Quote Originally Posted by ShelbyRacer View Post
2. While the protest was well-founded, no action was taken because the SOM found "no malicious intent" on the part of the Acura driver. I cannot disagree with that (I don't think he *meant* to punt me), but part of being a race driver is having your car under control, and being able to race (AND allow others to race) in very close quarters. Intent is not the point. GCR 6.11.1 (the foundation of my protest) states this clearly, and makes no mention of intent. My protest was only officially filed AFTER I spoke to the Acura driver, and while apologetic to a point, he stated that since I pointed him by, he expected me to let him "have the track" (not an exact quote, but a paraphrase), and that the real cause of the incident was that his tires had been going away, and that he really lost them at that point. After 5-10 minutes of calm, rational conversation (as much as I could at that point, I felt he didn't "get it", and I informed him that a protest was filed, and that I was going to confirm that with the Chief Steward at that point (the CS asked me to talk to the guy before making my protest official- I hadn't because until I spoke to the Stewards, I wasn't calm enough to talk to the guy constructively).
WTF? I mean really, WTF?
Let me list the things wrong with the above...
1. The Chief Steward asking you to talk to the guy. Hey, that's a courtesy that one driver might extend to another, but a race steward has no business suggesting, let alone asking, that you speak to the other driver. It's my choice whether I want to do that or not. It's his job to manage the event according to the GCR and talking to the other driver is not in the GCR. You've got 30 freaking minutes to protest and you've already lost one-third of that getting back to the paddock and up to the tower.
2. The Chief Steward asking you to talk to the guy when you are clearly really torqued. What the hell is he hoping to accomplish - a couple of 2.8.1 violations?
3. Intent? Intent? Jesus on a pogo stick! There's nothing in the GCR about intent. Hell, how many times have you been part of a group that was a bit physical and the CS gave the group a Come-to-Jesus talk? So now it is OK to hit another driver as long as you didn't intend to do it?
4. The SoMs leaving their testicles at home. Look, nobody wants to be the bad guy, but for kee-rist's sake, that's their job. It's pretty darn simple - if you don't want to hand out penalties and hear protests, then don't be a fracking SoM.
5. The supps for the event being gone as far as I can find: I want to know who the SoMs were.

I've decided that I will probably nnot appeal the decision, but I will be contacting the SOM and CS later just to share my thoughts as I've presented them here.
You've got to appeal, otherwise you condone the system where noting is done to overly aggressive drivers.

Sorry to hear that the weekend had to end early. You going to be at the Double?