Nicely put, Rocket J.
Matt Murray
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rocky Entriken" <rocky@tri.net>
> Bottom line is this: When a question arises there has to be a
way for PC to
> determine what was originally on the car (things legally not
original are
> covered in the rulebook).
>
> It's not a Prepared issue. It covers all cars in all classes,
including
> Modified.
>
> But in this 21st century world, it can no longer be *required*
of the
> protestee that he provide documentation. The manufacturers have
just made it
> untenable or even impossible in many situations. Spending
4-figures on
> documentation, and then keeping up with all the updates, is
just beyond
> reason. Most of us will never need it, and those of us who
might will have
> spent $1500 to answer a $50 question. This is a 1970s rule in a
> new-millennium context. When this rule was written, "fast
communication"
> meant you subscribed(!) to regular mailings of minutes from the
BOD, Comp
> Board and SEB, so you got them earlier than publication in
SportsCar
> provided.
>
> Thus the rule should now strongly *encourage* (but not require)
acquisition
> of documentation. And aftermarket documentation (Haynes,
Chilton, etc.)
> would be acceptable, but subject to being challenged (factory
documents
> trump aftermarket if there is a conflict).
>
> But it must be recognized that often the most reliable source
may simply be
> to take the car to a dealer and have the "experts" there prove
or disprove
> the point. Protests may take longer since it could mean waiting
until Monday
> (or later: "Gee, we're booked through next Thursday"). In such
cases,
> protestor AND protestee should be required to remain until the
inspection
> can be done -- or at least, if one must wait, both must wait.
If protestee
> cannot wait, he must be willing to accept an adverse decision
(kinda like
> refusing teardown). If the protestor cannot wait, he cannot
expect everyone
> else to work on his behalf while he waltzes off, so the protest
becomes
> moot. The responsibility must be equal.
>
> --Rocky Entriken
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