First off this is only a thought…Since we cannot " clone" Ricky Brooks. How many real tech men or woman are truly out there ? How many old tech guys read this forum ? How many car and engine builders are out there that would be non bias ? Is there anyone out there with the credentials to tech and would want to endure the thankless job of dealing with pissed off racers and owners ? With all that said, here’s my idea. Lets start a racers for tech fund. Every car gives 5 dollars to tech every race. Or the top 5 or top 10 give 5 dollars of their winnings . I am willing to bet that a decent pay day would bring out more quality tech men and they would be more willing to get their hands dirty so to speak. It is very clear and has been for the last decade that Florida needs quality non bias tech men who can endure the garbage and arent afraid to hold a class in tech. The money could be used to purchase any and all tech tools…may even pay for a helper. Again just an idea to help our sport in my opinion.
Doug,
You are a good racer and have the racer’s best interests in your heart.
Here is another take, though: “You expect me to pay additional bucks in order that I might be found illegal?? That way I can show up, be out the pit gate cost, the tire and gasoline cost, and the ‘tech man’ cost, and make zero income? What a deal. And who else is racing tonight…?”
I will agree with another one of your premises though–simple, easy to understand, easy to measure, and consistent rules from track to track would be helpful.
old school
Believe me…im the last one who wants to pay more money to race. But being beat by illegal cars is a bigger slap in the face than paying to be found illegal. And i am not talking about just my class. I was told that a while back someone had a wheel that was spun and where it landed is what was teched that night…never knew what would be looked at but knew something would be looked at…kinda keeps people honest and stated here somewhere will save the racers money in the long run. I will always say;
one set of rules…enforced…one type of tire. everyone benefits.
“But being beat by illegal cars is a bigger slap in the face than paying to be found illegal.”–OWM53
Point taken.
Doug it all depends on the track owner to enforce rules and stopped being bought , you see a lot of track owners and promoters are afraid to get in the middle of it and they yes them to death ,then they can’t remember what they said to you over time and we know plenty of them,so keep every thing simiple know what your teck is doing stand behind them 100 percent and if they screw up that night take them aside and explain it to them so they can understand what they did and help them get it right next next time, I have Had plenty of these conversations over the years with teck and worked out every issue I hope that’s helps some see ya at the races.
Agree that the track owner should empower his tech men and let them have the final say period. Right wrong or indifferent…to an extent that is not flagrent.
A little off the subject, but this thread reminded me of the worst tech I had ever seen.
Years ago I had won a dirt race, but I had my pavement motor in the car. It was high compression, big valves, etc… Fortunately for me, on that night the tech man checked wheel temperature. Yep, wheel temperature. He reasoned that if the wheels were cracked (and thus likely to fail) then the wheels would be hot from flexing. When he told me this, I whole-heartedly agreed that safety has to be the first concern.
Ha, this might be a good thread: what is the most blatant, obvious thing you ever got past tech? If anyone is interested, I do have another.
I know a lot of racer that quit racing because they knew certain cars were cheating and winning week after week . The track owners need to understand these guys cheating are destroying the tracks they help cause low car counts they are not helping the track . The average weekend racer who can’t afford to protest them just quit racing . Paying a good tech is a good thing. How come no tracks are wanting to fine these guys caught cheating ? Are they worried they won’t come back ? that wouldn’t be a bad thing really . If you can afford to cheat then they can afford to pay fines. take the fine money put it in points fund .
Surprise!
Boneman,
I am interested.
Well I don’t know if this counts since it wasn’t to gain an advantage but my first year of racing back in Ohio I was running a v8 bomber that came up 100 pounds light on the scale one night. So they said they would let me run that night but I better make weight the next week or they wouldn’t. So I took the car back to my dads shop that night and tack welded a 100 pound anvil behind the drivers seat to make weight the next week. Stupid I know but they let me race the next week.
Hmmm… I hope the DQ statute of limitations has run out.
A few years ago I had a 4 cylinder bomber, among other cars, and I took it to a different track one night. As a welcome to the track, that place gave me a set of the Legend car tires that their 4 cylinder bombers used. Ok, so it was a used set, but no matter, I appreciated it.
The next week, my home track was having a 50 lapper. I was worried about the car count, so I decided to take my bomber to the race. Even though the car ran well, I never expected to set fast time and win, but that is what happened.
So I am sitting in tech with the Legend car tires on my bomber, and I was thinking this would get me bounced out. Fortunately, at that time I was a board member for the old TBARA sprint club. The track owner and his general manager knew this, and were interested in booking some sprint car dates, so they came over to visit with me. We had a long chat while the tech guy was supposed to be looking at my car. He did check around under the hood etc…, but because his two bosses were leaning on my fenders and meeting with me, I am sure he gave me a pass on the non-DOT tires!
Bones, here is my tale:
As many older-timers may recall, back in the day Florida had inspection stations. A terrible and expensive gauntlet once or twice a year to squeeze your car through to get the required sticker.
I had a '66 Corvette with 4 wheel disc brakes. Hateful things, the 4 piston calipers were iron with aluminum pistons, and they began corroding immediately after rebuilding. The parking brakes were mini drum brakes inside the rear disc “hats”, which to this day I do not know how to get into.
Anyway, the car had no parking brakes. So, initially it flunked. Then, at the time, it seemed like a good idea to pull the handle out from under the dash, a project itself. Back to the inspection station with the story “No sir, this car did not come with a parking brake”. They did not buy that.
So, on to another location. This time the guy was standing next to the car and said “apply the brake and try to pull forward” while he watched through the side window. I reached under the dash and acted like I was pulling a handle, put it in third, placed my toes on the brake, heel on the gas, and stalled it! On went the sticker!
These days, Patrick Thomas (and the “Big Guy in the Sky”) keeps me on the straight and narrow.
Funny oldschool my corvette as well vette brake parts in Tampa now has a fix they take your calipers and resleave them with stainless steel. Life time warranty to never give you trouble again 2,200 to do all 4 .
Correct, many years later have in fact installed those on an '82, but a separate story from the parking brakes…
ps–Back in the day paid $1,800 for what would be a $80-100k car today. Unfortunately I rolled it in a ditch.
Am very thankful to be able to tell this tale…
Kinder, Gentler, Tech?
The following is a quote from another board. The board is racing related, but not a racing board per se. It is second hand. That is, I do not remotely know if it is fact.
BUT, the point of the post so impressed me I thought I would share it:
“I was a tech inspector for the old Mid Atlantic Modified Racing Series and on more than one occasion I found a car to be out of spec but with no real competitive advantage and the driver and car owner was told that they could race the car but not to bring it back until it was brought into compliance with the rules. I found two things that caused a more relaxed and trusting attitude among our inspectors and the competitors, (1) always attempt to find a way that they could race that night if the infraction was not a competitive advantage and offer them a way to alter their car that night in order to run and (2) most important I made it a point to never call any competitor a cheater or reference the problems on the car as being cheating. I have DQed cars for not being in compliance with the rules and always offered suggestions for the quickest and least expensive fix to make the car legal. I always pointed out the problems and did not speculate on the reasons.”
Showtime speedway
Tech man stepped it up last night. I wonder who Citrus is entertaining ?
The tech man at showtime should not try to check ride heights right after qualifying knowing full well that we run tie down shocks and have sway bar in the cars.
Not only running 3 qualifying laps but 5 parade/warm up laps the soft springs give out and cannot hold the car up.
Especially since Yoho himself said that there was no more ride height rule a few weeks ago.
so Doug, I disagree that the tech man there is stepping it up, he is actually running cars off and showtime will be the next track to suffer low car counts.
I see
[QUOTE=exnyer;170119]The tech man at showtime should not try to check ride heights right after qualifying knowing full well that we run tie down shocks and have sway bar in the cars.
Not only running 3 qualifying laps but 5 parade/warm up laps the soft springs give out and cannot hold the car up.
Especially since Yoho himself said that there was no more ride height rule a few weeks ago.
so Doug, I disagree that the tech man there is stepping it up, he is actually running cars off and showtime will be the next track to suffer low car counts.[/QUOTE]
I was unaware of any of that. I also found out from a different post that some of the DQ’s were from on track incidents…maybe nothing is changing ? No ride heights ? thats been a rule forever ?
The Three Cs
All the other cars made the height.
I suspect the 07 could have been “raised”, but that would have started them in the back with a less than optimum and somewhat unknown setup. Putting it on the trailer was an option, and they chose it. Fair enough.
You know, back when I was getting edjumacated, there was a fundamental taught (or at least it used to be taught, we did not learn “trigger” words) in English Lit 101.
That fundamental: The Three “Cs”
>Be Clear
>Be Concise (that is, short and to the point)
>And be Consistent
Seems like those would work well in The Rules and their execution in Tech.
Yes Doug, I agree. Ride heights have always been a rule. It was just the way the situation was handled that I do not agree with. Another thing is the track owner saying one thing and tech doing another.
As far as the other things that happened that night, I cannot speak of because I have no knowledge of them.