SGM Issue - Superstock Straightlining Ban (Read 23,006 times)

[percy]

Speedway New Zealand have, in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting, called a Special General Meeting at which rule changes can take place. The issue that is going to define the meeting is the proposed Superstock Straighline Ban

R12-3-34 Superstocks only:
It is not permitted to drive another competitor off the end of the straight into the concrete wall between the start and apex of the corner:-
i) At speed while still under power, and
ii) While making bumper to bumper, or bumper to siderail or bumper to wheelguard contact;
iii) Without having any intention of turning the corner
Penalty as per Section M7-2, but must include a fine or exclusion

R12-4-42 Superstock Teams Racing Only:
It is not permitted to drive another competitor off the end of the straight into the concrete wall between the start and apex of the corner:-
i) At speed while still under power, and
ii) While making bumper to bumper, or bumper to siderail or bumper to wheelguard contact;
iii) Without having any intention of turning the corner
Penalty as per Section M7-2, but must include a fine or exclusion

Before I go and state my opinion on this important issue I thought it prudent to allow others to go first and state their case.

What say you?

[insane1]

That might just ruin teams racing ,can see what they want to achieve but the corners are where most of the real big hits happen how realistically is this going to be enforced if passed?.

[sonic33]

Seems a knee jerk reaction.

There have been a few injuries this year. How nay have been from straightlining?

Surely fast cars hitting slow or stationary cars, and cars being hit at speed whilst sideways across the track represent just as serious a risk.

It will be very hard to police and will lead to stopped races, more bad calls from officials, and more races decided in the protest room.

Maybe more walls should be like Palmy as the resultant wall ride scrubs alot of the energy off.

Not a fan of the proposed new rules. Nobody likes to see drivers hurt, but they race a contact sport and know the risks. Mandatory minimal (read full containment seats and hans etc)safety gear would be better in my opinion.

[SKDKNG]

Haven't been a fan of this rule since we started running it.. No one wants to be on the receiving end of a straight line but let's be honest, it's what the crowd are coming to see.. It will make teams racing average without it, next thing the class will be as boring as street stocks since they stopped hitting.. If they want to look at rule changes, change the stupid "must be sent off if cause of red light" rule.. It's a pain in the ass that one.

[stubbs5115]

My dad said this to me the other day:
What happens when a driver follows someone in, makes contact when he thinks he is allowed by the new rule, and in fact he's not in the right 'zone to hit' and the guy hits the wall and (worst case scenario) the guy dies, would that be a murder charge because the driver that hit him 'should of known the rules'? Would SNZ back the driver in court?

[stubbs5115]

And I agree with a point sonic33 said,
SNZ should make all tracks change their walls to be similar to palmy, would take away a lot of impact having a slight incline (research into this would be nice) rather than smashing into a straight up and down wall.
I don't like the idea of this new rule, will take away a lot of excitement in racing, especially teams racing, but also very hard for drivers in the heat of the moment racing won't know where the ok zone to hit is... To hard to police this one I would guess

[bandit]

Instead of forcing tracks to change walls would it not be simple just to paint the wall say bright red along the zone were you do not want them forcing other cars in?

[my2cents]

Another point Sonic33 makes is Safety Gear i.e. Seats/Helmets/Belts/Mouthgards/Head and neck restraints ect ect maybe this needs looking into or lets look into car design. Im no engineer but Stockcar/Superstock design looks to me as if it more to do with being strong (giving/taking hits)but not about drivers safety. Example is F1 where they have the "Bath Tub" design. Or look at speed in superstocks maybe they are going to fast for the car design??

Ban straight lining, then guys still get hurt so next move is ban all contact into the wall then lets ban reverse spinning...no still people get hurt so why not ban all contact and race 1500kg Modified's instead.

For me its either a contact class or its not. Dont care either way just choose one not half and half

[mudman]

banning straight lining isnt the answer. if you want to stop guys getting hurt then simply slow them down. stockcars and superstocks. if your going slower you do less damage to you as well as machine and would probably raise the entertainment because more guys will stir because the risk of injury and damage is lessened. why do we need to travel at break neck speeds? now is the time to make a change that makes things safer as well as cheaper and possibly more entertaining.

[pinkmod89]

Agree with my2cents in that just maybe the cars are getting too fast and before anyone starts complaining on that, just think back to when the cars were slightly slower, were there as many serious accidents/injuries, this whole issue isn't going to disappear with a rule change on straightlining alone

[conrod]

Its the drivers that want this rule and have been applying it for the last 4/5 meets left this year ,I said at the start off this season they have got to fast for there own good,they tinkered with the rules at the end off last season which i believe left the drivers wide open to more straight lining as its one off the few ways off not  getting caught up with the car you took in ,So now the grade have to make there minds up either they are Stockcars or do they move to cars and rules more  like they run in Europe???I do feel for the families and drivers that are seriously hurt, laid up, and no income is the Harsh reality off stockcars . I would also be intrested to no what injuries Shane  Penn sustained as im sure a lot off other people /fans/supporters have been  waiting  to hear ,I see they were doing a collection for him at palmy on the weekend 

[karencarey]

Make the cars break not the drivers? Maybe if the cars were a bit weaker and broke in the right places then you might lose the teams race but you will save your team mate. Idealistic probably!

[turnright]

Easiest way to make safer is to make them all slower, stockcars and superstocks. Easy done too, just make everyone run smaller restrictor plates

[brendanlucas]

May 13, 2014 19:38:53 GMT 12 turnright said:

Easiest way to make safer is to make them all slower, stockcars and superstocks. Easy done too, just make everyone run smaller restrictor plates

I agree with slowing, not such a big fan on the restrictor plate thing becuse of the foul noise it makes.
An engine builder will try & stand out by building the winning-est engine, which has seen speeds increase, no doubt about it. Control rear tyres that are 8” (narrower) will take some speed off, & reduce costs. I’m all for this hitting restriction, until some of the speed can be taken out of the sport. If you concider what happened at Eldora last year were the winged sprinters get around in about 14 seconds, & with them running the Camper Nascar trucks which were about 6 seconds a lap slower, ironically the trucks were the big hit with the crowd. The spectacle won’t be lost if some of the speed is removed, because it will be all relative. BTW, theres nothing stopping anyone painting ‘Hoosier’ onto control tyres if they don’t happen to be Hoosier’s.
Thankyou, BL

[Regan O'Brien]

1st thing have any of you above been in a car and straight lined ??
2nd thing is we have to been seen doing or trying to change our sport other wise it WILL get changed for us.

Michael Aulding had the right safety gear and seat, got a broken neck, Shane Penn had all the top safety gear, got broken ribs, hip etc. We are building cars stronger but also firing 400hp motors into these things that pretty much have bugger all hitting rules.
As I see it its to late to try and slow the cars down (its like trying to make stockcars back to standard stocks, WONT HAPPEN)and no one wants a car the breaks so we build it stronger.
One of the reason a straight line rule has been picked on is because this is when you are at your fastest at the end of the straight and you the straight liner only no that you are intending to take someone off the end as the guy the gets slammed into the wasn't expecting it or he would of pulled up.

The few meetings I did with this rule been enforced we had no one getting cut out of a car and everyone went home to there families and back to work on Monday as this is only a sport and we don't make a living from racing. SAFETY FIRST!!

Thanks Regan

[beachboy]

Slow the cars down!
If the no straight lining rule comes in then in a few seasons after that the cars will be going even faster and people will still be getting hurt so there will be a no hitting cars in to any part of the concrete wall rule. The big $$ cars are slowly going to turn it into a non contact sport, is that what people want to go and watch?

[midway]

It is never to late to try, an avoid mistakes been made in anything associated with the sport of speedway .but it seems harder to adopt change ,.Some one or something is trying to tell you enough is enough ,so if you wish to open the door change just might happen ,for the best ,and lives saved .
Percy dont stay prudent for to long ,else you may see change in way the body reacts .

[Admin]

May 13, 2014 21:14:41 GMT 12 Regan O'Brien said:

1st thing have any of you above been in a car and straight lined ??
2nd thing is we have to been seen doing or trying to change our sport other wise it WILL get changed for us.

Michael Aulding had the right safety gear and seat, got a broken neck, 

I don't think Michael's incident was a straight lining. Don't argue with the sentiment of what you are saying though.

[sonic33]

Coming from where I was thinking. Ray channing not straightlined. Mike Aulding not straightlined.
The results from their hits are massive, as we know. but guys accept the risk and race hard out for us.

I thought Palmy vs Mustangs at Auck was one of the best teams races this season.

I still think it is wall related.

[Greg 84r]

So this unofficial rule was being used at 4 or 5 reasonably big meetings and no one even noticed the difference?? The drivers chose to use this unofficial rule so that must say something?? Is it really that much of a major change after all?
Engine restrictions ie - compression/valve lift were tried and worked temporarily until engine builders worked out ways around them.