Auburndale 5/21/11

Dave from what I’ve seen here, it didnt happen in turn 4…

Bullshit!..this is Rex’s to work out, firing the incompetent employee is only the first of many corrective actions that has to take place to make this right. The buck stops with Rex, as it does with every other track owner…

For some reason I think Rex doesn’t need to fire this guy. I honestly cannot see him showing his face around the race track again.

This should be a reminder to EVERY OFFICIAL AT EVERY TRACK on just how important their jobs are.

Sad but true Clay, in this country a business owner is ultimately responsible for the decision made by his employees. They should all be well trained and dependable. Tim is correct on this one. That flagman may indeed be a so called dumb—. That may be determined in court but someone is ultimately responsible and in this case it is clearly not the drivers. When you go to a track you do so with the logical understanding that cars will not be waved out in front of you by track employees. This is not a normal occurence and definitely not an assumed risk on any of the drivers part. Therefore there is come accountability and responsibility on the track’s part.

sorry

if he had them coming on in turn 3 ,then i am wrong . so sorry. dave41

I don’t understand why this gate was being used as an entrance point anyways. For years this has been an exit only gate due to the fact the driver is at the complete mercy of the flagman. In the turn 4 entrance the driver can see the track way before he has to worry about where the traffic is and can decide if he wants to go or not. This was a stupid move by the flagman for even letting the driver enter the track from that gate to begin with.

Get over it !

And what would have been the results if lightning struck one of the track light poles or another race car hit it during a race and it fell across the track in front of oncoming race cars at speed ? The same result ! I have seen plenty of you complaining here do some stupid dumbass type of things on the track causing others 100’s - 1000’s of dollars in repairs every weekend. I do not know of any of you that ever stepped up to pay for the dumbass damages you caused when the track allowed you to race so why do you expect the track to pay for what they can not control in this circumstance. GET OVER IT ! Cost of insurances at tracks now are caused by so many wanting to sue for $$$$ when you know walking in a race track is classed as a VERY DANGEROUS place to be on or off of the track ! GET OVER IT and help support the racing and track ! All need to work together to solve these issues and support racing. Those of you that are so smart and never made such dumbass mistakes on or off the tracks should step up and volunteer to replace the flagman. Then you would get a 1st hand view how easy it is to make a simple mistake that does cost many $$$$. If one of you that do not make any mistakes would have been doing that flagging job to help the track then maybe the track would not have to have someone there that may make a mistake at the wrong time ! GET OVER IT ! Trying to find qualified help for ANY JOB that will not make mistakes is impossible. Not even you complainers can do that ! Be part of the solution and not the problem. GET OVER IT !

is this guy for real ? the track can and does control what the flagman does . someone (rex) obviously made the stupid decision to use the wrong gate . and the flagman wears a headset following directions from race control (rex) . the flagman answers to and follows orders from rex . get over it ??? easy for this guy (who doesnt have to replace three destroyed racecars ) not so easy for the teams and racers effected by this cluster **** . face facts dude , your hero rex made a huge mistake in judgement at the expense of others who very easily could have been killed or seriously injured by his stupidity . he should pay dearly for this . in more ways than one . first the fast series , now the ups . strike two .

Rex Should Cut A Check For The Neglagence Of His Employee … Im Self Employed So I Know How The Actions Of An Employ Affects The Employer…had Rex Been On That Turn Things Would Have Been Differant…its Not His Fault … Its The Officials!!!

exactly

This guy saying get over it probably dont have a car and know how much it costs to run one these much less repair them. Repairing damaged racecars from racing is just racing but having destroyed cars due to someones bad decisions is very understandable to complain and be mad about. Not saying this flagmen but i have been in the situation at different tracks where some of these guys get a little authority and wish they were racers and they im guessing either out of jealousy or got a little authority start trying to make calls well above their intelligence.(again im not saying this flagmen, i have just seen some do it at various tracks) why/ i was not there would someone be let on the track under green first of all there going to be a lap down and unless they were the fastest car on the track are not going to make the lap up and why in the world would u enter there on the track in the first place u cant see a thing. Is the driver a new to the track and not know the alsmost impossibility of entering the track there under green or did the track tell him to enter there. But back to the top saying get over it is definitely a ridiculous statement. I dont care because Im sure someone will say something about russell having plenty of money, I dont care if hes a billionare they are still racers and they shouldnt or campi get over it because they are racers and still have to fix their cars .

Is Iwyn for real? That mentality will certainly result in better and safer racing. If the mind set of Iwyn is what is running Florida tracks…good luck to you all. If you run a business, hire employees and take people’s money, then you have a certain level of reponsibilty to your customer. I would certainly appreciate the track owner (if indeed that is Rex) to come on this thread and explain what happened and why it happened and what will be done to prevent it in the future. Otherwise we will be left to expect more of the same…especially if we listen to the likes of Iwyn. Can Florida not run their tracks professionally? A little common sense goes a long way.

Thanks Judge .u Said It All Common Sence Goes Along Way

owner

i think the owner shud definately open the check book and get a certain amount to the drivers but just so u all kno rex does not own that track his father in law does so rex shudnt have to pay yes he is the one who runs it but his in law owns it

I only read two things in Iwyns ignorant response. Lightning striking a light pole is an act of GOD. The other was the word INSURANCE. More importantly LIABILTY INSURANCE!!! If their paying soo much for coverage don’t be afraid to lean back on them.

I think to the racers involved, the gesture to help them recover from this would have gone alot further than an actual check. It was the hide and seek method that pissed them off most.

As I stated in my earlier post, Rex was no where to be seen prior to the incident, during the incident or after the incident, we were there until just before midnight and not one time did we see Rex in the pits at ANY of our teams. Also as I stated Donnie took over for the back flagman and after the incident they started using the entry after turn 4 to bring cars back onto the track (this should have been done before).
Iwyn, I would gladly assist the track with flagging, however, I am a little busy setting up our car, spotting, and working on our team.
How about you, would you flag for Auburndale during a race or were you doing it Saturday night?
I am a little short on time now, we have to fix our car, when we went on the track Saturday night I thought we were running a UPLMS race, not a demo derby.

Respectfully,
Shawn from Tim Russell’s Team #36.

Get over it 2 !

I have been involved over 45 years in racing activities from promoter, to official, car builder, car owner, driver, parts supplier plus numerous other race related activities that most here have never been involved in and some do not even know exist. Promoting such events involve more problems and situations coming up than most any person here has ever had to solve and even know about. Most of these decisions have to be made in a split second thought process. My participation has been at many venues east of the Mississippi River. I do presently own 5 race cars so I do know what it takes to maintain and race them.
The accident that happened at the Sat. night event regularly happens at race tracks. Most often it is due to the mistakes made on the race track by racers (A racer made a mistake ?) but at times it happens due to other circumstances beyond any track owner’s or promoter’s possibility of stopping in advance. It is no different than trying to prevent the upcoming wreck that is going to destroy many $ $ $ $ of equipment.
If any track owner or promoter could predict and prevent such situations then they would definitely not be in the owner or promoter position. They would know they were fighting an almost always losing battle for success. Track owners and promoters do this solely for the love of the sport and hoping to make it better someway and someplace.
Now don’t shoot your self in the foot as you do have a guy trying to make racing good for you in some way at this track. He does not have to do it but none of you seem to be doing it so where will you race if no one runs a track ? None of you Bright Stars seem to be promoting and running a track anywhere. Someone has to do it then.
None of the racers can predict and prevent wrecks on the track so why do you think the owner/promoter/ or help can do any better in a split moment decision. I know the official did not want to do it but it happened as do all the other wrecks and accidents at race tracks. All of us go to the highly dangerous race events hoping nothing will ever happen. GET OVER IT ! They always do and will continue to happen as long as we get involved in such dangerous activities.
Excitement and danger is what built racing and other such events into the big attractions they are today. Us racers only want to see good clean races but that is not why 80% of the fans come. They pay to see the danger and excitement of these events ! If you do not think so then how many pictures were taken and posted for all to see !
If not for that then very few seats would be occupied in the grand stands. As I said GET OVER IT ! It is part of racing events. None here are mistake clean so if you live in glass houses do not be throwing stones ! Someday no one will promote races and then what will you do ! How many tracks are now closed compared to open. Far more are closed in the USA than open now and continue to close yearly. Support and help all tracks still racing or in the near future none will still be open. After all no one said you had to be smart to operate a race track but stupid enough to try to only make it better for all at the constant complaints of all the participants. If they knew all the correct answers to all problems then they should be running the tracks ! As said GET OVER IT and be part of the solutions !

that last comment by Iwyn does not even warrant a response.

All I can say is that we can agree to disagree on this I wyn, I do not argue about subjects in message forums.

Have a good day,

Respectfully,
Shawn.

I totally agree with Shawn. Iwyn’s mindset is the problem and the roadblock to the solution. At 45 years in racing his time may have come to retire and rethink his position in the sport. Most things in this world move forward and improve for the better but it is apparent that Iwyn wants to live in the past and not improve the sport. Good luck. My heart goes out to all those involved in a truly avoidable incident.

Thank you Judge,

it is good to see that there are other people like yourself that have understanding and are willing to make a positive change in our sport. If we keep a positive outlook and keep working together we will only benefit in the end.

Have a great day!
Shawn.

I was at the a-dale meeting at the beginning of the year, when it was brought up about the back pit entrence, (turn 3). At the meeting it was relayed to the group, that due to liability insurance reasons, that spot on the track(turn 3) would only be used for exiting the track, period. Why were cars going out from that spot?? (turn 3) Lack of proper operations. The same thing happened at a legends car race earlier in the year, Also 5-10 laps before the big crash, they tried to send wayn anderson out in front of the field, under caution. So between all of these, this is the 3rd time that I know of that this has happened, why??? the track was aware of this probem in feburary?? I would think this would not ever happen again, but it has happened 3 time this year, and I am sure it has happened even more times, with out crashes?? but close calls. this is gross neglagence on the tracks part, period total miss managment, i dont care if cars are aloud to come back on the track or not, if they come back it has to be within a safe manor. this was not a racing accident, it had nothing to do with racing, period…