Robbery At Riverhead Raceway; Tommy Walkowiak DQ'ed

[leah28racing]

It Was A Great Race On Sat Until The Finish When Tommy 00 Clinched The Championship,until Minutes Later When Tommy Had The Excitement Of Winning The Championship As It Was Ripped Out From Underneath Him.

He Was Sent To The Rear For Rough Riding .but As I Saw It ,it Was Racing .no One Was Dumped.there Is Bumping In Racing As Far As I Know.

Tommy Is A Great Guy. hes Come A Long Way In This Division. It Was So Dissappointing To Alot Of Fans That THEIR Most Popular Driver Was Penalized Over Gaining A Position To Win The Championship.

Family ,fans And Friends That Were There On Saturday Know Deep In There Hearts That Tommy Did Win The Championship No Matter What The Outcome Is Next Week

[unowho243]

Does he still have a shot at the title or is that the end of the road for Tommy?

[LongIslandJam]

Still had a good shot at the title...

http://www.longislandjam.com/divisio...d=getStandings

[BBWIFE]

Leah....ya beat me to it...
I was 1100 hundred miles away and I could smell the B***S*** all the way down here! I am so glad I was not there to witness such a display. Yes Leah, there is bumping in racing and I have seen guys do a whole lot worse and have nothing happen to them. It's a sad, sad day when you have someone so involved with the track get the rug pulled out from under him for someone's interpretation of a clean or dirty pass, and yet I am so not surprised by the outcome of last night, politics are politics and that will NEVER change , it's just especially disheartening when someone has run as well as Tommy has this season.
Tommy is and will always be the 2006 champion in my eyes (and many, many others) regardless of the outcome on the 16th. I only hope that Tommy rebounds in classic Tommy style, and takes down the win !!

I was pleasantly surprised this evening when I spoke to Tommy and he told me he won most popular driver.....little consolation to clinching his championship, I know....But at least his fans appreciate him and what he does at that racetrack.

[Golf Guy]

The unfortunate part is Tommy had many family and friends in attendance to watch him and celebrate with him. If you watch the video (and I have a few times), there really is nothing to warrant the penalty served. I know my opinion can be considered a biased one, as I help sponsor Tommy, but if you watched the Mod & LM race, there was a lot more "rough" riding than anything in the BB race (was anyone sent to the rear?)

[unowho243]

Yes in the LM race the 91 was sent to the rear for rough riding.

[unowho243]

I happen to think Tommy is a great driver. I've talked to him a few times and he is a very nice guy and yes, I feel he was robbed also. But on the other hand, I can remember people complaining on how he never used to get black flagged for using his bumper too much. So the officials are in a darned if you do, darned if you don't sorta deal on this one. But like I said, I think that Tommy Got robbed last night.

[allhailunc]

And they wonder why drivers don't come back . But then again, that's Riverwreck.

[Tracy87BB]

I happen to think Tommy is a great driver. Ive talked to him a few times and is a very nice guy and Yes i feel he was robbed also. But on the other hand i can remember people complaining on how he never used to get black flagged for using his bumper to much. So the officials are in a Damned if you do damned if you dont sorta deal on this one.

Tommy and the black flag may have needed some more time together in the past, but you can't use what people have said about Tommy in years past overshadow the performance he has given this season. If the officials should have thrown the black flag on him more in 2004 or 2005, so be it. I was not at the track this past weekend, so I don't know what actually happened, but I do know that in the few times I made it out to the track this year, it has been an entirely different Tommy Walkowiak out on the track - more patient, more precise and more in control than I have ever witnessed. I'm not trying to say he's an angel by any means - any time you get 25 drivers out on a small track all with the same goal in mind, there's bound to be some pushing, bumping or other contact - but he's not the same overaggressive, impatient Tommy we've all witnessed on occasion in the past. No matter the outcome this weekend, Tommy has put on a heck of a show this season. Congratulations, Tommy...it's a season to be proud of.

[Wheel Racing]

[I]... But on the other hand i can remember people complaining on how he never used to get black flagged for using his bumper to much. .. - but he's not the same over agressive, impatient Tommy we've all witnessed on occasion in the past

I didn't see the "infraction" in question here, but I do remember that we used to have drivers meetings at this time of the year urging other drivers to give the "point contenders" a little "room". I have to admit that Tommy used to drive me crazy with his agressive driving in the past, but this season I haven't seen anything that would warrant a penalty. Tommy has had a dream season and been on the scales (top 3) almost every week. He has really come in to his own as a driver and competitor this season and has really earned the championship. I am sure everything will be fine once the dust settles this week, but I think Tommy may have been penalized for previous history, instead of what happened in this race. It's hard to believe that the guys contending for points, let alone the point leader, are not afforded a little more lee-way. Message Received.

[art11758]

Ummmm I'm just gonna put this out here. Two seasons ago a points leader was sent to the final finishing position for a blatant bump on the cool down lap about this point in the season. Cost him a championship, some sponsorship, and a lot of respect (in my eyes anyhow). I was not present for either of these "infractions", so I have only second hand information to relate the situations. Both drivers were/are "aggressive" in my eyes and it's one of those situations that I feel if you live by the sword, you die by the sword. As always, this is all Just My Opinion.

[KickItUp]

Well, I think it was wrong, and an intentional move to either try to lose him the championship, due to maybe his past issues over the years, or they just didn't want next week's race to lose it's drama by it being clinched early.. Either way, wrong.. First off, what he did was not even nearly as bad as I have seen done in that division tons of time by other drivers all season long! I mean, wow.. Sepe is always getting spun out and wrecked, even when he is running good.. And Sepe will move out of the way when he knows he can't hold on any longer.. Yet they wreck him, and none of those guys get DQ'd.. And not just Sepe.. I have seen a few of the more popular drivers, week after week, blatantly push drivers out of the way rather than race them.. They never even get a blink of an eye from officials.. And this week, they DQ the point leader.. I just don't get it.. A few weeks ago in the LM's, the point leader took out another point contender! And he went on to keep his finishing position, while the guy he dumped lost a lot of points and lost his chances at a championship.. Nothing was done then.. It's just mind baffling..

[BBWIFE]

[QUOTE]

, or they just didn't want next week's race to lose it's drama by it being clinched early..QUOTE]

I had that very same thought......

[fisherman]

They're trying the old break a friendship up between Tommy and Scott, make it more confronting between drivers, but anyway you look at it, Tommy will find a way to keep the title his, and keep their friendship, also.

[DAN D.]

TOMMY won the championship and its clinched, And I would NOT come back this Saturday to the track. Come on, bumping, hitting the rear bumper of a car in front of ya is not illegal at Riverhead. If I was getting bumped, hit(which I have been in that situation) Especially if it's a lead car that is going for a clinched title.. LET HIM GO!! I mean Tommy was tapping, hitting, tapping Eddie on the shoulder for more than a few laps .. Take the hint, and drop down below the white line if you have to. I know Eddie was waving Tommy to pass on the outside, and Tommy did not, so .. he got under Eddy and rubbed and passed, whatever ..Even if the officials say don't talk to anyone or say anything about the incident.. after the decision was in to move Tommy to the back.. I would have said to the officials don't you think that's a bit EXTREME, give the guy the title.. Yes, it would be different if Eddie was the second car in points and fighting for the title, but he was not. BTW, both are extremely talented drivers and I know Eddie almost 30 years and Tommy 5 years
THIS IS JUST MY OPINION. Tommy, don't show up this week YOU WON THE TITLE AND CLINCHED IT!! TAKE THE TIRE MONEY AND THROW A VICTORY PARTY-- WILD CHILD !!