No Blinders

[Adub464Q]

Originally Posted by tommy d

And they created this rule why?

At the core, I think it stemmed from a safety issue in the pits and an incident that occurred.

Bluntly, I think the reactions are going to be polar opposite. Those in favor of this rule, feel they are at an advantage (publicly or privately in favor). Those against it, feel they are at a disadvantage.

[Jim Caughlin]

OK, I'll bite. My blinders are 2" x 2" (one each for right and left lane) and are larger than they even need to be. If this rule is in regard to a safety issue, these tiny blinder in no way restrict my vision when I'm driving around the pits. If I switch over to a factory sun visor, my roll cage will not allow me to raise and lower it so it's going to be in a permanent down position and that will restrict my vision when I'm driving around the pits. If this is a vision safety issue, then let's ban hood scoop that are sometimes taller than the windshield, pretty sure those restrict driver vision. As a sidenote, I regularly see windows that are tinted so darkly that you can't even see inside the car, so I'm going to get booted for my 8 square inches of blinder but the black tinted window guy gets ignored? Also, how about the 'tunnel vision' helmets that apparently are legal, are those going to be banned also? I remember when this issue came up several years ago, there were some very specific guidelines about the total square inches that blinders could be but I don't see that info in the rulebook anymore, if that info got deleted and the size of blinders has sometimes gotten out of hand, isn't that the real problem?

Jim Caughlin
SS6019

[MR DERBY CITY]

Originally Posted by Adub464Q

At the core, I think it stemmed from a safety issue in the pits and an incident that occurred.

Austin, I have a TON of respect for you as a racer. Don’t you think the racers that hold 4 or 5 and lock up the brakes at the finish line and send their cars into the wall, ….well don’t you think that is a SAFETY issue ?? …You do realize the rule book says NO SANDBAGGING ….

[Adub464Q]

[QUOTE=MR DERBY CITY;674394]

Originally Posted by Adub464Q

At the core, I think it stemmed from a safety issue in the pits and an incident that occurred.

QUOTE]

Austin, I have a TON of respect for you as a racer. Don’t you think the racers that hold 4 or 5 and lock up the brakes at the finish line and send their cars into the wall, ….well don’t you think that is a SAFETY issue ?? …You do realize the rule book says NO SANDBAGGING ….

100% agree with you MJ. You introduce a lot of other things when claiming "Safety", and where does the line stop.

I drive a SG car, are we gonna ban hood scoops because we cant see around them in the pits? That would be a similar safety concern to that of blinders.

I could make an argument each way on this, and not sure where the line stands.

[superdart]

I guess this means NO more dark tinted windows in any category.

[jamie2370]

Originally Posted by superdart

I guess this means NO more dark tinted windows in any category.

Tinted windows were never legal in the 1st place, just not enforced. Ask Jim Perry about his SG S10 that used to have tinted windows. Any altering of a helmet face shield is illegal as well(like painting the sides and leaving the center open). They will take your helmet, ask how I know lol.
Factory sunvisors can NOT be altered either.
Those that use blinders in Stock can just adopt the method of holding it up by hand and then dropping it. That is used alot in footbrake racing. That being said, I absolutely love the new rules, just wish they would enforce some of the "already" rules.

[Jim Caughlin]

Originally Posted by jamie2370

Tinted windows were never legal in the 1st place, just not enforced. Ask Jim Perry about his SG S10 that used to have tinted windows. Any altering of a helmet face shield is illegal as well(like painting the sides and leaving the center open). They will take your helmet, ask how I know lol.
Factory sunvisors can NOT be altered either.
Those that use blinders in Stock can just adopt the method of holding it up by hand and then dropping it. That is used alot in footbrake racing. That being said, I absolutely love the new rules, just wish they would enforce some of the "already" rules.

There is a specific set of rules about size and how a blinder could or could not be constructed, see section 7.8 in the general rule section. Quite honestly, the 32 sq inch size is way bigger than they need to be but even at that, I think it probably was being ignored and that's how we got to this ban. As I stated above, my blinder are tiny and don't obstruct my view in any way. I have some ideas about how to legally skirt the new rules but they certainly are not going to improve my overall visibility so if the idea here is a safety issue, what I have currently is the safer method. Jim C SS6019

[Jason]

When do you flip up or take down your blinder? As you swing off the end of the track? As you approach fuel check or scales? Or do you drive through the pits with the blinder in place? The same questions can be asked for taped helmet shields.

Asking for a friend.

[Lenny5160]

Originally Posted by jamie2370

Any altering of a helmet face shield is illegal as well(like painting the sides and leaving the center open).

There is no rule against this… until the Stock and Super Stock-specific amendments that are the basis of this topic.

In fact, General Regulations 10:7 specifically allows modifications to the helmet shield as long as the driver feels they still have an adequate field of vision.

[Frank Castros]

I searched the Rule Book and I couldn't find a Sandbagging statement, but I clearly remember seeing it in past issues.
Just a note, much of the current Rule Book was written by lawyers.