Per AJ Ashe -

I would like to give everyone that is attending our last SFG event this year in Reynolds, Ga next weeknd a heads up! After several discussions between Kyle and myself and the recent occurance to really bring things to light! We both feel its a safety issue that has been let to get a lil out of control so that being said SFG will be enforcing the excessive braking rule at our events. This is just for the safety of our racers cause its not just your safety but the racer in the other lane also. Smoking or sliding the tires in excess you will get one warning then the next time you will be disqualified. If its so excessive you crash you will be automatically disqualified without a warning! Kyle and myself have discussed this before several times but now think its important to implement the rule for the safety of our racers and their opponents! Thank you and well see yall in reynolds for the 3 50k SFG season finale!

What's your thoughts?

My thoughts are I don’t see it being enforced....

Good idea. Can not see any objection to rule since putting rule out in advance. I do see controversy over when its called. I see some claiming they where called for it and other not because of favoritism . We all know how some feel they are being treated unfair if they loose. JMO

Again I think its good idea to have this rule and enforce it and other safety rules that get overlooked at some of these races.

This will be a very good thing for the safety of all the racer's.... thanks guys for addressing this issue in a timely manner...

If the rule is posted in advance for all to see and understand, then there should be instant enforcement. You don't get one warning for red lighting, crossing the center line or breaking out, JMHO.

Long overdue.

I do not have a problem with it. Make the rules, state the payout and run them. Where I have a problem is when rules or payouts is changed after start of race.
We all look at rules, payout, driving distance etc. when we make our decision where to race.

No way to consistently police this rule. So is the same non-bias person gonna sit there and watch every vehicle come down the track and determine what is and what’s not excessive braking? What metric or tool does this said person use to make that determination? Sure that tire smoke and sliding is easy to recognize but a nice clean drop without any of those visual effects, what’s the rule on that? This is gonna be a totally subjective opinion without a standardized tool to measure what is and what’s not an excessive brake job. The mention of red lights and crossing the center line is a cut and dry rule, there is a standard to measure against, it’s not an opinionative call or rule. I’m not saying there shouldn’t be a rule to address this problem but it’s just gonna be hard to consistently enforce it. JMO

Just do it. Should have been done years ago. Lots of these smokers think it is cute and way to many think they are above the rules. And while on the subject you need to finish the race in the car you start in.

I think they would have to have a camera set up just for this to go back an show said racer...

that's what a Race Director is for, someone with AJ credentials or any other race director should be good enough when they call excessive braking, long over due in my opinion along with other safety measures that seem to get over looked in fear of losing entry fees.....

quote:

Originally posted by 235582:
No way to consistently police this rule. So is the same non-bias person gonna sit there and watch every vehicle come down the track and determine what is and what’s not excessive braking? What metric or tool does this said person use to make that determination? Sure that tire smoke and sliding is easy to recognize but a nice clean drop without any of those visual effects, what’s the rule on that? This is gonna be a totally subjective opinion without a standardized tool to measure what is and what’s not an excessive brake job. The mention of red lights and crossing the center line is a cut and dry rule, there is a standard to measure against, it’s not an opinionative call or rule. I’m not saying there shouldn’t be a rule to address this problem but it’s just gonna be hard to consistently enforce it. JMO

Yes you have some valid points but so you want to just burry your head in the sand!!!!

Whomp's idea is good but that isn't going to be an option at every race. Bottom line is pretty simple, something needs to be done before someone gets seriously hurt or worse! No getting around that fact. The race director has the final say and needs to step up to the plate and make some both easy and hard decisions when needed! That person may even make some bad ones, no one is perfect, but this problem needs attention and you have to start somewhere! Maybe someone like Bryan Balducci can way in here, he got T boned by a racer crashing from excessive breaking! I am sure he wasn't happy about it,,, and he could have easily been seriously hurt or worse in that mess. He was dinged up pretty good from that crash which had no business occurring and lost his car to boot!

While I have no problem with the rule I am going to say this.

I have had to race several times on tracks that was cool and close to the dew point and it did not take much at all to lock them up and get out of control. That was NOT excessive braking just track conditions.

Not burying my head in the sand as stated in my last sentence. What I am saying is that without a constant baseline to make a ruling on then it’s a subjective opinion on any decision made, good or bad. And with so many variables that can go into making that subjective opinion it’s gonna open up a can of worms when somebody is or isn’t disqualified or warned based on everybody has a different opinion on how they see things. I’m not gonna list all the possible scenarios that comes to mind on this matter but without a baseline standard to know what’s the limit and what’s not it’s just gonna be difficult to enforce this rule. I hate to mention specific names but the one that comes to mind is “in my opinion” Jerry Emmons should not have been disqualified for the race he did that nice clean drop without any tire smoke or sliding, but guess what??? Somebody else had a different “opinion” and enforced their verdict. Once again there is plenty of opinions and if rules are gonna be put into place it can’t be based upon opinions with so many variables...once again in my opinion

quote:

Originally posted by TOP38:

quote:

Originally posted by 235582:
No way to consistently police this rule. So is the same non-bias person gonna sit there and watch every vehicle come down the track and determine what is and what’s not excessive braking? What metric or tool does this said person use to make that determination? Sure that tire smoke and sliding is easy to recognize but a nice clean drop without any of those visual effects, what’s the rule on that? This is gonna be a totally subjective opinion without a standardized tool to measure what is and what’s not an excessive brake job. The mention of red lights and crossing the center line is a cut and dry rule, there is a standard to measure against, it’s not an opinionative call or rule. I’m not saying there shouldn’t be a rule to address this problem but it’s just gonna be hard to consistently enforce it. JMO

Yes you have some valid points but so you want to just burry your head in the sand!!!!

Whomp's idea is good but that isn't going to be an option at every race. Bottom line is pretty simple, something needs to be done before someone gets seriously hurt or worse! No getting around that fact. The race director has the final say and needs to step up to the plate and make some both easy and hard decisions when needed! That person may even make some bad ones, no one is perfect, but this problem needs attention and you have to start somewhere! Maybe someone like Bryan Balducci can way in here, he got T boned by a racer crashing from excessive breaking! I am sure he wasn't happy about it,,, and he could have easily been seriously hurt or worse in that mess. He was dinged up pretty good from that crash which had no business occurring and lost his car to boot!

Well put. Again I think the thing everyone needs to remeber is that its no just you and your equipment that you are risking. There is a car and driver in the other lane. I had a racer wreck alongside me due to excessive braking several years back. He didnt miss me by much from what im told. I was lucky in that i didnt even know about the incident until after I turned off. and luckily for him he was ok but could have been a lot worse.

Its cut and dry. Slide the tires there will be smoke. Smoke the tires you should be done for the night. No warning. What happens if you warn them and the next round you wreck and take out the car beside you.ive seen many times this year cars do this and it’s laughed about on live tv

quote:

Originally posted by C Hodge:
Its cut and dry. Slide the tires there will be smoke. Smoke the tires you should be done for the night. No warning. What happens if you warn them and the next round you wreck and take out the car beside you.ive seen many times this year cars do this and it’s laughed about on live tv

^^^He aint wrong. Hard drops has become something cool to do by a lot of people. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to watch and see if it was a hard drop. If you lift off the gas and d1ck nail the brakes, you are dropping too hard. PERIOD

Pretty much anyone who's raced at my home track Firebird Raceway in Boise knows they have a zero tolerance for excessive braking. They've policed it fairly well over the years and yes, there have been mistakes made in the enforcement. That being said, anytime a human is the deciding factor, there will be errors made.

I drive the stripe like many do, and I've been bitten by this rule. In fact, I lost a Wally due to it. I learned my lesson, but that doesn't mean I don't use the brake pedal as part of one of the many strategies when driving the stripe.

I applaud SFG taking the lead by electing to follow the NHRA rule with regards to excessive braking. It may be challenging to enforce it, however, ultimately, I believe they will be successful.

I'm sure there will be several racers who don't care for the rule and elect not to attend, but I'm guessing the numbers will be minimal.

With the kind of money on the line at races like the Flings, Millions, etc. racers will adapt their driving styles or take their chances to be able to have a shot at winning this kind of money.

I'm also not in favor of re entry in a different car after a wreck. Breakage due to natural wear and tear is one thing, crashing and re-entry in different car is another.

I've never chosen NOT to attend a race based on rules in general, and I bet most other racers won't either.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: David_D.,

quote:

Originally posted by 235582:
Not burying my head in the sand as stated in my last sentence. What I am saying is that without a constant baseline to make a ruling on then it’s a subjective opinion on any decision made, good or bad. And with so many variables that can go into making that subjective opinion it’s gonna open up a can of worms when somebody is or isn’t disqualified or warned based on everybody has a different opinion on how they see things. I’m not gonna list all the possible scenarios that comes to mind on this matter but without a baseline standard to know what’s the limit and what’s not it’s just gonna be difficult to enforce this rule. I hate to mention specific names but the one that comes to mind is “in my opinion” Jerry Emmons should not have been disqualified for the race he did that nice clean drop without any tire smoke or sliding, but guess what??? Somebody else had a different “opinion” and enforced their verdict. Once again there is plenty of opinions and if rules are gonna be put into place it can’t be based upon opinions with so many variables...once again in my opinion

I will make it easier for you... with an example to boot...

Racer X does a nice hard dump, no tire smoke to boot but its under optimum conditions! The does it later in the race however the track is now not as good or there happens to be a small spot of oil or water on one side of the track,,, etc,, now racer X crashes because they were caught by total surprise and bam, it happens quick! Is racer x responsible,,,??

I will answer for you, absolutely! They choose to race in this manner on a race track that's never going to be perfect 100% of the time and crashed because of it... you think that's good for our sport???? NOPE! It has to stop, period,,, and like I said it may hurt for while but once the racers who choose to race this way get the message they will stop.. Most running these days have a dam good idea who is doing this so it's not as hard as you make it. IT IS SIMPLY UP TO THE RACE PROMOTER TO MAKE THE CALLS! When it comes to racers equipment and personnel safety, I DON"T CARE HOW HARD IT WILL BE TO ENFORCE. And yes, it will be a subjective deal which is far better than nothing at all.

quote:

Originally posted by C Hodge:
Its cut and dry. Slide the tires there will be smoke. Smoke the tires you should be done for the night. No warning. What happens if you warn them and the next round you wreck and take out the car beside you.ive seen many times this year cars do this and it’s laughed about on live tv

On a slick and or cold track you may not see the smoke before the BANG!