Spring Drivers Meeting

[CASC Ice Race Director]

The 2009 Spring Driver's Meeting will be held Sunday March 1st, 2009 at the Minden Arena in Room 1 (upstairs).

Meeting room is booked for 8:30 am.

This is your meeting time to discuss any rule changes, etc that you would like to see implemented for the 2010 season (geez, it's weird typing that date lol).

If anyone has any proposed rule changes/additions in mind, please get them to me in writing this weekend if possible. That way I'll know what to expect on the agenda and we can allot time for everything. We still have to be back trackside for the regular drivers meeting for 11:30 am!

I hope to see everyone there. As an incentive, I will endeavour to get the HUGE urn of Timmies coffee and maybe some donuts/muffins again.

[groeneveld]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

There is a high possibility that I will be unable to attend the driver's meeting this year. However if someone would be able to bring up the issue of running the banks, especially after a particular incident that occured on saturday leading a driver to belive that he was disqualified for using that particular outside line. I am not in a class that uses that line often if at all but I still feel it should be addressed.

[RSR Racing]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

not too sure why people are getting penalized for bank running. To my knowledge, as long as there are no purple flags this shouldn't be an issue at all.... correct me if i'm wrong

[HYUNDAI 113]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

Yes Lisa, I agree with you. If there are no purple flags out there should be no issue of bank running. I don't know why there was a black flag thrown for that unless it was for something different. But that shouldn't have happened if that was the case.

[Chevettes4ever]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

the black flag I saw was because the car kept launching on 2 wheels, and they were concerned about roll overs..

[groeneveld]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

You are right Lisa, unless there are purple flags it is allowed, But I'm just conserned that its not all being kept fair.

the black flag I saw was because the car kept launching on 2 wheels, and they were concerned about roll overs..

From my viewing on the sideline the car was running the bank like normal. It did catch the bank on a couple occasions (which is a risk of running that line)BUT he was also pushed up the bank by a car that was either not paying attention or not giving him his fair racing room. So if he is going to be penalized for this then everyone should be. I'm not trying to cause a problem I just found it to be an issue on saturday.

[Champ98]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

OK Nuff Said! ..If the purple flag rule is still in the rule book then it is up to the organizing club to put them up, or any organizer from the steward to the director and on down , ...

The purple flags were enough to scare any of the blatant bank running we saw last weekend off, and cars were forced to take a more traditional line through a corner.

I believe as an organizer I was probably the last to put them up and I got growled at ...So be it, If a rule is not enforced then who do you have to blame???

Section 6.3.1 of the rule book says it all ...

Theres bank running then theres bank running. There is what we call a "cushion" of snow close to the bank sometimes that is useful for gaining a faster line and "steerage" ...

Then there is just all out no regard for your car or passenger and putting your foot to the floor and using the bank for steerage ...

[154RACE]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

6.3 PURPLE FLAGS AND CONES
6.3.1 Overhanging purple flags may be used to define the edge of the track. Competitors shall not drive
directly under these purple flags. The minimum penalty shall be 1 class position per violation.

Interesting. I guess there is no rule unless the organizer decides there is one. They "may" be used.

Personally, I'm afraid to try it but am amazed how good some drivers are at it. Must be tough on the cars though.
Bob

[Champ98]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

BOB, Thats excactly what i was trying to say ...

When a competitor runs a clean race, (read, running clean lines "off" the bank), then gets passed by a competitor cleanly and safely, then the race should remain on those lines. If the passed competitor decides the only way to get past first place is to "run the banks", it is tantamount to cheating.

That's why the purple flag rule was put in the book ...

[CASC Ice Race Director]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

That's why the purple flag rule was put in the book ...

Not to mention the fact of 'saving' the banks. The year the purple flags were put into play, didn't we have mild weather, minimal snow and minimal banks???? They were implemented to stop bank running for those reasons, among others. If the integrity of the banks (even on a good year) is comprimised, how safe is it? How difficult is it to build a bank back up that is a 'seasoned bank'. One that has been snowed upon, freezing-rained on, rained on then re-frozen?? Then there's all the 'loose snow' that builds up and sucks people in who travel to the far reaches of the track. That in itself can be a hazard. I seem to remember how much of a launching ramp the inside banks looked like last weekend when we had to go out to the kink and replace a light.

[Champ98]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

Yeh, what you said ...Nomsayin!!

If there's a problem brewing, flag a race and get the freekin flags out!

Or put them out to begin with ...

This rule was all about safety and rollovers ... let alone the time constraints with delays and such ...

[TRBOTAXI]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

It's clear to me that when one or two cars have a full lap lead on the rest of the field by the mid-point of the race and that their "line" can be traced all the way around the perimeter of the track that something needs to be done.

It doesn't happen that much in my class because we're already accused of "cheating" and using "training wheels" but some of the 4/14 class cars certainly can make use of the traction that is afforded near the edge of the track.

But using the bank as a guide to run up against all the way around the corner is not only a form of cheating but poor sportspersonship. It's like those rides in Canada's Wonderland where the cars are steered by a track in the ground. Turn the wheel all you want it's going to follow the track. What's the fun in that?

[Champ98]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

Well said Rod! ...

Sorry about the training wheels thing ...

[max attack]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

One of the big problem with bank running is that the bank gets squared and packed even harder,so when someone makes a mistake thats actually following the rules and smacks the bank broken parts are the usual result.
Seems like bank running has many spin-offs(no pun intended)from increased roll over potencial,damaged cars(possibly immobilized and causing further dangerous conditions)car parts on the track that need to be cleaned in the spring and that doesn't include the very questionable passing/lapping techniques I witnessed from the banks all weekend.

[nielsen160]

Re: Spring Drivers Meeting

so are we finally going to see the purple flags this weekend ?
who has these flags anyways ?