Pre-race Inspections?

To be or not to be???

Give me your input.....please be mindful about what you want to say and remember.....your into goes a long way!

Also.......being mindful......IF we only do safety inspections pre-race, you should expect the tech officials to be checking each and every item they feel necessary after the race comparing them to the NEETS Rule Book.

Remember if we look at as much as we can before the race it will give you a chance to fix the problem, and not get dq`ed after the race. BUT remember we are human too so if we didnt see it before the race DOES NOT MAKE IT LEGAL AFTER THE RACE !!!!!!!!!!!!! RULES ARE RULES.:wave:

Having sat in with the guys at BDR I'll simply share with you all how they work things out pre-race. I'm NOT saying, by any means, they have it right, simply using this as a suggestion to this poll.

When guys come through the tech line at BDR (pre-race), it's supposed to be ONLY a safety inspection but Mark & Harvey have very keen eyes enough to spot irregulararities to things which are controversial to the "rules" and mention it to the person who accompanies the car coming through the line. They then allow these individuals to correct things (if possible) and come back through tech. This prevents a LOT of issues post-race when drivers come through tech to collect their $$$. It also gives the driver the peace of mind to know his/her car's 100% legal (if it is internally) and he's not going to be nit picked upon (right Uncle Petey?).

This system goes pretty well but isn't fool proof. If a competitor's going to try to get away with something, they're going to do so regardless when you tech a car or how you tech it pre-race. I watched Josh teching cars pre-race a couple races ago and I have full confidence in Josh with how he's currently doing things now. Why change anything?

That is what we are trying to accomplish Jimmy....and as Rick even said it....we are human so if we miss something illegal it doesn't make it legal...

The issue we are having is directly related to the drivers arriving late issue...

When we have cars lining up on the track and more just pulling in looking to register and get teched......it creates a chance for things to be missed and important items to slip by unnoticed because we are in a rush...

If we were to change to just a pre-race SAFETY inspection and just note irregularities, it would save time and allow the late arrivals the ability to race with their irregularities rather than hassle an official to re-check something or what have you....

I am very confident in both Josh's and Rick's abilities here, but I want them to have both the chance and the ability to look at every car and take notes in the time before the race.....not during line-ups......

I like the way it is set-up now, and like the fact that the tech guys will see anything they feel is unsafe BEFORE I go out onto the track.

People coming late...that's a whole other issue with me...I honestly feel the guy revving the life out of his car engine DURING the driver's meeting should have been disqualified right there. That was ridiculous. :disgusted

Well then yeah, in THIS SITUATION I'd suggest going with BDR's plan and simply do a safety-inspection pre-race, notifying the car's companion of anything obvious you catch that will come up in post-race inspection.

I was under the impression that's all you guys were doing when I watched Josh do a couple cars in April. Please forgive MY confusion.

Please allow me to ammend my suggestion. When you get cars through tech that you've teched before, you can get away with only a top quality safety inspection pre-race. When you get obviously brand new, unraced cars for the first time (such as Bill Stockert presented to BDR tech last week), that's when you can do a typical safety inspection along with a full visual inspection of something that might have been over looked. You could also do the same for cars that are new to NEETS but have raced in other series previously. I think this would both make tech quicker as your desire, make people who desire their cars to be completely teched pre-race happy, especially if they have new cars or new cars to the series, and thus be able to at least safety tech every car entered to run in the race (including loafers).

Another thing I might want to suggest is when you announce the race (including on my site if you desire), you can post "Tech closes 1/2 hour prior to the announced start time, no cars will be permitted into the pit area once tech closes". The first competitor who shows up at the pit gate trying to come in at 2:05pm (with start time at 2:30pm) and is forced to either park in the parking lot or go home will send the message loud & clear you mean what you post and thus will instill in people to get to the track earlier.

Only suggestions, please don't take them any other way.:angel:

just wondering if the outcome of this poll is the outcome as far as inspections are conserned? if thats the case people that dont have the car 100% NEETS legal will just vote to a safty only inspection:disgusted
if thats the case, any driver can go and change something on their car after pre-race and go and race, win, and not be DQ'ed since according to what I heard in pass races there are no post race DQ's. How ever if you check for infractions pre and post then unless that driver can change that part while hes in the car after the race(which is unlickly) then theres very little ways to race with a illegal car. Im not saying inspect the cars like Sundance where they require you to remove the springs:rolleyes:. or maybe pull the head, but just over look the car. Also, the way it was handled this race, with the 5 car was great on Joe and Josh's part. Headers where found on the car after the race(how it wasnt spotted before the race is unknown, but thats not the point) and instead of just saying "yeah ok, right, a 4 cyl saturn stock with Headers, your DQ'ed, go home empty handed" It was looked into and was relized that that year and modle COULD of came factory with headers, I didnt belive Joe when he said it but I looked at the crash book at work and sure enough there was an option for headers. So what Im trying to say is...:confused:umm....well...I forget what im tryin to say, but hopfully there will be a pre- and post-race inspection or atleast a "look-over" You guys are already under the hood and looking in the trunk, why not "LOOK" not just ask questions. I got out of the car and popped the hood myself and they said "Is everything the same as last race" and I said "yea" and he said "ok, your good"...Im not saying I changed anything, but if drivers ARE going to change somthing, they're not going to say "yes I did, I have added weight bolted below the rear frame in the back, I have fuel, oil, and water addatives, and I also bored the motor out to a .030 over" theres no way of knowing if someone did these things but somethings you can tell by looking at, such as added weight, exhaust/intake, and other items.
I know Im probley going to get inspected alittle closer next race but This is just my opinion on the topic.

I have to agree with Rick on this issue. We're only human, and do make mistakes.
just because something wasn't "caught" before doesn't make it legal!!!!!!!!!
questionable parts have to be looked into!!!!!!!!
once something is found questionable it is up to the tech officials to determine if it is legal or not!!!! Not the other drivers and pit crew members or people on the forum.........
Now there are many ways of handling an issue
1. DQ--no questions asked...........
2. hey buddy, that looks a little questionable, lets talk about it.........
3. hey buddy , before we go any further,this is what we want to look at,do we need to look at it or are you going to be honest with us ????? "this ususlly works best for all involved"
4.hey buddy, we really dont like what we see, PLEASE make it disappear for next race........... if you don't you will be DQ'ed.........
5. and there are lots more ways too.
I speak from experience here, I've been racing enduros for along time, and have been on both sides of the fence here. Currently I have commited myself to race for a championship at Sundance in the Mountain Madness series. and also in my Factory stock ... We are currently building a car for my son to race at Grandview in the NEETS series. What the hell I only live 10 mins away. I was asked to help Josh and Rick tech at grandview.because I know alot about enduro cars. They do too, but it really helps with an extra pair of eyes. especially for the pre race tech when there is a line of cars.
Now the other side.... as a driver myself, yes we will exploit the grey areas, we will try to "FOOL" the tech guys. and so on. But it is their job to make sure we all race safely, and legaly !!!!!!!!!!
Now the hard part for some people, when your caught illegal, take it like a man or woman, fix the problem, come back next time and RACE ON !!!!!!!!!!!!!

MADDAWG 417-12

When we safty inspect we also tell the drivers things we see we dont like!!! We have been doing it for the last 2 races, We have even gone as far as telling drivers of our intentions for the post race tech so if they have something wrong they need to fix it!! For example I myself told several drivers on Sunday, that we would be pulling vacumm. So there was no suprise!!! We all know what the rules are, so lets learn from this and move on!!! But now everyone should know that Josh and Me are not taking anymore excuses!!! Now lets address the tech area!! My 2 rules are (1) for post race is that only the driver of any car in the top 5 and NEETS officials are the ONLY people allowed in the tech area!!!!! and from now on, if you are in the tech area looking at some one else`s car, the driver of the car you are signed in under/pitting for, WILL BE DQ`ED -NO WARNINGS!!!! (2) pre race inspection only the driver and one crew member is allowed,(THIS IS IN CASE WE FIND SOMETHING QUESTIONABLE WE CAN RELATE TO A CREW MEMBER TO FIX IT) and when the car is finished you leave tech with the car NO HANGING THERE, NO EXCEPTIONS!!

Come on! You mean I can't hang with you tech guys and talk about some of my more memorable Lapdance Greedway DQ's...................:confused:
First time I've been kicked out of a tech area before the race...........................:help:
UNCLE PETEY................:wave: :wave: :wave: :wave: :wave:

In all fairness...

Josh spoke with me regarding Timmy Pauch's car. Tim was not teched before the Ladies Race so that Mandee could get the car onto the track without holding the show up too long.... That is fine, she finished the race and pulled it right into tech. The problem was when Josh lifted the hood....he didn't have to test the vaccuum, since he saw 6 or more people get sucked under the hood with him! If that happens again, 6 or more people will be looking at going home with no points/purse....DQ.

The issue we had with Dave's car was between US and DAVE....when I got up to the tech area, there was a crowd of people, some I did not even recognize, arguing about Dave's car.... Who are they to be under Dave's hood in the tech area? Our rules clearly state what Rick has said here...NEETS Officials and the driver only! NO MORE THAN THAT.

If we have an issue, WE have the issue, not the whole pits......

For the next race there will be a clearly marked area to solve this problem. please do not cross into this area if you are not part of post race tech. because it should only be myself, my officials and the driver of the cars in the tech area.

yeah what he said , like that rule , hopin one day to make it to that area after the race

We're all waiting for you there....I'm sure we'll see you there before the end of this season!

just want to know if tech area will be by the wall critter gets stuck on!!!!!

just bustin your shoes little bro:lol::lol::lol::lol:

thanks big bro and joe im hopin to make to victory lane