Any results for HMP Results 8/4/07?

[Sonic Racing]

Just looked at mylaps.com and looks like the Pro LM class was another wreckfest if you look at all the DNF's.

Anyone have an update?

[NickHolt]

TXSZ would LOVE to have someone from the Houston area provide results and recaps for all the HMP shows! In fact, we have openly advertised for a "reporter" to cover the HMP story.

 

Pay's great too! No money, but the internal rewards are.. er... um... practically non-existant. Say, why would anyone want to write for TXSZ???

 

Well, if there is someone out there willing to spend the time and effort to get the HMP story on TXSZ, please let me know. cnholt@sbcglobal.net

 

Thanks.

 

Nick

[Phantom Racing]

Just looked at mylaps.com and looks like the Pro LM class was another wreckfest if you look at all the DNF's.

Anyone have an update?

 

The wreckfest started in turn one as the green flag dropped [edited out by Nick Holt, 8/5/07]. From there to the end chaos reigned at HMP. From there [edited out by Nick Holt, 8/5/07] to the handful of drivers whose abilities are questionable, just to survive without a tore up race car is a victory. Hey but the snow cones are the best. [edited out by Nick Holt, 8/5/07]

 

Congrats to Brandon who gave a lesson [edited out by Nick Holt, 8/5/07] on how to pass another race car without knocking him off the track and out of contention.

[hotshot]

it looked like the37 car and the00 car were going to be the 2 cars to walch in this race, but there was one car out there that thought if i cant beat them then i will wreck um. it was sad to see all the fast cars wrecked out of the race

[NickHolt]

Every track and every class has bad nights. It's just part of racing. But blaming officials for lousy driving is taking the easy way out of a difficult situation.

 

I have been a race official for many years and have called many races. Most of the time I have been accused of "being too black and white," and have earned a well-deserved nick name (which I won't print here since I would just have to edit myself... LOL...) because of it.

 

The fact is that being an official is a "no win" situation. The officiating was too weak. The officating is too strict. The officials don't like me. The officials like so-and-so.

 

Well, I was fired from a track once because 1) I was too black and white; 2) I wouldn't drink beer with the racers after the races were over; 3) I wouldn't "bend a rule a bit" to accomodate an "important" track sponsor.

 

You're either too soft or too hard. There is no such thing as "just right" when you're calling a race. If you go to the "all involved" concept, people scream. When you go to the "judgement calls" concept, people scream even louder.

 

So.. what I'm saying here is this. It isn't the officials' fault for poor sportsmanship and questionalbe driving techniques. What's "mirror driving" to one is "protecting the line" to another. What's "punting someone" in the turn is "break checking someone" to another. What's "coming down on me" to one is "forcing me to the wall" to another. And to ask someone upstairs to know instantly what the exact situation is in all cases is simply unrealistic.

 

What is realistic is what used to happen in the "Good Old Days." The drivers took care of dirty or rough driving. If a driver kept pulling dirty or questionable stunts on track, an older, more experienced (and usually bigger) driver would have a chat (not a fight, a chat) with the offender "out back" somewhere.... Problem solved - usually. I'm not recommending anything here. Just saying what used to work.

 

In the meantime, perhaps the drivers in a class that is having problems should get together to come up with a corrective action plan to police themselves in addition to what the track officials do to keep the racing clean and green.

 

[off soapbox now]

 

Nick

[Phantom Racing]

Every track and every class has bad nights. It's just part of racing. But blaming officials for lousy driving is taking the easy way out of a difficult situation.

 

I have been a race official for many years and have called many races. Most of the time I have been accused of "being too black and white," and have earned a well-deserved nick name (which I won't print here since I would just have to edit myself... LOL...) because of it.

 

The fact is that being an official is a "no win" situation. The officiating was too weak. The officating is too strict. The officials don't like me. The officials like so-and-so.

 

Well, I was fired from a track once because 1) I was too black and white; 2) I wouldn't drink beer with the racers after the races were over; 3) I wouldn't "bend a rule a bit" to accomodate an "important" track sponsor.

 

You're either too soft or too hard. There is no such thing as "just right" when you're calling a race. If you go to the "all involved" concept, people scream. When you go to the "judgement calls" concept, people scream even louder.

 

So.. what I'm saying here is this. It isn't the officials' fault for poor sportsmanship and questionalbe driving techniques. What's "mirror driving" to one is "protecting the line" to another. What's "punting someone" in the turn is "break checking someone" to another. What's "coming down on me" to one is "forcing me to the wall" to another. And to ask someone upstairs to know instantly what the exact situation is in all cases is simply unrealistic.

 

What is realistic is what used to happen in the "Good Old Days." The drivers took care of dirty or rough driving. If a driver kept pulling dirty or questionable stunts on track, an older, more experienced (and usually bigger) driver would have a chat (not a fight, a chat) with the offender "out back" somewhere.... Problem solved - usually. I'm not recommending anything here. Just saying what used to work.

 

In the meantime, perhaps the drivers in a class that is having problems should get together to come up with a corrective action plan to police themselves in addition to what the track officials do to keep the racing clean and green.

 

[off soapbox now]

 

Nick

Give credit where credit is due. The officials as well as the drivers are responsible for their part in this continuing saga of bad racing as well as bad officiating. It cost too much to fix these cars when people delibrately take you out to advance their postion and the officials don't respond with an appropriate penalty. Then when they spin and cause a wreck or bring out the caution they are allowed to go back to their spot. You really had to see it not to believe it. Maybe they should bring back Elmer the clown from retirement to entertain the crowd and sell more snow cones.

[NickHolt]

I removed a couple of posts in this thread (and edited another) that were simply bashes of a particular driver.

 

Nick

[Houston Motorsports Park]

Just sent the Official results to Nick. Should be up in a few.

 

Thanks,

John Mandabach

[awmhunter1]

I am abit confused....

 

During the late model race john Heil was leading the race and got sent to the back for jumping the start???

 

What is that about? Doesn't the leader and the flagman start the race, they were single file restarting and John was the first car?

 

Please explain....

[NickHolt]

Just sent the Official results to Nick. Should be up in a few.

 

Thanks,

John Mandabach

Results are posted in the Results section. Thanks John for getting them to me so quickly!

 

Nick

[CommonSenseRacing]

Nick

 

Since the soap box is now open. lol

 

Your right, being an official is a thankless job, some is always unhappy with the call. Also, times have changed, racing has changed, but unless someone makes the tough calls and puts people in their place, it will never get better.

 

It’s not just the officials fault, there is plenty of blame to go around. Start parking guys for the night and see how fast things change. There are bad nights, true, but is seems to be a regular occurrence here in Texas. Why is it that the reports that I read from racers who go out of state to race, never seem to start with WRECK FEST. I personally don’t believe the officials at those tracks would put up with the sh*t that goes on here. I’ve seen tracks tell racers not to come back, one example goes a long way.

 

How do you fix something, when it's never anyones fault?

[trueracingfan]

I am abit confused....

 

During the late model race john Heil was leading the race and got sent to the back for jumping the start???

 

What is that about? Doesn't the leader and the flagman start the race, they were single file restarting and John was the first car?

 

Please explain....

I don't know that I can answer your question, but I may be able to shed a little light on the situation. First, the race was held up for several minutes so that the race director could confirm the line up. Apparently, several people were disappointed in the fact that the 15 car would start the race on the pole. Second, the first caution was called by the race director, because they felt that the 15 car jumped the start. After conferring with the flagman, the flagman stated that he did not see a problem with the start. So they resumed racing after a lengthy caution. During the many cautions, the race director sent numerous warnings to the spotters tower that the 37 car should maintain the pace and his position behind the 15 car, because he was apparently falling back on each restart. After numerous warnings it was then decided by the race director that the 15 car had jumped the restart and he was sent to the rear. Perhaps the driver of the 15 car might want to polish up his PR skills in hopes of being on the receiving end of the favortism that is so prevelant at HMP.

 

It is quite amazing, the things you hear and learn via scanner.

 

PS - The rumored Buda sighting at IHOP is untrue.

[awmhunter1]

So what you are telling me/us is that the #15 car was penalized due to not being up on his politics with people at HMP?

 

That doesn't make for good racing, we also noticed that the #28 car rode around outside Kyle Sizzirotti for several laps lentheneing the cautions, I thought you were supposed to pull in line and the cars would get put in position according to scoring buy the spotters? It has been made clear that holding up the show gets you black flagged and sent to the rear....

 

I could not believe the amount of cars that will need extensive work done to them after that race wasn't it 18 cars started and only 7 or 8 finished, i'll be the fans really enjoyed that while racing it expensive and most of those cars are worth anywhere from 30 to 50 thousand dollars there will be teams struggling to get them repaired....

 

Not a good night of racing from a car owners point of view....

 

The modified race was about the same.......

[Phantom Racing]

I removed a couple of posts in this thread (and edited another) that were simply bashes of a particular driver.

 

Nick

 

I'm sorry for making a statement that "simply bashed another driver". Also I regret the comment about the circus in Houston. You have to at least consider that the " dog and pony " show with regards to decisions made on and off the track is affecting everyone involved. Obviously when you allow a driver to use his or her car to bully their way around fellow competitors, and in the process tear up their cars, without the race directors intervention , temps rise and disgust ensues. When a driver displays this kind of behavior it can only mean that he has more money, talent and help than character. I am part of the # 84 Pro Late Model team and we work just as hard and have to endure the same calls as everyone else but when is enough ,"ENOUGH"!!!!

I will restate one of my comments in the hope of not being edited and still get my point across. Congrats to Brandon on his win and his textbook demonstration on how to move a track blocking slower car out of the way. Hopefully this will impress this driver in such a way as to increase the possibility for the rest of us to be competetive to the finish of the next event. !! #### Probably not####

BUDDY

[CommonSenseRacing]

Congrats to Brandon on his win and his textbook demonstration on how to move a track blocking slower car out of the way.

 

Now that's FUNNY!!!! I think key word is moved, not punted, two totally different skills.

[landlord]

Full Edit

Quick Edit

landlord Apr 22 2007, 06:03 PM Post #6

 

 

Winner

 

 

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QUOTE(txtom @ Apr 22 2007, 01:29 PM)

 

About 6 or 7 trucks, I think 5 started. Steve Green won, only one who could run with him was Craig Roper.

 

About 14 Modifieds, Jason Boyd won, with Tuffy Hudson a couple car lengths back.

 

They had 21 Pro Crate Late Models, had a full field inversion based on where you finished last time there, with all new cars in the back. Made for a mess. 2/3rds of the race was run under caution, and one red flag.

In the end, Eddy Wallace put on a clinic on how to pass on a small track after starting 14th. With 10 laps to go, he was 4th and passed them in 5 laps. Held on in front of Brent Seeley, who managed to finish a race with all the fenders on the car.

 

Good thing we got a paint sponsor on Eddy's car, it's got tire rub all over it.

 

 

You aint kidding it was a mess!!!!I have always hated inverts,all they are good for is tearing up good racars,with that being said I can understand why a promoter would want to invert (promote action by making the fast cars have to go around the slow ones) but to invert an entire field of $40,000 cars is crazy.The cars up front are slow for a reason(inexperience,not handling properly,or just plain slow)They were all driving with their rearview mirrors and it made for a huge mess.I can see mabey inverting the top 5 or 8 "fastest" just to make things interesting,but thats it!!!!To make things worse they were not putting the cars in the back that caused the caution,when I asked why, they said when they don't know for sure who caused it noone gets put in the rear.(WHAT)if you can't determine whos at fault the all involved rule should take effect(I hate this rule also)but I sure hate to see someone clearly come down on someone and tear up a bunch of teams hard work and high dollar equipment just because they happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then to see these no driving gobers get to go right back in their last completed lap position just burns me up!!!!Graham has said in past meetings that he hates to see cars tore up,I hope he reviews last nights debacle and does a little tweeking on the race foremat the team I was with can't afford any more nights like that!!!!

 

 

{Notice the date on this post!!!!Something has to change!!!!!}

[awmhunter1]

The last time I brought it up I was told it was a bad idea, maybe now some of you will agree...... QUALIFY to start the race and anyone who says that tearing up race cars for the fans is a fool! or atleast there not the ones paying to have the cars repaired!!!!

 

I agree that some of it was stupid driving on the drivers fault but there was plenty of it going on from the track also, Graham does a great job but he is not the one in control of what goes on at the track that is left to other people that over ride decisions made by past racers and do what they think is best, that is wrong no matter how you cut it....

[Phantom Racing]

The last time I brought it up I was told it was a bad idea, maybe now some of you will agree...... QUALIFY to start the race and anyone who says that tearing up race cars for the fans is a fool! or atleast there not the ones paying to have the cars repaired!!!!

 

I agree that some of it was stupid driving on the drivers fault but there was plenty of it going on from the track also, Graham does a great job but he is not the one in control of what goes on at the track that is left to other people that over ride decisions made by past racers and do what they think is best, that is wrong no matter how you cut it....

Whoever told you it was a bad idea does'nt own,drive, or work on these cars. If he does he needs his head examined. If time is the issue consider the amount of time it took to run the bi monthly "Wreckfest. 1 Hr & 25 mn! How long does it take to qualify 18 cars. Long enough to go get yourself one of those famous HMP snow cones they advertise so much in the pits.

[97car]

Take the mirrors and radios of all kinds out and do away with the spotters and make the drivers drive the car instead of listening to someone on a radio tell them where to go or block,sprint cars run a lot faster and they don't have mirrors, radios or spotters.