ITC

[Andy Bettencourt]

Originally posted by Doc Bro@Dec 29 2005, 11:25 AM
So...being sort of new to the table. How does one protest without being a snitch or blackballed. I've run mid pack IT all season and noticed some poor (cheating) behavior by some of our (NER) "respected" drivers. I have the tape to prove it. I've seen a strong front runner passing 2 cars (I was one) after blowing past 3 yellow flags because he started at the rear (because he didn't want to qualify in the rain(boo hoo)) and knew the only "racing" was at the front.
I've been "stuck" behind front running guys who on their "march to the front" have perfumed me with exhaust gasses that immediately made my eyes water.
Then there's Mr. Holmes.....

In my experience the protest thing is sort of a taboo....It offends me deeply to try to run with integrity and respect and watch blatant stuff going on around me. I know I should be the one to write the paper but, If the veterans won't police themselves it seems like a sure fire way to be ostracised as a racer new to the class.

(... and no this is not washerbottle stuff )

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We can start a new thread so as not to hijack/revive this one but:

You have a few issues. Passing under yellow should be caught by corner workers. I would protest someone with my video IF it was a pass for important (points paying) position AND I thought I had a chance to beat this person at all. I mean, if it was going to be one more corner before they got by, it isn't worth it to me.

As far as the fumes, it goes back to KNOWING why that is happening. Protest if you know it will make a difference and if you know you are right.

*I* will protest people around me if I need to. I have put to much time and effort into my program to allow cheaters to beat me. Believe I will be talking with Blaney about Honda's and Serra about Acura's if I feel like I am getting beaten by illegal stuff. I will become an expert and I will protest if I have to.

Be legal, it ain't hard.

AB

[charrbq]

I've only protested someone in Solo 2, and then only when I knew exactly what was illegal and after they'd been doing it to the class for quite some time. It's not something I like to do; I prefer that the illegal person is aware that I, and others, know he ain't kosher, and it'd better not happen again. I was blatantly cheated out of a hard fought third place finish on the last lap by a car that had been half a lap behind. His excuse was an intermittant fuel pickup problem that miraculously cleared itself on the last two laps! While the hood was up in impound, I took a strole and looked. I made it known to my fellow competitors, and within the driver's hearing, that I'd seen no less than five illegal parts by just looking under the hood, and that I wasn't going to let it happen to me again.
The next day, the second driver didn't go out for qualifying, and let it be known the car might not race. I did nothing about it. He chose to start scratch, and I gridded second. At the start, he came by me like it was pulling a Chevy big block! I would've done something, but he got his due when he got beat by a much better driver. The car has never shown at that track again, and has never been that fast again. I suppose my lack of action, was in fact the proper action.

Two things aggravate me when I hear them: "It ain't cheatin' if you don't get caught", and, "I might as well cheat, everyone else does."

Two cents.

[flaboy]

This time back i have a different attatude,GO AND HAVE FUN,but i will be competative.I've already meet some very nice people in the CFR at the few races i went to and watched.I am looking foward to it.

I'm only going to run about 4-5 races this year and then tear the car all the way down over the winter to get things the way i want it.This year will be to get seat time only.I'll probly run the 2 daytona weekends and probly 2-3 sebring races.


Anyways...thaks everyone for making me feel welcomed not only in scca but on this web site.


Hope to see you all soon


Tim

[lateapex911]

Rob...and others....protesting isn't easy, nor should it be. In some ways, I feel it is TOO difficult. There are many who have the desire, and the car knowledge, but lack the procedural knowledge to lodge a protest, and that's too bad.

Search this site for "A Protest Story" in the Rules and Regs section. You'll learn a thing or two on the process, what goes wrong, and right. It's basicaly a two part deal...a factual rundown, and then an opiniated commentary....which was actaually very calm, I think. (I was pretty peeved)

We decided that we were SURE there was a cheater in the ranks, and we wanted to KNOW, one way or the other, what was up. So we lodged what we thought was a resectful, but complete top end protest. I think we did our job well, and in a professional manner. When we decided to do it, we decided that there would be a loser no matter what...and that if we were going to create a lot of bad blood, then we wanted as much good to come of it as possible. It was harder than we thought for the last part.

Part of our solution was to form a group. Five guys and a silent advisor. It made sense for a number of reasons. Cost sharing, and within the group, we had different guys with different expertises. I recommend the group approach, as long as each member has the resolve to see it through. We joked when we were asked by the stewards, if there were illegal items found early whether we would abandon the rest of the protest. "No, we will carry it all the way through....if you are going to kill the king, you MUST kill the king", LOL.
A group protest also shows the rest of the class that there is a large desire for the class to run clean.

Before the actual protest, 3 of us had had three seperate warning/conversations with the protestee, the last one resulting in a challenge: "Tear me down"...very well then..............

On track stuff, to me, requires a chat, and a second occurance. Unless he is well known to commit the same fouls regularly.

I recommend a well placed and reasoned protest. There are plenty in your class and your area that will support and help you. Just ask.

[Geo]

Originally posted by charrbq@Dec 29 2005, 11:07 AM

Two things aggravate me when I hear them: "It ain't cheatin' if you don't get caught", and, "I might as well cheat, everyone else does."

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The counter is, "It ain't winning if you're cheating."