Vic Improved Production

[Crash Test]

Can anyone confirm or deny some of the goings on down at the Sandown round of the Victorian Motor Racing Championships last weekend?

A few Queenslanders from Graphic Skills Racing made the trip down, namely Wayne Wakefield, Peter Johnstone and Dave Skillender.

In scruitineering did they actually go to the effort of bringing in a standard 808 to measure it against the racing one? And did the car pass scruitineering?

Is it true that Wakefield was black flagged for going too slow on the warm up lap? Is it true that the field was already strung out around 2/3rds of the track?

Also, was there anyone measuring the pit land speed, or does Sandown use the time lines up and down the pit lane?

Deadset, who would want to go and spend a few grand to race in Victoria if that is the type of special treatment you get? Love Wakefield or hate him, he should be treated the same as everyone else...

[team drinkalot]

He's just a punk

[team drinkalot]

What goes around comes around.

[Garth]

Yep, all that is true, and more. The car did pass scrutinerring.

we were there also, running Leanne Ferrier in a new RX-7 and copped plenty from the locals. Leann was also stop-go'd in R2 for "breaking traction on the warm up lap".

This was after several attempts by the locals to send Leanne home for an alledged illegal car, a check from Peter Lawrence proved the allegations to be incorrect.

Crash, you are spot on, you would have thought that the locals would be more than happy to have all the fastest cars in the country competing at their state round, to take them on and see where they stand.

But no, I guess they have really good sheepstations on offer....

Leanne had the last laugh, coming from 12th to 5th and setting fastest lap (by half a second) in R3

[CooperS79]

Does anyone know what happened to the Ken Douglas RX7?

[pete55]

Great to see Leanne back and racing. The girl does have talent too.

[Garth]

Originally posted by CooperS79
Does anyone know what happened to the Ken Douglas RX7?

He blew an engine on L1 of Race 2. Apex seal he said.

[CooperS79]

Ah ok thanks Garth.

[racealign]

would you mind telling us who exactly were the "locals" that made several attempts to send leanne home for an alledged illegal car. are you saying other competitors? scrutineers? who? Are you saying that the race officials were obviously biased against queenslanders? or just better comeptitors? or what?...tell us a bit more before you tar and feather all the locals.

[mtpanorama]

This is from the Improved production forum, i dont think Leanne would mind it reproduced here.

http://pub189.ezboard.com/faustralia...picID=77.topic

Hello all,

This is my first post on here, though I have occasionally read through the various topics posted on the forum. I think the forum's a great idea and a really great way for all the competitors and interested parties to discuss various aspects of IPRA.

From reading some posts, some of you already know me or of me. I have just started racing in IPRA for a bit of fun while I and my team regroup for next year. I have many friends involved in the sport and they love the category, and it was one of those friends who actually brought my attention to a certain controversial topic that existed last night, and has since been removed.

I thought that, seeing as though I was at the centre of the whole affair, I should get on here and set a few things straight. To start off with, howver, I would like to make a couple of points:

1. I live in Victoria and therefore have nothing against Victorians

2. I lived in NSW for 20 years and therefore have nothing against NSW people.

3. The MAJORITY of people I met/raced against on the weekend at Sandown seemed to be nice people that had no problem with me.

Now, so I am not too heavily edited, I will state only facts and not let my emotions get in the way.

Fact number 1 - At 10am Friday morning, before my car had done any running or anyone in Victoria had a chance to look at it, it was brought to Garth's attention that people were trying to "out" us from the meeting due to our illeged illegal rear end.

Fact number 2 - As I was preparing for my last run of the day on Friday, I was told by the Victorian elligibility officer that, and I quote, I "had a rose-jointed rear end which is illegal." I believe they had the right intentions by trying to warn me that the car "may be picked for random scrutineering the following day" but I did not appreciate being accused of having an illegal rear end when there was no proof to support such a statement.

Fact number 3- After qualifying on Saturday (I qualified 5th with a 23.2, Douglass poled with a 20.9) CAMS chief eligibility officer, Peter Lawrence, checked the rear end and declared the car to be legal. We were informed that we would hear no more about the matter following this check.

Fact number 4 - No more than an hour after Peter Lawrence had declared the car legal, we were summonsed by a Scrutineer (who was only relaying a message) to the Scrutineering bay. When my father went to the scrutineering bay to query the summons, he was informed that it was to check the rear end (again). My father explained that Peter Lawrence had OK'd the car and that we would not bring the car to scrutineering. Ten minutes later, we were told to ignore any rumour or scuttle-but we may hear in the pits as the car was deemed to be totally legal.

Now for my feelings about the events.

I was quite disappointed and saddened at the behaviour of a minority of people involved with the IPRA and I believe that, if you all really do want this category to become a well-respected and sponsor-attracting class, then something needs to be done about the way things are handled. It appears to me that some illegalities are overlooked and some are not. Some sort of consistency is needed to ensure that everyone is racing on an even field and so that you know that when you are beaten by someone, you have been beaten fair and square.

Finally, the events of the weekend have only served to inspire me and all the other people involved in the preparation and running of my car to just get out and throw everything at the car to ensure that we stick it up all of them.

Regards,

Leanne Ferrier
IPRA NSW #42
MAZDA RX-7

[Morris 1100]

That sound like the problems that most interstate compeditors face every time they enter a Victorian race meeting.
You can build a car by the book and the Victorian scrutineers will come out with some things that are not in the book.
Like the time they tried to say my seat belt was fitted wrong...... when I asked how it should be fitted, I proved that to be impossible!

[True Believer]

We are surprised by all of this because.......

[RaceTime]

I'm sure someone will correct me - but this sort of interstate BS happens all over the place, not just in Victoria. A Victorian goes to NSW and the same gets reported, similarly NSW to QLD or Vice Versa...now wasn't WW sent home from Hidden Valley - last year or the year before? (with other QLD'ers going home in sympathy with him...)

[RaceTime]

Originally posted by Crash Test
Also, was there anyone measuring the pit land speed, or does Sandown use the time lines up and down the pit lane?

Pit lane speed trap time lines are installed but it is my understanding that the timekeepers don;t know how to use them....

[True Believer]

Set up one of those speed measuring things like on the Hume Hwy back to Sydney with the speed on digital display overhead... it will stop arguments for sure

[PVDA]

Next time your done for speeding in pit lane ask to see the calibration certificate for the radar gun! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[Morris 1100]

I was in the pit lane at the Konicas at Wakefield last year talking to the bloke with the radar gun and he was practicing using the gun between sessions, just aiming the gun and getting a reading.
There were no cars on the track but he got the figure of 45kph to come up on the display and could not work out what was giving the reading........







It was a flag on a flagpole fluttering in the wind!

[Crash Test]

RT- going back aways there, about Hidden Valley last year... it was written in the small print in the supp regs, that all competing cars MUST run AVGAS purchased from the race track. So what happens to everyone who have engines built for Optimax? Pack your bags Johny... The sad bit is though, Ross Dillon went and built an engine to take Avgas, rocks up at the nationals, and is told to back his bags because the late model cars aren't allowed to run Avgas!

At the nationals last year, there wasn't any of this BS. The only unhappy campers were those who blew up or were in carnage... and it was funny, for the final, everyone was instructed to go as slow as buggery on the warm up lap so that the cars wouldn't be sitting on the grid for ages... but where's the logic in that?

[RaceTime]

Where's the logic in any of this racing BS lately? Not saying I agree or disagree with what is going on - but re Hidden Valley - that problem could quite easily have been circumvented but the die hard *******s in control chose to not go down that road, instead 'Outta here son - pack yer bags and go - we don;t want you'

But, like I said - it happens all around the country unfortunately.

It is no longer motor sport it is motor racing.

[RaceTime]

Originally posted by PVDA
Next time your done for speeding in pit lane ask to see the calibration certificate for the radar gun! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Come and try that one on us at Wakefield Park over Easter (or any future meeting except the Konica's then - and see how far you get.

Pit Lane time line speed traps are measured over an average of specific distances. Drivers are pinged over the distance which means they have done at least the speed they are being booked at, if not more (it has been calculated, for example, that if a competitor is pinged for doing, say, 74 km/h going OUT of pit lane at Wakefield, over the distance of the trap, with acceleration, they can be doing something like 85 km/h at pit lane exit!

However, even that will be measured from the Easter Weekend meeting - so no more Mr. Nice Guy's

[RaceTime]

Originally posted by True Believer
Set up one of those speed measuring things like on the Hume Hwy back to Sydney with the speed on digital display overhead... it will stop arguments for sure

Not allowed to!

The DATA-1 system has the ability to feed back informaiton and control devices - our software can also control a sign to display speeds whenever we want to - but certain key CAMS officials have refused permission to do this (Barbagallo brought in one of these speed display signs a couple of years ago) because - and wait for this - 'They don;t want drivers to see what they are being booked for.....' (Barbagallo, V8 Supercar round 1999...)

[True Believer]

So why doesnt someone make a powerplay for CAMS and shove the national executive back in their day jobs?

I can see a CAMS structure being very efficient... if you combine it with the road service businesses of the state players, to become a single being across all states, maybe throw a few race circuits in there.... and play hard ball with AVESCO and TEGA regarding dollars for the show...

I am sure a business model could be put up to appoint permanent people responsble for the administration of technical regulations, with a closing up of the wording of some regs, and enforcement of rules.

Have a national team of administrators managing the technical side of all circuits in Australia, with the flaggies & other volunteers responsible to these people

You can look after timing for all circuits nationally RT

[RaceTime]

Hehe - no thanks! WHilst the egos exist at some of the race tracks (particularly Victorian tracks) even this wouldn't work.

How many re-incarnations of the Motorsport Promoters Group have we seen now? 4 or 5? (And I love the initials of their atest version - AAA - instantly makes me think of Alcholics Anonymous Australia....)

[True Believer]

During one of the binge sessions is likely the timie when the AAA concept came up.

It wont work unless there is common ownership of circuits, common management of circuits... a group of loose cannons meeting in 1 room is still a group of loose cannons.

[racealign]

Sometimes, when I read some of the posts,I wonder whether it's worth replying. Is it better to shut up, say nothing and question what it is that motivates some people to write what they do. I have decided to say something although I think that all you get is more stupidity thrown back at you.

From what I can gather from the above CAMS should be replaced, Victorian scrutineers are idiots, Victorian competitors protest other good competitors who may beat them and Victorian officials and directors are incompetent fools. Am I correct? Is this really what people who have written above think? Is that what the rest of Australia thinks?