General Competition Regs->Racing->Item 4 reminder

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gordon
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General Competition Regs->Racing->Item 4 reminder

Post by gordon »

Guys,

Any time you are driving or marshalling - particularly if you're acting as Steward for the race in question, please remember our General Competition Regulations->Racing->Item 4 rule:

"Races will not be stopped to facilitate repairs to competing cars. If a car suffers damage or mechanical/electrical issues during a race and cannot continue, it must be removed from the track, but can rejoin the race from the pits if repaired."

Gordon
Luke
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Re: General Competition Regs->Racing->Item 4 reminder

Post by Luke »

GG,

I am reading this and as great as it sounds, I have to agree to disagree because here's why ...

Other than Jon and myself - sometimes other persons (once in awhile and far in between) acting as race stewards ...

This position is normally conducted in a satisfactory manner and all under the now very fast, competitive racing conditions and most times quarrelsome racers.

So a quick ruling to stop a race (by a race steward) and for whatever situation - to find out then, someone's car has mechanical or electrical issues during that race and cannot continue - should be left up to the discretion of that racer.

After all - I have seen (quick fix and not so quick fix cases) with these kinds of racing dilemmas in which a decision (most times not to continue) was made by the individual in question.

Also remembering - General Competition Regs->Stewards->last line reminder

The Steward's decisions cannot be questioned. :D

Luke
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gordon
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Re: General Competition Regs->Racing->Item 4 reminder

Post by gordon »

Luke,

A few points. First of all this has been in the GCRs since last year, so it's nothing new that I'm adding to the regs.

Secondly, if a car cannot continue, this is not a decision made by the driver or anyone else. It either can or cannot continue depending on what has gone wrong with it. Obviously, if it's a quick fix like pushing back in the guide flag, slapping it to reseat the motor or reseating the rear axle bearing, then fine, it can be quickly fixed at the track table and the race can resume with it included. If on the other hand the car must be taken away from the track to work on, the race should continue without the car in question. It can always rejoin the race once repaired, assuming the race is still in progress.

If left up to the decision of the driver and he decides to keep the race at a standstill while he takes his car away for repairs, this is not fair to everyone else having to suspend their race till the repairs are done. Luck and car preparation are part of the game. Why should everyone else be affected by another person's bad luck or preparation? As I said, I see no problem with him repairing the car if he so wishes, but the race should not be stopped for him to do so. He can always rejoin the race when the car is repaired. This is how it's done in 1/1 racing and I certainly like to race slot cars in as similar a fashion to real car racing as possible

Gordon
Luke
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Re: General Competition Regs->Racing->Item 4 reminder

Post by Luke »

Gordon,

Agreed - Luck and car preparation are part of the game.

You also made very solid points and thanks for shedding light on in your words ... I think it also brighten up a number of storyline scenarios within the realms of this long-standing GCR ruling and see what it looks like (3 segments) apart with your wording.

Races will not be stopped to facilitate repairs to competing cars:
  • A. If a car cannot continue, this is not a decision made by the driver or anyone else. It either can or cannot continue depending on what has gone wrong with it.
Other than if it's (a quick fix) easy repairs like:
  • • Pushing back in the guide flag
    • Slapping it to reseat the motor
    • Reseating the rear axle bearing
It can be quickly fixed at the track table and the race can resume with it included.

If a car suffers damage or mechanical/electrical issues during a race and cannot continue, it must be removed from the track:
  • B. The car must be taken away from the track to work on (other than a quick fix repair) & the race should continue without the car in question.
A car can rejoin the race from the pits if repaired:
  • C. A car can always rejoin the race once repaired, assuming the race is still in progress.

The only part I kind of have a subtle case with and in fairness to all known drivers - I have never seen any type of individual decision made by any driver to keep the race at a standstill while repairs are done to their car.

In other words - we don't have any problems there ...

Luke
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