Official SKUSA SuperNats XIV Discussion Thread

Tom Jensen · Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 11:47 am Post subject:

And, nobody mentioned that the blocking resulted in contact that could have been injurious.
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Dave Stevens · Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 1:02 pm Post subject:

Joshua (BlueBayou) Lyon · Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 8:03 am Post subject:

Brent Harper · Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 9:02 am Post subject:

1)Unless I missed something this incident happened "At the Front" so what the heck does that have to do with blocking?

2)Rarely have I been intentionally blocked by someone slower when coming through the field after a mishap.

3)In my mind when someone starts looking over their shoulder to set up their blocking moves the games changes. At that point on the track there is nothing the following driver could've done but pray the officials did their job.

I wonder if the officials would've wanted to look at the video had someone been sent to the hospital?
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Tyrone Johnson · Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:42 am Post subject:

MACK MCCORMACK · Joined: 17 Apr 2008 Posts: 42

Brent, I was there ! An if the video u watched was the one on the site of the last lap ,then you didn't see the lap before ????He's catching him an blockes him on the lap coming to the white an the blocked him in every corner till the last .... ! THE best display of driving on SERRA'S part by far i ve seen in a long time !! He still WON the race in my world !!!!!

MC

Brent Harper · Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:23 pm Post subject:

Yea Mack, I was talking specifically about the last lap, last straight. That really sux when something like this happens. My whole point is like some of the guys said before, if that is the game then when the leader gets put into the barriers there should also be no penalty for the guy being blocked. I really would rather see good calls by the race directors rather than a full contact kart race..
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mike clements · Posted: Sat Nov 27, 2010 11:36 pm Post subject:

I will be 60 years old next month. I started racing karts in 1957 and have been a regular karter for some 54 years. So, with that limited experience, you may have to take what I say with a grain of salt, or Budweiser.
To me, the worst problem for karting in general is closely linked to it's greatest asset. Karting is an affordable amature motorsport. And, as such, the officials, corner workers, flagmen, tech men, etc are usually of the Non-Paid variety. When we rely on volunteer help to put on a show, we sometimes get the little guy who gets trampled all week at his job and maybe even very unhappy at home. By the time he gets to the track, he is very much ready to throw around what ever authority he has for that event. So to speak, the little man has now found an outlet for his normal frustrations. I have seen more of this sort of things through the years than any other fault the sport might have.
I wish we could all grow up and play fair. Don't count on this happening any time soon. There will always be "Big Shots" throwing their weight around so long as the sport is affordable and does not have a high paid professional visibility. Just my silly opinion.
Mike

MACK MCCORMACK · Joined: 17 Apr 2008 Posts: 42

Hey Brent, I agree with you 100 % !!!! That was my point also that if the officials had done there job in this incident there wouldnt be any question, but instead by turning there heads to the deal it tells the racer that its full contact racing.Personally i have to go to work on monday and its not a good feeling going into a race knowing what could potentially will happen and nothing will be done about it !! This race is the "PREMIER" karting event of the year and the rules are the rules and if there going to enforce them then what good are they !!
MY 2 CENTS
MC

Michael Boone · Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 11:58 am Post subject:

Steve Buckner · Joined: 22 Apr 2003 Posts: 839

Try to guess how many times a flagman had a kart go by there station thruout the event. 489 drivers, 238 on track sessions. Shocked

Brent Harper · Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 8:18 pm Post subject:

Wow!!
From what you guys are saying it sounds like the only solution would be to look at video if available. Since no track worker saw anything on the last two laps.
I applaud the people who are willing to spend their time flagging and directing races. But I have been through some similar stuff when I was running Road Races, and there it was selective eyesight. I'm in no way saying that was what happened here but in my mind if someone argues anything except pro-safety then they are either very young and naive or old and just plain stupid!! Karting is a dangerous sport and risky at best so I don't think there is any reason not to make it as safe as possible and RULES ENFORCEMENT is a damn good start.
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Richard Mazur · Joined: 10 Oct 2010 Posts: 8

My friend and I who have worked corners plenty a time with NASA at our local tracks (car club racing), were dumbfounded by the performance of a couple of the corner workers during the event.

One of the worst incidents was when two karts spun and stopped right at a corner exit and were there for almost two laps and exposed to oncoming traffic. Both flagmen near the incident looked confused about what actions to take and failed to begin waving a yellow flag for probably 20 seconds, during which many drivers had to dodge the incident.

After that incident we felt that the officials were very unprofessional and probably hired off the streets. Are these workers paid or experienced at all?

Michael Boone · Posted: Sun Nov 28, 2010 11:08 pm Post subject:

Brent

Anybody who knows me Knows I'm all about safety!!! So the corner guys have to follow a guideline in doing what they do.

You don't go on the track until its SAFE!!!! to do so if the driver is trying to get going you CAN NOT touch there kart if you do "DQ". But if it's broken then you help to put it over the barrier and the driver STAYS with the kart but at a SAFE distance behind the wall !!!!

Why do we tell the corner guys not to run right out on the track because Most 80% don't follow the rules in the first place they don't know what the flags mean and what they are supposed to do!

Yellow : Attention! slow hold your line DO NOT, PASS RAISE YOUR HAND ABOVE YOUR HEAD to signal safety guy you see him and other drivers that you are slowing when your are past the yellow zone there should be a green flag for clear track continue racing.

Yea we are supposed to in force the rules but YOUR SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THEM ALSO!!!!!!! Mad

And those who don't are "either very young and naive or old and just plain stupid!! "

"I don't think there is any reason not to make it as safe as possible and RULES ENFORCEMENT is a damn good start". I couldn't agree MORE!!
But first how about FOLLOWING THE RULES all of them not just the one that benefit you at a certain time.

MB
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Roger Ruthhart · Joined: 24 Jul 2001 Posts: 1302

I don't have a horse in this race. But all race promoters want to know what is good, and bad, about an event after it is over. I would encourage those who saw the actions first hand, to call Tom and have a calm, rational discussion with him. Specific instances in specific locations on the track is helpful. I know he cares about the event and only wants it to get better. I'm guessing that's especially the case if things that happened that were so disconcerting as to impact a driver's decision about whether or not to return. Promoters are going in 12 different directions on race weekend ... if you don't take the time to tell him, he might never know. If you don't know, you can't fix it.