98NYFINESTVETTE

First I will explain some details:
After Danny made his pass, the woman from SAM ran up to the tower. Reason for this was that the car Danny was racing was the SAM race car. When the SAM car was going down the track it crossed/hit the center line. When Danny was accepting his time slip he was informed that the vehicle did hit the stripe. While Danny was speaking to this person, a track official drove down the track to the area of where the vehicle may have crossed the line. The employee confirmed over the radio that there were tire marks on the stripe. As this was being done, the announcer said that Danny won as a result of the car crossing the center line. This was probably obvious to the announcer, that is why he made the call before the track official confirmed it.

Well, after hearing this over the radio you would think it was safe to say that Danny was the winner. A moment later the announcer said that the SAM car did not hit the center line and that Danny lost.

I heard people walking past our pit area from the stands shaking there heads in disbelief saying that is was all BS!!!

I have the link to one of I am sure many video's that will surface. I think it is safe to say that you can see how the car hit the center line. Also appears that the car was not straight on the starting line.

http://youtu.be/oPqkZvDXJhQ

What do you think?

0rodney@rpmtransmissions

4DRUSH

Sure looks close past mid track, can't tell thou.

REDGAR

hard to tell from that video but looks very close

LS1LT1

It does appear to be too hard to tell from this one video but even if the Camaro didn't cross the line it definitely was VERY CLOSE.
The main issue here is that the tower had already made the call (their view point would be MUCH better/clearer from up their as well) and it was confirmed by a physical visible inspection of the track surface/striping itself.
And then it was suddenly and mysteriously reversed.
The only thing I can think of is that it was determined that the tire marks that the track employee saw were from an earlier pass by another car.
Or, and I hate to even say/imply this but, that the S.A.M. School/team/organization also being a paying 'Official Product Sponsor' of the series/event....well, you know where I'm going with that.
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Rob Petyo

98NYFINESTVETTE

Great picture. Looks pretty clear to me. Thanks Hot Wheels.

Mike Meeks got screwed at Holley Fest with hitting the center line on a bye run. According to the NHRA rules, on a bye run you can hit the center line but not cross it.

redvette1077

Sure looks like he hit the line. The tower has a better perspective and called it a hit. The track official then verified and the call was made. Sounds like "politics" to me. Maybe Obama will address it in the debate!

98NYFINESTVETTE

Ok, here we go. I received the official word from California, must cross the center line. Touching line is not a DQ. I think we all learned something new. I was always under the impression that if you touch the center line - it was a DQ.

4DRUSH

So you're saying the line really isn't a line, it's a buffer zone.

98NYFINESTVETTE

Yes, it is a guide for the driver. You may drive on it or over it - but not beyond it.

mackeyred96

[QUOTE=98NYFINESTVETTE

I was always under the impression that if you touch the center line - it was a DQ.[/QUOTE]

Well guess I don't know the rules. I ALSO THOUGHT YOU TOUCH THE LINE YOUR DQ'D.

DID THEY JUST MAKE THAT RULE UP SATURDAY NIGHT????

Paul Huizenga

Interesting. Does that mean that you can vaporize reflector blocks without getting DQ'ed too, as long as you aren't completely over the centerline?

digivex

GARY2004Z06

DISQUALIFICATIONS
One of the rarities at an NHRA event is the situation in which two
cars are disqualified during the same elimination race. In most
cases, both offending contestants are disqualified. Those situations
include both drivers crossing the boundary lines, both drivers deep
staging (Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, Super Gas, Super
Street), or both drivers leaving the line before the start system is
activated (handicap categories only). The object of the final round is
to determine a winner and a runner-up, with the Event Director
having full responsibility in cases involving dual disqualifications. As
an example, in the final round, the contestant crossing the
boundary line first will be disqualified.
Should a driver receive a red-light foul start and the opposing driver
cross the lane boundary line, the latter infraction would prevail and
the driver committing the foul start would be reinstated. In
determining lane-boundary-crossing violations, it is considered a
disqualification when any portion of a tire completely crosses the
painted-line surface. In cases where both opponents cross the
centerline or outside line, both drivers will be disqualified. In
situations where multiple boundary lines are utilized, the line
directly adjacent to the competitor’s racing lane will be used for
reference. Anytime it has been judged that excessive braking has
resulted in loss of control that results in contact with the guardwall
and/or light fixtures or crossing the center boundary lines,
INCLUDING PAST THE FINISH LINE, the contestant will be
disqualified. Contact with guardwall, barriers, or any other track
fixture (rubber cones, when used, are considered visual aids, not
fixtures) is grounds for disqualification and/or other actions.
Intentional crossing of boundary lines to leave track or avoid
depositing debris on track is not grounds for disqualification.

LS1LT1

Well I guess that settles that one then. The mistake was the track officials/announcer making a bad call initially and not so much what their final decision ended up being.

Next time I go red I might stop, back up and restart the pass again. And when they ask me about it I'll just say that I made a mistake/changed my my mind but no biggie, I'd like to just do it over, thanks.

REDGAR

you know if we rely on announcers calls to be accurate, Yankees would have hit 7000 home runs this year

DBN

I would think that the announcer would have the official ruling before making an announcement of this magnitude. If the ruling was overturned based on the tire tracks being "on the line" and not over it, I would assume that the three officials that I confronted in the tower immediately after hearing of the reversal would know this. All they had to say was that after further examination, it was determined that the tracks were not OVER the centerline and the decision has been reversed thus reinstating the SAM car. Instead, they just looked away and did not give me any response whatsoever. No explanation, no apology, nothing. That seems suspicious and unprofessional to me. No offense to Jud or the SAM crew as they have a very fast car but this situation was grossly mishandled in my opinion.

REDGAR

That is the real problem there Danny....you were owed an explanation. Whoever took back the decision that was given to the person that handed you the ticket should have had you paged and explained why they changed their decision which hey communicated to you.

DOUG @ ECS

Sorry to hear about all this Danny, on the bright side though your car is running great. Good talking to you.