I didnt delete it....

[GlennCMC70]

man, i'm gonna have to get a dedicated stick for this.

[MikeP99Z]

Stick-slip?

"Stick slip refers to the fast movement that occurs between two sides of a fault when the two sides of the fault become unstuck. The rock becomes distorted, or bent, but holds its position until the earthquake occurs. When the rock snaps back into an unstrained position it is called elastic rebound. Stick-slip displacement on a fault radiates energy in the form of seismic waves, creating an earthquake."

or a forked stick since you're stuck in the desert, you dowser.

"One of the longest-running disagreements centers on dowsing, a supposed sixth sense that enables people to find underground water using a forked stick. There is no scientific reason why dowsing should work. Yet, it apparently works well enough and reliably enough to keep the practice alive."

[Al Fernandez]

Very true David, we step up tech at nationals on purpose. There is (for a lot of classes) real money on the line, and there is certainly a lot of bragging rights on the line. We therefore bring more resources and devote more time to tech...and I think its justified. We still wont tear your motor down to the crank though.

Since I'm on a bit of a roll, let me talk about flag infractions. In general we rely on the corner workers to call these in. The race director might see something from control, but in general what the corner worker says is it. Penalties for flag infractions are determined by the race director. For us here in Texas that is Clifton or his designee if he's unavailable. At nationals this year that was Todd for AI and Adam for CMC. In other words, Todd, myself, and Glenn are almost never involved in determining if a car blew a flag or if they did what the penalty is during races here in Texas. I myself was called in for a flag infraction and I walked up to Clifton to talk about it and ensure he would not go easy. He agreed and threw me a pretty steep penalty because, of all people, I should know better. Perfect.

While I'm here I'll give you another "whishy washy" rules situation. A while back CMC changed the interpretation of the air dam rule to include the radiator air deflector. The result was the air deflector had to be higher than previously. Next time out Glenn and I gathered a whole pile of cars into tech to check. Those that were close were measured multiple times. The winner of the race was something silly like 1/8" too low on one side. We let him sit there and worry about it for a while, then we handed him a fix it ticket. We could've DQd him and taken his win, which was his first by the way, and taken him out of the season championship (DQs are not dropable). We decided that would be far too punishing for something he honestly did not intend to do. It was an honest oversight IMHO. Did that make the 2nd place driver mad because it meant he didnt get the win? Well, hopefully not, and he didnt tell me if it did (he should have if it did!). I'd like to think everyone walked away realizing that the infraction wasnt the reason why that driver crossed the finish line first, and that given the recent rule change this was a good way to drive home a message without disenfranchising a driver. Was I wrong? Should I have DQd him? If you think so maybe my style of enforcement isnt for you.

Weight on the other hand is something you wont get a mulligan from me on. Why? Because the scales are there all day and because the rules are very clear and explicit regarding weights and dynos and because A LOT of drivers play the game of trying to come just to the edge of minimum each and every race. You want to play? Great! The price is a DQ if you're off target. Everyone knows this and makes their choice. Does coming in 2lbs under mean you won where otherwise you wouldnt have? Of course not, but you know what weight you need to be, you have the scales at your disposal to check, and you have the means to add and subtract weight. If the scales are not available of course we'll temper that down. Personally I dont want guys in the pits weighing fuel and siphoning fuel out and bla bla bla to get that last five pounds, so we use the scales quite a bit.

I could go on and on...but the point is we do not and will not go to a black and white rules enforcement and dramatic tech sessions. That is not, IMHO, in the best interest of the series. The promis you no one at the front will be allowed to run with something that gives them a performance advantage without the previous approval of all of the drivers, but there will be fix it tickets, there will be guys allowed to run with out of spec parts while they get their act and their lap times together, and there will be an emphasis on fun and friendship above absolute correctness. This is not F1 and we are racing for the hell of it. If what you are looking for is the closest thing to the pros including all of the hoops and hurdles and cost of rules enforcement and compliance then you probably need to keep looking.

You give a little, you take a little and what comes around goes around. I will do my best to publisize all of the decisions we make along the way along with who was involved. Hopefully that transparency will help and if nothing else give you guys more ammo with which to rib the other guys

[TJ Bain]

Looking at the fish bowl from the outside, this is club racing. I like the rules enforced pretty tightly too, but I don't rely on tech to do it regionally. That's why you make friends with your competitiors. Check out each other's cars and clear up any grey areas before it gets to the point of someone being pissed and wanting to throw paper.

Let's face it, we're not exactly in this for the prize money.

[AI#97]

Its unfortunate and I'll take the blame for him not being advised that that is not the NASA nor AICMC mentality.

Let me try to spell it out then for the others for whom its not too late...NASA and specifically AICMC is here to have fun racing. It is not here to be the closest thing to professional racing humanly possible.

This means we allow cars to compete that are not 100% compliant with the rules. Now, I wont let someone running up front have that leeway, but if you're in the back of the pack and you havent had time to get rid of that aftermarket sway bar that isnt CMC legal, you're still going to be allowed to run. You're going to get a "fix it" ticket, and we'll agree on a time frame for you to fix it, and we try to make sure everyone knows, but you're going to get to run. We absolutely do not simply ignore the issue, but we're not going to send someone home. Does that make the other guys at the back of the pack mad? Well, I doubt it because its much more fun to race against an inferior driver in a superior car than it is to hot lap by yourself. Its about the fun, and wheel to wheel racing is more fun than hot lapping, otherwise we'd still be in TT.

Glenn, this is the long version of Todd's statement at Rookie Day. This being said, for perspective racers getting into the series...I suggest you post this in the RULES verbatim, right under the 2010 change of the word "rules" to "Guidelines". Prevents a shit-ton of misunderstandings later and establishes that you better be prepared to be disappointed by the director's choices to enforce each rule differently for different people on different days.

Personally, I'm still pissed about the "allowances" or "fix it tickets" and the reasoning Todd gave me a few weeks ago. Not dinging Lindsay's car for the notched frame rails on day 1 at a national event and nullifying the race results from an illegal car that was OBVIOUSLY at an advantage was the wrong call even if the arguement was that Pat bought it from flaherty that way or it had been run regionally in Kali that way too. Of all people who KNOW the rules, S&S/Pat should have known better. I would have been fine with nullifying the results from Thursday's race in a DQ, (yes, a win for me) then allowing him to weld in material and race the rest of the weekend is a no brainer. Not nipping it in the bud Day one allowed all the rest of the crap to get out of hand, including the start of Sunday's race as he would NOT have been on the front row. I'd probably pull the track record from him too....but hey, that's just me. The second "no call" that rubs me raw is Corey's pass under double yellow taking back the pass under yellow the viper then gave back. Yep, confusing but on video, called in by corner workers and very bad under the rules. We all learned that lesson in 2008 that there is ZERO passes under yellow...PERIOD. Consistancy? Where was it? So, yeah, I feel robbed by Todd/AL's regional managment used at a national event...I realize that is going to happen in racing, but it most certainly doesn't mean I have to like it.

TJ, you are correct. Knowing your fellow racers and working together to enforce rules is key. However, relying on racers to police the rules also results in possible shady deals between racers and fosters LARGE areas of gray that causes frustration. It also throws wrenches in place when racers have to destroy their good relationships with their fellow racers and put down protests because the race director won't enforce a rule. I'm sure if any of us had to start calling our fellow racers out on the table for tech because of suspicions, the "just for fun" factor would be out the window in a heartbeat. To answer Glenn's question about why I didn't file the protest on the sunday race for Corey taking his position back under double yellow, it was that Todd/AL already told me they made up their minds and I'd waste $100, and to push the situation would have soured my relationship with corey. I valued that relationship with my fellow racer more than protesting my way to 2nd place instead of 3rd. It's not my responsibility to make that call. It's the director's responsibility to enforce that rule. I discussed that with Todd and he wouldn't admit error. Fine. Again, I don't have to like it or support it either.

As for letting "slower" guys run illegal cars....well, how does that make sense when we have inverted races twice a weekend? While it doesn't usually effect Toyo races, it does still affect season points battles. If they are always a backmarker and back there just having fun, why do they NEED illegal parts to continue to do so? I'd think helping them work harder with a legal car would better there skills and prop their ego rather than "they are letting me cheat so I don't look so slow".... :?: Hell, I'll donate my time to help them get there...legally and with better skills.

Al, your point of "just for fun" "racing".... I get it. However, I think the philosophy does more harm trying to fix issues to fix other issues in an attempt to manage chaos and overall, it pisses people off and the current situation instills fear for people to speak their minds....because when they do, they suffer my fate and get labeled as an asshole or dismissed by a director who is unwilling to admit fault. I think you aren't giving the racers in this region enough credit to be able to have fun off the track and still have a serious, viable "as close to pro-racing as possible" event. It is NASA PRO RACING.com right?

I'd put $1000 on the table that the racers in this group would have just as much fun, IF NOT MORE, if we had strict enforcement. It's the racers, their families and their friendships that make this stuff fun. Not the "help" we get by being lax on the rules. The frustration, the "bad internet" assumptions and opinions would simply go away with strict enforcement. The racers who fear we don't enforce contact strictly enough would start coming back/to the series when they aren't afraid well known offenders would be dealt with accordingly. Trust me, the saturday night BBQ at ECR and Hallett wouldn't change ONE bit. Those that choose not to socialize with us can still choose to not participate, and those of us that like each other don't have to fear avoiding another racer who got DQ'd because we filed a protest.


Here is a GREAT scenario to validate my point. 2006, last event of the year. Marvel and I were fighting for the regional championship down to the last race. during qual, I passed chris under waving yellow in the rain. I admitted it...however, nothing was going to be done about it, my Pole position would have stood, and it would have come down to the results of the last two races to determine the champ. This forced Chris to file a protest, which REALLY pissed me off, but I suppose I would have done the same thing with what was on the line. It created a LOT of animosity toward Chris for a long time but I eventually got over it....but Wow, Regional champ in my rookie year was taken away by a protest that should have been enforced by a director...yes it was Clifton, not Todd but the point was it wasn't strictly enforced.

Fast forward to James' mistake that would result in a non-droppable DQ. It would have cost him the regional championship. So, now we are up to "just for fun" racing again and the decision is overturned, albeit with a lot of input. I guarantee you SOMEONE felt pressured to keep their mouth shut and not protest...technically, they couldn't anyway as too much time had lapsed. In both scenarios, there is a considerable difference in Toyo bucks at the end of the season. so while the "fun" decision to make folks feel good at that moment felt good, it CERTAINLY did make a BIG change at the end of the season.

At the end of the day, you guys are in charge, think you are right and the perception is that you don't care for our input or reasoning regardless. I'm happy that you finally put in print above in bold what has NEVER been said....sadly, it's too late for me and I'm just too soured by it after having dealt with it for 4 years. Had that philosophy been voiced loud and clear from the beginning, I and others probably would have been much happier.....probably most not having to hear/see us bitch about it.

All I can ask at this point is that you reconsider....because I can't afford "big boy" Koni Challenge racing...but that doesn't stop you from being the cheap, damn close alternative.

Maybe I'm just trying to use too much reason?

[mitchntx]

TJ, you are correct. Knowing your fellow racers and working together to enforce rules is key. However, relying on racers to police the rules also results in possible shady deals between racers and fosters LARGE areas of gray that causes frustration. It also throws wrenches in place when racers have to destroy their good relationships with their fellow racers and put down protests because the race director won't enforce a rule. I'm sure if any of us had to start calling our fellow racers out on the table for tech because of suspicions, the "just for fun" factor would be out the window in a heartbeat. To answer Glenn's question about why I didn't file the protest on the sunday race for Corey taking his position back under double yellow, it was that Todd/AL already told me they made up their minds and I'd waste $100, and to push the situation would have soured my relationship with corey. I valued that relationship with my fellow racer more than protesting my way to 2nd place instead of 3rd. It's not my responsibility to make that call. It's the director's responsibility to enforce that rule. I discussed that with Todd and he wouldn't admit error. Fine. Again, I don't have to like it or support it either.

I hope to God that the directors read this paragraph and in particular the part highlighted.

I see "for the good of the series" preached here and at the track over and over.

And I have been told "submit the protest paperwork" on a couple of occasions. Typically followed by a smirk and an about-face. Its a simple and convenient cop-out to not to have to do anything.

Consider for a moment that when a racer comes to an official with information of interest, maybe its us thinking "for the good of the series" as well.

Matt's point is valid. I recall vividly how I felt at NPR when I was forced to remove my restrictor plate, have it measured, found legal and then sealed to the motor. I also recall vividly how it changed my view on this group of racers.

I knew in my heart of hearts I had done everything I could to field a legal car. How naive of me to think that my peer racers respected and trusted me enough to simply believe me.

[David Love AI27]

Very true David, we step up tech at nationals on purpose. There is (for a lot of classes) real money on the line, and there is certainly a lot of bragging rights on the line. We therefore bring more resources and devote more time to tech...

unlike Glenn... I was trying pet the kitty NOT poke it with a stick...

My point was: things are different at nationals... I was not SLAMMING NASATX (at least not in this case), just pointing out that there are differences. My wish is that ALL the drivers in AICMCTexas go to Nationals and show the rest of the country that the racers in Texas are "badass"

I wish my comments weren't ALWAYS percieved as negative...

(Glenn, I hope you know my PWS remarks are in fun... its just that getting between you and Matt is like walking into an ammo bunker full of TNT while holding a flaming torch)

[David Love AI27]

I knew in my heart of hearts I had done everything I could to field a legal car. How naive of me to think that my peer racers respected and trusted me enough to simply believe me.

I felt the same way when I was asked to provide a copy of my Dyno sheet 1/2 way through the season... I'm only REQUIRED to have one, not give a copy... BUT my biggest complaint was been QUESTIONED IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! screw "WTF", WHAT THE F@CK?!?!?

I can't count the times I have heard "we try to make it fun on the regional level" WHAT IS FUN ABOUT BEING QUESTIONED 3 or 4 TIMES DURING AN EVENT FOR A DYNO SHEET WHEN YOU HAVE THE SLOWEST F@CKING CAR IN THE FIELD!!!!

Maybe one of you directors can put a "touchy feely spin on that one"..

It was harassment, not fun, and it really pissed me off... and ruined my entire weekend...

I'm sure the spinmasters will find a reason it was GOOD FOR THE SERIES

[GlennCMC70]

Glenn, this is the long version of Todd's statement at Rookie Day. This being said, for perspective racers getting into the series...I suggest you post this in the RULES verbatim, right under the 2010 change of the word "rules" to "Guidelines". Prevents a shit-ton of misunderstandings later and establishes that you better be prepared to be disappointed by the director's choices to enforce each rule differently for different people on different days.

This should not be different than info you should have known since day one w/ AI/CMC in Texas w/ Todd in charge. this is not new news. i've known this all along.

Personally, I'm still pissed about the "allowances" or "fix it tickets" and the reasoning Todd gave me a few weeks ago.

Lets not read to much into this statement, but just in case you have, i'll add to it. if we have a great candidate for AI/CMC in DE's or TT, we will allow that person to run w/ us even if the car isnt 100% legal (what if its only 50% legal? likely not). that doesnt mean we will let them run that way untill his first win (like the Mid Atlantic guys do btw), but rather he's given a pretty short timeframe to comply, but as long as he's a back marker, it shouldnt be a major deal. dont think for a minute that a backmarker that has a 100% legal car, that we will allow then to install a non-legal part and run w/ us. that will get a big "hell no".

Not dinging Lindsay's car for the notched frame rails on day 1 at a national event and nullifying the race results from an illegal car that was OBVIOUSLY at an advantage was the wrong call even if the arguement was that Pat bought it from flaherty that way or it had been run regionally in Kali that way too. Of all people who KNOW the rules, S&S/Pat should have known better. I would have been fine with nullifying the results from Thursday's race in a DQ, (yes, a win for me) then allowing him to weld in material and race the rest of the weekend is a no brainer. Not nipping it in the bud Day one allowed all the rest of the crap to get out of hand, including the start of Sunday's race as he would NOT have been on the front row. I'd probably pull the track record from him too....but hey, that's just me. The second "no call" that rubs me raw is Corey's pass under double yellow taking back the pass under yellow the viper then gave back. Yep, confusing but on video, called in by corner workers and very bad under the rules. We all learned that lesson in 2008 that there is ZERO passes under yellow...PERIOD. Consistancy? Where was it? So, yeah, I feel robbed by Todd/AL's regional managment used at a national event...I realize that is going to happen in racing, but it most certainly doesn't mean I have to like it.

sounds like to me the right call was made. a racer figured out a mistake and corrected it. you had an advantage taken away and feel cheated. if the senario was to where you ended up w/ an advantage, i bet you would never said a word. pretty petty to be so pissed over guys doing the right thing and correcting a mistake w/ no outside influance to do so.

TJ, you are correct. Knowing your fellow racers and working together to enforce rules is key. However, relying on racers to police the rules also results in possible shady deals between racers and fosters LARGE areas of gray that causes frustration. It also throws wrenches in place when racers have to destroy their good relationships with their fellow racers and put down protests because the race director won't enforce a rule.

and is that what you call a friendship? someone who is wiling to cheat to beat you? you dont file a protest to protect that type of friendship? i'll file a protest against a friend anyday of the week (and yes i have - Nick Runyon). I wouldnt get mad if you filed one on me, although you just talking to me would likely save you the hassle. racing on track is just racing. part of that racing is also protests filed in the pits. i can separate that stuff from my off track friendships i have. same as if paperwork was filed against me. yes, the directors role is to catch those issues before the racers do, but it just doesnt happen that way.

I'm sure if any of us had to start calling our fellow racers out on the table for tech because of suspicions, the "just for fun" factor would be out the window in a heartbeat.

If we had to, then likely so. but the great thing about this level of racing is we all try our best to bring a legal car to the track. i have faith in my fellow racers that they will bring a legal car to the track just as they have the same faith in me. i could be willing to cheat to pay my bills and feed my family, but never to i could brag to my friends about how bad i beat those guys last weekend. in the end, thats all we really walk away from at this level - bragging rights.

To answer Glenn's question about why I didn't file the protest on the sunday race for Corey taking his position back under double yellow, it was that Todd/AL already told me they made up their minds and I'd waste $100, and to push the situation would have soured my relationship with corey. I valued that relationship with my fellow racer more than protesting my way to 2nd place instead of 3rd. It's not my responsibility to make that call. It's the director's responsibility to enforce that rule. I discussed that with Todd and he wouldn't admit error. Fine. Again, I don't have to like it or support it either.

Sounds like Todd did you a favor he didnt have to do. he knew Cory did the right thing. in other forms of racing, they would have told you to fill it out and put up the money just to fund the beer kitty.
there have been several issues that i just didnt agree w/ in any way and no amount of talking was/is going to change my mind. but at the end of the day i dont take it personal and i'm still friends w/ those guys no different than i was before. its that "seeing other's point of view" that you accused me of in a different post. you dont have to agree w/ it, but it helps if you can understand/see it. once agian Matt, your not the only racer in this world who feels he got the short end of the stick. Todd has likely been on the recieving end of that more times that he cares to admitt.

As for letting "slower" guys run illegal cars....well, how does that make sense when we have inverted races twice a weekend? While it doesn't usually effect Toyo races, it does still affect season points battles.

and that is where i 100% totally disagree w/ you. take a look at all the points sheets from 2005 to 2009 and show me where one driver finished lower in season points than where thier talent indicates they should have finished due to inverted races? you aint gonna find it. Inverts are the best thing for Grassroots racing. it keeps points battle interesting to the end and allows novice drivers a chance to get up to speed quicker than otherwise would be possible. inverts are a win/win deal.

If they are always a backmarker and back there just having fun, why do they NEED illegal parts to continue to do so? I'd think helping them work harder with a legal car would better there skills and prop their ego rather than "they are letting me cheat so I don't look so slow".... :?: Hell, I'll donate my time to help them get there...legally and with better skills.

Do you think anyone here w/ us is OK w/ running non-legal parts? who does this now? you are not the only racer that would donate their time to do this. i see it all the time. in fact, this shows your not a 100% lost cause. there is hope for you yet. :wink:
we also dont give timelines based on talent level. if the racer says "i'll never be able to comply w/ the rules" for whatever reason, we will likely tell them, OK, sorry, but you will have to run somewhere else.

Al, your point of "just for fun" "racing".... I get it. However, I think the philosophy does more harm trying to fix issues to fix other issues in an attempt to manage chaos and overall, it pisses people off and the current situation instills fear for people to speak their minds....because when they do, they suffer my fate and get labeled as an asshole or dismissed by a director who is unwilling to admit fault. I think you aren't giving the racers in this region enough credit to be able to have fun off the track and still have a serious, viable "as close to pro-racing as possible" event. It is NASA PRO RACING.com right?

i seriously do not think there is anyone here afraid to speak their mind. Texas AI/CMC just isnt known for that. i am willing to listen, but i think you are not. you keep talking about "we this" and "us that". who is the "we" and "us"? i hear alot of folks telling me and Al different that what you are saying. it would be one thing if i didnt hear anything, but i hear the opposite.
if you feel like Matt, let me know. i'll not hold it against you.

I'd put $1000 on the table that the racers in this group would have just as much fun, IF NOT MORE, if we had strict enforcement. It's the racers, their families and their friendships that make this stuff fun. Not the "help" we get by being lax on the rules. The frustration, the "bad internet" assumptions and opinions would simply go away with strict enforcement. The racers who fear we don't enforce contact strictly enough would start coming back/to the series when they aren't afraid well known offenders would be dealt with accordingly. Trust me, the saturday night BBQ at ECR and Hallett wouldn't change ONE bit. Those that choose not to socialize with us can still choose to not participate, and those of us that like each other don't have to fear avoiding another racer who got DQ'd because we filed a protest.


Here is a GREAT scenario to validate my point. 2006, last event of the year. Marvel and I were fighting for the regional championship down to the last race. during qual, I passed chris under waving yellow in the rain. I admitted it...however, nothing was going to be done about it, my Pole position would have stood, and it would have come down to the results of the last two races to determine the champ. This forced Chris to file a protest, which REALLY pissed me off, but I suppose I would have done the same thing with what was on the line. It created a LOT of animosity toward Chris for a long time but I eventually got over it....but Wow, Regional champ in my rookie year was taken away by a protest that should have been enforced by a director...yes it was Clifton, not Todd but the point was it wasn't strictly enforced.

Instead of being mad at Chris, you should have been mad at yourself. You made the first mistake - the pass. Clifton cannot enforce what he doesnt see or have called into him. You could have given up the pole yourself. You shouldnt have been upset over Chris doing what he's allowed to do "BY THE LETTER OF THE RULE BOOK", a thing in which you want. a thing that will not (from your POV) not change anything w/ our group, but yet it did w/ you. Sounds like you want other to be the bad guy on your behalf because you dont have the sack to do it yourself. but in reality, there should be a bad guy at all. racing is racing, and friendship is friendship. my friendship is never dictated by what happens while racing.

Fast forward to James' mistake that would result in a non-droppable DQ. It would have cost him the regional championship. So, now we are up to "just for fun" racing again and the decision is overturned, albeit with a lot of input. I guarantee you SOMEONE felt pressured to keep their mouth shut and not protest...technically, they couldn't anyway as too much time had lapsed. In both scenarios, there is a considerable difference in Toyo bucks at the end of the season. so while the "fun" decision to make folks feel good at that moment felt good, it CERTAINLY did make a BIG change at the end of the season.

i feel pretty sure when i say the everyone affected by the issue w/ James was 100% OK w/ it. it was also more than just an issue of "he didnt mean to do it". it was a poorly written rule that allowed for interpretation. it was promptly re-written to be more clear w/ its intent (verified by NASA HQ). the intent was to never prevent the DQ from being droppable in that case.

At the end of the day, you guys are in charge, think you are right and the perception is that you don't care for our input or reasoning regardless. I'm happy that you finally put in print above in bold what has NEVER been said....sadly, it's too late for me and I'm just too soured by it after having dealt with it for 4 years. Had that philosophy been voiced loud and clear from the beginning, I and others probably would have been much happier.....probably most not having to hear/see us bitch about it.

All I can ask at this point is that you reconsider....because I can't afford "big boy" Koni Challenge racing...but that doesn't stop you from being the cheap, damn close alternative.

Maybe I'm just trying to use too much reason?

possibly you assume you speak on the behalf of everyone. as best i can tell, we loose very few racrs due to the reasons you say. in fact, each year we gain more than we have ever lost in total due to your reasons. so w/ that track record in place, we will likely keep doing things the way we think works best. its working in every NASA Region as best i can tell.

[David Love AI27]

sorry Mitch, you were saying

TJ, you are correct. Knowing your fellow racers and working together to enforce rules is key. However, relying on racers to police the rules also results in possible shady deals between racers and fosters LARGE areas of gray that causes frustration. It also throws wrenches in place when racers have to destroy their good relationships with their fellow racers and put down protests because the race director won't enforce a rule. I'm sure if any of us had to start calling our fellow racers out on the table for tech because of suspicions, the "just for fun" factor would be out the window in a heartbeat. To answer Glenn's question about why I didn't file the protest on the sunday race for Corey taking his position back under double yellow, it was that Todd/AL already told me they made up their minds and I'd waste $100, and to push the situation would have soured my relationship with corey. I valued that relationship with my fellow racer more than protesting my way to 2nd place instead of 3rd. It's not my responsibility to make that call. It's the director's responsibility to enforce that rule. I discussed that with Todd and he wouldn't admit error. Fine. Again, I don't have to like it or support it either.

I hope to God that the directors read this paragraph and in particular the part highlighted.

I see "for the good of the series" preached here and at the track over and over.

And I have been told "submit the protest paperwork" on a couple of occasions. Typically followed by a smirk and an about-face. Its a simple and convenient cop-out to not to have to do anything.

Consider for a moment that when a racer comes to an official with information of interest, maybe its us thinking "for the good of the series" as well.

Matt's point is valid. I recall vividly how I felt at NPR when I was forced to remove my restrictor plate, have it measured, found legal and then sealed to the motor. I also recall vividly how it changed my view on this group of racers.

I knew in my heart of hearts I had done everything I could to field a legal car. How naive of me to think that my peer racers respected and trusted me enough to simply believe me.