Heard in the Stands at the Indy

[rognelson777]

Carey, Nhra may be cracking down on transmission certified products. I believe there maybe a mandate out there right now to look hard at transmissions and certs. At the atco divisional recently a Super street racer failed tech for transmission sheild cert. Think about how hard it is to check the cert on a super street car, most are full body cars, and it would be very hard to check, but they did and car failed tech. There was also a instance of another 4 cylinder car in comp that had a adapter fail. So maybe they have decided to check real hard, hope they were not picking on you. and remember there are many things that sometimes do not make sense but you have to decide if you want to live by their rules or not.

[boostedf22c]

Originally Posted by rognelson777

Carey, Nhra may be cracking down on transmission certified products. I believe there maybe a mandate out there right now to look hard at transmissions and certs. At the atco divisional recently a Super street racer failed tech for transmission sheild cert. Think about how hard it is to check the cert on a super street car, most are full body cars, and it would be very hard to check, but they did and car failed tech. There was also a instance of another 4 cylinder car in comp that had a adapter fail. So maybe they have decided to check real hard, hope they were not picking on you. and remember there are many things that sometimes do not make sense but you have to decide if you want to live by their rules or not.

That's whats crazy though. I did everything they asked me to do. I went and got my can converted from 6.1 to 6.3 and updated the cert. Same with the clutch and flywheel. This all started on Tues and ended on Friday. I never once filled out and handed them a tech card. I never told them I was ready to be tech'd in, nor did they tell me that they were teching me in. It's all really fishy to me.

I'm all about safety, and had EVERY safety item needed to run the ET/MPH that my car runs. I had no problem doing everything they told me I had to do in that 3 day span (and the tech guy literally told me these were the 3 things I needed to do so I could race). I have no problem following rules either, but as posted above, everyone should be held to the same standard if they are going to enforce such a rule, and clearly they aren't.

Also, rules need to evolve a bit. I'm going to be speaking with someone about this, because I feel this particular rule needs to be revised.

Any suggestions from some of you guys that have been through this? Who would be the best person to talk too, etc.??

Thanks for all the support, it's actually quite overwhelming. All the messages, facebook posts and messages, visits by the pits, it's all much appreciated.

[270DART]

I think folks are all thinking zebras and not horses in your plight Cary.
With Chevrolet on board sponsoring the event, the huge turnout of the big 3 factory cars, and your performance numbers from last years event; there was NO way a Honda was going to sit on the pole this year. So they clipped your wings before you could fly. I have so much respect for all of you guys who continue coming back after being sucker punched time and time again by the politics that have permeated this particular sanctioning body’s policies.

JJ

[Jeff Kempton]

Originally Posted by 270DART

I think folks are all thinking zebras and not horses in your plight Cary.
With Chevrolet on board sponsoring the event, the huge turnout of the big 3 factory cars, and your performance numbers from last years event; there was NO way a Honda was going to sit on the pole this year. So they clipped your wings before you could fly. I have so much respect for all of you guys who continue coming back after being sucker punched time and time again by the politics that have permeated this particular sanctioning body’s policies.

JJ

That's taking the conspiracy theories to the extreme in my opinion. After all the #1 Qualifier in Stock wasn't wearing a BowTie.

BTW Carey your S2000 is way cool!

[270DART]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kempton

That's taking the conspiracy theories to the extreme in my opinion. After all the #1 Qualifier in Stock wasn't wearing a BowTie.

BTW Carey your S2000 is way cool!

With Skillman’s Ford being on of the big 3 manufactures my assertion holds a bit of water. Truth be told Jeff, they led this racer to believe if he followed their protocols he could race. He bent over backwards and did exactly what was required, If not an out and out conspiracy (as you stated being extreme) what then prejudiced the sanctioning body against this racer?

[Jeff Kempton]

Originally Posted by 270DART

With Skillman’s Ford being on of the big 3 manufactures my assertion holds a bit of water. Truth be told Jeff, they led this racer to believe if he followed their protocols he could race. He bent over backwards and did exactly what was required, If not an out and out conspiracy (as you stated being extreme) what then prejudiced the sanctioning body against this racer?

The #1 car in Stock was Summers not Skillman. A 35 year old Ford Mustang II qualifying #1 at a Chevy sponsored event. Embarassing enough to the sponsor that it had to be tossed out? It doesn't appear that way.

Carey has indicated that he wishes to take this formally up the NHRA ladder in search of answers, in a logical and factual way. I think that is the right approach, and may give him some closure on the incident and encourage him to continue racing with NHRA. He is definitely owed an explanation and hopefully an apology too. At the least the rules should be updated to keep this from happening again.

Perhaps this was an individual inspector with a grudge that created this mess, or perhaps it even came from a higher ranked official. But the implication that there is a formal agenda to keep any high performing non-Chevys out of a Chevy sponsored race (or Mopar race, etc.) is pretty extreme. And to suggest that the entire sanctioning body is in collusion to stack the odds to make that happen is something that I just don't buy. If you truly think that the entire organization is so deeply corrupt why do you even race?

Just my opinion; yours may be (likely is) different. You're entitled to yours, I'm entitled to mine.

More importantly, I really hope that Carey gets the needed answers. I for one want to enjoy the sight of that S2000 racing in the future.

[270DART]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kempton

The #1 car in Stock was Summers not Skillman. A 35 year old Ford Mustang II qualifying #1 at a Chevy sponsored event. Embarassing enough to the sponsor that it had to be tossed out? It doesn't appear that way.

Carey has indicated that he wishes to take this formally up the NHRA ladder in search of answers, in a logical and factual way. I think that is the right approach, and may give him some closure on the incident and encourage him to remain in Super Stock. He is definitely owed an explanation and hopefully an apology too. At the least the rules should be updated to keep this from happening again.

Perhaps this was an individual inspector with a grudge that created this mess, or perhaps it even came from a higher ranked official. But the implication that there is a formal agenda to keep any high performing non-Chevys out of a Chevy sponsored race (or Mopar race, etc.) is pretty extreme. And to suggest that the entire sanctioning body is in collusion to stack the odds to make that happen is something that I just don't buy. If you truly think that the entire organization is so deeply corrupt why do you even race?

Just my opinion; yours may be (likely is) different. You're entitled to yours, I'm entitled to mine.

More importantly, I really hope that Carey gets the needed answers. I for one want to enjoy the sight of that S2000 racing in future SS fields.

Good points Jeff. I used Skillman as an example because the Honda would have been in SS. I’m passionate about this because I saw the same thing happen to Ohio George when he ran his turbo Mustang around 67. A number of the hoops Cary has to jump through now were what George experienced back then; much for the same reasons I spoke of earlier. I guess I was responding to a pattern I saw. Advocacy for this racer is paramount and it certainly doesn't seem to be coming from said representative of the sanctioning body.

[Mike Pearson]

I don't think there was a conspiracy at all. The problem was he could not get the bell housing and the mid plate to conform to the rules as it is written. According to what is posted here the max space around the crank hub is 1 inch. He admits that his mid plate is cut to the outside dimension of the flywheel. Not all combinations can be run in specific classes with out major modifications. I think the car is really cool but really belongs in comp eliminator. Not really a super stock car in my opinion. I do wish him luck in getting a resolution to the issue. The bellhousing manufacturer should do the engineering and submit the fix to NHRA for approval.

[SSGT Mustang]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kempton

That's taking the conspiracy theories to the extreme in my opinion.

It may not be so far-fetched. The jealousy and pettiness of some people never ceases to amaze me. We see some of it even here. The decision to bounce him (because, in part, he drives a Honda) could have been made by an individual or those above him, all in the name of safety. In reality, however, safety and rules-enforcement doesn't appear to be the motivation. Seems more like...pettiness (to me, at least).

Just my .02.

[SC321X]

You should have given them a tech card. They would have to write why they failed you on the tech card. When you fixed those listed items they would have to pass you. You gave them too many chances to pick you apart. It seems to me our cars have passed tech several times at points races, it shouldn't be a problem to pass tech at a national event. Sorry for your bad experience and hope it goes better in the future. Just another dumb Racer.