First and foremost let me say that Ms. Kelly drove exceptionally well and is
to be commended and congratulated for her performance. She has improved
greatly this year and her 5th place showing in a very tough class
demonstrates that.
Onwards to my side of the story... (lynching line forms to the right,
mugging to the left.)
Background - As myself and others have seen on the three groove rear Miata
Koni's, the middle groove for the Bilstein equiped cars is low in many cases
(I have two sets of rears that measure over 1/8th too low when NEW.) I
won't implicate the others who have also seen this - might as well only get
_one_ person blacklisted...
So, I think this response is best servered in an Q&A type of fashion - I'll
respond to those that I remember.
Q: What was the purpose of the protest?
A: To have the perch heights (rear in particular) checked on Ms. Kelly's
car. No, I was not protesting ride height. Her car is setup use the above
mentioned middle grove. That's the specifics of the protest - the effect
that I'd hoped to accomplish was to get a clarification on using an
aftermarket manufacturer's 'word' (Koni's) that their setting is correct. I
know, write a letter - been down that path for another issue with less than
satisfactory results.
Q: Why the three items on the protest?
A: Basically to do the general list on the Miata - did I think that timing
or spring freelength were out of spec? Nope. Note that those were dropped.
In a sense, I'm glad those were there - they provided some 'bargining' power
with the PC (protest committee.) I had asked them to focus on the perch
height, since that the real reason for being there. I am happy with the
clarification that they provided - they 'got' my reasoning (I think). Oh,
yeah, the perches were .050 low - in the noise of the measurement technique
used.
Q: Why a region member, and why at nationals?
A: Because I knew her car, and that the only way that this would surface
beyond our region was to do so either at a tour or Nationals. And this
topic has come up regionally (Craig B.'s car) and mentioned on this list.
Q: Did I really just want the sixth place trophy (overheard) (or not get
beat by a girl, etc...)
A: Nope - not at all. This was my fourth year in the Miata, with 5th, 4th,
and 2nd place trophies - sixth or seventh made not a lick of difference.
Also please note that the form was filled out before the start of the event
- regardless of mine or Ms. Kelly's placing, the protest would have been
submitted. Also note - I file the protest with the explict instructions
that the competitor NOT be notified until after her last run - a mind game
was not a goal.
Q: Why did I not protest the first place car?
A: Easy answer here - it was a '99 Miata which uses different springs and
perches.
To close with, I know that many are disappointed in my actions - and I
understand that. What disappoints me are those that I considered friends
who did not ask for my side and made assumptions.
Let the lynching begin (yes, I knew this was likely a no-win scenario at the
start.)
Kevin 'never to appear in the Pylon (at least in a good light) again'
McCormick
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