Qualifying at Roebling

[Ron]

This weekend at Roebling our car ran 4 laps during qualifying, came in with a problem and when we went back out to try to get another lap in we were told that our previous times during that session would be pulled.
Then a friend in a miata had a similar issue and he was told the same thing. He was smart and didn't go back out. I never realized that was how it worked. Is this right?

[Andy Bettencourt]

Did you go back to your pits? I would think that as soon as you hit the track, you present your car as legal and ready for impound. If you rip off some laps, then head back to the pits without an impound, then make an 'unsupervised' change, I can see how that wouldn't be cool with the tech shed or your competitors...

If you are just talking about coming off onto pit lane and then heading back out, I think you got hosed.

[RSTPerformance]

This weekend at Roebling our car ran 4 laps during qualifying, came in with a problem and when we went back out to try to get another lap in we were told that our previous times during that session would be pulled.
Then a friend in a miata had a similar issue and he was told the same thing. He was smart and didn't go back out. I never realized that was how it worked. Is this right?
[/b]


Yes, unfortunatly for you it has always been that way :)


Raymond

[JeffYoung]

That is how the rule works. During qualifying, you can of course come into the hot pits, check tire pressures, make adjustments to the car, etc. However, if you go behind the wall, you are "done" for that session and if you try to reenter, then you forfeit all of your earlier qualifying times. NOt sure the GCR section (traveling) but that is the rule.

[tom_sprecher]

2007 GCR, page 57, section 6.10.2 basically states if you leave the track/pits, enter the paddock and then re-enter the track/pits you forfeit all previous times.

You got hosed if all you did was come into the pits.

[Ron]

O.K. we did go back to the trailer, a blown fuse that was later found to be a bad switch so it makes sense.

Thanks
Ron

[Cobrar05]

Its the rule. Like with most things you can find a scenario where the rule doesn't seem fair, if you look hard enough.

[Chris Wire]

I think I understand the reasoning behind the rule, but since we don't have impound (generally speaking) after qualifying the rule has no teeth.

Case A: Competitor (legal car) goes out for 4 laps, lays down some good times, goes in to the pits and comes back out after flatspotting a tire, gets all times disallowed.

Case B: Competitor goes out 150# light on weight, lays down a pole-winning time, goes in the pits after 3 laps, spends the rest of qualifying reinstalling ballast and corner weighting the car.

Question: What purpose did the above rule serve?

[Krysd]

Case A: Competitor (legal car) goes out for 4 laps, lays down some good times, goes in to the pits and comes back out after flatspotting a tire, gets all times disallowed.

If you lay down good laps, why go back out?

Case B: Competitor goes out 150# light on weight, lays down a pole-winning time, goes in the pits after 3 laps, spends the rest of qualifying reinstalling ballast and corner weighting the car.


Sound like an exercise in stupidity, If he lays down a pole lap for qualifying and then adds 150#, he is just going to go backwards during the race, the cars that qualified legaly are going to eat him alive, why bother, there are no points for being on the pole.

That is the rule and if you know that, you should have no problem, in fact if you know the GCR, you have a major edge on your competition, and by the way, a car leaving the pits for the paddock may not return to the session (during a race) without the permission of the Chief Steward.

Krys Dean

[JLawton]

[Case B: Competitor goes out 150# light on weight, lays down a pole-winning time, goes in the pits after 3 laps, spends the rest of qualifying reinstalling ballast and corner weighting the car.
Sound like an exercise in stupidity, If he lays down a pole lap for qualifying and then adds 150#, he is just going to go backwards during the race, the cars that qualified legaly are going to eat him alive, why bother, there are no points for being on the pole.


Krys Dean
[/b]

150lbs is only good for "maybe" a few tenths which could move you up several rows......But if it gets you to the front of the grid, it may make all the difference in the world. The fastest car doesn't always win......

[itracer]

I think I understand the reasoning behind the rule, but since we don't have impound (generally speaking) after qualifying the rule has no teeth.
...
Question: What purpose did the above rule serve?
[/b]

It's the generally speaking part. It is possible to have "impound all" after a qualifying session. It happens at Nationals some times. It is up the the Stewards and Tech Chief to make that determinationThey could weigh all the cars after qual. and throw out any times, etc. If someone heard rumor of that, they might try to make changes mid session.