Why does this topic even exist?????

Reasonable minds will disagree in interpretations, that's why. Getting other's opinions has been great for me (if not only to craft proper appeal arguments given the 'nerd's point of view'). Problem is we're all speculating about the steward's interpretation.

Question, does the SCCA keep a record of protests, appeals, and decisions? If not, how do we assure consistancy in stewarding?? For instance, let's say I go to Fla and get protested for a new ignition widget. I win the protest. Now I go to Atlanta and race and get protested again. How does the Atlanta Steward know that a precedent has been set in Fla??

Someone offered to start an appeals database last year. I think it's imperative SCCA do this. If we don't have a history of 'official' interpretations, all these arguments are worth the paper we wrote them on.

Thoughts?

I would hope that as in any organization this sort of documentation is saved. If it is not I would be horibly disapointed but not surprised as information seems to slip away all the time. I am a supporter that a "protest/penalty" log be stored and that records be made public. Might try and help keep people honest, for fear that their reputation could be deminished nationaly and/or perminatly rather than localy and only for a year or two.

Raymond Blethen
(This is my opinion and does not necessaraly represent others in RST Performance Racing)

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Originally posted by eh_tony!!!:
Reasonable minds will disagree in interpretations, that's why.

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Amen. Often we all feel we have the correct interpretation. But, the problem is there are other people in this world and they often form other opinions from the same data. If it can happen in scientific study, it damned sure can happen in race car rules interpretation. http://Forums.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif

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Originally posted by eh_tony!!!:
Question, does the SCCA keep a record of protests, appeals, and decisions? If not, how do we assure consistancy in stewarding?? For instance, let's say I go to Fla and get protested for a new ignition widget. I win the protest. Now I go to Atlanta and race and get protested again. How does the Atlanta Steward know that a precedent has been set in Fla??

Someone offered to start an appeals database last year. I think it's imperative SCCA do this. If we don't have a history of 'official' interpretations, all these arguments are worth the paper we wrote them on.

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I was the one who brought up a case book. Unfortunately, my new job has kept me so busy this year that it's way down the to-do list. Hell, I have barely worked on my race car so far this year (hopefully that's soon to change). I still think it's a worthwhile endeavor.

As to the question of precedents, I've been informed that the only one that matters is the Court of Appeals. Yes, a steward in Atlanta and a steward in Florida can arrive at, and enforce different interpretations of a rule. Until it's ruled upon by the COA, from what I am told, it does not set precedence.

Where I think a case book would be of value is for officials to see what has been determined and why. It could help with some consistency. Maybe. But it won't become "law" until the COA has ruled.

I too believe we should work towards more consistent rules interpretations on the part of officials.


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George Roffe
Houston, TX
84 944 ITS car under construction
92 ITS Sentra SE-R occasionally borrowed
http://www.nissport.com

I know that at least one division had (or has) a privately kept "bad driver" log. It travels to every National in the division.