I run the #8 Thunder car from Sauble Speedway(raced as 81 this weekend). I started 4th in the feature and after a hard fought race finished 3rd. After the race I went up to pick up my pay and was informed that I finished 4th. At first it was explained to me that I jumped the original start?? Of course I wasn't happy and wanted an explanation on how someone starting in 4th could jump the start. No one could give me any answers and a 'Protest Form' was placed in front of me.
Now I was advised that I had to wait around until all the races were over to speak with anyone about it. I was lucky enough that a friend had videotaped our race. I viewed the video numerous times and it clearly shows the exact opposite of what the track official was claiming(I will be attaching the video once it is downloaded).
I took the camera back up to the tower and attempted to show the officials/management my proof. No one would listen to me, watch the video or get involved(even the track owners). They just advised that I needed to wait to speak with the flag man.
I waited around for probably close to 2 hours. The flagman came up read my protest form and began to write his reply. I walked over and introduced myself. He then advised me that I was docked a position because I went out of line before the start/finish line. I attempted to explain my side of the story and advised him that he was wrong. My argument fell on deaf ears. I then advised him that I had proof and could show him the video to settle it. He wanted nothing of it.
I am upset obviously with his decision, but also how it was dealt with. I can understand using video in some circumstances isn’t appropriate, but I feel that for something like this it was. They had held back the cheques for 3rd and 4th place until this was settled. The video clearly shows 1st and 3rd getting a great jump on the start. 3rd gets up under 2nd and after the start finish line I fall down behind 3rd. When I move down before the corner I was at least 1 car length behind 2nd/3rd and at least 1 car length ahead of 5th/6th. I ran probably 20 laps in 4th. I did not jump the start(actually I think I was sleeping) and I did not jump out of line.
Now for my final beef. Since I’ve been home, I began reading the rules on the Flamboro site. Here is a cut and paste;
b) On all original starts, cars are to line up 2 abreast. No passing allowed before the start/finish line. Cars are to maintain a pace equal to that set by the official pace vehicle, and must maintain that minimum pace once the pace vehicle leaves the track. Pole sitter must NOT reduce the pace heading to the green flag or he/she will face a penalty. On re-starts, cars are to line up 1-2-3 and then double. Late Models will line up side-by-side, 2 abreast, for restarts. On restarts passing is allowed once the green flag/light is shown. Cars moving out of line or jumping before the green will be penalized positions accordingly. Same rules apply as on original start with regard to maintaining speed and accelerating to the green flag.
So in reading this….even if the starter was correct in saying that I jumped out of line(moved down in the track) before the start/finish line on the original start….is that illegal by the way the rules read??
I will finish my novel now. It has been very frustrating and unfortunately I think with the way it was handled, it will be some time before I return to Flamboro.
Thanks to all the Thunders for an awesome race.
Matt
I'm still trying to get over how in the first LM 50, two guys got black flagged for "retaliation." The 05 tagged Shaw pretty good, Shaw kept it straight, lost nothing. The 05 gets black flagged. Later, the 24, 89, and a lapped car tried to go three wide, the 89 ended up turning the 24 (from the 24s POV, I'm sure he thought he got straight up dumped). The 24 bumped the 89 under yellow, and got black flagged. I could understand if he turned the 89 under yellow, but a light tap?
BTW nice run Matt, I thought for sure you had something for the 14 and the 74!
I have been docked a spot for "pulling out of line on the origional start" . in my case, a feature win became a second. i pointed out the same thing you did, that there is nothing in the rules about "pulling out of line", just no passing. however we are told this rule at drivers meetings during the year, and we were told this Saturday before the race. i now glue to the bumper of the car ahead of me and go wherever he goes until the start/finish line. sometimes if you even move half a car to the side, they call that moving out of line. also if the car in front of you moves down or up, you had better follow it or you can be considered jumping out of line. kind of a head-scratcher sometimes but lots of people have been caught and they almost all shake their heads in disbelief
now, as to whether you actually did pull out? guarantee you that they will not take video evidence. so what happens is you have to speak to the guy that made the call, in this case the flagman, thus the 2 hour wait until he's done for the night.
Ever been to a hockey game? referee blows a call or sees something different than the coach/players/fans? never once have i seen the ref say, "oops, sorry, you're right, i'm wrong. i'll change the call to suit what you think". doesn't happen at the rink and won't happen at the track.
although it sucks, your protest was likely handled exactly the way it should have been. of course other track officials and the owner shouldn't get involved. if track owners and "higher" officials overturn the calls of the flagman, imagine the ramifications, not a smart idea. it's why almost all protests fail, your word against the referee and he doesn't want to look like he was wrong, so your chances were slim to none right from the start, even though it sounds like you did nothing wrong.
i'm still annoyed about the spot i was docked once for that very thing. i believe i was correct and the flagman was wrong. i had in-car video to prove it (imo) but you found out how that goes.
last thing. if i got mad and said i wasn't coming back to any track that ruled against me and i thought they were wrong, i wouldn't have anywhere to race eventually. Matt, come back in 2 weeks, win, and you'll feel a whole lot better.
Could you imagine if they did allow video to make calls. The races would never end.
I guess it's a tough call on these officials it's not like a NASCAR event where they have them all over the place and in each pit box.
I'm not siding with the flag man but they are human and they make mistakes like all of us do. They have to make quick calls and sometimes they are wrong. All we can hope for is that most of the calls they make are the right ones.
The thing I would find hard is when they have these events where cars come from different tracks and rules are different from track to track and how is one to know all the rules from the track they are at? There are common sense rules you will find at all tracks but then you run into ones that are total different from tracks you race at every week. I would think they would tell the officials to be a bit more lenient at these open events.
That call on the 81 Thunder car class from the Flamboro Flagman came out of his imagination as far as I can say,only because I was there to witness this race and not once did the 81 jump a spot.Ask the flagman if the got the numbers mixed up,but I bet that would be a lost cause!