vintage-race
[Top] [All Lists]

annual inspections

To: "Wm. Severin Thompson" <wsthompson@thicko.com>
Subject: annual inspections
From: Gary Speckman <speckman@coredcs.com>
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 13:10:54 -0600
Ok WST,

First, I think this is a valid topic and should also be sent to the vintage
race list, so I did.

Regarding annual inspections.  If....IF.. we have idiots who would do
something like you suggested, total a car and bring it back, race it
un-inspected, I think it is up to the FIRST person who finds out about this
to turn the guy in.

There are a number of reasons why this is important, but the one I want to
address now is Club Liability.  The Club is responsible for allowing
"inspected" cars on the track.  If a car is damaged in an accident and
allowed to continue racing that weekend, even after a "thorough"
re-inspection, and due to structureal failure resulting from that accident,
causes another accident, injurying someone, the club could be in deep
liability trouble.  A cursory inspection of a damaged race car cannot see
suspension point fractures, or other stressed areas.  Why take the chance?
If the car is damaged more than sheet metal damage, it should be put on the
trailer.  I dont want to be out there with a car that is questionable as to
its structural integrity.  I think, we as racers, have some responsiblity to
speak up if and when see something like this happening.

The annual tech is only as good as the general population allows it to be.
Fortunately, most of the racers I know are also responsible people and would
not play games like this, but there are always exceptions.

I think reporting of incidents in the newsletter is a good idea.  However, I
also think maybe a brief description of the incident would be helpful.  At
RA last fall, I was forced off the course, into a pea gravel pit, when the
356 Porsche in front of me spun in a wet corner.  To avoid hitting him, I
opted for the gravel.  I had to report to the drivers committee. The Porsche
driver didnt.  Had he been a bit less aggressive in the wet conditions, he
would not have spun and I would not have been in the gravel.  Should he have
been required to report to the drivers committee also?  I think so.  What
really bothered me about that, I was told this driver had done that sort of
thing regularily that weekend.  

Race reports.....  I ain't commenting on the race reports, sorry.

As far as the rules pertaining to everyone, well, it just doesn't work that
way.  Thats the nature of this game and many others, unfortunately. Money
talks, that's a fact of life.  We can get frustrated by what we see, we can
complain about it, but I just dont see it going away.  We have people in
this sport who are accustomed to getting "their way" and have the influence
to do it, over and over and over and over........

To be honest, at a race weekend, I want to have fun and leave the politics
behind.  So far, so good, and there is no better place to have fun on a race
weekend than in the Team Thicko pits.  Any seconds?

Gary Speckman

 

>on the team-thicko mail list WST wrote:
>Annual tech...
>
>While I really like this idea, what's to stop a guy who has an annual
>tech, then races in some other organizations event, totals his car,
>rebuilds it, then attends a VSCDA event, and because of his annual tech,
>doesn't get his car looked at??? What reporting takes place in our sport
>regarding incidents? Why aren't 13/13 rulings published? (I've got a
>good idea...) What exactly does the VMC do? Would they also be
>responsible for disseminating tech information?

>Race Reports...
>
>Not that any of us care about winning...
>I CARE!
>I CARE!
>I CARE!
>I CARE!
>I CARE!
>I CARE!
>Sorry... the truth key was stuck on my computer there for a moment...
>but doesn't it piss you off just a little when race reports only deal
>with Group winners as opposed to class winners? Forget winning... how
>about just some heroic dices that took place thoughout the course of a
>race that was far more interesting than what was going on up front? I
>know that it's difficult due to the size of some of the tracks, and the
>fact the reporters work for free or next to free. But how often have you
>been interviewed after a race?


> Do rules apply to everyone? This is the biggest thing that pisses me off
about our sport.
>
>
>You may now resort to your perviously posted material.
>
>WST
>Flounder
>
>
>
>
>


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • annual inspections, Gary Speckman <=