washburn wrote:
> Your statements make it sound as if you are supposed to protest someone
> for performing well.(?) I hope people do not think this is O.K., this
> is not what protest is for. I think if Russ didn't have so many prior
> protest's upheld, he would not attract the attention he always does.
> He's made his own reputation. My two cents.
If you're going to question the man's reputation, let's hear some facts. I
know he's been protested several times, but the only one that I can think
of that ever "stuck" was 98's incorrect wheel offset deal. The year before
that (I think) was the year he placed 2nd in HS. And last year he finished
DFL due to mechanical problems with his old tired Civic.
Russell's reputation SHOULD be that of a low-buck, grassroots autocrosser
with a history of being protested because he has the ability to drive slow
cars faster than most people think is possible. It's not the car! I've
seen Russ drive a lot of cars... usually not his own, fast enough to
embarass not just the car's owner, but an awful lot of people in much
faster cars.
A person should not be protested just for finishing well, but this is
exactly what has happened to Russ for the past several years. Until last
year, nobody believed that the lowly 80's vintage Civic could legally win
the current HS. Apparently, judging by the number of old Civics that were
entered by top drivers in HS, Russ has succeeded in turning some heads.
I am also rather surprised that no "fishing expeditions" were launched
against the Honda that ended up winning the class. I mean, come on, they
were checking things like cam timing on Russell's car! It's not like they
saw something obvious and filed a protest... they were REACHING for
something.
I don't think it's the "right" think to do... but it seems like it's the "H
Stock" thing to do. Either that, or people just don't like Russell.
--
Loren Williams | Loren@kscable.com
'94 Saturn SC2 | Wichita Region SCCA - http://www2.southwind.net/~scca
|