Originally Posted by duel:
WOW...sorry to hear that. great runs in both. cost me $1070.00 last night as a fan. hit a deer on the way back to Michigan with a company car. grand deductible and $70 other expenses. made it home safe at least.....good luck tonight T-mez!
Wow, talk about a bummer. Glad that you are all right. Congratulations to TMez on a great run and good luck the rest of the week.
Originally Posted by T-Mez:
The #2 car was on kill.
That's the best racing expression I've heard all year.
It's too bad you had to be DQ'd. I know rules are rules, but it seems like someone could have tapped you on the shoulder, screamed at you, etc. and said "Hey Meseraull! Do you want second place or what? Then get you ass back over to the scale!!"
Jerry
A man is about as big as the things that make him angry.
Originally Posted by Jerry Shaw:
That's the best racing expression I've heard all year.
It's too bad you had to be DQ'd. I know rules are rules, but it seems like someone could have tapped you on the shoulder, screamed at you, etc. and said "Hey Meseraull! Do you want second place or what? Then get you ass back over to the scale!!"
Jerry
Sadly, if a driver doesn't go DIRECTLY to the scale it's too late. Too much opportunity is add weight or remove the Traction Control Module, etc.
If I had a dime for every time I've seen someone forget to scale or not even know that he finished well enough to need to scale, I'd own a Dirt Silver Crown team!!!
I wish that tracks would post someone at the turn-off to the scale to direct the cars that need to scale to the scale.
You know, in my opinion, I think USAC should be making sure that the guys make their way to the scales. THEY HAVE 1 WAY RADIOS! They could announce that they need number ? and number ? and number ? to the scales immediately. They could even say that more than once over the radio. Just to avoid incidences exactly like this one!
I am really sorry for you man! That must really suck!
The cherry on top is no money for the effort! That sucks for the owner!
I have been to enough USAC drivers meetings to know that the standard line said in each meeting is, "Top three finishers stop on the track and fourth place to the scales." I was not at the drivers meeting last night so I cannot state for sure that it was said, but I cannot recall a sprint drivers meeting in the last three years where it was not said. After the victory lane interviews, the top three are pushed to the scales under USAC supervision.
The only thing I wish they did differently is to have the total weight of the car displayed for everyone to see to avoid the appearance of impropriety.
Regardless, it sucks for the car owner, crew and driver to be penalized for unintentionally breaking a rule. I felt absolutely horrible at Manzi when I presented the car late and Coons had to start on the tail and when we set a track record at Salem and were DQed for having fuel contaminated with water. That whole team has my sympathy.
Originally Posted by T-Mez:
It was an honest mistake. I came into my pit area jumped out of the midget and jumped in the sprint car. My crew came back and pushed the car to tech, and USAC was going to let us scale it with no fuel but 2 of the point racers protested.
I've never ran in the top 3 before at a USAC show, so I just zoned it and was then in sprint car mode.
I apologize to Mark b/c that was our best run ever at a USAC show. The #2 car was on kill. They can take it away on a technicality, but we ran 2nd fair and square. Thanks to Mark for this opportunity.
See you all at Putnamville.
First Class Response Tommy, First Class. You could have ranted over this but this is a well done response. Congrats on a great run. Sorry it happened but I think your stock went up in many ways today. Good luck...
Way to man-up, T-Mez. I wish there were more people out there who would JUST accept responsibility and not just make excuses that it was someone else's fault. Your night is coming, T-Mez, & it will be way worth it.
Great point about the scale reading, Racerrob. I've always been flabbergasted as to why it's always such a mystery. Seems pretty black & white to me. You either comply w/the weight rule or you don't. I'd be willing to bet that if the testing was more open - LESS people would even try to cheat.
