It wouldn't be a big event if we couldn't manufacture some controversy after the fact... especially if fueled by some that weren't even in attendance.
Originally Posted by pops
Billy Easton was robbed. He was hit from behind and knocked over the board ahead of the pack he was leading anyway. Then Barry Baker, calling the race, told him to wait until like 5 or 6 cars went by. Billy was not at fault but was penalized for the mistake of another driver. Billy should have gone right away, the way he was driving he could have won that 2nd main. Billy was catching Hara but ran out of time.
Originally Posted by JamesArluck
If he was knocked over the board to a different part of the track shouldn't he have had to wait until a turn marshall put him back on the right section of track?
Originally Posted by JamesArluck
I agree, it's a hard call to make. But even if he was "hacked from behind" does that mean it would have been ok for him to keep going without stopping and continue to lead the race?
Originally Posted by Juan Aveytia
People were flipping over the boards all weekend, the only thing they were told to do was wait for the cars to come around that were near them when they flipped, and then announcers told them to go. I seen it happen in alot of the mains, if the rule would have been enforced alot of main results would have been different.
Exactly Juan (and congrats on your 4th place overall in TC Stock, nuf respect)
There was no "stop and go penalty" given out, everyone (including the announcers) understood that it wasn't Billy Easton's fault that he got hit and jumped over the board. Just like had been done several times that weekend, instead of having a turn marshal retrieve the car and return him to the other side of the board, the driver would wait until the pack of cars drove by. It would have been very controversial for him to retake his position at the lead of a multi car pack after jumping the track, regardless of how he was put there.
Billy Easton was fast and so was Rick Howart but sh*t happens and thats why we have Triple A Mains. Hara is the Nationals Champion and he rightly deserves the title.
Look at these series of pics from the start of A3 main and check out Hara's holeshot to take the lead in the first corner. I was flipping these pictures back and forth and it almost looks like Hara makes the pass like Billy is standing still! *edit* correction, its a pass on Rick Howart for 2nd, not the lead *edit*
I still have hundreds of pictures to sort and edit, there will be a link to the gallery at HarshGuy's Gearchart.com when complete.