The Compulink AUTO START System once armed to :ON

[JP1738]

Found this too. It could be grounds for justification of the decision that was made by your DD:

"The practice referred to as “deep staging” is prohibited in the
Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, and Super Street
categories (permitted in all other categories). Both pre-stage and
stage lights must be activated to constitute a legal start in those
categories."

In race procedures. Your guy never lit both stage bulbs so it was not a legal start and therefore not a legit run. At least that's how I'm reading it.

[Cglrcng]

Exactly JP, but only because the institution of the Compulink Auto Start System was never even actually added to the Rules Section 2 "Race Procedures" at all (so our race reality), does not at all match the rules. That is the issue I am pointing out, and will now work to get corrected.

If you take that situation at face value (then the racer has not completed the pass but did make the qualifying attempt by pre-staging, proven by the red timeout and the Qualifying Attemp, should be listed on the Qualifying sheet as an incomplete pass. Other rules there...an incomplete pass is awarded a 28:00 seconds, then said entry is allowed (if they can get that broke car fixed), to make Q2 (in our case was also Class race C1), to improve their Qualifying position.

That would have left the entry on the class pairing sheet and 2 entries in EF/S, and if that entry does not report for Q2, also C1 in our case, I go for the.Bye in C1. And that leaves 5 cars in the Auto Combo, and Mr. Snow has a bye in C1 (as he was fastest of the 5 in Q1). (I do not blame the Division Director, I blame the lack of the rules being corrected yet, for the rules on the real conditions we race under not even including the Compulink Sure Start System. Which pushes the D.D. in this case into making a series of decisions (adding a human element into the scenario that should not exist, because if the rules reflected reality he would not need to ever make those decisions).

The fact that the system is not reflected, is the real issue.

Since the rules were never corrected or amended, the D.D. then makes a decision, his decision at the race (according to the other competitor was to NOT ALLOW THE WITHDRAWAL), but, on the sheets his entry was withdrawn (later to be withdrawn after the race as far as points assigned, and after the Tuesday evening we both e-mailed the D.D.).

If the rules of Race Proceedures was up to date, those corrections and decisions are never made, and at least 1 of the 2 EF/S entries goes home with a trophy, the D.D. needs not make any decions, or go back and fix any errors, the 2 of us may have attempted to fix his car because he would have been on the Qualifying sheet (albeit at over index 28:00 seconds or 10.25 over his 17.75 Index), one of the reasons he chose not to attempt the fix, is he knew by the current reading (even though he raced there the 2 days before, it was a new race, race 2 of a double, and he had no Qualifying Time yet in race 2, and we could get the Trans out in 2 hrs., not complete it in 3, but had all day and night to get him fixed by E1 the next morning.

So, he chose to request the withdrawn entry. That it was denied, yet they withdraw the entry from the Class pushing me into the Auto Combo was a highly damaging (at least to our Class), decision.

You can never really go back later and repair all the damages caused by bad rules. So, to avoid that...just fix the rules to reflect the system is being used in Section 2, Race Proceedures! Late action is better than never as the situation is bound to happen again. And that keeps our D.D.'s from making any decisions to address when it does happen. Once that Compulink Auto Switch is thrown to :ON, the rules would be clear...any incomplete passes are assigned the 28:second, and the paid entries, are qualified once received that Starters go signal (throwing the switch), and the drivers pre-staging the entry. (Because that is the true reality we all race under).

We no longer really race under the Staging, and Starter Go signal process (in that order anymore at least), as the rules currently state. (The specific rule you pointed out). It is impossible to achieve fairness, because that does not match reality anymore. The game changed, change the rules to match and reflect the game. (We really race Starter Go signal arming, prestage, competitors attempt to stage or not, fail to stage and time outs, foul outs possible. All would be incomplete or completed attempts.

The added starting system element was added 15 yrs ago, but the rules never even mention it was. The fix is simple, UPDATE THE RULES, FIX THE PROBLEM. it isn't rocket science.

The simple fix, keeps the human element from getting forced to make decisions, and returns it to cut and dried honest rules deciding, and keeps D.D.'s from making bad decisions on the fly at the events. Win for them, win for us, win all the way around. you make a qualifying attempt and you at least get to pre-staged the pair or single position and break your vehicle in Q1, you have time to fix it and show up for Q2/C1 (or Q3 if there is 1, there was not in our equation this particular race), or E1.

As bad as things were, if the rules read correctly (we could have fixed his car before morning E1 (no way before Q2/C1), and that I am sure of). Plenty of parts suppliers in Vegas, and I had a storage unit loaded w/ parts 8 miles away, just not an A-413 spare carrier/case. But the full knowledge and know how (books), to do so in about 5 hrs out/in. Plus securing the parts we needed once out and carrier disassembled.

He made the Q1 attemp (the tree in the video shows him red light timed out and still pre-staged at the point Mr. Farmer was completing his Q1 pass and they begin pushinghim back), but the existing fantasy racing rules, did not place him in the qualified to race E1 field.

The really sad part, was denying him the withdrawal, then taking him off the paired C2/C1 sheet and out of the EF/S class (effectively out of the category at that moment as a paid entry after the denial), and the aftermath snowballed into a sad situation for both of us, for the Class, and the category. Worst of all, for the Division Director, who later had to backtrack, long after the race. Not a good look (though I respect that he fixed something), took action, necessary action later, and fixed something. He was in a tough position because of the rules not reflecting our racing reality currently.

[Cglrcng]

JP, thanks brother I don't feel so alone on the bridge anymore, change is always hard, and forcing needed change (that has been needed for 15 years, and never accomplished my life experience so far, has told me, even that much harder), this thread so far has nearly 5,000 views, we just need a few more that agree, and as many as possible who may disagree to debate the whys, both sides make their opinions known, and present our views together to the powers that be to take action.

Change is easier to address after it is debated fully, and an interested group pushes for it. But, if we delay too long, it will happen to others, and once entrenched longer than 15 years, it is harder to get accomplished.

I appreciate you taking the time brother to read the novel and parse it out honestly and respond. Leaving first is really not that hard, as long as the tree shows green on your side. .000, dead on, first or last leaving, go get em.

Thx again for participating!