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Re: DQ question

To: autox mailing list <autox@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: DQ question
From: "Mark J. Andy" <marka@telerama.com>
Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 15:27:48 -0400 (EDT)
Howdy,

On Tue, 25 May 1999, Scotty *BOB* White wrote:
> SCCA National T1 race, 3 cars entered.

Is it normal to have such a lightly sbscribed class?  Just curious...

> first car weighs 3194lb on a 3200lb minimum *without* driver,
> same car weighed again at 3197lb
> same car weighed again at 3196lb then again at 3195lb
...
> appeal made on basis of car being DQ'd by the same amount that scales varied
> in wieght and that car 1 had significant advantage over cars 2 & 3 that 3
> pounds would not have mattered as car *with* driver was 65lb heavier than
> identical car 2
> 
> decision upheld, fee retained

IMHO, the only grounds for a protest would be if you could show the scales
were defective and you actually weighed 3200 or above.  Since in practice
that's really hard to show, I'd start making sure you have enough extra
weight to deal with scale variance.  I would have dq'd you as well.

> second place car is found to be 1" too wide rear track even VTS says
> alternate wheels 1.5" wider than stock *PER SIDE*
> 
> car is Dq'd
> protest dissallowed

I dunno who VTS is, but unless it's the rule book, 1" too wide == dq.

> third place car recieves points and win

so far so good.

> here is the kicker, third place car is *NOT* classified to race in T1! Yep,
> that's right, they tossed the above cars for those violations and let a
> *Ferrari F355 F1* take a *National* win when it is not listed *AT ALL* for
> T1!!!
> 
> The F355 *is* classified as is the Berlinetta but no mention of the *F1*
> package which is a clutchless sequential 6speed tranny along with some other
> goodies.
> 
> Is SCCA doin their job?

Depends.  If they explicitly decided prior to the race that the car would
run in T1 then awarding it the win is fine.  You can question their
decision to allow it, but once its in the race, its the same as your car.
You could (I assume) protest the car on the basis of it being included in
T1, but if you win the protest the result should be no points to anyone.

> Should I be pissed? (i am the first car to finish)

You should be pissed at yourself or whoever prepared the car.  Its a sucky
situation, but in your case the SCCA was definately doing their job.

> Could they have imposed a lesser penalty? Did the 3 pounds make up the 1/2
> lap in 30?

Yes and no, but once you're illegal you pretty much forfiet all rights to
get pissed about the punishment.

> driver 1 weighs 260lb
> driver 2 weighs 186lb
> driver 3 weighs 100lb
> 
> all cars are weighed without driver.

There's your answer on that.  In MC racing they do the same thing (weigh
without rider).  It sucks.  Its also the rules and that's why you'll never
see an average sized, let alone overweight, 125gp rider (that's
competitive anyway).

Mark


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