ECTA Maxton News

[landracing]

Scott,

Would we all think the same if a rider hit a "Pot Hole" in the shutdown area of Maxton causing an accident?

So the rule book should state for the ECTA "A successful attempt will be a run from the start, thru the timing lights, dodging the orange cones, missing the pot hole, navigating any loose gravel, making the hard right turn, and continue on to impound area"

And if same result would have happened that a rider completed a run from the start thru the timing traps and ran something over maneuvering the right hand turnout and had a flat tire on the return road to impound, lost control and fell over. Would they also be denied? They still wont get a license... Interesting.

Jon

[dwarner]

With all emotion aside, the objective of a licenseing program is to demonstrate the ability to handle a high performance vehicle in a safe and controlled manner.

The granting of an upgrade is the reward for safely completing the required step in the licensing process. An unwritten but, followed SCTA-BNI procedure is to allow a 2-3 mph above the license speed, i.e. 174-177mph when going from the D to C level. The license run is observed by the starter, the tower and the course workers. If you do not hear anything from these people about the run then it is safe to assume that all went well.

A successful run will include leaving the starting area in a safe manner, not running off course outside the marked sidelines, timely parachute deployment, turning to correct side of the course and clearing the course. The general public does not hear the radio chatter concerning runs that do not meet the basic criteria. If you see Lee Kennedy making his way to the far end you will know that something untoward has happened on the run.

An example of an experienced driver having trouble occured at Speedweek last year. Said driver later explained that someone other the the regular person had helped him in the car. He was not comfortable and when leaving the line was having a hard time seeing the oil pressure gauge. The driver steered across the long course side line and when he looked up he thought he was against the left line. He then steered to the right and continued to accelerate. At about the two mile mark he realized that the timing stand was on the wrong side of the car, he was on the short course. The driver immediatly shut down and stopped. If this had happened to someone with less experience the probability of an incident was very high.

This is a short story about the importance of a monitored license program. There are many times that drivers/riders are required to rerun a license step because of problem either during the run or the shutdown procedure.

Ask Bill Taylor or Glen Barrett about licensing, I think you will be surprised at how closely this is monitored.

DW

[RayKimbro]

Dan -

Thanks for your thoughts. This discussion brings to mind another question: What exactly does a license provide for both the racer, and the sponsoring organization?

I've got a couple of my own thoughts, but, I'd really enjoy hearing from those w/a lot more smarts & experience than I have.

Ray Kimbro

[yetavon]

So does this make Deb the fastest women biker , without her bike ?

I believe so...But TJ  still holds the skid record

as for the Humor of the responders...one of the best assessment tools available.
dumb silly joke and they smile,overall mental capacity is intact
the decreased tension is a great bonus.(paramedic of 21 years here)
I saw Deb get the best of care.

as for the license,once past 175 your good to go to 249.
should she /should she not keep it controversy,seems like a board question that should take
more than a day to decide...Hell the "protested team" had to wait about 5 weeks for an answer.
regardless I'm positive she will get it...known Deb to long to see it not happen.
I remember a story of her riding thru a tornado to go to work!!!
If it wasn't for the rule about both hands on the controls she would have
been back Sunday morning to try again...

Again Deb best wishes for a fast and full healing...
But you have my permission to milk it awhile and let Todd do all the housework.

Darrin

[DahMurf]

Dan,
 That all sounds like a really nice way to handle licensing. My problem is that I WAS issued an A license at the track. I was then publicly congratulated by the race director for achieving the A license. Then a short time later I was publicly told my A license was being revoked. At no point in time have I ever been spoken to directly or privately about this. At no time have I been directly spoken to in regards to obtaining or not obtaining the license and why or why not it should or shouldn't happen.

The issue I had on the track, in my opinion, was not relevant to the speed I had just achieved. It was target fixation plain and simple. It could have happened with a trap speed of 200, it could have happened at a trap speed of 185. It was my mistake and I own it and I'm paying for it.

It is really a non-issue whether or not I have an A license. The rule book clearly states that with having my B license I'm well within the regulations to show up next meet and run another 212 run whether I have the A license or the B license.

What I don't appreciate is the public embarrassment and ridicule with the debate on if I'm skilled enough to have the A license. I'm not the only one that has ever hit a cone on this track. I'm not the only one to have hit a cone at this meet. Unfortunately I'm the only one that went down for doing it.

It would be really nice if all of you would remember that there is a person with feelings behind this debate. It's hard enough to stand before you all and state that after nearly 100,000 miles of road riding in various and all road & weather conditions, 45 runs down the maxton track, 8 runs on the drag strip that I would fall victim to target fixation, that I made a mistake, that I wrecked a sponsors bike, that I broke my collarbone, that I took myself out of the next race at a critical point in history.

The A license is on it's way back to Keith as we speak. I'll show up the next time I'm cleared to run and I will rerun my licensing pass. It's really a non-issue to me. The way this entire thing has been handled IS an issue with me. Maybe the ECTA can take a good look at it's beloved SCTA and learn a thing or two about decorum.

Just my humble inexperienced non-riding non-skilled non-licensed opinion from the hot seat.
Deb

[JackD]

Deb has taken her rightful position as a very experienced rider that just added more to that experience than most ever will.
She has shared every bit that is appropriate so that everybody can learn from her experience.
Lets hope the sport overall is better for her efforts that include the successes everybody champions and the failures that many deny but share none the less.
You can bet there is some feminine pride driving some of this in her , but it is the accomplishment in total that will count in the long run.
"Treat the rider like a rider and not a novelty."
I think you will find she will appreciate that more than just about anything.

[Dan Stokes]

Deb -
I think we all appreciate that you weren't the only one to make a mistake in this situation.  I see NO reason for you to feel any embarrassment - your accomplishment stands on it's own, and I, among many, am SO proud of you I could bust!  And I hope you are, too.  Regardless of technicalities, there's no question in anyone's mind that A) You're qualified to run as fast as the bike will carry you and
B) You owe an apology to no one (except maybe Scott, who doesn't seem to see a need for one either).

As soon as you can race, I look forward to seeing you go out there and smoke the track.

Dan

[Rick Roberts]

Deb, Congrats on the 212 and hope you are on the mend. I'm sure Scott isn't worried about the bike, just the rider. You earned your A license on that run and it should be awarded. You are not the first to hit a cone in shutdown nor are you the the only one at this meet. Joe?... KT? 

[Snal]

Deb, just a point of view to consider. You seemed to be fine with all the "public" publicity that was thrown at you before the license was taken back, so why get all PO'd when it's "publicly" taken away?
I can certainly understand all of the "you go girl" postings for anyone with these achievements, and I'm certain that you'll get your official "A" license eventually, but very little has been said about another "you go girl" accomplishment. Trillium went faster at the same meet, was blessed with no target fixation, and had alot less "help" to get there. I haven't seen any "hurt feelings" post from her.
You've always impressed me as a female that KNOWS that she can do whatever the fellas are doing, given the same platform, and I feel certain that you can handle most any bike that's handed to you, but the "It would be really nice if all of you would remember that there is a person with feelings behind this debate" just kinda blindsided me. You've always impressed me as someone that required no special treatment due to gender, but at the same time someone that had a burning desire to accomplish as much as she could as a female...something to be very proud of. What happened? Surely you wouldn't want a set of rules based on gender.
From what I can gather, no rider has ever gone down on a licensing run at Maxton, so your run is bringing up all sorts of questions. These guestions should be addressed asap, and they will help the ECTA in the future.

Snal~

[landracing]

It should be something brought upon a "Committee" for a vote. But since there is no specialized "committee" for the ECTA, I guess it lays in one or two people's judgement???

Its been a year or two since i've been there so I'm not sure how it is handled???

Jon

[John Noonan]

Deb, just a point of view to consider. You seemed to be fine with all the "public" publicity that was thrown at you before the license was taken back, so why get all PO'd when it's "publicly" taken away?
I can certainly understand all of the "you go girl" postings for anyone with these achievements, and I'm certain that you'll get your official "A" license eventually, but very little has been said about another "you go girl" accomplishment. Trillium went faster at the same meet, was blessed with no target fixation, and had alot less "help" to get there. I haven't seen any "hurt feelings" post from her.
You've always impressed me as a female that KNOWS that she can do whatever the fellas are doing, given the same platform, and I feel certain that you can handle most any bike that's handed to you, but the "It would be really nice if all of you would remember that there is a person with feelings behind this debate" just kinda blindsided me. You've always impressed me as someone that required no special treatment due to gender, but at the same time someone that had a burning desire to accomplish as much as she could as a female...something to be very proud of. What happened? Surely you wouldn't want a set of rules based on gender.
From what I can gather, no rider has ever gone down on a licensing run at Maxton, so your run is bringing up all sorts of questions. These guestions should be addressed asap, and they will help the ECTA in the future.

Snal~

First I must state that I am proud of both of the "girls" for what they have done.

I would think that Deb would get to hold an "A" license as she seems to have completed the requirements and did not crash "in the lights" or take out the timing equipment during the 212 mph pass.


Second, a big congrats also to Trilly and Jody for the great runs they both made, Jody gets in the ECTA 200 club and Trill comes out the fastest ever female open bike rider period anywhere!

Congrats to Trill, Jody, and Deb and everyone is grateful for the "minor" injuries Deb received.

Scott, if you need and parts for the bike that went down let me know as I have some spares also.

J

[JackD]

It should be something brought upon a "Committee" for a vote. But since there is no specialized "committee" for the ECTA, I guess it lays in one or two people's judgement???

Its been a year or two since I've been there so I'm not sure how it is handled???

Jon

The scope of the licence run has been explained and that includes all aspects of the attempt from end to end.
The reasons applied are valid and should continue.
The "committee" is in place and consists of all the event personnel charged with the responsibility of observing every run.
They vote with their silent approval or their vocal objection to anything that is wrong or incomplete.

Did i get it right ?

[dwarner]

Jack - yes,

Deb,

While we have never met I feel that I know you as a LSR competitor. You get high praise from those that know you and race with you. My response was to point out what a license program should be. I, of all people, know that there are individuals involved in our sport. I
would have it no other way.

I hope to be able to make a Maxton meet and introduce myself to everyone I know from this forum.

DW

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Dan, are you sure you want to visit Maxton?  It's in Scotland County, North Carolina, and it's a dry county -- no beer allowed.

We'll see you on the Salt.

[JackD]

Dan has turned over a new leaf and his diet is now mostly barley, hops, spring water and Vitamin P.
He strives to be all natural.