Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry Cain
I question why anything else was checked. The protester protested the crank. Everything else should not have been checked.
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If the protest was concerning the Crank (and the crank is inspected & checks legal), then the money paid as a protest fee, should instantly go to the party being protested. (But, that should, and will probably, only be the end of the protest). Their $750.00 (or whatever the protest fee required at the time is, that was posted and paid to NHRA before the teardown), should then be paid to the legal contestant. (They passed that test).
As far as the balance of the teardown, if you are in the barn, and are submitting to the teardown (everyone signs the same documents, and waivers, promises, and has the same rulebook, all prior to entering a race and paying entry fees, though may have differing combos and specs), and each has the right to submit or decline to the teardown...as nobody is held hostage, (and also pay the consequences if the latter is chosen), but once you have entered that barn...If NHRA wants to cc the head, or weigh a rotating assembly, check the intake, etc...It is their right to do so at that point.
You are submitting to an NHRA Inspection we all knew, and agreed to, in advance & at any time (in accordance with the PRINTED rules of course in effect at that particular time, as they are amended often), just like there are separate rules for a protest (with posted fee requirements...when, where, how, etc.), vs a random pullout inspection.
So, unless they amend the rules (in the protest section to reflect "just the protested item will be inspected"), then I think you would be hard pressed to get away with saying no when asked for a head, rotating assembly or anything else. I'm Just saying.
The issue I am hearing (or understanding by just the thread convo so far , as I was not at Indy, so I have ZERO First Hand Knowledge), is that nobody knows who the protester was, and they get to remain anonymous, and they only protested the deepest part of the package (the crank), it may have been retribution, hurt feelings, and the most concerning part...Someone who may not even have been present at the event? And more...
I don't know if my feelings would go so far as to say (both need to tear down), as the protester already (even with deep wallets around), has posted a fee that he risks losing.
But ,if we are just suggesting and discussing things here, I would love to see it amended to read that the protester must also report to the barn and not leave until the protested part(s) are inspected and ruled upon (and if the contestant is declared illegal, he protester may leave the barn with his protest fee in hand, but if legal, the protested competitor gains the fee, and the protester must remain in the barn until that vehicle is fully buttoned up, loaded up and the vehicle, driver, crew, and tools all drive off.
And the NHRA Techs then alone with them get to nod, OK (you made us all stay up for nothing, and lost the protest fee, so you can go now, have a nice evening).
Sorry, not sorry, but I think that would just be more fitting, and so he/she loses just the same amount of sleep as everyone else, and stop any crazy advantage the next morning. Just my 2 cents.