[Seadog]

What is the Darland debate???

[Motormasher]

Well said about the cushion.
As for the Dave Darland thing, what we are gonna end up with is another Brad Doty incident where drivers couldn't "get a feel of your car" before the race started so someone gets hurt.
I am not for hot lapping before the race but all Dave did was get a feel of his car thru turns 3&4 only, not a whole lap.

[AERO410SCJA]

Originally Posted by sceckert Okay, then Aero. How's this: I'll Dropkick you in the Murphys....then make off with your cooler full of Pottsville.

Now that would have made a great FIRST POST:applaud:

[racefan20]

Originally Posted by Motormasher Well said about the cushion. As for the Dave Darland thing, what we are gonna end up with is another Brad Doty incident where drivers couldn't "get a feel of your car" before the race started so someone gets hurt. I am not for hot lapping before the race but all Dave did was get a feel of his car thru turns 3&4 only, not a whole lap.

Mike Miles said in the drivers meeting that there was no hot lapping allowed when lining up. Dave did it so did Memmer, they were both asked to go to the back. The rule was clear and enforced fairly. Do you think that they should let them drive around until the car "feels good", maybe we should let them go in and out of the pits a few times until its "just right". Gimmie a break, if we did that we would still be in Bloomington waiting for the race to start.

[AERO410SCJA]

As for the hot lapping thing.I like this rule better then the rule they started out with last year,where they made two laps before lining up.

[Amzie]

I miss qualifying. I think it made the heat races better since you have cars of equal speed in the same heats. I also just like to watch the drivers qualify.

[sceckert]

Seadog, on one of the previous pages of the message board there is a thread about Bloomington ("Nice Racing.." or "Great Night.." or something similarly-titled) that goes from an initial assessment about the show into a sort of free-flowing condemnation answered by a defense of Dave Darland's actions when he was staging for his heat and jumped on the throttle in violation of Bloomington's rules prohibiting that.
He was sent to the tail (some suggested black-flagged entirely) which a veteran like himself knew to be a death sentence for any hopes of making the feature. In his anger, he jumped out of the car on the straightaway to voice his displeasure, but did return to his seat only to park for the remainder of the night.
Personally, I don't like the degree to which some are raking him over the coals for this offense which added only about two minutes to a show that already was extended longer than I thought necessary while the track was being robbed of the VERY promising cushion that time trials had established.
That is the "Darland debate"--whether "Debate" is the proper word in this case or not I don't know...

[Pushtruck]

The no hot lapping rule is very simple and is designed for the safety of the track crew, pushtrucks, officials and even the drivers themselves. When the yellow light is on...it is on for a reason...it is not safe for the cars to be at speed or hot lapping...even in one or two corners.

I personally have been hit by large rocks and chunks of clay, nearly knocked unconcious, required first aid from the ambulance, had my windshield shattered, headlights knocked out, lightbar broken and side glass broken from sprint cars hot lapping while the yellow light was on.

As an MSCS official, I was nearly run down by a sprint car hot lapping under the caution while trying to retrieve a brake rotor from the track. There is no excuse good enough to justify getting a track worker or official injured or killed. The driver who nearly hit me told me he thought the yellow light was on for the disabled car in turn one and it would be ok to hot lap through 3 & 4. I was picking up the debris in turn 4 from the car in turn one.

The bottom line, if the caution light is on, it is on for a reason. It is unsafe to hot lap or be on the throttle. I applaud Bloomington Speedway for enforcing the rule regardless of who breaks it. I applaud MSCS for having and enforcing the same rule.

Joe

[Dblchkrs]

Originally Posted by Pushtruck The no hot lapping rule is very simple and is designed for the safety of the track crew, pushtrucks, officials and even the drivers themselves. When the yellow light is on...it is on for a reason...it is not safe for the cars to be at speed or hot lapping...even in one or two corners. I personally have been hit by large rocks and chunks of clay, nearly knocked unconcious, required first aid from the ambulance, had my windshield shattered, headlights knocked out, lightbar broken and side glass broken from sprint cars hot lapping while the yellow light was on. As an MSCS official, I was nearly run down by a sprint car hot lapping under the caution while trying to retrieve a brake rotor from the track. There is no excuse good enough to justify getting a track worker or official injured or killed. The driver who nearly hit me told me he thought the yellow light was on for the disabled car in turn one and it would be ok to hot lap through 3 & 4. I was picking up the debris in turn 4 from the car in turn one. The bottom line, if the caution light is on, it is on for a reason. It is unsafe to hot lap or be on the throttle. I applaud Bloomington Speedway for enforcing the rule regardless of who breaks it. I applaud MSCS for having and enforcing the same rule. Joe

:applaud::respect:

[Seadog]

Originally Posted by sceckert Seadog, on one of the previous pages of the message board there is a thread about Bloomington ("Nice Racing.." or "Great Night.." or something similarly-titled) that goes from an initial assessment about the show into a sort of free-flowing condemnation answered by a defense of Dave Darland's actions when he was staging for his heat and jumped on the throttle in violation of Bloomington's rules prohibiting that. He was sent to the tail (some suggested black-flagged entirely) which a veteran like himself knew to be a death sentence for any hopes of making the feature. In his anger, he jumped out of the car on the straightaway to voice his displeasure, but did return to his seat only to park for the remainder of the night. Personally, I don't like the degree to which some are raking him over the coals for this offense which added only about two minutes to a show that already was extended longer than I thought necessary while the track was being robbed of the VERY promising cushion that time trials had established. That is the "Darland debate"--whether "Debate" is the proper word in this case or not I don't know...

Thanks for the info. I take it that this is a new Bloomington rule or it has just started recently being enforced? I'm not sticking up for DD, and this is no excuse, but maybe it was just a case of "oh yeah, sorry, I forgot about that" with Dave?

Bottom line is, if you break the rules, you pay the price. Period.