North Island Modified Champs (Read 6,897 times)

[hdr]

Gary borrowed a car & did the 1st heat a few weeks ago.

[scw]

Cheers for that info HDR

[41ford]

How Did Mark Dixon go anyone???

[tq59]

no worse than the contact being made by jacko during the start of each pole shuffle....

I didn't see that, was sitting on back straight.

I'm not attacking Jamie, but to me, occasionally it didn't look like racing rubbing.

And of course there are others, but he was the one that I mainly took notice of. (as you normally do), he's got a great following of supporters and I would hate to see a decent driver turn nasty just because it's not working out for himself, as a couple others from past years have done.

[modmad]

did anyone capture any pit or action shots maybe thay could post on the photo board would be cool..

[Jamo]

Dec 20, 2009 14:24:39 GMT 12 hdr said:

Gary borrowed a car & did the 1st heat a few weeks ago.

Is that right Clint?? Care to tell me where, when and in who's car?

We have been at every mod meeting in the upper North Island this season and as far as I know Gary has not raced at any of them! As recent as last week Gary was trying to find a mod meeting to run at so he could qualify. I told them that they would need to go to Stratty last weekend to get their meeting in. They did not want to go that far and I was told they were going to try and get a dispensation from SNZ to run instead. I said I doubted that would be approved as an option was available.
It is unfortunate that it seems this rule is really only policed on an honor basis. If the driver says he has complied it is assumed he has. This is not the first time this rule has been flouted and until SNZ grow some balls it is unlikely to the last time.
I can tell you one thing, if Foxy tried to get away with this there would be lines out the door at the protest room if Saturday is anything to go by!!
Why didn't we protest?? 2 reasons.
1/ We have never protested anything in over 20 years of racing and we hope we never have to. We believe if we can't beat the guys on the track then we don't deserve to win by protesting technicalities.
2/ End of the day we shouldn't have to! SNZ officials should do their bloody jobs!!
I am more than happy to make a public apology to Gary and his team if it can be proven to me that I am wrong. I do not believe I will need to!

As for the rest of the debacle from Saturday night there will be a writeup later in the week on Foxy's website with out views of what conspired. This will be our one and only comment on the North Island Champs meeting. Suffice to say I believe that both Craig and Foxy deserve public apologies from SNZ for the balls up that costed both drivers the chance of winning the title... I doubt one will be forthcoming!!

[mod46c]

Dec 21, 2009 8:30:10 GMT 12 Jamo said:

They did not want to go that far and I was told they were going to try and get a dispensation from SNZ to run instead. I said I doubted that would be approved as an option was available.

I also would doubt SNZ giving a dispensation, pretty much the only reason they will give a dispensation for is a rained out, of a meeting you tried to attend.

Dec 21, 2009 8:30:10 GMT 12 Jamo said:

It is unfortunate that it seems this rule is really only policed on an honor basis. If the driver says he has complied it is assumed he has.

No honesty system required, licenses are annotated every time you submit a successful scrutineering card, all the steward has to do is count said entries in the license.

[kyle23]

Hey jamo just curious. Will you be seeking an apology from an SNZ official for what happend on saturday night or are you after an apology from the person who told you that you could have a 2 minute bell?

Cos the person i heard give you permission (as far as im aware) is not a referee.

Besides like you said you have been in the sport 20 years surely you knew the rule about 2 minute bells???

[grinder29a]

I think Jamo is right Gary hasnt raced at Waikaraka this season not even in another car ,so if thats the case dose SNZ take the third place off him and give it to next in line ,because Im dam sure Gary would go crook if someone else did it ,but i will say good effort to do that well obviuosly car dialled in good. As for myself i enjoyed the intence racing all night with slight oil leak at end of feature but all in all incredible experience once again.

[mod46c]

Dec 21, 2009 12:06:42 GMT 12 grinder29a said:

I think Jamo is right Gary hasnt raced at Waikaraka this season not even in another car

Easy to confirm, you just have to sight Gary's license. Two entries no problem, only one then there's an issue.
But be aware, you don't actually need to hit the clay to meet this one meeting requirement, you only need to have your license annotated.

[Jamo]

Dec 21, 2009 11:42:02 GMT 12 kyle23 said:

Hey jamo just curious. Will you be seeking an apology from an SNZ official for what happend on saturday night or are you after an apology from the person who told you that you could have a 2 minute bell?

Cos the person i heard give you permission (as far as im aware) is not a referee.

Besides like you said you have been in the sport 20 years surely you knew the rule about 2 minute bells???

You are wrong. SNZ officials gave the 3 minute bell (not 2 minute). No one would have gone on to track without their approval. I am not seeking an apology but I would hope that one would be forthcoming off their own bat.

[Admin]

Dimo , unless you are prepared to put you're name to your post both your username and post are gonna be gone.

It's one thing to slur someone but unless you're going to put your own name in the arena then your posts have no validity here.

[dimo]

Dec 21, 2009 14:35:52 GMT 12 Admin said:

Dimo , unless you are prepared to put you're name to your post both your username and post are gonna be gone.

It's one thing to slur someone but unless you're going to put your own name in the arena then your posts have no validity here.

Fair enough. I stand by my view of events but accept it is my view. I have deleted my post. Obviously I cant delete the portion that Jamo has quoted - I leave that to you or he.

[scrapper]

Hey guys, just thought I put my 2 cents worth in, First of all, what a great nights racing, second what a balls up the refereeing was.
People go of at whether people should be racing, or if people jump the start at the shoot out, or if they got outside assistance, or if they hit people and shouldn't have.
It cant be easy being a referee, had they banned Parker, people would have complained, about numbers, about what a cool looking car it is and about the fact that the guy ain't no rookie and should have been allowed to race. I'm with Jamo, we wouldn't have protested him either, we are there to race.
As for Jacko jumping the start, I have seen plenty of pole shuffles and run-offs, everyone does what they can get away with, rules are there to be broken I suppose and precedents are set with every meeting, Drivers please note, if you can get away with it it's OK. Also people please note, the racing is hard and fast out there, There is so many competitive cars out there now that you have to jump at every opportunity, no driver hits people on purpose, however lots of people will protect their line of possible, contact is sometimes inevitable. Foxy definitely ain't dirty. The only ones who determine whats right and whats not are the officials, they apply the rules. They let one of, it makes it harder next time, and a new benchmark is set.
As for outside assistance and taking points from some competitors, that was plain and simply wrong!!!!. There was no bell, then there was, and there definitely was a 3 minute bell given. I find it outrages that those guys lost there points. It deserves a proper investigation and review by the officials as to what the hell went on there. Nothing more, nothing less will do.
This is a couple of weeks out from the champs remember. There was nothing wrong with what the drivers did, yet it was them that got penalized. It doesn't make sense, and I invite an official to shed some light on this" what the F%@!*%" situation.
As to the winners, Bunter, Jesen, and Parker, good on ya, and see you at the champs.
Regards: Ardy.

[Blakeo]

Ardy,

we all will push the limits sometimes on the track but the rule states that once the race starts and the light is green there is no 3 minute bell, i wrote a letter to SNZ today complaining about their officials and ther lake of knowledge and how they put the situation into the other drivers hands to deal with which i think is very unfair. If you don't abide by the rules whats the point of having any of them and as for the Parker situation again it was wrong and why should we as drivers have to have make the point. I believe SNZ officials are not doing their job and far to many rules are just forgotten, I bet you if this noise situation rears it's ugly head they will be not to forget that as there is revenue to had. Me personally I believe the best man or woman will win on the night but it should not be determined by incorrect desicions by our referees. Blakeo

[HIGHWAY45]

all very interesting and im sure therell be more fun n games at the other big meets this season for this very competitive and even class.

[scrapper]

He ya blakeo,good on ya for taking it further. The way the post was intended is exactly the way you put it. Drivers wont complain and neither should they. It is up to the officials to enforce the rules. Starts should not be jumped, drivers should be entitled to run, and 3 minute bells should not be given. Cars should not be push started. I'm not saying it was right or wrong to take their points, but a 3 minute bell was given then their points were taken after the race finished. No matter how you look at it, it is all wrong. Give them a 3 minute bell, then the rules obviously are at the digression of the referees and they should get their points. If the rules say no 3 minute bells, then the officials should not have allowed it to happen. Not change their minds and pull the points later. I'm hoping somebody can clarify this situation and the officials owe the drivers an apology. Like Jamo, I wouldn't hold my breath, but hope to be proved wrong.
Hopefully the officials will take note of these complaints and this will never happen again. You brake the rules you should be penalized, but as I mentioned the drivers did not do anything wrong but were penalized.
Regards Ardy.

[Aaron Drever]

Hi

Can we just make the following clear!

The Incident Happened in turn three on Lap One.
The Senior Referee said to me it was a complete re-run of the heat.
The Crews asked from the fence about the bell.
I asked the question three to four times and got told No.
The Crews were not happy when I told them that answer.
The Stip Steward approched me from Turn Two and advised that he saw no issue in giving a three minute bell.
I then advised the Referee that we had been given the all clear by the Senior Steward and then we had the bell.
From a promotors point of view I wanted all the cars on the track and whether the call was right or wrong from SNZ we believe that we tried our best to make the show good for the FANS.

Regards


Aaron Drever
Promoter

[epmurc]

My two cents worth with my recently retired referees hat on.

Having spent many years as a referee (League not Speedway, but the principal is the same) and right up as high as you can get in NZ, I feel I am reasonably well qualified to comment.

It is the Referees job to know the rules, pure and simple. Admittedly the Speedway rule book is about as technical as any rule book can get, but most of those rules are the domain of the scrutineers and are enforcable before any car gets onto the track, the racing rules are fairly straight forward. Again, the rule book is rather fractured and hard to follow, but this shouldn't be an excuse.

In any other sport that I am aware of the best officials (referees, umpires etc.) get appointed to the best and/or most important games so you would think that logic would apply to Speedway as well. Regardless of where the meeting is or where the official lives, the best, most experienced referees should take charge of the most important meetings e.g National titles.

I have very little knowledge of how speedway officials are appointed to title meetings but would be interested to find out if someone can post it on here.

• Do SNZ appoint the officials to their title meetings or is it up to the clubs to organise it themselves?
  
• Is there an elite panel of the top referees who are appointed to titles or is it just another referee who lives close-by and is available on the night?
  
• Are the referees regularly assessed to ensure their performance is up to scratch and if so, by whom?
  

There is no doubt a serious error was made on the night and really it shouldn't have happened. Posts here are emphasising how three drivers were effectively robbed of a chance at the title through no fault of there own, but have a think, if the referees had not taken action to remedy the mistake they made, then potentially 17 other drivers would have suffered as the other three would have gained an unfair advantage.

This isn't the first or last time a team or individual will have their cause affected by the decision of an official (the plight of the Irish soccer team springs to mind) but just as no-one should have their chances diminished by a bad decision, they shouldn't have them enhanced either.

[Abb0]

So if the accident happened in the first lap and a complete rerun/restart occurs, doesn't that mean that a bell should be allowed?