Last night's Mini Stock Main event had so much damage occurring on lap 1 that it had to be near impossible to figure out who was where.

From my view, several headed for the wall and sufferred damage, merely to avoid the inevitable accident that was unfolding.  Others, trying to avoid it, hit each other.

Except for the cars with Major damage, "Cause and Collection" was NOT a factor to be considered.

The officials made the right decision by going with a full restart for every car that could safely do so.

I'd like to think that with points races winding down, some are driving more agressively, while others are protecting themselves.  Add this to the mix that the Minis are an entry level class, with some inexperienced drivers, and??? A LOT can happen.

Many of the drivers admitted to, and were somewhat embarrassed by, the length of time it took,and the yellows we brought out!

LAp 15 seemed to be endless!

One thing I DID notice after the race.  The damage to most of the non-finishers was VERY EXTENSIVE!!  It isn't often that cars come in with the brake rotor stuck in their firewalls!.  There were several, and those cars probably won't be back.

I"m also prone to blame "FULL MOON" racing, even though the MOON hadn't risen yet, and the usually wilder Factory Stocks ran a fairly clean Main Event.

The eventual winner went wire to wire, fending off challenges from ALL of the best in our class, in a car that was damaged on the first lap!

Mike Leland, AND the SMS crew of officials were ALL champs in our Mini Stock ENDURO!

well were i was standing from i seen the hole thing going on from turn 3 i seen the yellow 17 car pushing the 66 sideway's and never let up so there 1 yellow he was in then the 17 again spun in turn 2 that there he should have been parked but they let he go back out the the final yellow flag was for you guess it the yellow 17 for the 3rd time sooooo what happined to the 2 yellow flag rule . if they had stuck by that rule his car would'nt be junk he be able to race again will see. as for the 11 car he should'nt have been sent to the back he never spun or anything .

well andrew they put you to the back for no resine from what i seen he mite of hit you when he was trying to get back to the front after his flat . but you never touched him

Where to begin...

First, no one single official makes a call; it is a collaborative effort.  It is nearly impossible to watch every car on the track. We are looking at the group as a whole, as opposed to the crew/owners/family members who are watching JUST THEIR CAR. People in the STANDS have a better view because they are elevated above the level of the track, allowing for a multi dimensional view that the officials do not have. We ALSO do not have the luxury of watching the video the next day; the decisions are made then and there. It is easy to be an armchair quarterback...

So, if you are STANDING in the pits, focused on your OWN car, you will likely see things differently than the officials do.  If there is STILL confusion about the yellow flag/cause/collect rule, let me once again direct you to ASK YOUR QUESTIONS AT THE PIT MEETING!!!!! That is where the people who make the decisions are, why not ask them directly if you honestly want an answer and understand what happens and why.  

It was mind boggling on Saturday to have people screaming at the fire and safety crew, as well as security personnel.  EVERYONE is concerned for the health and safety of the racers on the track. It might help to explain what happens after a wreck.  The appropriate personnel are sent to the wreck, and the driver is assessed FIRST.  While this takes place, there is radio silence.  We ALL want to know how the driver(s) is and if additional medical assistance is needed.  So if it takes a moment or two for the crew to assess the driver and let the other officials know the status, it is because they are DOING THEIR JOB. They are the professionals; we wait for their instructions. So screaming at the officials and security personnel who are there to help seems pretty silly.

Just as silly as saying that the reason you are angry is because the fire/safety/medical crew should have RUN FASTER! We have one of the best fire/safety/security crews...period. And if and when you ever need them, you will be grateful they are there, no matter HOW fast they ran to get to you!

If you feel you have been treated unfairly, step up, introduce yourself (no more screen names) and let's address these issues like grown ups!

racing_fan...I think you are confusing me (MRSflagdude) with Tom (flagdude).  Tom did not post the above response, I did.  To eliminate any confusion, I am the pit manager people check in with at the beginning of the evening.

well all i can say from my vantage point from the pits was justin needs to change his name to carma because carma got him for plowing the poor 66 into the wall thasn again he tried numerous times to take cars out and the last time he got what was coming to him by hitting the wall hard and totalling the car  i sure hope he dont come back again in another car he needs to be parked for the rest of the season for being so aggressive but since he is swindells boy i am sure he will be back again  and i have to agree with kirstie  the calls are a combined effort to make a call and if one dont see it the others cant just say i seen it so hopefully the rest of the season sees some better racing    peace out ya'll

formercrewguy, I think I love you.

racing_fan...

Please re-read bentrans post for an explanation of why the 1st yellow...for the WHOLE FIELD...didn't count because it was a complete restart. These kinds of situations are discussed during the pit meeting; "red and yellow flag is a complete restart."

The fact that you are no longer a driver, car owner, or work on a car makes me want to know why you ARE there. A TRUE racing fan, you would be supportive of SMS, not out on a public message board making friviolous allegations.  

Consider this. You are the official in turn 3.  You see a car lift off the track and start to flip; are you watching any OTHER car or watching the flipping car wondering where it is going to land ?(hoping it isn't coming into the pit area). Or what else is the car going to hit on the way back to the ground, or how many times it is going to roll? Do you see fire or fluid excaping that can be a hazzard, like gas?

Another issue officials have to consider is that there are people just inside that K rail barrier (and not 10 feet back). Now that official or security person also has to worry about people dashing out on the track. Fire and ambulance crews then play "dodge the people NOT wearing officials uniforms or fire suits" to get to the accident, which slows things down. Perhaps that is part of the reason some people feel fire and safety personnel "didn't run fast enough"? BELIEVE me; if any of the officials on scene needs assistance from someone in the pits, they will ask you. Otherwise the most effective assistance you can offer is to stay back and let the track personnel take care of the situation and not have to deal with other additional issues. So hopefully that sheds some light on questions about how an official in a turn sees some things and not others in an accident situation.

Greg, once again, I'd like to invite you to ask your questions at the drivers meeting where you can get the answers from the people making the decisions. If you aren't comfortable doing that, I am happy to take the time to explain the things that are still unclear. After all, that's what I am here for. And if I don't have the answer, I will get one for you.

mrsflagdude: I think that all the mini stock drivers should start a pool to see how many times you say QUICK LIKE BUNNIES per night LOL. And I always thought last call meant that was the last time you were going to call for something to be done you seem to make about 3 last calls per event. I think we are more like a bunch of monkeys LOL.

I had discontinued saying "quick like bunnies" and several folks said they missed it.  Now that I know there is a bet, I won't be saying that anymore.

You are correct; generally speaking, last call means just that.  If all the classes were as responsive as the mini stocks usually are, I wouldn't HAVE to repeat myself. I am told that with cars on the track, hearing the announcements is frequently difficult.  More importantly, when none of the cars move toward lining up, I am told by MY boss(es) to "give them another call". Which I do. As many times as I am told to...

I'd be more than happy to give a first call, a second call (to ensure you hear me) and then last call. But that means all divisions need to be more responsive and get a move on.

I also announce that "If you are not lined up, we will not wait". I'd rather be accused of repeating myself than be responsible for someone missing out because they didn't hear me.

Is there another option I am overlooking?

The officials know very well that often noise and outside factors can mean that their announcements aren't always heard (or heeded) immediately.

They aren't just there to satisfy a weekly need for a corn dog.  Along with safety, part of their job is to keep the program moving along at a pace that keeps the PAYING audience interest peaked.

They're also tactful enough to ask, rather than order us to do what they need done, such as lining up before a race.

Their efforts ARE WORKING very well!!

The programs are being run in a quick and efficient manner, the racers are treated well and the stands are crowded.

Next time you're loading your rig on the trailer at 9:40 (instead of 11 PM) take a moment to THANK THEM for a job well done.


p.s.  Why we line up like RABBITS, then go out onto the track and drive like MONKEYS is OUR fault, not theirs.