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Old 04-07-2008, 09:50 AM
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bs6ef
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Originally Posted by copter
I was team manager for Finland at the event and I was present in the meeting where Jaco rims were found illegal against EFRA rules. I was sitting next to Austrian team manager (Robert Bachofner).

What actually happened was that we were having just a normal team manager meeting on Friday before the first practice round. We discussed about all normal issues regarding the event. There was no preset agenda or anything.

After all normal issues were solved somebody said something like “OK now I think we have to still make couple big decisions”. I cannot remember who said this; either it was Robert or the EFRA referee present at the meeting. The way how this was said gave me the feeling that at least one or more persons in the meeting had the information about Jaco rims before the event. I cannot remember what was the other issue / decision, but it didn’t have anything to do with Jaco rims.

What happened next was that Robert took a bag of rims on the table and presented the issue that Jaco / CS rear rims are too big. In the bag there was I thinking 5 or 6 different rims, one from each manufacturer (GRP/Parma/CRC etc.). All rubber had been trued off from those. We discussed about the issue and also it came up in the discussions that some other manufacturers might also have slightly too big rear rim.

We took a digital meter and set the distance to exactly 38mm and tested each of the rims through it. Some of rims passed it even without touching. Some of the rims passed it with a slight push, but the meter was still set to 38mm after they had gone through it. Jaco rims passed it with a very hard push and after this the meter had moved to 38.2mm. This was the way how rims were measured at this meeting. Some other manufacturers were very close to not pass the test as well, but since the meter didn’t move they were accepted and found legal.

After this we discussed more about the issue since we knew that there is a lot of drivers using Jaco rear rims in the event. EFRA referee was quite strict about this since EFRA rules do not have any tolerances mentioned anywhere in the rules. Also Robert said since there are no tolerances mentioned in the rules he cannot see how Jaco rear rims could be legal. I think the exact words were “If I see anybody running Jaco rear rims and them passing the technical inspection, its 500 Euros straight from my pocket for the protest”. So in any case he would have been protesting against any driver using Jaco rear rims. At the same time he mentioned that he had brought 1500 pairs of rear tires with him to the event for sale. So clearly he had been prepared for the ban of Jaco rear rims.

The decision was clear. Jaco rear rims were too big and there was no way to rule them legal. The decision wasn’t easy, but rules are rules and they need to be followed. Driver is himself responsible from the equipment what they are using and it’s also their responsibility to know is the stuff legal what they are using.

I myself and I think most of the other team manager too didn’t have any information about this issue before the meeting, but like I said I think that besides Robert the EFRA referee had the information. I don’t know when he (EFRA referee) got it, so it might have been just before the meeting as well.

Like mentioned above I was sitting next to Robert and while he presented this issue I noticed interesting thing. He had some papers on his hand from which he read this information about the rims and these papers were printed emails in German language. Sure I don’t understand German, but I do know what the fields in email headers are. This printed email was dated I think 27.3.2008 or 29.3.2008. Event started and this meeting was held 4.4.2008.

I think this confirms that Robert had the information well beforehand the event, but instead of reporting it to EFRA or organizers he decided to keep this issue himself until the team manager meeting and make all the preparations to present this issue at the meeting and sell tires (rim samples + gathering 1500 pairs of rear tires with him for sale).

What I’m trying to say is that decision to rule Jaco rims illegal was correct, but the way and schedule how this issue was brought into attention was wrong. Instead of holding the information and preparing this “operation” Robert should have informed EFRA and race organizers as soon as possible so that they could have informed the drivers well before the event.

Best regards,
Matti Korvenmaa, Team Manager Finland

Hi Matti

thanks for the first hand information, i am absolutely disgusted by the actions of Robert Bachofner and feel that his action were purely motivated by greed and feel that he should be banned from selling merchandise at any further euro championships / EFRA sanctioned event. I also feel that CRC should look into this situation as this will give a fantastic company(CRC) a bad name.

I really hope that Robert Bachofner will come on to this forum and explain himself as the only thing he has managed to do is bring a dark cloud over our sport.

cheers
steve

P.S. I am a Director of a company, and if any person who works for me was to pull a silly stunt like that they would be disciplined for there actions.
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