I'm with Lloyd on this one.
Charlie, you're right when you say "when you describe it to someone,
without using the word 'race', they say 'Oh, a race!'", But when people in
authority speak of it (from Julow down to thee and me) we need to use the
proper terminology AND educate the uninformed.
The best reason is simply the times in which we live. We live in a litigious
society where merely saying "I'm sorry" is interpreted as admitting fault.
When we define, by reference, what we do as racing we define a level of risk
and danger far beyond what we actually encounter, and this goes to
everything from insurance coverage to legal issues. "You're racing, your
president says you are, so you are placing my client at an Indy 500 level of
risk." Doesn't matter that we know such a statement to be both false and
illogical, Mr. Spock is not sitting on the jury.
Racing, by definition, is two or more entities competing *at the same time
on the same course* trying to get to the finish before the other guy --
whether an Olympic footrace or 200 mph NASCAR sedans. A time trial is not
racing. It is merely trying to see how fast you can go WITHOUT the hazards
of someone else alongside or in the way. Solo is a time trial. Skiers may
call what they do a race, but they are still trying to beat a time, not get
to the finish before the other guy, and we are not bound by their faulty
terminology. The only true ski races are side-by-side slaloms and Nordic
races where everyone starts together. By that token, a Pro Solo (only the
finale!) could be termed a race, but we are wiser not to do so as not doing
so keeps us in the realm of solo's typical lack of risk.
Frankly, I'd love to be more relaxed and romantic about it and say what we
do is racing, but I am mindful of the liability issues and knowledgeable
enough about how the law works and conscious enough of my own reputation
which could be pointed to as "expert" in a legal sense (knowledge, not
skill!) to avoid the trap.
--Rocky Entriken
----- Original Message -----
From: <Smokerbros@aol.com>
To: <autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 11:24 PM
Subject: Re: Heartland Park Reply
> Lloyd Loring writes:
>
> << Solo is NOT racing. It is autocrossing. It is precision driving. It
> is
> competition. But it isn't racing, no matter how often the Heartland Park
> folks
> say it. No
> matter how long the owner has been an SCCA member. >>
> Yes, Lloyd, it is racing. It is a contest of speed, just as one at a
> time
> downhill or slalom contests on skis are racing.
>
> << And no matter how often our own Chairman of the Board says it (July
> SportsCar page 8).
> Or our SCCA President says it. (August SportsCar page 8). This kind
> of talk, especially in public, is dumb. >>
>
> Exactly how "public" is Sports Car? It's a little club publication that
> some of the members, and essentially no one else, reads. I would not
> call this
> talk "public" or "dumb."
>
> << When we say we are racing, but we mean solo, we are suggesting to lot
> owners that we want to race on their parking lot. Like wheel to
> wheel? Like NASCAR? This kind of talk is a good way to lose the few
> sites we have. I object. You should too. >>
>
> Yes, we should be careful with whom we use the "r" word. We need to be
> explicit in describing what we do, and don't do. But when you describe
> it to
> someone, without using the word "race", they say "Oh, a race!"
>
> Charlie Davis
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