I am the subject of this thread. I didn't start it and I'm not bitching about 4
DNF's.
However it is a personal best. I take ultimate responsibility behind the wheel.
What
happens is of my doing and no one elses. The course was very wet to say the
least
when I ran. It was difficult to see and I was caught up in trying to keep the
monster
tamed. After my third run which I was sure was clean I should have went over and
made sure. But at the time I was more concerned about helping another C-Mod
driver from my region get his rains on. At that point I thought it was more
important
to help someone who had a much better chance than I did to get a trophy. I just
hated to go out of it the first day of a two day event. Last year was my first
year
in Autox. Starting in C-Mod has been difficult to say the least. I've been last
alot of
times but being last this way was especially difficult.
Mike B. TLS#1
"Kelly, Katie" wrote:
> Well, in the San Francisco Region, we have someone award timing slips. I
> have NO IDEA how this whole idea got started, but I hear it caught on in
> Seattle, so it must be a good idea.
>
> Someone gets the cush job of sitting in a chair past the finish lights (we
> have strict safety requirements), and writes each competitor's time down,
> plus any pylon penalties, DNF's, whatever as announced over the PA. All
> competitors are required to stop to receive their timing slips, usually
> post-it notes. The only downside is, I STILL keep finding these nasty
> buggers, even when I swear I've got my car cleaned out. Anyway, the beauty
> is, not only is the competitor slowed down to a safe speed after the finish,
> he or she can then look at this piece of paper and say, "What? I DNF'ed? How
> could this be?" Or, if it's a good time, he or she can walk around the grid
> and gloat, maybe tape the slip to his or her shirt, casually hinting to
> others to take a looksee. Or, if the time is questionable, he or she can go
> back to the timing trailer.
>
> This also helps in instances when, perhaps, there was a mix up in the
> trailer, like when the wrong time gets put on the wrong card. Or say the
> time recorder MISSES the time. The announcer can say, "Will so and so come
> to the trailer with your timing slip?"
>
> Of course, we in the SFR SELDOM make such mistakes. That's because I've been
> banished from the trailer. But on those rare occurances, and they DO happen,
> it certainly is nice to have a back-up. And I can see, in Mr. Bultemeier's
> case, something like this would have saved him some later frustration.
>
> Anyway, my dad says that if people find out this is how it's done in SFR,
> then there's NO WAY anyone would think this is a good idea. People might
> think if they adopt this idea, they'll suddenly wear more pink, and, God
> forbid, vote democratic. Or woe the day this happens at Nationals. It's bad
> enough that they line the course. Anyway, I'd like to tell you none of this
> could happen, that your lives as known are completely safe, but I fear you
> won't believe me. Which is why I'm going to tell you I think this was
> originated somewhere in Nebraska. Some guy came out from Nebraska with this
> great idea, and we adapted it.
>
> Long live Nebraska!
>
> Over and out.
>
> Katie Kelly
> (one quarter Nebraskan, one quarter Minnesotan, one of my parents is NOT a
> native Californian, and I grew up near farm land with real cows)
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Randy Chase [SMTP:randyc2@home.com]
> > Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 1999 1:16 PM
> > To: Eric Linnhoff
> > Cc: autocross
> > Subject: Re: hypothetical ? revisited
> >
> >
> >
> > Eric Linnhoff wrote:
> > >
> > > Okay, so far most people have said that it's basically up to the driver
> > > to check their own times after each run. I can buy that. Keep in mind
> > > that this didn't happen to me but since this was my first "big" event I
> > > wasn't even aware that "official" times were posted anywhere other than
> > > on the chalkboard of the worker by the finish lights after each run.
> >
> > In many events, there is not enough time to check the boards anyways. At
> > the San Diego Divisional, I didn't see many people running to the
> > boards, and if they did, they would have had to run back to their cars.
> >
> > I think the point is that it is the driver's responsibility to be aware
> > of how they did, but I agree that under normal situations, I would
> > expect someone (competitors, friends, kindly strangers) to let me know I
> > was DNFing the same spot.
> >
> > Again, I think the PA announcer should mention the DNF and the board
> > should have a time/DNF written on it. Just about every event I have
> > seen, the announcer has taken the responsibility to ask someone to talk
> > to the driver and tell them where the DNF was.
> >
> >
> > > Thats pretty bad if you ask me. There are also common courtesy and
> > > respect issues to be dealt with here.
> >
> > Yep. If no one told me, perhaps everyone assumed that someone else did.
> > Or perhaps some introspection is in order by the driver to see why no
> > one cared enough to help, after the he/she DNFed all 4 runs.
> >
> >
> > Come on folks, we're not fighting
> > > for money. Bragging rights and maybe a nice piece of walnut to hang on
> > > the wall is our prize. What price are we willing to pay for that small
> > > piece of wood?
> >
> > Well, some folks are running for money at a Divisional. And obviously
> > it's not the wood. It's what the wood represents, and we do put a lot of
> > money and time into that quest.
> >
> > Randy Chase "...Got Wood?" 8-P
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