Ok...welcome everyone to a very long post...get your readin' glasses ready!
Before I start off with what needs to be said, I want to thank you all for asking this question...just kidding...I can't wait for this election to be over! Seriously, I am starting this post to announce something relevant to the upcoming race and possibly the future of NEETS racing 'conditions'. I want everyone who posts here to stay calm and collected in your responses, please no CAPS LOCK or big typing...the bigger the type is does not make a difference to me here and now...
To the drivers: If you have a response or want to add anything, please do so with respect to EVERYONE who will be reading this and not just who you support here...
To the crew members: Please don't feel that you do not have a voice here, we want to hear everyone, but remember the same rules apply to you as well.
And finally, the NEETS officials: Keep checking this post over the next few days or so and see if anything regarding your expertise comes up so that you can answer it... i.e. an in-depth tech question is best answered by Josh, not me.
And so, without any further ado...
Will NEETS move the cars from the track?
Yes AND No
First of all, enduro racing means endurance. When you build your car to race an endurance race, you are expected to have built that car to certain standards that will protect you while you are on the track. When you arrive at the track, ready to race an endurance race, you are expected to know what you are getting into. You are not about to run around in bumper cars, the cars on the track are FULL-SIZED vehicles. Although bumping and wrecking other cars is not the intention of the race, it is to be expected. It comes with the sport, period. You wouldn't go on a roller coaster and get mad if it makes you sick...you got on it by yourself and you decided to eat before you got on...
A NEETS Enduro is a style of racing in its own. You should expect to run with a multitude of cars on the track at one time. You should expect to see carnage...maybe even expect to be a part of the carnage. You should expect there to be some hard hits...some cars completely wrecked...some cars worth saving for the next race...some cars that make your car hurt just by looking at them! Enduro racing is only a step up from a rolling demo derby.
We do not promote intentional hitting...we have and will again throw a black flag at a competitor who is driving extremely rough. Rubbing is racing, it's an enduro there will be some rough riding, there will always be carnage. An enduro with no carnage will not draw attention of fans and the like...
So, will we move the cars? Yes and no...
The question is not simply answered by saying yes, move all the cars, or no, leave them where they lie.
The truth is, we will play it by ear...BUT, our guidelines will be as follows though:
1. If a car is high/low on the track, facing the right direction: it will stay there, we won't throw a red to remove the driver if they are high/low enough to be out of the groove.
2. If a car is sideways:
a. Sideways and high - it will probably stay there depending on how high and sideways it is and how high traffic is riding. Driver's side facing traffic will result in a red flag, driver removed, car in neutral.
b. Sideways and low - quite similar to the car being high...may need to be pushed straight though.
c. Sideways and IN THE GROOVE - Red flag, driver out, straighten the car...it stays!
3. If a car dies in the groove faced in the right direction:
a. going into a turn (end of a straightaway)- red flag, driver out, push the car low. Why? Cars move the fastest after barreling down the straights.
b. coming out of the turn (beginning of a straightaway)- it will stay until it is hit into a worse situation and needs to be moved or driver needs to get out.
4. If a car dies facing traffic: it will be depending on location and how the cars are running on the track.
5. If a car rolls:
a. INSTANT RED FLAG. Driver must be removed and checked by EMTs. If the driver is ok and the car (on 4 wheels) can start under it's own power, the driver will be allowed to keep running, but the race will start with the car in it's landing position...no pitting under REDS!
b. if the car is dead, it will be left there, pushed aside if deemed appropriate by one of the above rules.
c. CREW AND FAMILY, PLEASE DO NOT RUSH ONTO THE TRACK...We have EMTs there for a reason and they need room to work...one person/crew member come out onto the track but please do not get in the EMTs way.
Also to be noted as rules/guidelines...(issues from the last race)
If there is a VERY hard hit, either car-wall or car-car:
a. RED FLAG.
b. depending on if the car can run or not, you may finish the race but you can't have help from officials to get the car started.
c. if it is dead, the above rules will apply.
Waving your hands:
If your car dies and you are stuck on the track and you wave your hands to get out...we will throw a red if you are close to the groove and get you out...that car stays.
If you wave your hands during a red flag and we don't see you...we can't do anything about that we will not throw another red. If the race is red flagged and you want out...get out and get off the track...the car is not moving.
Fire:
If there is a fire:
a. if you pull off the track: GET OUT and GET AWAY...fire crew and officials will work to put the fire out. Once out, a NEETS official will determine if you can resume racing or not...no work/pit work other than extinguishing the fire can be done to the car.
b. if you do NOT pull off the track: Red flag, driver out, car is dead, above rules apply, period.
Pitting:
If you pit, you can work on the car.
If you pull into the infield and get out of your car...YOU ARE DONE! THERE IS NO INFIELD PITTING...DO NOT GET BACK IN YOUR CAR AND TRY TO FINISH THE RACE. We will stop scoring you and you will be removed from the track, via black flag.
End of the day:
Do not leave a dead car at Grandview Speedway without making an arrangement with BOTH NEETS OFFICIALS AND GRANDVIEW SPEEDWAY OFFICIALS FIRST!
Any cars left, dead or not, without prior arrangements made will become property of NEETS.
OK...that is that...
Again, we are going to have to play it by ear...there might not even be a need to throw a red flag... We are concerned with safety, but remember, plain and simple, this is an enduro...endurance racing. If the track gets blocked and it turns into obstacle racing...slow yourself up and drive with the flow, don't be the guy who hits a parked dead car that is not even in the groove because you lost control doing something foolish. Every driver out there is smart enough to know when enough is enough...pay attention to what is out there and keep your cool and you will pull through the race without having to worry about why we left a dead car there.
As we all know...and I hate to say this, but...the winner never gets out and complains about what was wrong with the race. If you are going to complain about everything that went wrong for you, you won't be having much fun...if you aren't having fun...then your hobby may have turned into a job. I wouldn't want my hobby to turn into work...enjoy doing what you do! Do it with pride and make sure you are having fun! We want everyone to have fun out there and I hate to pile on rules like this, but we are worried about safety, regardless of what some people think...we leave the cars because that is part of the sport. You came to race in this sport and we want you to have the most fulfilled experience possible...not just an enduro taste!
We are not here to run a factory stock race...there are no yellow flags...cars will be left on the track...there will be carnage. This is the sport and we do not intend to change it. We have conceded to move some cars based on the car counts...if we have 60+ cars in a race, we would not move the cars because the amount of traffic alone would slow up the race enough to allow for full-on enduro racing.
If you want to respond to this post, please do so with respect and patience and you will be heard and answered. If you (meaning anyone) rant and rave, no one will listen and nothing will change.
Matt and I make the calls on the track. Matt has more restraint that I do for keeping the enduro spirit true and when he makes a call that I am biased on, I respect his decision...and vice versa. When I am talking photos in the infield, if there is something I cannot see...well, that is why Matt is perched up in the flag stand... If there is something a flagger sees that Matt cannot...etc. We work together as a team and the decisions we make are final. Matt will not make a decision for me. Josh will not make a decision for Matt. I will not make a decision for Cindy. We make the decision together and one call is made. We may fight over each other, but the voice of reason will prevail and a call will be made. The call will be official and final regarding anything that may happen out there.
Lastly...
Transponders...are they more important than the drivers? No...they are not. We will remove them from the car if it is dead on the track, but if you prefer us to leave them in the dead cars we can do that...when you register and rent your transponder unit...please place an addition $450 deposit on top of your rental fee...(unit alone is $420 + rush shipping). Just specify to us that the unit must stay in the car. Deposit is non-refundable. I personally borrow the units from someone who is kind enough to lend us almost $20,000 worth of transponders...his only request is to remove them from any dead cars so nothing can happen...I don't think that is too much to ask for, but if you feel otherwise...we will be accepting deposits...fair enough? NEETS does not profit from the rental of transponder units.
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amen
Safe Racing is the key
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