, so should everybody else. Theres no need to keep pushing the situation. Get over the post, stop posting stupid stuff.
mike is not the only one with this problem. it has happened to my dad a few times and he is not very happy about it either. i think that transponders are a good idea and then if people still have issues then you can chalk it up to the way the driver is driving. yea mike may get a lil excited behind the wheel we all have seen it, but before the last race of the year mike came down to my dad and my shop and we put his car on the scales to see what was up. let me tell you that his car was having issues, we got the car all fixed up and mike did well this last weekend.
good job mike.
i think more complements need to be givin out instead of bashing people. alot of us are only focusing on the bad things other drivers do and seem to fall sort when good things happen.
Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:07 pm Post subject: Ventura
I have an idea, lets all keep complaining about how bad Ventura is and how unfair were all treated and miss scored so often and then alll wonder why we are sitting in our cars at Bakersfield and Victorville where eveything is perfect in 115 degree heat thinking how lucky we are to have a place to race Dwarf cars.Just an idea ? I do not know what Dwarf Car racing is to everyone else,But to me it is just a form of recreation, nothing else and a bargain in my opinion at $30 a night ,every night I leave win lose or draw I feel happy and that I got my moneysworth.What services do you provide your customer or employer or client for $30 .This may be news to some but we are the side show the sprints ,midgets and modifieds are the draw and where you need to be if you think your trying to go somewhere in racing.Otherwise smile and enjoy your saturday nights while they last.
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