Driver ejection,NHRA cover up at St. Louis

[Lenny5160]

Originally Posted by Bob Mulry

This is an easy call......

First or Worst...

Light or bad fuel means that when you lit the stage bulb the car was illegal.....

Crossing the lane line is the worst infraction that there is...

For the most part first or worst works very well and, as far back as I can remember, it has always been this way...

I'm not 100% clear on what the 'easy call' result would be.

From what you've written, crossing the lane line is the worst infraction there is, so that driver would be the loser since Worst trump First? Illegal car wins?

[Bob Mulry]

Originally Posted by Lenny5160

I'm not 100% clear on what the 'easy call' result would be.

From what you've written, crossing the lane line is the worst infraction there is, so that driver would be the loser since Worst trump First? Illegal car wins?

Yes....

Worst always is a loss.....

Same infraction, the first is the loser..

If you are light you are the first, so red light, breakout, and time out they all came second...

[cmracing]

Hey Bruce, put a Winters or TCI shifter in there, will never have that issue again. That is all I have ever used, been at this since 1990, never stuck it in reverse by accident.

[Darrel Goheen]

Video Link

[Casey Miles]

In the late 70's, I was in Epping and racing Rich Rann. I lost the Rd, but at the finish line, Rich hit his brakes not to break out, went behind my car and ended up in the weeds. Since it was after the finish line he continued to race. So he crossed the line just missing my car and crashed, not the same call as this link.

Casey Miles
248H Stock ?

[Rich Biebel]

Originally Posted by Casey Miles

In the late 70's, I was in Epping and racing Rich Rann. I lost the Rd, but at the finish line, Rich hit his brakes not to break out, went behind my car and ended up in the weeds. Since it was after the finish line he continued to race. So he crossed the line just missing my car and crashed, not the same call as this link.

Casey Miles
248H Stock ?

I was there as a spectator and sitting up on the hill with my girlfriend at the time. Saw that happen and he won the race the next day !!! I never forgot seeing that. Rich Rann was driving a white 69-69 Chevelle I think it was....

[Casey Miles]

Originally Posted by Rich Biebel

I was there as a spectator and sitting up on the hill with my girlfriend at the time. Saw that happen and he won the race the next day !!! I never forgot seeing that. Rich Rann was driving a white 69-69 Chevelle I think it was....

That is correct, he borrowed a front wheel and tire and won the race. I could have won that rd if I hit my brakes which I usually do racing a slower car, but for some reason I didn't. Thank God, I didn't. I'm still racing the same car to this day my green Z/28. It's funny now a days, Rich Rann would have been tossed for over braking and never mind that he didn't make it to the scales either.

Casey Miles
248H Stock?

[Bruce Kastle]

Lots of food for thought. An easy fix,that would bring consistency to the judgement call would to change the wording in the rule and remove the subjective "judged as excessive braking past the finish line" to," crossing the center line after the finish line for any reason". Then it would be an" easy call"and no more accusations of favoritism for the A list drivers. Oops, it would only work unless it was applied to ALL classes and drivers, that would never work! Bad idea - never mind.

[Charley Downing]

Yet another example of the excessive breaking rule being used different by different Divisions.

Was this racer given a warning earlier in the day for excessive breaking in an earlier round of competition? If not then why are other racers given warnings for excessive breaking? Does this now mean warnings will not be given for excessive breaking?

Let’s not forget the track was 40 degrees and they wrecked 6 race cars that weekend.

Maybe the New Division director should have been worried about everyone safety that weekend and not ran the event past 4pm in the afternoon because of track temp. I watched more good ss cars blow the tires off at the hit during this event then the first 5 points meets combined. Including the final of SS.

Anytime it has been judged that excessive braking has resulted in loss of control that results in contact with the guard wall and/or light fixtures or crossing the center boundary lines, INCLUDING PAST THE FINISH LINE, the contestant will be disqualified"

The only way for this rule to ever be clear is it needs to be very simple,
If there’s smoke you’re out. Excessive breaking is SMOKE COMING FROM YOUR TIRES plain and simple. End of story no warning no second chance.

This makes the rule very clear. I have watched too many stock/superstock and super class racers over the years smoke the tires at the finish line and almost wreck or come close to being out of control and nothing be done about it

It’s only a matter of time until someone wrecks some else and severally hurts or kills someone because of their poor driving habits.
Accident and mistakes happen which is what appears to have happened in this case, but this rule need to be much clear and the same for each division. If this incident happened in Div 4 or 5 would he have just gotten a warning or would they have tossed him?

[Rich Biebel]

A shifter that can be put into reverse with one hand always seemed to me to be more easily accidently shifted in to reverse....

My good friend did exactly that and totaled his car.

His throttle stuck at the finishline at over 150 and he panicked and moved the shifter to reverse trying to neutral it. One hand was all that was needed to shift to reverse.....

He Did not have a safety style valve body as most of us do today and his rear wheels locked up instantly and he went around and over...

My own car requires 2 hands to put it in reverse....