There WILL be a problem @ Topeka with 60+ cars on the track. At last year's Runoffs @ MidOhio, the Mazdas were combined with the Formula Atlantics. There were numerous issues during the first session, including cars beached on top of cars in Thunder Valley - 5 car pile ups. The solution brought to the Stewards was to have two separate ten minute qualifying sessions rather than one twenty minute combined session. This eliminated the problem running with the Mazdas and allowed the Atlantics a short but clear track for qualifying.
Steve Jondal #38 F500 -----Original Message----- From: Kenny Price [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 3:51 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [F500] Runoffs Class Grouping Protest 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=WLM TAG ________________________________ 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! ***
