15 replies to this topic

[Jim Drago]

Here is the letter I received by email a few minutes ago.

Dear 2011 June Sprints Competitors:
For the best interest of the participants and the event organization, the Chicago Region SCCA and the
Chief Steward feel it is appropriate to respond to legitimate concerns regarding this year’s June Sprints.
Fuel
For the 2010 June Sprints, at the request of competitors, Chicago Region implemented spec fuel for SRF,
with the consent of Road America management. As a matter of normal business practice, Chicago
Region seeks the approval of Road America management for anything outside the scope of the rental
contract. The arrangement for the fuel was between the Region and Dale Gas and Oil, and Dale set the
price to reflect market price plus service expenses.
For the 2011 June Sprints, the Region was again asked to implement spec fuel by competitors, which it
did. However, Road America requested the right to manage, and establish the price for the spec fuel,
and made the arrangement with Dale Gas and Oil. In advance of the event, the Region released the
identity of the product to enable competitors to tune their cars to known technical specifications of the
fuel. Immediately prior to the event, a protest was filed against the requirement for a spec fuel, and
Road America management was notified of the nature of the protest.
What does this mean for 2012? The Chicago Region encourages competitors to work with the Club
Racing Board to address any concerns they may have with non-conforming fuels. The Region is
committed to working with our competitors to maintain a level playing field, and will review whether to
implement a spec fuel for the 2012 June Sprints.
The hours of availability were adjusted to accommodate the competitors. In fact, Road America
voluntarily modified their test day schedule to oblige competitors using spec fuel, and the hours of
availability were expanded by opening earlier during the test day, and by extending availability by a half
an hour each day from the previous year’s schedule. In addition, the truck arrived a half hour earlier
and remained a half hour later each day than the posted hours.
Chicago Region is a not for profit organization and our approach to spec fuel has never involved
profiting on its sale. Spec fuel was implemented in response to competitors, as part of the supplemental
regulations for both the 2010 and 2011 events.
Group 3 Race
The race should have been stopped, the grid corrected, and the race re-started. Multiple specialties,
including Grid, Timing and Scoring, and even observing operating stewards identified that the cars did
not leave the grid in the correct order. How the cars came to be out of order is not as important as the
fact that they were. The bottom line is that the organization did not react quickly enough in moving the
facts up the chain of command to the operating steward for it to be corrected.
We cannot rectify our error after the fact, but we can learn and develop processes so this won’t happen
again. You may be assured that this has been and will continue to be discussed among the stewards and
will be covered in our annual training.
Parking
Chicago Region does its best to manage paddock parking in a fair and workable manner. The process in
place for a competitor to register and reserve parking is, we believe, superior to any other organizer.
The Region works a continual process improvement for the Sprints. This year was exceptional because
the June Sprints fell one week before Road America’s largest spectator event of the year, the
Nationwide Series of NASCAR. Road America began setting up for NASCAR weeks ago, and continued
throughout our planning and move in. Numerous tents were set up rendering many paddock areas that
we sold less than ideal, and we did not know about these until as late as late Thursday night before the event. The needs of Road America and those of the June Sprints for the use of the facility were in
conflict and need to be addressed during the off season. We are told that the US Grand Prix F1 race has
been scheduled for Father’s Day weekend in 2012. This, and Road America’s scheduling will determine
the date for the 2012 June Sprints. We are committed to working with Road America to overcome the
obstacles we face in making both the Sprints and the Nationwide race a success for Road America and
Chicago Region.
Group 8 Race
During the race, a significant incident resulted in an early checker in the hope that everyone would be
able to complete the lap in spite of the incident. The field, under yellow after the checker without a
safety car, continued around the course. Reports from emergency services responders indicated that
cars continued past the incident at unsafe speeds. When requested by the safety team, a red flag was
displayed to freeze all moving competition vehicles. However, according to the verbal reports from
corner workers and rescue workers, seven cars were identified as having passed through multiple red
flag corners before stopping, and those seven drivers were disqualified for ignoring the red flag.
Subsequently, two drivers filed a protest their disqualification. The protests were heard individually,
and competitors provided additional evidence leading the SOM to uphold their protests and restore
their finishing positions. In light of that, the Chief Steward has asked the Chairman to review the
evidence to help identify whether the finishing positions of the other drivers who did not protest should
likewise be restored.
Decision to close the Tunnel after 9 am
On Thursday evening, the Chief Steward met with Road America’s security manager to decide on the
protocol for access to the paddock from the Kohler tunnel. Road America’s standard procedure for
spectator events is to close the tunnel to vehicles after 9am, which was implemented for the 2010 June
Sprints. This applied to all types of parking passes. The reasoning behind closing the tunnel is based on
a safety concern surrounding the large number of competitors in the turn 14 and 5b area, and the
likelihood of race car and street car congestion would be inevitable. Unfortunately, this caused an
inconvenience to some competitors, especially those paddocked close to turn 14 and 5b.
In summary, was this a perfect event – no; will there be improvements for upcoming years based on our
experiences – absolutely. We apologize for difficulties, and promise a better event next year. We look
forward to providing an outstanding racing and Club experience for all.
Sincerely,
Mike Smith
2011 June Sprints
Chief Steward

[dmathias]

Jim,
Can you cut and paste the message into this thread? I logged-in to gmail and still cannot see this.

Thanks,
Denny

[Blake Clements]

So when can we expect our entry fees back?

And no mention of the price of the gas?

[davew]

I have sent my response back to Mr Smith.

I personally, am not satisfied with his political spin.

Dave

[Mike Collins]

This was my response, I received the same letter.

Mike,

Thanks for taking the time to draft the letter. Here lies the problem, this letter along with the rest of the actions that occurred during the entire event have a single common thread. There is a complete lack of ownership of the problems. It's easy to point fingers and say that the "competitors wanted it", or "it was Road America's decision", or "the chain of command did not work", when in reality many of these problems could have been avoided if the Race Chairman and Chief Steward stepped up and made hard decisions in the best interest of the event and competitors. Instead every single person I dealt with and continue to deal with pass the buck instead of assign responsibility. I understand that there are many hurdles in an event like this and most of the folks doing the work are volunteers, but those volunteers volunteered for a leadership position, nobody made them do it. Leaders by choice or by appointment have responsibilities, with great responsibility comes great privilege. I see many enjoying the privilege and ignoring the responsibility. I will have to think long and hard about participating in another event with the same group of officials as the lack of action and nature in which the race started still resonates within me and the more I think about the more dissatisfied I become.



Mike "MEATHEAD" Collins
Founder - Partner
MEATHEADRacing
240-476-1593

Feel the Love:
www.meatheadracing.com
www.sheetz.com

[Mike Collins]

This was Mike's response, it came as soon as I sent my email. I am also including my response:

MIKE SMITH wrote:
>
> I was the Chief Steward. I am fully responsible for my actions and the actions of those that work for me.
>
> I was behind the scenes of many for the aspects, and have been for several years.
>
>
>
> Shall we place my head on the pike? If that’s what it takes to make the sport better, then so be it.
>
>
>
> MIKE SMITH
> Director of Operations


Mike that is not the case, but your letter fails to assign responsibility. You are very nobel to offer to place you head on the pike. I understand the Chicago region has and needs to maintain a relationship with the track, but at what cost? Loosing participants over the cost of fuel, sometimes people need to take a stand and the leadership of the Chicago Region failed to do that when the track gouged the competitors on the fuel price. The Operating Steward for group three should be reprimanded in some capacity publicly. Any compeitior who failed in such manner is. I really truly feel the Chicago region in good faith should refund money to 6 of those top 7 competitors. Tony passed under yellow he deserves nothing. They paid money to the club in expectation of participating in an event that would be held at a certain standard. The Club failed that standard. If you want to be responsible, if you want to lead your region, make that choice, take real ownership of it. Those competitors spent many more dollars than the entry fee, it would be a small token that would go a long way.

Mike "MEATHEAD" Collins
Founder - Partner
MEATHEADRacing
240-476-1593

Feel the Love:
www.meatheadracing.com
www.sheetz.com

[Andrew Charbonneau]

ok so spike a head on a pole hmmm no one makes mistakes .

but drivers are called to take abuse from officials and have to live with it and pay. who will pay on behalf of drivers and the unwritten rule of the gcr

i want heads

my my pitty rule your soul for you unforgiven few who do not play by the rules

andrew von charbonneau

biatches ps its time for the otherside to pay

[Andrew Charbonneau]

[Andrew Charbonneau]

never though scca and lady gaga would go hand in hand

[Jim Daniels - FIG]

If we have to ask someone to do the right thing, all is already lost.

From where I sit, taking responsibility as the leader means resigning. That is all that will save the integrity of the event.

Tony, sucked for you, I would have done the same thing!

I propose we add sections to the GCR that allow the entrants to reject volunteers. At the very least, they need to be subject to points and fines just like the entrants.

I know there is no race less a worker (unless we drivers decide we don't want them, track will still take the money) but along those lines there will be no track less entrants.

We go through this time and time again, those in power think the numbers of entrants that show is their bargaining chip. Time and time again we need to remind those in power that we are not their bargaining chip.

[bizarro]

Griddy mistooky. Chair know right thing - BFA - regrid. But CS & ACS no nothing bad til too late.
Poor griddy - fine him? Methink not fix nothing. Dock his pay? Oh wait he get $0.
Best give all wronged SMs refund + free entry in 2012 Sprints.

[Jim Drago]

At the very least, they need to be subject to points and fines just like the entrants.

They are, but for some reason they are never penalized, this is a case where they should have been.
Jim

[Jim Boemler]

Same reason cops don't get tickets.

[Andrew Charbonneau]

Same reason cops don't get tickets.

ps mister clown same reason not to trust a clown you freck

[Jerry Cabe]

Same reason cops don't get tickets.

And my Coulrophobia had been getting so much better since Bernard left the forum.

[Weekend Warrior]

And my Coulrophobia had been getting so much better since Bernard left the forum.

Just be happy you don't have Phobophobia...