One Less Car

[RickFigure8]

As it stands right now Tom is parking the 8 car. The steering broke on the car saturday night and where the car ended up was all the cars doing. It was only a few feet outside the white line and Tom felt he deserved a caution for safety reasons. Jim Maggio was right there and when Tom motioned to him for a caution and all he did was shake his head no. Plus what broke on the car we could have fixed in 20 seconds and he could have continued racing. Tom considers letting him sit in that spot and not calling for a caution was very disrespectful on the part of Jim Maggio. It would have been a very quick caution. Nothing to clean up, the cars were basically running single file. I know it was only the second week but we were in second place in the points. There's a few other things that had already had Tom unhappy, two being the tires we are on, that are worse than the ones we already didn't like, and this has nothing to do with the new tire dealers, the tire choice was not theirs, and the fact that we are parked as far back in the pits as you can get even though we've been there every year. Tom asked me to post this and he's pretty much dead set on this decision.

Rick

[Turbo]

Are they trying to do this to save time??? I heard it happened in the truck race with the 95 truck being just below the line and in fact almost got creamed by another truck spinning and just missing her!! Do we have to get someone injured before we start throwing the yellow again! THROW THE YELLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

[Tower Man]

I am sorry to see this. A man who has supported not only Riverhead, but Islip as well. Over 30 years driving. Three Championships, 4th on the all time Figure 8 win list.There is no respect here. I cannot believe this is happening. It was supposed to be better.

Yes, the 95 SPT was sitting in a dangerous spot as well. Yet no caution.

I won't even go into the scoring discrepancies I had to deal with, only to be told and I quote, "...I have told the figure 8 drivers in the past that I will not score a car that goes in and out of a race..."

The last time I read the rule book it stated you get scored for every lap completed.

TK you will be missed

[D & K]

I showed you the score sheets and you saw that your car was scored. It's not my problem that your car only went over the start finish line 5 times. You should know that I play a fair game with everyone. I have nothing against anyone on that track. I score everyone fair and equal (No matter who you are!!) (Or think you are!)

[jeffrey]

but i hear around the track .it my not be true.but they are thinken on getting rid of the figure eights.and chargers.next year.like i said may not be true.but tom.back at islip.you raced there did the flag always get thrown when a car was down in the middle of the X.no you had to drive around it.and if you go to other tracks around hear.some don't even let you back out on the track if you breakdown and can be fixed before the green comes back out.thats it your done for the night.so tom just think this could be the last year for the figure eights.really sorry to see you go .you are one of the greats.

[LongIslandJam]

Jeffrey,

To clear up any misconceptions, currently there are no plans to nix any divisions. However, Riverhead will always evaluate their divisions and see what's the best in the interest of the racetrack and the racing community.

[RACENUT]

I Like To See The Officials Not Wave The Yellow Flag When Someone Stops At The Edge Of The Track To Deliberately Bring Out The Yellow.

[rydogg97]

the yellow should be thrown at any time there are cars in harms way whether intentional or not!!and to jeffrey any time you hear a rumor KEEP IT TO YOURSELF!!!its seems that you enjoy stirring the pot to keep it nice!!

[fisherman]

same old stuff till someone gets hurt bad. same thing happened to me 10 yrs ago

[Fkraft99]

racenut just to clear one thing up, it wasnt a deliberate move to draw a caution. the steering wheel was virtually sitting in his lap, and wasnt working so he had no control of where the car was going. he was lucky to get the car stopped before it got to the concrete barriers.


the yellow flag isnt his main gripe though. its the lack of respect he recieved from some of the officials at the track. For one since the 1980's he was parked in the middle row 3 spots from the end next to Fred Harbach for most of those years. And when Fred retired i believe it was Chris Young. Now i understand they "need" to clear those spots to impound cars. but with those spots cleared the guys that used to park there seem to be just on the other side of the scales. ( ie chris young, john fortin) meanwhile dad is deep in the back by the fence. now hes been racing at riverhead for 23 years longer then probably 90% of the pit area yet hes in one of the worst spots??? i have to agree with him that its a lack of respect.

and when he voiced his displeasure with the track, and threatened to stay home, he was basically told go ahead and stay home. thats one hell of a way to keep the track alive. kind of makes me glad i only have to go there a handful of times this year.

[The Bullfather]

Also when Erin was stopped by turn 4, the truck stayed there till the tow truck came and got it! I understand the problem of drivers bringing out the yellow on purpose, it happens at every track! But both occassions this week both drivers weren't sitting in the infeild close enough the the action on purpose. I was suprised myself the yellow wasn't brought out for both occassions. Erin was close the the racing action coming off turn 4 and one truck spun right next to her! The Kraft incident, it seemed wierd how the car came off (figure-8 course) turn 4 and almost headed straight into the barriers, only to stop short of hitting them. I thought the situtation could have brought out a yellow to make sure Kraft's safety was alright. It's rough and tough being an official one persons happy the next guy is not! Sad to see T.K. leave when this division needs him most! Enjoy life Tommy, I'll miss talking with ya every week at the track.

[randomrodder]

There's that slippery slope again.

[RickFigure8]

Just to Racenut, Tom never stops on the track to bring out a caution on purpose. Both him and I are dead set against that. My feelings have always been that anyone who stops and sits till the caution comes out and then drives away should automatically be at least a lap down. If you watched the truck race last week Tom got a flat and pulled into the infield.

[Turbo]

If they bring out the yellow on purpose they gotta get docked a lap or some sort of penalty thats all!! Like if they have a flat then stop on the track, they throw the yellow and they drive away.. that should be automatically 1 lap penalty because we know they have a flat and they brought the yellow out on purpose, Obviously

[RACENUT]

Rick, I Wasn't Talking About Tom Or Any Specific Driver, I Just Hate It Also When A Driver Stops On The Track To Intentionally Bring Out The Yellow. I Guess That Is What The Officials Thought Was Going On Though.