JMYBFFT

At our race last week a turn marshall inadvertently cost me a lap. Our laps are read at the end of a straight just before a 90 degree right hand turn. I was on the inside with another truck beside me on the outside and he cut the turn early and rolled me just before crossing the transponder reader. The marshall picked up my truck and threw me back onto the track around the corner, so the computer never registered my lap. I confirmed my conclusion when the lap times were posted and I had one lap in the middle of my run that was 45 seconds when every other lap was between 19 and 26 seconds. Is there any recourse for something like this? If I had been credited with my extra lap I would have qualified first for my group in the main instead of fifth. I finished second in the main by the way. Has something like this happened to anyone else? How did you resolve it? Thanks.

jharris

Just let the person running the system know, at our track they will just add the lap into the system.

Also depending on consistency it will be easy to tell that there was a problem looking at your lap times. Either way have fun, getting overly concerned will take the fun out of it.

Casper

iTrader: (34)

Yeah talk to the race director right after the race and explain what happened. Let them know the TM put you on the other side of the loop and you missed your lap. As the lap times show there was an extra long lap in there and almost always they will trust you with no other verification and give you your lap back. Don't be afraid to speak up in these situations. It is just a fun club race but you want credit when you do well. Most club race directors don't look through the lap times all that carefully so it gets missed a lot, but just bring it up to them next time.

slaytanic

iTrader: (20)

Suck it up. Crap happens. If it were a huge event that may be different.

JMYBFFT

Thanks. It was only my second time to race so I didn't bring it up at all, but just wondered if there was a way to deal with issues like that. We only race for stickers so I wasn't overly concerned except that run would have been a personal best with the additional lap. I improved on that run in the main so I was happy.

Anyone else have any stories of strange occurrences that changed the outcome of a race?

johnnyboy

iTrader: (28)

At our track anyone can bring it to the attention of one of the race directors and we would review the sheet and in your case, add the extra lap. The final time is not affected so we just add the lap. No big deal and no one have ever complained about us doing that in those cases (club race or big race). Easy peasy.

Casper

iTrader: (34)

Although we all agree, even JMYBFFT, that missing the lap is not a big deal it is still fair to get the lap back and you should ask for it. Saying suck it up is not the answer. He paid his money to race just like everyone else and deserves the finish/qualifying spot he earned. No harm in asking for the error to be corrected.

scwrod

iTrader: (2)

The only time to resolve this is before the mains are run. I assume this was a club race?? There is no guarantee you would have placed better if you had pole position. I will take 2nd all day long

forest_parker

iTrader: (2)

yea it sucks, tell the track official, but dont sweat it

lusifur

I'd probably bring it up with the race director IMMEDIATELY to give him time to check out your lap times and make a decision.

Accept whatever decision is ultimately made though.

I'd say give the people running the race time and opportunity to make it right. Honestly, if your lap times are consistent and there is a sudden doubling in one lap (that is basically double what you would normally run or slightly longer), it would be obvious what happened.

Maybe mention it to the turn marshal politely so they don't do it to someone else.

TRXRACER99

iTrader: (10)

yes the easyest thing to do is if you run off road is to turn around jump the pipe and go under the decoder or if you run on road tell the race director and he will add a lap to your race

YDBD

iTrader: (3)

I think you did ok and were able to snag second in the main, and didn't take it out on the marshall.

If it was a main, I believe most tracks have protest rules and you'd have to go that route.

It's tough to be competitive and still remember you're there to have fun...

chiro972

iTrader: (10)

Every track is different and every race director is different. I have been some places where it is a simple matter of CALMLY talking to the director and seeing if it can be resolved. If it is in qualifying and won't change which main you're in, forget about it. If it really makes a difference, try to talk to the director, but be prepared to be told that it's just tough luck.

After all, for most of us it isn't ever going to be our job. We should be doing this for fun. Just make it one more incentive to try and not need the marshals to begin with.

Amoeba

iTrader: (2)

I agree with the other posters re: talk to the RD. Depending on the track setup, if there is marshalling required near/around the transponder line you should talk with the RD *before* the heats so he communicates during the driver's meeting that anyone marshalling that area try to be aware of placing cars back on the track where they rolled so they don't inadvertently cost anyone a lap.

I can recall times when in particularly technical areas where the marshall works overtime righting rolled cars they accidentally put you ahead of where you are supposed to be or (in the case of multiple pile-ups) marshall you out of order. In most cases the drivers pause until they're in the order they need to be before continuing racing. I always pay attention to those times because that's just good sportsmanship and people who do it go on my "respect" list. The ones that don't go on another list entirely

Zerodefect

Relax, this is why there are 3 quals. Usually the computer just uses your fastest of 3 runs. Right?

Probally won't ever happen to you again. Next time just drive backwards to get back across the loop then continue on.