856 replies to this topic

[Danny Steyn]

Congrats to all the drivers that raced this year's runoffs. Wish I could have been there with you. A special congrats to the podium finishers, and Drennan in particular. As I commented many months ago, he has been pursuing this event as a man on a mission. I hope all drivers pass through tech with flying colors.

 

I also applaud Will for the protest. If you are unhappy with something, you need to speak out. So many of us whine and complain and do nothing to remedy the issue that ails us, and even worse, several have departed this class out of frustration without ever having tried to do something about it. Now here is someone doing something, and he deserves our respect. We will obviously soon find out if his protest has merit, and we will also see how the SCCA is going to rule on this. Either way this will be good for our class and will potentially tighten up another gray area exploit.

 

Thanks to Jim and Craig for the race reports, and sorry to see Joey exit that way. Not sure what happened to Charlie. Race coverage was great and I had Kim drive the van to the Keys while I watched on the iPad. Just wish Andrew and Brian could have got to Drennan's bumper and made it a race for first, but the race for 2nd, 3rd and 4th was just epic!! Thanks for the entertainment guys. Good hard clean racing. 

[Bench Racer]

So quite, you can hear a pin drop.

 

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=wBa6VlWUBg0

[Amy M]

Does anyone know if they are going to have the video up for repeat viewing?  Was slammed with work and customers starting on lap 2.  I basically saw the dive bomb into the corkscrew, some real crazy action into turn one with positions 2-4, and some tyler/drago action.

 

 

 

Anyone have an answer to this yet?  Wondering where folks can stream the SM race if they missed it.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

I respect will for protesting... However he should have protested himself or offered to tear it down for the ones he protested. Makes me wonder what he is hiding that he doesn't want anyone to see???? If you are gonna call others out be sure all your warts are cleaned up.

[Bruce Wilson]

The counter attack of Will's character is not right.  When did it become the norm for somebody to protest themselves? Yesterday??

 

Kangaroo court is in session again

[James York]

The counter attack of Will's character is not right.  When did it become the norm for somebody to protest themselves? Yesterday??

 

Kangaroo court is in session again 

 

It's typically to avoid looking like you are going on a witch hunt and fishing with hopes of a DQ when you protest the top 9 cars to include ones self.  If the protest involved just 1 one car, I view that as not needed.  

 

But in my view, it is gentlemanly to protest yourself when you throw a net out across 25% of the field.

 

So his reluctance to accept Mike's offer is being received poorly, right or wrong.  But perception and opinion carry a lot of weight in this world.

 

Just my opinion for what that is worth.

[Sacslider]

I don't have an opinion on Will's protest either way, but I am curious as why he decided to wait until Thursday qual without saying a word about it before. This was not a spur of the moment decision. I am sure sure he and those helping him fund this ($1400 per car) had this planned. Why keep it a secret? Most of the enigines in the top of the field were marked and sealed Tuesday anyway.

[Danny Steyn]

Anyone have an answer to this yet? Wondering where folks can stream the SM race if they missed it.

When GoracingTV covered the event they loaded the video to their website several months later. Last year SpeedcastTV loaded the race to their YouTube channel within a month.

[Mike Collins]

When Will and I talked I shared with him that I supported his protest and had no reservations about using the process to define the current state of engine building. We just differed in opinion on offering his own car up to the same level of scrutiny.

[Ron Alan]

To those who question the merit of the protest...100% guarantee it was not filed based on speculation! As was the protest filed in Florida...
As I mentioned in an earlier post, the issue at hand was publicly brought up. Any builder who recognized the question at hand more than likely was smart enough to remedy this prior to this weekend. As were those who also made corrections to potential compression issues.

There have been some ugly comments directed at Will...both to his face and behind his back in the paddock. It's to bad this crew member of a certain team had to show his true colors. Doesn't speak well to/of his team.

[James York]

To those who question the merit of the protest...100% guarantee it was not filed based on speculation! 

 

So if I understand you correctly, it is KNOWN that all the protested cars are illegal?  Somebody has some skills, they need to work Tech.

[Ron Alan]

Will absolutely did agree to pull his head when the same bond was posted for him. That did not happen!

[Ron Alan]

So if I understand you correctly, it is KNOWN that all the protested cars are illegal?  Somebody has some skills, they need to work Tech.

To clarify...(thou I would think it was understood)no idea if motors that showed up had the issue being looked for. It is KNOWN to have or is being done in some SM motors.

[powerss]

I felt the need to post to support Will as he is just a figure head and should not bear the brunt of this.

My opinion is that the process was followed and it cost a lot of money to to do. So I have to support what was done.
My hope is that everyone is comes out ok but I also hope that the protesters are satisfied with the results.

[Ron Alan]

Top 3 drivers have been called in

[James York]

To clarify...(thou I would think it was understood)no idea if motors that showed up had the issue being looked for. It is KNOWN to have or is being done in some SM motors.

 

Ahh, so KNOWN cheats (like the hundred others in SM we all know about) but it was speculation that any of the cars protested were utilizing such.  Figured as much.

[Bad Rusty]

Really not sure what stans auto center, truck tire and biscuits and gravy has to do with this, but from our plane this protest was completely legit. Where ( or is it were) does the plunge cut end? It says 90 degrees, but what about "normal machining" practices? I really don't care, I'm old, slow, and a B+ driver, but if you get caught cheating, your a cheater!

[James York]

Really not sure what stans auto center, truck tire and biscuits and gravy has to do with this, but from our plane this protest was completely legit. Where ( or is it were) does the plunge cut end? It says 90 degrees, but what about "normal machining" practices? I really don't care, I'm old, slow, and a B+ driver, but if you get caught cheating, your a cheater!

 

Since you appear to address me:

 

Where in the world did I say the protest is not legal?  Is reading a lost art in this country now?

 

I have not taken any side in this and I absolutely have no issue with anyone utilizing the processes the SCCA has established to protest anyone on speculation of cheating.  That is the purpose of the process.  The entire field at the Runoffs can be protested for all I care, in fact, I applaud those that take the time and put the $$ where their mouth is.

 

I have only made two points:  1) Protesting a large number of folks can be PERCEIVED by others as a which hunt and to alleviate such, I have seen the protester include himself to set the bar, and 2) All protest are SPECULATION of cheating (or at least most are unless it's something so obvious that can be seen or detected by looking)

 

That is all.  No more no less.  Those protested may have illegal motors, I don't know and it doesn't impact me one way or the other.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

I made no comments about wills character.

I simply said what he did make me wonder what is under his hood...

Had I made that protest i would have insisted my car be inspected for the same issues period amen!

[mmcspecracer]

A couple of thoughts. I applaud Schrader for protesting. Those that are attacking him for not volunteering to strip down his engine completely miss the point - this is not about Schrader. Its about the rules. Those attacking him are just trying to hide the ball and change the focus.next, its Highly doubtful that this is a witch hunt. Who is going to put up 15k and lose it on a witch hunt? Thats the point of posting a bond, it keeps the speculation in check. The much more likely scenario is that he and the others behind the protest know to almost a certainty that the cars they are protesting are non compliant. If they are cheating, it will be a travesty if the SCCA doesnt disqualify them. Conversely, the SCCA does not want a mass DQ in its most popular class. Going to be interesting.