Well I tried to stay out of this fray but having a big mouth and no brains here I go again.
As many of you know (and has been substantiated by several members of the inspection team, I was used as a example of punishment during Speedweek 20ll for all to see and chortle at because of a vendeta by a person who eveyone knows and is afraid to speak up against).
I next caught hell for merely "asking" what others thought about seperate records for high dollar teams.
I have previously railed against what I consider a "good old boy" attitude which amongst other things badly injured a M.C. rider at a non SCTA event last year.
I have watched the ex head of the BNI help lift a parapalegic into a 200+ mph roadster to make a pass when no one without a crane and full fire protection could possibly save him from a fire.
I have been both distracted and nearly had a chute deployed by a nice person with obvious physical and possibly mental issues while waiting to fire up.
I have had my push truck run into by Jack Costello's who felt he needed to run ahead of me when a new crew man was a little slow belting me in.
I have also had much help from strict but curtious inspectors who scared the hell out of me but also helped enable me to race, and of course I have been writen up by "self proclaimed experts who didn't even know the rules.
Now to the crux of the matter:
we are a non profit orginization that is self policing and self governing, staffed by volunteers who are are peers and more importantly our friends.
In the case of Jason line, it sounds like most evidence shows that he was allowed special treatment by the rules committee and the car owner., Wayne Jessel.
Having met Wayne and having had him help me out although he didn' know me from diddly squat, he donated his valuable time and knowledge and even talked to my engine builder by phone to help solve a problem with lifters made by another vendor
Is this a bad deal? You bet your Acura it is, and I am sure that the person who feels the worrst is Wayne Jessel.
Wayne loves Bonneville and has helped out everyone from Mike Cook to a nobody like me. He has answered emails and phone calls to help some of us go after his records.
He is not a cheater.
As for the SCTA staff that allowed Jason to trun, I would only say that first of all if I was to put a rookie in my car, he would be a great choice..
If there was a mistake made, lets learn from it and get over it.
I seem to have a univited ongoing fued with Steve Davis, allthough I don't wish for it to continue, nor do I want to see him fired or punished.
I just want to race, just like everyone else. We all make mistakes. We race for fun. Our officials are volunteers.
For Christ sakes lets let it go and go race. Enough is enough. Subaru happens. A few people fu*cked up. GET OVER IT.
I am sure everyone involved will be chastised by the proper officials, they are all sorry and embarassed, et al.
I am not pointing any fingers here, but to the persistant complainers, why not take a year off from racing and volunteer to work as a inspector or track worker?
Right now I am home having just spent three grand to NOT race my car through my own ignorance and a pissant engine rebuilder in Phoenix. My car , trailer, firesuit, helmet and support items are locked up in Wendover, and I am trying to deal with some Alfa insurance agencies after being rearended by a uninsured driver.
I have no clue how I can possibly afford to go retrieve my car let alone run the World Finals, but I am sure as hell not going to let the Jason Line problem stop me from trying to make it happen.
It's over, lets go racing,even if we can't afford it....... Bob
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