Where's The rule??

DonMoore10 · 12/20/10, 10:42 AM

I've just returned home from a 1000 mile round trip after racing at the Southern Illinois Center in DuQuoin, IL for the "Battle at the Center" midget race held Saturday evening. For those that were not there or who did not watch the event on PPV, I had 20 year old Jacob Wilson (BTW, not a rent a ride), a sensational Silver Crown and sprint car pavement driver behind the wheel of my #10. (If you haven't watch him drive his family Silver Crown car, you are in for a treat!)

In order to make the feature event, drivers needed to finish in the top five of the four qualifier events. We were in the fourth qualifier. We were "scored" sixth by the Powri officials, and thus, did not make the main event..... or did we?????

Now, I had no intention of coming on this message board and discussing what you are about to read, but after reading several fans PUBLIC comments on IOW about what took place with my car and driver (and several e-mails that I received) I'm going to explain how this all went down and why you did not see my car in the 50 lap feature.

As explained before, we were in the fourth qualifying "20 lap" race. Five would transfer to the feature. After the green flag was given, Wilson came from dead last to sixth place near the end of the race, a feat that didn't happen too many times that evening.

Here is where the controversy begins and I will try to stay as factual as possible. On the last lap ( or supposedly the last lap.. please read on) Wilson passed one of the top five cars and clearly crossed the finish line/checkered flag in front of several thousand people and worldwide PPV video witnessing in fifth place. Now apparently there was an incident somewhere else on the track as the top six cars went across the finish line and too the checkered flag. I left the stands and was congratulated for making the race several times by various people as I made my way back to the pit area. Then I heard the "offical finish" over the public address system by Powri announcer Jim Childers that we "offically" finished in sixth place.

Several members of my pit crew made an immediate appeal to Jim Siner, co owner of Powri/Director of Competition as to why were scored sixth and not fifth. I joined the discussion as the conversation continued. We were told that there is a "rule" that says that because of the incident that took place somewhere else on the track, that the "official scoring" reverts back to the previous lap. Siner ended the discussion and left the area and we all looked at each other and said... WHAT???

In all my years as a race fan and car owner I have NEVER heard or witnessed anything like this at a racing event. You the fans that paid money to see a 20 lap race got 19 laps instead even though the entire world that was viewing saw it with their own eyes. The 20th lap never happened according to the officials. Poff... gone just like that. Never happened. Genie in a bottle. I have read, reread and REREAD the Powri rule book posted on their web site www.powri.com and can't find the rule. So my question again is: Where's the rule??

Tall Jackson · 12/20/10, 11:01 AM

I feel bad for Jacob, not so much you....

sprinter25 · 12/20/10, 11:06 AM

Well, Don, I think that it's kind of nice that you're now upset with the Powri folks... now you can tilt at two different windmills in 2011!

K-Dawg30 · 12/20/10, 11:07 AM

You couldnt be more right Don. I was there in the pits rooting Jacob on as he made the pass to get the 5th spot and make the feature. I was pulling for him since he is a former kart racer. He is a great shoe from what I witnessed and deserved to be in that feature!

I recall one of the other A qualifiers having 3-4 green white checkers due to wrecks on the last lap every time. They continuously restarted the race for this qualifier. If nothing else they should have done a green white checkerd.

All in all the program was ran smooth. I have never been to a POWRi show before this one where there was any question of a call this big. They always seem to do a great job.

Also a comment on track conditions (not POWRi's fault really)....but I have watched video feed of years passed (Loyets last lap pass for the win ect.) and seen 2 grove racing. What happened to this? The Dean King earlier this year as well as this race were mostly follow the leader freight train racing.

All in all I was very satisfied with the event from a spectators stand point and I had a great time....just wonder about the call.....your car should have been in the feature Don.....and at the worst another shot at a green-white-checkerd. JMO

Race Poor · 12/20/10, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tall Jackson

I feel bad for Jacob, not so much you....

Whatever dude. They are a team.

I think you all got screwed. Saw it happen then, and still believe it. Pisses me off when races aren't scored properly. All the time, effort, and money, poof!! Oh by the way, why exactly was there 21 cars in the feature and not 20???

ISF · 12/20/10, 11:13 AM

Well, there's one side of the story. Hopefully we'll get the other side, but I'll bet we don't. And, I'll just about guarantee we won't get the third side of the story, and we all know what that is.

Haulerin2deep · 12/20/10, 11:24 AM

Don,
I was not there and did not watch. Years of experience as a pit steward and Director of competion with MARA. (the precursor to Powri.) The way it always was is this.
In the event of an accident on the last lap when the leader has not crossed the finish line it will be a green white checkered restart.
In the event of an accident on the last lap when the leader did receive the checkered the race is over. Scoring is reverted to the last complete scored lap minus the cars involved in the accident.

Again, I was not there and did not see what happend to you. However this has always been the rule of scoring, ( not saying I agree with it). I believe just about every sanctioning body that I have raced or worked with has the same rule. I am sure it doesn't make you feel any better and I would be upset also. Have seen this rule come into affect countless times over the years and it always ends up with controversy.

Good luck to you in the future and happy holidays to everyone.

Chad Branson
#71

skids59 · 12/20/10, 11:28 AM

Guys don't rail on Don for this question. He's dead on when explaining what happened. He should have been in the show. He was not the only car that had questionable scoring on the transfer spots for the feature. The 57 car from Wisconsin should have made the show as well. Not because of the bad slider he put on the 55 car coming off turn 4 but was put in the wrong spots 3 different times, 1 on the second complete restart and twice under 2 cautions late in the race. I like POWRi for all they do for midget racing, but scoring sometimes is questionable. jmo

---------- Post added at 09:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:28 AM ----------

RACE POOR... someone got a provisional.

DonMoore10 · 12/20/10, 11:40 AM

Chad: Thanks you for the info. REGARDLESS, and I can appreciate what you have written from the historic standpoint of officiating racing, but we were told straight out that this was "THE RULE". If there is a rule, that's great. Where is it? The RULE is not in their rule book. That's the bottomline, Chad.

It is totally unfair to the competitors to play the "gotcha game" and nothing to back it up. I don't expect free for alls regarding rules when I go racing and this deal, everytime it apprently happens, leaves the race fans in the stands at a loss as to what took place. I paid my entry fee and pit pass money with the expectation that we race by written rules and that they are administered fairly. Yes, I saw too the three call backs (green while checkered) in another qualifier. but it really doesn't matter. The bottom line is that we were told that there is a rule behind their decision and there is no rule. Are we supposed to guess at the rules everytime we show up for a midget event? I hope not. What will be the "rule" at the next event??

LEADERS EDGE · 12/20/10, 11:50 AM

Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend or watch the races this weekend....so I can only go on what is presented.

You cannot have it both ways....either the checkard falls and it is scored as is or you go yellow and run another lap. No gray areas.

That is definately a case where "thats how it's always been done" just doesn't fly as it is not logical in any sense. (No offense Chad)

I don't blame Don.

12/20/10, 11:13 AM	#6 Re: Where's The rule??
ISF Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 3,048	Well, there's one side of the story. Hopefully we'll get the other side, but I'll bet we don't. And, I'll just about guarantee we won't get the third side of the story, and we all know what that is. __________________ Silver Crown Championship Dirt Cars properly driven on a one mile dirt track are classic poetry in motion. Using that analogy, Jack Hewitt is one of the greatest poets of all time. _________________________________________________ Last edited by ISF; 12/20/10 at 11:14 AM.

12/20/10, 11:28 AM	#8 Re: Where's The rule??
skids59 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,163	Guys don't rail on Don for this question. He's dead on when explaining what happened. He should have been in the show. He was not the only car that had questionable scoring on the transfer spots for the feature. The 57 car from Wisconsin should have made the show as well. Not because of the bad slider he put on the 55 car coming off turn 4 but was put in the wrong spots 3 different times, 1 on the second complete restart and twice under 2 cautions late in the race. I like POWRi for all they do for midget racing, but scoring sometimes is questionable. jmo ---------- Post added at 09:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:28 AM ---------- RACE POOR... someone got a provisional. __________________ Jeff Skidmore _________________________________________________ Last edited by skids59; 12/20/10 at 6:53 PM.

12/20/10, 11:06 AM	#3 Re: Where's The rule??
sprinter25 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 547	Well, Don, I think that it's kind of nice that you're now upset with the Powri folks... now you can tilt at two different windmills in 2011!

12/20/10, 11:50 AM	#10 Re: Where's The rule??
LEADERS EDGE Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 980	Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend or watch the races this weekend....so I can only go on what is presented. You cannot have it both ways....either the checkard falls and it is scored as is or you go yellow and run another lap. No gray areas. That is definately a case where "thats how it's always been done" just doesn't fly as it is not logical in any sense. (No offense Chad) I don't blame Don.