Staging light error caught on film & Div. Director's respons

[BOBBY BAKER]

LOL @ Billy C'mon Billy. This is the real world........LMAO

[Carl Weisinger]

I've been racing and since before the tracks even had light stand starting systems. But, this is the first time I have ever actually seen what appears to be a redlight caused by
a flash from a camera.

It's probably more accurate to say you had no chance to win in this race rather than the wrong person won. Since you didn't actually go down the track with good numbers from a run it's impossible to say whether you would have won the race or not.

MIke is right about at least one thing for sure. Your pre-stage and stage lights would not have come back on as long as the red light was showing. But, when the starter reset the starters box the red light went out and your tires were blocking both beams and that is why they came back on.

It is unfortunate you suffered a loss in this way. I feel sure no one was out to screw you
over intentionally. And, it is well after the fact that the video surfaced. So, since it could be verified your opponent did nothing wrong the call made on the spot would appear on the surface to be appropriate.

I suppose this could fall into the "racing luck" category. It could have happened to your opponent if he had been in the left lane OR the photographer been in the right lane. NHRA didn't mean for this to happen. And, although the photographer probably
didn't intend for this to happen it was because something he did.

Now I know why a lot of racers have those ugly a## flat black wheels on their cars!

What do you think NHRA should do for you? And, I hope you'll post any new information
about this on the forum.

[Chad Rhodes]

Originally Posted by Carl Weisinger

I've been racing and since before the tracks even had light stand starting systems. But, this is the first time I have ever actually seen what appears to be a redlight caused by
a flash from a camera.

It's probably more accurate to say you had no chance to win in this race rather than the wrong person won. Since you didn't actually go down the track with good numbers from a run it's impossible to say whether you would have won the race or not.

MIke is right about at least one thing for sure. Your pre-stage and stage lights would not have come back on as long as the red light was showing. But, when the starter reset the starters box the red light went out and your tires were blocking both beams and that is why they came back on.

It is unfortunate you suffered a loss in this way. I feel sure no one was out to screw you
over intentionally. And, it is well after the fact that the video surfaced. So, since it could be verified your opponent did nothing wrong the call made on the spot would appear on the surface to be appropriate.

I suppose this could fall into the "racing luck" category. It could have happened to your opponent if he had been in the left lane OR the photographer been in the right lane. NHRA didn't mean for this to happen. And, although the photographer probably
didn't intend for this to happen it was because something he did.

Now I know why a lot of racers have those ugly a## flat black wheels on their cars!

What do you think NHRA should do for you? And, I hope you'll post any new information
about this on the forum.

Carl, I think comping his entry fee at the next national would be appropriate, don't you?

[Don Kennedy]

I experienced the same situation in Wyoming in the eightes ,so what i did was ask the starter to get the division director to come down and see if i red light > i would not move or let up on the brake pedal ,Zimmerman came down to the starting line and i ask him to restart the tree which he did and of course it did not show a red light in my lane . i refused to move until a desion was made and the decison was a re run . I basically made and pushed the issue to prove if I moved which after doing a new tree I did not red light FYI

[Ed Fernandez]

Originally Posted by Don Kennedy

I experienced the same situation in Wyoming in the eightes ,so what i did was ask the starter to get the division director to come down and see if i red light > i would not move or let up on the brake pedal ,Zimmerman came down to the starting line and i ask him to restart the tree which he did and of course it did not show a red light in my lane . i refused to move until a desion was made and the decison was a re run . I basically made and pushed the issue to prove if I moved which after doing a new tree I did not red light FYI

I feel for the guy losing that way,but if you start making exceptions for this and that after a while someone will ask for a rerun because he started to sneeze as the tree coming down.You know that feeling just before you sneeze.

[Carl Weisinger]

Originally Posted by Chad Rhodes

Carl, I think comping his entry fee at the next national would be appropriate, don't you?

Chad,

I don't think it would be INAPPROPRIATE for NHRA to do this. However, at the risk of pissing off some of my racing photographer friends it would perhaps be more appropriate
for the photographer to pay all of Racin Mason's expenses involved with his participation in this event. The photographer may not have known his flash could have caused a malfunction in the starting system. But, he should have known better than to take a shot
using a flash WHILE the tree was coming down if for no other reason than the possible
distraction for the driver. Of course, the value of all the fun Racin Mason had at the event
should be deducted from whatever payment the photographer would make and he should
give a copy of the photo to him also so we could see it posted on the forum.

This whole deal is very interesting.

[Carl Weisinger]

Originally Posted by Don Kennedy

I experienced the same situation in Wyoming in the eightes ,so what i did was ask the starter to get the division director to come down and see if i red light > i would not move or let up on the brake pedal ,Zimmerman came down to the starting line and i ask him to restart the tree which he did and of course it did not show a red light in my lane . i refused to move until a desion was made and the decison was a re run . I basically made and pushed the issue to prove if I moved which after doing a new tree I did not red light FYI

Don,

Now the SAME situation would have been a malfunction caused by the flash of a photographers camera.

I've had the pleasure of talking to "Zim" a few times over the years and I'm surprised
he didn't have your car towed off the starting line with you in it. And, you definitely wouldn't have gotten away with that if Buster Couch had been the starter. You lucked
out getting a rerun on that deal. But, since you didn't say what happened,..... did you
win on the rerun?

In all honesty, Zim restarting the tree and not seeing a redlight didn't prove anything except
your car didn't move out of the beam THAT time.

[MEXJOE]

MAN THAT IS JUST IS A BAD DEAL NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT IT!

NHRA had plenty of trouble with the 4 wide deal last week.
As well as the deal in pro stock... Jason Line had another bit of trouble in stock.
The dial was changed AFTER the cars were staged.
To top it all off...He had a .007 light!

It amazes
Most cars that pull up to race ( S/C S/G S/ST Etc.) have more technology in them that the starting and timing system has to offer.

DID YOU KNOW
The timing system NHRA uses is a DOS based system
without windows or any modern operating system.
It is slow old and cumbersome.
They need to use 2 systems at once just to keep thing moving along.

hummm...
How much is that "enhanced experience" costing again...
Maybe with all the money the guys are saving by not giving out Wally's for class singels
they can get a better timing system.
Just an idea..

[Carl Weisinger]

"DID YOU KNOW The timing system NHRA uses is a DOS based system
without windows or any modern operating system. It is slow old and cumbersome.
They need to use 2 systems at once just to keep thing moving along."

Hey, Hey! HEY! On behalf of all things slow, old and cumbesome I resemble
that remark!

Oh heck,... all in all the timing system works pretty well. We win by it and we lose by it. Doesn't seem like Biondo, Fletcher or Rampy have much trouble with it. LOL

[Don Kennedy]

Carl : You are correct Zimm had the tree come down two times to see if i red light and i did not move i even offered to move my car a little forward to see when the tree came down i would red light . I did win the rerun . this was at the track in wyoming where the track is in the middle of town a cool place to race