From time to time we do need an actual witch hunt that is telegraphed all over the country.[/b]
Talking with Jeremy and John at the runoffs, that's sort of what is planned to do with the SM compliance money, or part of it anyway. They want to get the message across that you had better have a compliant car when the team shows up, because they'll be looking.

Now, how do you spread that across all classes?

I know that when Bill P. took over as NA of Tech a few years ago, he sent a letter to the CRB telling them what he felt the problems were in the specialty. High on the list was the 'professionalism' and work ethic of the tech crews in some areas. We don't just need volunteers, we need hard working, knowlegable volunteers.

I've been to races where there was one scrutineer, and maybe one steward, working their a$$es off, just trying to get the GCR mandated items checked.

I've also been to races where the tech crew (sometimes five or more) maybe weighed the winners, checked their fire bottles, and sent them on their way. More a social event than an impound.

Fortunately, the latter is the exception rather than the rule.

So what to do about it? We have, in RMDiv, ONE regular working scrutineer who isn't also a racer. She's a pretty hard worker, and competent too, but I digress. Other than her, we're all drivers, and what other pool would we draw from? So what does it take to get drivers, who would be good working tech, to volunteer?

Send me a half dozen drivers who actually know something about their cars, not the arrive-and-drive kind please, and who are willing to work a couple of weekends per year, maybe when they aren't racing, and I can turn them into good techies.

If I had four (good) scrutineers at a race, instead of two, how much easier do you think it would be to run down some of the 'everyone is doing it, I might as well' guys?


The other part of the deal should be cheaters that are caught should get more than a little slap on the hand and the parts taken away.
[/b]
Hmm, now there's an idea...