A heads up to my fellow racers - don’t let this happen to you!
Yesterday’s First Round at the Tulsa LODRS event was a bit of a goat rope. The 3rd Round of qualifying on Saturday was thrown out. The Final Qualifying Sheet and Ladder Sheet were invalidated; and a “voluntary” 4th qualifying pass was offered instead of the scheduled Round 1 of Eliminations. 1st Round was rescheduled for Sunday morning, with Stock being the first class out at 8:30am. So far, so good.
After Q-4 for whatever reason the NHRA officials couldn’t get the Qualifying Sheet or Ladder Sheet finished. All classes had finished running - still no sheets for anybody. Finally around 8:30pm they announced sheets were available. When I was waiting to pick up my sheet a racer pointed out to the NHRA Div 4 official that both sheets contained an error. So back to the drawing board....more waiting as the FINAL FINAL FINAL Qualifying Sheet and Ladder were redone and issued around 9:00pm. So far, so good....albeit messy.
Sunday morning the NHRA Div 4 officials changed the schedule and moved Super Street to first up at 8:30. Stock was up next. There were 48 cars entered - meaning 46/22, 47/23, and 48/24 were the first 3 pairs scheduled. Since I was qualified #27 I wasn’t affected....or so I thought. Unknown to the racers, it turns out the NHRA Div 4 officials were reworking the Qualifying Sheet and Ladder for the 4th time - hence the delay. They wound up with 2 reworks that morning and numerous cars were changed at the last minute. So far, not so good.....and getting worse.
Miraculously, I moved up 4 slots - which made me a first three pairing car who should have run #47 on the sheet. I was unaware of the FINAL FINAL FINAL FINAL FINAL change. I drove up to the staging lanes fairly early - but was told by the Lane Director that I was late, and my opponent had already gone up the starting line. Needless to say I was totally taken aback and could not believe it. At this point there only about 8 cars getting paired up, and the rest had yet to arrive.
I had a discussion with the Lane Director about my situation. He was ambiguous until I asked him directly what my status was: “You’re DQ as a no-show.” I then went over and talked to the Div 4 Tech Official who happened to be standing in the lanes. He was sympathetic, but pointed me in the direction of one of the Operations officials. I walked to the head of the lanes and had a discussion with that gentleman. He listened to me, and told me I would have to take it up with the Division Director Trey Capps in the tower.
I walked to Race Control in the tower and made my case to Division Director Trey Capps. He blew me off, not really making eye contact with me. He told me that the changes were announced, and pairing sheets were given to racers as they arrived in the lanes. He also pointed out their text notification system. I informed him the loudspeakers didn’t work in my pit area, and I was enrolled in their text system but it wasn’t working at this event. “Rules are rules” was his reply.... I was DQ as a no show.
I could see the cars on the starting line as I spoke to him. After all the time that had elapsed for those discussions with the various officials, only 7 pairs had gone down the track. As I walked back to my car and got in about 15 cars were arriving at the back of the lanes. Some cars had yet to arrive - let alone be paired up. I was really upset at this point - but with no clear path to resolve my dilemma. If I had been originally scheduled as a first 3 pair I would take 100% of the blame. But that’s not what happened.
Strike One - the inability to prepare a correct Qualifying Sheet and Ladder on time.
Strike Two - last minute changes on race day made in the lanes - unsat.
Strike Trey - knowing that this is an unusual situation being arbitrary and capricious.
I noticed on the run order for the round that #47 on the sheet was allowed to run in the 12th pair down the track.....well after I had arrived, had my discussions, been DQ and returned to my car. It seems the “Rules are rules” are applied differently for other people. I’m having a hard time believing that the treatment I got would have been given to the Emmons brothers, the Hildagos, the Tuetons, or Cummings family. I traveled 1700 miles to come to this race. I’m currently tied for 2nd in points in Division 7. I deserved better treatment than this.
I’ve never been to a poultry farm before - but I know chicken sh1t when I see it. That’s what this was.
Final note: if I’m ever in the first three pair again and you’re my opponent - I won’t go down the track without you if you’re late arriving. I waited at Sonoma for another racer who was having problems starting his car. I got out of line, got out of my car and waited. Eventually all the cars had run except us. The Lane Control guy told me I had to go or be DQ. I got in my car, and moved slowly up - which allowed my opponent enough time to drive up, and we went down the track together. It’s called “Sportsman” Racing for a reason. Respect your opponent and do the right thing.
Run order, “published” Q sheet and “published” ladder below:
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r=100#indextop
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r=100#indextop
https://www.dragracecentral.com/DRCS...r=100#indextop