Dear Dr. Wannarka:
On behalf of the F500 class, but, as required, in my individual capacity, I
respectfully protest the Revised Schedule for the RunOffs, as established by
the Organizer, the Race Chairman, and/or the Chief Steward, insofar as it
combines F500 with FF for Qualifying both on Wednesday and on Thursday,
October 11 and 12. Enclosed is my check in the amount of the $50.00 protest
fee.
In order to obtain a timely resolution of this protest, I request a hearing
not later than Sunday, October 8, 2006. If permitted to do so and for the
same purpose, I hereby waive my right to a hearing, though I will be
available at the track (in Garage 2) for a hearing, if desired by the SOM,
on Saturday and Sunday, October 7 and 8.
Under GCR 13.1, any entrant or driver may protest any decision, action, or
omission of the Organizer or any official, including the Race Chairman and
the Chief Steward. There can be no doubt that the schedule revision is such
a decision and action, and the failure to correct it is such an omission as
discussed further below.
GCR 6.12.1 makes the Race Chairman responsible for the organization of the
event. I believe that includes the organizing of the event so that it is as
organized as is practicable, that is rationally, equitably and not
arbitrarily.
Under GCR 6.11.1 and A., "[t]he Chief Steward shall ...[e]xecute the program
of competitions and other activities safely...". I believe that includes
executing the program as safely as is reasonably practicable, given the
choices available to him or her under the GCR and the Supps.
I respectfully submit that FF and F500 are not the best available
combination, given their relatively close, but conflicting, performance
characteristics. These give many if not most FFs a performance advantage on
longer straights, and, I believe, a majority of F500's a performance
advantage in cornering. With a grouping of cars at the track limit
(currently 35 and 27, or 62 in total, according to the SCCA website), this
poses an undue safety risk which need not be taken, and certainly need not
be twice taken, under very competitive qualifying conditions, as
demonstrated below.
Dr. G. L. Wannarka
Chief Steward
October 2, 2006
Page 2
First, FC, with 25 cars (2 less than F500) similarly shown to be entered,
presently is, inequitably, not combined over any of the 4 practice and
qualifying sessions. I believe that the performance characteristics of FC
and FF are at least as well matched as those of FF and F500. With comparable
and in many case the same chassis, their cornering characteristics and line
are generally closer,
particularly on a tighter track such as Heartland Park, such that their
speed differential is more consistent and, therefore, safer. Thus, most FFs
should be better matched with the FCs, while some may be better matched with
F500s, so that combining FC and FF one time should not be unfair to FF. In
considering this reasoning, it should be noted that neither combination
(FC/FF or FF/F500) is a favored or disfavored combination under GCR 7.1.3.C.
Alternatively, it would be far safer to combine FC (25 cars) with FA, with
only 16 cars, for a total of only 41 cars, one time, on Wednesday, October
11. This is a GCR 7.1.3.C favored combination. Though, I appreciate, this
would deprive FA of an uncombined session, it would not be unduly
inequitable to a 16 car group when balanced against the safety advantage of
unconsolidating a 62 car FF/F500 group.
Even more clearly, however, I believe the FF/F500 combination, at the track
limit, not once but twice, is not only inequitable, but insupportably
arbitrary when either of the combinations of T1 (22 cars) and AS (30 cars),
or T1 and T2 (34 cars) is available. Both put fewer cars, with, I believe,
more comparable performance characteristics on track together, so that the
combinations should be safer combinations. Both also are favored
combinations under GCR 7.1.3.F.
I would respectfully conclude by requesting that FF/F500 not be combined for
qualifying, but, if combined, then combined for no more than one qualifying
session (which I would agree should be split into two 10 minute sessions
under Supplementary Regulation 5).
Assuming this protest is taken to be well founded, as I believe it is,
please endorse my check to the SCCA Foundation.
Respectfully submitted,
John W. "Jack" Walbran
SCCA Member Number 118865
Entrant and Driver of Car Number 67
_________________________________________________________________
The next generation of Search—say hello!
http://imagine-windowslive.com/minisites/searchlaunch/?locale=en-us&FORM=WLMTAG
________________________________
FormulaCar Magazine - A Proud Supporter of Formula 500
The Official Publication of Junior Formula Car Racing
Subscribe Today! www.formulacarmag.com or 519-624-2003
_________________________________
_______________________________________________
F500 mailing list - [email protected]
To unsubscribe or change options please visit:
http://f500.org/mailman/listinfo/f500
*** Please, DO NOT send unsubscribe requests to the mailing list! ***
