DQ at ATCO
 

Was just wondering the reason Tex Miller has been suspended by NHRA for the rest of the season? What happened exactly that caused his suspension....?

Re: DQ at ATCO
 

Re: DQ at ATCO
 

I read the official announcement but I would like to know specifically.......

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Do you race d-1? Old news. Move on

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the reason was given but not actually what caused to him to get pissed off

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Why does that matter?
Dan

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don't know don't care whatever the reason NHRA did not like either of these peoples actions so this is what happens-- all I'm thinking is it must have been a pretty flagrant offense to warrant this kind of punishment---FED 387

Re: DQ at ATCO
 

Why doesn’t it? Some of us may have to race said racer someday. To boot, NHRA’s description of the incident is vague, at best. So, what did he do that was bad enough that NHRA decides to excuse him for the rest of the year? All that’s been said is he crossed into another competitor’s lane. I’ve both seen and done the same in the shutdown area trying to swing wide for a turn-off, for example. That mean I’m in danger of being DQ’d and suspended?

I don’t think it appropriate to sling dirt, but there’s also no good reason to play hide the ball with facts. Personally not interested in the alleged “threat” after the fact, either.

Re: DQ at ATCO
 

i just pointed out the facts. nothing more

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A guy asks a question and this place turns into yellow bullet lol

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I agree, NHRA’s description of offenses is always VAGUE.....
I would still like to know what Leah P. did to accumulate such a hefty fine months ago ?? ..I have to hand it to D1.......That was one wild points race at ATCO.....the behind the scenes action was intense....

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go to the video tape
watch the race

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Before this thread gets carried away, let me give you the facts. I know both drivers very well. Tex Miller was racing Thomas Fletcher in a qualifying pass. Thomas was having an issue with the car. It was running rough, and he had a little trouble staging. When he staged the car, he lit both bulbs, he backed out as Tex was not pre staged yet. Tex then lit the pre stage bulb, got on his two step and lit the stage bulb. Thomas only had his pre stage bulb on. I'm not sure why Tex was on the two step so fast when Thomas was not fully staged yet. Thomas, still having issues slowly bumped in, it took about 9 seconds, auto start is 10 seconds for sportsman racers.

If you go to the live stream at the 46.20 mark you can see what took place on the starting line. After the run at the turn off Thomas ask Tex, why did you cut in front of me as we were shutting down. Tex was very upset and verbally abusive because he thought Thomas burned him down. Thomas apologized and told Tex he was having issues with the car. Tex was still upset and was pretty hard on Thomas. Thomas kept his cool and went to the scales. Tex, still not happy with Thomas got to the scales and voiced his frustration again at Thomas but in front of the officials. I can understand being upset if you think your opponent is messing with you on the staring line, but this was a qualifier. Even if it was the case, causing a possible injury by cutting them off on the race track is wrong. It dangerous enough on the track, we don't need this type of behavior.

Just before the run I was talking to Tex, he was right behind me in the lanes, he seemed like he was in a good mood and we had a good conversation, I was shocked at what happened. I know tempers flair at the track at times, but this is something that should have never happened. Sometimes we need to take a step back, after all we do this for fun. There are to many bad things happening in our every day lives, we don't need it at the track.

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Getting mad at someone taking a long time to stage is a waste of time. The time built into the timing system is what determines if someone is outside the boundaries. If the redlight didn't come on then it was within the boundaries set up for every race. If you stage and get on your converter before I stage my car, then you're probably going to set there awhile.Makes me think you are trying to rush me.
Dan

Re: DQ at ATCO
 

I guess the "threat" was more than "alleged", if there are witnesses.
Dan

Re: DQ at ATCO
 

Well Ken, I was going to let this go as its really no one's business, but seeing as you decided to offer up the facts in only a slightly less vanilla version than offered on NHRA.com, please allow me to paint a more detailed picture.

Yes, we've been having trouble with the car at idle. Thomas always lights the pre-stage bulb and grabs a chunk so it doesn't take forever to stage. He lit both by mistake. Tex is 2 cars away, not even in the frame. Thomas immediately backs out of the stage bulb. Tex now approaches and dump trucks into both and puts it on the mat. Now is when the idle problem comes into play, as it takes Thomas a minute to get the rpm set (true foot braker, no 2 step). And as he is further from the stage bulb than normal, its takes him a bit longer to get in. Yep, he used up most of the auto start. Repeat, auto start. Can't burn anyone down.

Thomas gets to the strip first and in the shutdown at very high speed Tex swerves in front of him, narrowly missing contact and such that Thomas had to slam on the brakes. Tex then proceeds to weave back in forth in front of him like a pissed off road rager on the freeway.

At this point, Thomas still has no inkling of what the eff just happened or why. Then at the scales and fuel check Tex absolutely looses his friggin' mind. Screaming and MF'ing Thomas, nose in his chest, telling him if he ever does that again he'll put him in the effin' wall. Repeatedly and in front of officials. Physically and verbally abused by a sawed off 70+ year old man and had to stand there and take it because, well, there was really no other option.

As Keno pointed out, initially Thomas tried to apologize, explain what took him most of the auto start to stage, and that if he took too long auto start would have red lighted him. Tex wasn't having any of it, instead just screaming "you double bulbed me and backed out and I don't know nothing about auto start". And for long time D1 competitors, you have to love the irony here, Tex Miller complaining about being burned down, lmfao.

This man went absolutely bat **** crazy for no reason, at least no logical reason. This was Q1 on Friday am at a points meet. He swerved in front of his opponent at nearly 100 mph and then went on a mentally imbalanced tirade. Not someone I want in the lane next to me, and apparently he won't be for a while...

Re: DQ at ATCO
 

in·def·i·nite:
adjective
lasting for an unknown or unstated length of time.

Re: DQ at ATCO
 

Thanks for the detail Dan.

Reminded me of a recent discussion I was having with a very good friend of mine (he and I both being long time small business owners in retail trade) about our customer demographic; specifically, those who are a pleasure to deal with VS those who we wish would become someone else's customers. We kinda' surprised each other on the latter, agreeing that 'old caucasian men' are unmistakably the quickest tempered, unashamed to make horse's behinds of themselves in public and most difficult to reason with - Demographic.

In this particular case, one question followed by a simple answer (at the end of the run) should have resolved it all. But no, the worse case scenario was assumed and subsequent behavior ensued. Being on the receiving end of an unwarranted outbust like this takes a little time to get over and for some, makes moving forward a challenge. It's traumatizing, doesn't matter what your age is.

There are certainly plenty of exceptions among this age group, many who are among our drag racing community. Lets hope Tex can reflect, make it good with Thomas and move on.

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How could someone get that upset when Thomas did nothing outside the rules. I'm glad that nobody got hurt, during this senseless act.

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Here is my take on this. First off, no doubt Tex went way overboard and the penalty imposed seems to suit. Now let's look at the probable series of events that changed a happy guy moments before the run into a maniac. The two cars get called out past the ready line to make a run and Thomas quickly is in the box and does his burnout before Tex gets there. Tex starts his burnout and looks up and both stage lights are lit in the other lane. Naturally Tex feels like he is being rushed so he finishes his burnout and drives right up to the line. Now Thomas backs out and leaves the prestage on. Tex is ready to go and Thomas is using up 9 of the 10 seconds of auto start. Now Tex can't help but think the guy in the other lane is trying to screw him around and he loses his mind at the end of the run.

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Just nothing quite like those "old Caucasian men"
Mike A114

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If you know Tex as some of us have for 35+ years this ain't nothing new. Only thing different is he stepped up his game.

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Tex was wrong yes BUT
well Dan i know how you feel about us old people sawed off 70 year olds
thanks i know now

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I think this thread is getting carried away.
I see your take on it but its not an excuse for what he did. This is stock qualifying why would he be upset over his mistake of getting on the 2 step or setting the rpm before the other car was even staged.
In super-gas I never put my car on the converter at 5000rpm before the other car lit both bulbs. The starter always gave enough time to get it on the converter and I'm talking pro light. These guys have a 3 amber count to work with.

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People should be careful around old white dudes because we have no impulse control....or so I was told… and it really pissed me off….

Just sayin'

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Brilliant take Vic, I can totally see how you'd find that offensive. Allow me to suggest "taking in context" or "reading for comprehension" as additions to your action item agenda...

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I'm a 70 yr old but took no offence...of course i'm not sawed off

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It sounds like Thomas remained calm and apologetic throughout the whole ordeal.
A testament to his parents, I would say.

Now ,for ol' Tex. Too bad W.A. Lee wasn't still around.

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Lol. What would W.A.do,open up a can.......?

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Sounds a lot like the Tex Miller I used to know.
He was well known for not doing his burnout until you finished yours and then making you wait in pre-stage until he felt like staging.
One time I wouldn't do my burnout until he started his and he's looking over at me getting madder by the second and then had a freak'n fit with me in line at the scales, I told him to go f*** himself.
The song remains the same.

Re: DQ at ATCO
 

I was amazed by the restraint and composure Thomas had during this whole ordeal. Kudos to him for remaining calm when we all know he could've squashed the little peep squeak. I also know of another racer that he jumped all over at Charlotte this year over a generator exhaust pipe before he could get his coach's parking brake applied. Might be time for a little anger management session for him.....

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Dan did a heck of a job and got a son to be proud of...

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They got tangled up at the scales.


Tex has always been Tex. Hate to think he's getting worse :-o
Often wondered about that salesman of the year stuff on his trailer.
Methinks when you walk into that joint, it's buy or die!


http://classracer.com/classforum/sho...ler+fist+fight

Re: DQ at ATCO
 

I had a similar situation with Tex at the 98 Keystones. We were paired for the final qualifying run and I prestaged fairly quickly as I always do, I usually like to stage first too. He sat back without prestaging for what felt like an hour then finally came in and we made our pass, I was a little annoyed but didn't think much of it. A couple of people came up to me and said wow that's the longest burndown I've ever seen Tex do. Later I saw we were paired for 1st round and said to myself I'm gonna have some fun with this guy. When 1st round came I did my burnout and just sat and waited for him to prestage, it was far longer than our previous run. Finally the starter started yelling and waving his hands at Tex so Tex went in first because he knew he was about to be tossed. I had a great light, ran 2 hundreth's over my dial and Tex broke out. When I got on the scale Tex started yelling at the tech guys like he was their boss and had 3 of them going through every inch of my car, tires, carbs, under dash, trunk under the seats and more. Everything was good and he was pissed but never said a word to me. I thought to myself wow, he can dish it out but can't take it back.

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Once a bully always a bully....until they are put in place

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Kudos to Thomas and also Dan for keeping your cool. I can honestly say I wouldn’t have handled it nearly as well if he pulled that on my daughter or wife who are soon to be entering the fray of stock eliminator. I just still can’t see how you can get that upset on a time trial???

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So much for the "old Caucasian men" theory. Sounds like this guy has a long history of losing his cool.

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Life is way too short to get upset with morons... key words: short and moron.

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At the 80 Grandnats, I had Tex in the quarter finals. WA Lee came up to me in staging and told me no matter what happens, go in last. Tex tried to burn me down but I waited until Buster waved us in and he staged. He ended up breaking out.

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I went back and watched that qualifying run. Cannot see any indication of what would have set him off! That looked no different to me than a million other runs?? Sounds like the penalty fits his actions just glad everyone involved is ok. Would have been better if Tex went to his pit and asked why or what! Sad.