I Got Beat By The Division Director In Round 1

Carl Battis · 06-14-2021, 03:07 PM

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

Mike Pearson · 06-14-2021, 03:16 PM

I am glad we dont have that to deal with in D2. I feel your pain.

Brad Plourd · 06-14-2021, 04:08 PM

That is so sad. Hard to want to race where you get treated like that.

Trey Capps makes it up as he goes.

Dragrac419 · 06-14-2021, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

I am glad we dont have that to deal with in D2. I feel your pain.

Mike, Get ready for that to change as we did have the first three pair at Gainesville this year. I hope that was a one time deal but as more people start moving south who knows what is in store.

This almost happened to me in Belle Rose back in 2019 as I was having issues with the EFI and qualified last on the sheet. We were scheduled to run at 9 am the next morning. I got to the track early and was just getting everything ready when someone next to me said you might want to get to the lanes as the time had been moved to 8 am. Should have been nice to have been told of the time change ahead of time as when I left the track that night it was still announced as a 9 am start. Lucky got up there intimate but lost as it was a heads up run that I had no chance at winning.

Sorry this happened to you and Trey should have handled it better in my opinion.

Hagen Gary · 06-14-2021, 07:29 PM

This might be the most well worded account of the Dick Kicking you sometimes receive in Div 4, especially, it seems, in Oklahoma. I’m surprised the timing system worked.... I Hate that you, and maybe I, have to do this, but it’s exactly what is needed to fix the issue, in my opinion. Dude needs to hear what he can do to remedy this situation and make the experience better for everyone. He has some sort of “Sports and Leisure Degree” or something like that from a fancy University, so I’m sure he, like any other human, is able to learn from past mistakes and improve. Somebody has to do his job and you get what you pay for.... But, why is Stock out first to begin with? Sometimes Super Stk is first out... but, Isn’t Super Street the entry level class? Does that happen elsewhere? Why did we close the night out with a wrong ladder? All these random differences lead to you getting royally F’d. In my opinion...

I have no idea what the other competitor was thinking and I dislike the blame being placed on them. I’ve been in Div 4 for 20 years and I don’t know the name, and it looks like a brand new competitor on paper. Probably just trying to follow the direction of officials. He might not know the “right thing” to do. There is only one person who could have solved your issues and he failed you. The rest of the Div 4 crew are pretty dang good on the other end of it and Trey seems to want to get it right. He’s just a lot like your competitor in this situation, doesn’t seem to know what’s the right thing to do in sportsman racing sometimes...

Frank Castros · 06-14-2021, 07:56 PM

Would it make sense for NHRA to have the contestant's phone numbers to text this information? It is the age of information is it not?

James Perrone · 06-14-2021, 09:29 PM

Carl sorry this happened to you and it’s a pain to have to keep checking the ladder
But with all the crying about racers taking there time to get the lanes
We have this 1st. 3 pairs out rule...... I personally never understood why people hated
The racer that was going up late because he likes information. Or just like being last
Now you got the screwing because people encouraged this rule.
But the ladder is like your dial in.... You gotta make sure it’s right.
Definitely sucks

MR DERBY CITY · 06-15-2021, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl Battis

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

A bad deal for sure CARL ....Brought to you by the same DIVISION that had no working win lights at a divisional last year. Remember the screwing they gave LANCE LINE ......and other racers .....
We don’t DESERVE to be treated this way .....sucks the FUN right out of racing ....

GTX JOHN · 06-15-2021, 11:19 AM

I am glad that I am in Div. 7 out here in the West.

Our Division Director = Mike Rice has bent out
backwards to be fair with me on a large number of occasions.

I may not always agree with his decisions BUT
I always get a Honest Hearing on the involved Issues!

Carl Battis · 07-01-2021, 02:04 PM

I thought I’d close the loop on this thread and provide an update for those who were interested.

The day after my original post I received an email from Division 4 Director Trey Capps that included a quasi apology for the confusion and the multiple errors that led to the 5 changes to the Qualifying Sheet and Ladder. He also provided an explanation as to the nature of the glitches that led to such a discombobulated series of errors. He did not offer to make any amends for the outcome.

I responded via email thanking him for his reply, and outlined how I felt it should have been handled. My response was based on my nearly four decades of running a large operation dependent on both mechanical integrity and the human interaction dynamic - specifically trying to strike a balance between operational needs and Customer Service. I asked for some accommodation since he and his staff were largely the cause for the problem. He did not agree in his responses to me, and ultimately left me standing on the curb empty handed.

I’ll paste his final reply below, and my final thoughts back to him.

Trey wrote:

“Here is the ladder and qualifying that you requested. We will continue to use all the available resources we have to inform the racers on site of changes during the day. There will not be any adjustments made to the points, refunds, credits, etc. That is the resolution that we can move forward with.”

My reply:

“Thank you for your prompt response and the documentation that I requested. I am a little disappointed in your continued posture of inflexibility aimed at a patron of your organization who was on the receiving end of a series poor decisions.

In over five decades of providing customer service since I started my first job I can’t recall being so inflexible and unyielding in the treatment of a customer while dealing with a problem that was mostly of my or my staff’s making. The particulars of a specific event may fade over time, but the memory of how you’ve been treated will last forever.

I can promise you that if you ever find yourself overseas trying unsuccessfully to board one of my flights to return home to the United States that I will personally step in to assure you get top notch treatment and are accommodated. All you need to do is to bring it to my attention and it will get fixed. I am in the habit of walking out to the gate before departure to ensure everyone gets accommodated….after all, they pay my salary. I believe with all my heart that we should always do the right thing and strive to find the balance between operational integrity and event schedules. Nobody should be left behind.

Regards,

Carl Battis
720 A/SA”

One final note......racing can be a cruel mistress. Let’s all look out for each other so that we can keep the “Sportsman” element in Sportsman Racing. See you all at the track.

06-14-2021, 03:07 PM	#1
Carl Battis Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 100 Likes: 24 Liked 183 Times in 36 Posts	I Got Beat By The Division Director In Round 1 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 Last edited by Carl Battis; 06-14-2021 at 04:02 PM.

06-14-2021, 04:08 PM	#3
Brad Plourd Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 196 Likes: 39 Liked 67 Times in 20 Posts	Re: I Got Beat By The Division Director In Round 1 That is so sad. Hard to want to race where you get treated like that. Trey Capps makes it up as he goes.

06-14-2021, 07:29 PM	#5
Hagen Gary Live Reporter Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Cajun country Posts: 339 Likes: 51 Liked 34 Times in 10 Posts	Re: I Got Beat By The Division Director In Round 1 This might be the most well worded account of the Dick Kicking you sometimes receive in Div 4, especially, it seems, in Oklahoma. I’m surprised the timing system worked.... I Hate that you, and maybe I, have to do this, but it’s exactly what is needed to fix the issue, in my opinion. Dude needs to hear what he can do to remedy this situation and make the experience better for everyone. He has some sort of “Sports and Leisure Degree” or something like that from a fancy University, so I’m sure he, like any other human, is able to learn from past mistakes and improve. Somebody has to do his job and you get what you pay for.... But, why is Stock out first to begin with? Sometimes Super Stk is first out... but, Isn’t Super Street the entry level class? Does that happen elsewhere? Why did we close the night out with a wrong ladder? All these random differences lead to you getting royally F’d. In my opinion... I have no idea what the other competitor was thinking and I dislike the blame being placed on them. I’ve been in Div 4 for 20 years and I don’t know the name, and it looks like a brand new competitor on paper. Probably just trying to follow the direction of officials. He might not know the “right thing” to do. There is only one person who could have solved your issues and he failed you. The rest of the Div 4 crew are pretty dang good on the other end of it and Trey seems to want to get it right. He’s just a lot like your competitor in this situation, doesn’t seem to know what’s the right thing to do in sportsman racing sometimes... Last edited by Hagen Gary; 06-14-2021 at 08:29 PM.

06-14-2021, 07:56 PM	#6
Frank Castros VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Lowcountry. Posts: 2,961 Likes: 2,550 Liked 2,699 Times in 952 Posts	Re: I Got Beat By The Division Director In Round 1 Would it make sense for NHRA to have the contestant's phone numbers to text this information? It is the age of information is it not?

06-14-2021, 09:29 PM	#7
James Perrone VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: LONG ISLAND N.Y. Posts: 1,672 Likes: 3,359 Liked 1,804 Times in 422 Posts	Re: I Got Beat By The Division Director In Round 1 Carl sorry this happened to you and it’s a pain to have to keep checking the ladder But with all the crying about racers taking there time to get the lanes We have this 1st. 3 pairs out rule...... I personally never understood why people hated The racer that was going up late because he likes information. Or just like being last Now you got the screwing because people encouraged this rule. But the ladder is like your dial in.... You gotta make sure it’s right. Definitely sucks __________________ james perrone 1290 STK Last edited by James Perrone; 06-14-2021 at 09:31 PM.

06-14-2021, 03:16 PM	#2
Mike Pearson VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,444 Likes: 613 Liked 1,916 Times in 574 Posts	Re: I Got Beat By The Division Director In Round 1 I am glad we dont have that to deal with in D2. I feel your pain. __________________ Mike Pearson 2485 SS

06-15-2021, 11:19 AM	#9
GTX JOHN VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Boulder City, Nevada 89005 Posts: 2,731 Likes: 2,795 Liked 2,471 Times in 696 Posts	Re: I Got Beat By The Division Director In Round 1 I am glad that I am in Div. 7 out here in the West. Our Division Director = Mike Rice has bent out backwards to be fair with me on a large number of occasions. I may not always agree with his decisions BUT I always get a Honest Hearing on the involved Issues! __________________ John Irving 741 Stock 741 Super Stock Last edited by GTX JOHN; 06-15-2021 at 03:21 PM.

07-01-2021, 02:04 PM	#10
Carl Battis Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 100 Likes: 24 Liked 183 Times in 36 Posts	Re: I Got Beat By The Division Director In Round 1 I thought I’d close the loop on this thread and provide an update for those who were interested. The day after my original post I received an email from Division 4 Director Trey Capps that included a quasi apology for the confusion and the multiple errors that led to the 5 changes to the Qualifying Sheet and Ladder. He also provided an explanation as to the nature of the glitches that led to such a discombobulated series of errors. He did not offer to make any amends for the outcome. I responded via email thanking him for his reply, and outlined how I felt it should have been handled. My response was based on my nearly four decades of running a large operation dependent on both mechanical integrity and the human interaction dynamic - specifically trying to strike a balance between operational needs and Customer Service. I asked for some accommodation since he and his staff were largely the cause for the problem. He did not agree in his responses to me, and ultimately left me standing on the curb empty handed. I’ll paste his final reply below, and my final thoughts back to him. Trey wrote: “Here is the ladder and qualifying that you requested. We will continue to use all the available resources we have to inform the racers on site of changes during the day. There will not be any adjustments made to the points, refunds, credits, etc. That is the resolution that we can move forward with.” My reply: “Thank you for your prompt response and the documentation that I requested. I am a little disappointed in your continued posture of inflexibility aimed at a patron of your organization who was on the receiving end of a series poor decisions. In over five decades of providing customer service since I started my first job I can’t recall being so inflexible and unyielding in the treatment of a customer while dealing with a problem that was mostly of my or my staff’s making. The particulars of a specific event may fade over time, but the memory of how you’ve been treated will last forever. I can promise you that if you ever find yourself overseas trying unsuccessfully to board one of my flights to return home to the United States that I will personally step in to assure you get top notch treatment and are accommodated. All you need to do is to bring it to my attention and it will get fixed. I am in the habit of walking out to the gate before departure to ensure everyone gets accommodated….after all, they pay my salary. I believe with all my heart that we should always do the right thing and strive to find the balance between operational integrity and event schedules. Nobody should be left behind. Regards, Carl Battis 720 A/SA” One final note......racing can be a cruel mistress. Let’s all look out for each other so that we can keep the “Sportsman” element in Sportsman Racing. See you all at the track.