NickHolt Posted May 25, 2003 Report Share Posted May 25, 2003 People who were at the ROMCO SLM Houston Motor Speedway race last night inform me that Mike Crofford was called into the pits after he was observed banging on Chris Davidson during a yellow. Reportedly Crofford passed Davidson after some contact between the two. During the next yellow, Chris went up and gave Crofford a little bump to tell him how he felt about it. That's when Crofford reportedly started banging on Davidson. ROMCO officials then called Crofford into the pits for a "consultation." Then, after the race in the pits, Crofford went to confront Davidson but Chris handled the situation with maturity and things calmed down. Of course, there are always two sides to every story, but the information I got wasn't from either team. An interesting sidebar: Mike's dad (Mike Crofford, Sr) was crew chief on Greg Davidson's All-Pro car back in the 80's- 90's. Not only that, but Chris' uncle, Robbie Davidson, is Mike Crofford Jr's crew chief! Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall at the Davidson family BBQ today? LOL Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racegirl Posted May 26, 2003 Report Share Posted May 26, 2003 I must have been watching a different race!!!! I never saw Michael bang into Chris...I did see chris hit Michael under the yellow. Honestly I feel that if they were going to send one into the pits, both of them should have been sent.. And also from what I saw, there was someone (unknown) in michaels face, before he ever went to the Davidsons pit. What was with ROMCO not throwing the caution when the 32 broke?? He went three laps with NO power, and could not get into the pits. Had there been an accident and the 32 had been hit while he was probably going about 20mph while everyone else was at full speed he could have gotten hurt bad.. Thanks for listening. Hopefully I did not offend anyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLegend96 Posted May 27, 2003 Report Share Posted May 27, 2003 I was watching Chris the whole race. After caution came out Mike passed Chris. Chris went up next to him and gave him a little bump to let him know he's not going to lay down and let him get by with cheating. Of course Mike didn't like that either so he layed in to Chris a couple of times and got sent to the pits. Bottom line, if the first one didn't get caught the second one will. Im sure in the coming weeks to TMS Mike and Chris will have forgotten all about it. What happens on the trak with them stays on the track. In response to the first post Robbie is his second cousin not his uncle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crofford51 Posted May 28, 2003 Report Share Posted May 28, 2003 "cheating" who was cheating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
romco??? Posted May 28, 2003 Report Share Posted May 28, 2003 does anybody know what this guy is talking about? plz explain yourself so someone dumb like me can understand because i dont think the 51 should of had to come in the pits either. it should have been both cars or no cars come in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted May 28, 2003 Report Share Posted May 28, 2003 I can tell you why Crofford got called into the pits and Chris didn't. But it wouldn't be "politically correct". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One of the CREW Posted June 1, 2003 Report Share Posted June 1, 2003 This is an independent opinion from the 2 people involved.I was really paying close attention to the 51 car due to it was the fastest moving car on the track.He was moving up in positions with respect to other drivers.Bottom line is ,the Blue flag should have been thrown on Chris Davidson for holding up the 51 and 3 car.Romco should start using that flag more, and that would solve where everybody is blocking. (Edited out by Nick Holt, 6/1/03). I think it was so funny the way that 51 came right back up thru the crowd again so quickly,But the real funny deal was after the race the wayf Chris not being able to keep his crew out of Croffords face when Crofford was trying to talk to Chris. Nick just learn a little facts before posting [erroneous information] (orginal comment edited by Nick Holt, 6/1/03). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted June 1, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 1, 2003 One of the Crew, I simply reported information that was relayed to me by a very reliable source. I never said it was the only point of view or the only perspective. There has never been a racing incident (or series of incidents as in this case) where everyone agreed. You certainly are free to express your perspective just as everyone who posts here is free to do so. That being said, we ask that everyone here express their views in a polite, civil manner. Thanks. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted June 1, 2003 Report Share Posted June 1, 2003 From another "independent opinion"-- 1. Isn't the blue move over flag to inform LAPPED cars to get out of the way? Chris was a lead lap car. Doesn't matter who was faster, if both cars are on the same lap. The faster one has to pass the slower one. If Crofford was that much faster, then he shouldn't need the officials to help him pass. No where do cars on the same lap get a blue flag. Example- a fast car starts at the rear of a Winston Cup race due to a motor change. He's a half second faster than the field fillers running around in the back. Does NASCAR blue-flag his way back to the front? Of course not. 2. From where I was standing, Crofford went into Chris's pit. anyone who goes into someone elses pit will have a crowd around them. To Chris's credit, he walked Crofford away from ALL pit areas to talk one on one, no pit crews. Very smart on Chris's part; I've seen his dad do it a lot. The drivers can usually resolve any issues between them if the rest of the pit area leaves them alone. Nick is right, every one has his opinion. Nick, me, every one else on this board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One of the CREW Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 TXTOM Blue flag means usually 2 main things,one is lapped car and the other is faster competitor trying to over take you move over.But on the other hand we are not talking about just one guy making the way .He was holding up more than one car.Now yes you are right about him going to his pit but you don't need a fat crew member wearing a red hat getting in between 2 drivers unless something happens.(Comment edited out by Nick Holt, 6/1/03) My pit was not far from Chris's.A driver should really watch what he says when the other driver walks off.(Comment edited out by Nick Holt, 6/1/03) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 I have been actively involved in racing for the last 18 years and I have only seen the move over flag given to lapped cars or a car that is about to be lapped by the leader. Not to anyone else for anything else. If they used it to get the slower cars out of the way for faster cars there would be no racing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txtom Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 One of the crew---- I'm not going to argue on this board; there are as many opinions about that night as there were people in the pits. But in my 30 or so years of racing around here, I've never seen lead lap cars blue-flagged. That would set a precedent none of us want. Every time someone is a little quicker than someone else, we just blue flag them to the front? Where does the racing go? I can see it now. Stewart timed fourth fastest at Houston, but he needs to be blue flagged because Greg, Brandon and Eddy were quicker. Amazing! Where would you set the benchmark for when to blue flag a lead lap car? How about this for an official's call--"That last lap, Joe Schmoe in second was .02 of a second quicker than leader Don Juan, so let's blue flag Juan over and let Schmoe by." Doesn't make much sense to me. And yeah, some of Chris's crew tried to get involved. That is an instinctive thing we have all done as crew members. But Chris is the one who walked Crofford off to talk alone, and I commend him for that action. To quote your post-"especially a real whiner like him!"-- It sounds to me like you might have a personal issue with Chris. That's too bad. I've known him a long time, and a whiner is one thing he ain't. Chris is one of the best drivers we have, in Texas and elsewhere. But he will race you as hard as you race him. He's had his run-ins with other drivers, but no more than any others out there. Another thing about Chris--he doesn't beat a dead horse. Have a problem, work it out, then forget it. Like Legend96 said previously, Chris and Mike will go to TMS, and Houston will be behind them. Speaking of beating a dead horse, that's about all I have to say about this deal in Houston. Another race is coming, and Houston is History. And remember, all this is my OPINION, not fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One of the CREW Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 Just for the record the real whiner was pointed to a crew member,not towards Chris.As for the blue flag issue go and read a rule book on flags. Start about 20 yrs ago and then work your way to now You'll notice that they have changed on how to use them....You really need to understand the difference of a few tenths of a second and 1/2 or 3/4 of a sec.. Later dead horse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted June 2, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 One of the Crew, What rule book are you referring to? I have been involved in stock car racing for nearly 30 years in a wide variety of capacities. A blue flag, or blue with a yellow diagonal stripe, has never been used to move cars over who are on the lead lap. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One of the CREW Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 All I can say is read any circle track rule Nick .If you have been around for 30 yrs you would know it use to be Blue and then some are blue w/orange ball and some are blue w/yellow stripe.But I really don't know why a moderator is arguing the point.But maybe you was one of the boys that cleaned the cars instead of worked on them or drove them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JagWireZ Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 Well, I am not an expert at racing, but I do know how to read. Here's a little article for everyone to view, "The blue or passing flag has different meanings depending on how it is held and whether it is used during practice, qualifying or racing. Generally when it is held motionless it is an indication to a driver that there is a faster car following closely behind, but not yet close enough for a pass. A waving flag generally indicates that the driver is about to be overtaken and should take care to permit the following vehicle a safe pass. Some drivers resist moving over for an over-taking car when they feel they are racing for position. Controversy can follow the use of the passing flag. Some series use a blue flag with a diagonal yellow stripe." SRC: http://autoracing.about.com/library/weekly...y/aa091500b.htm So it basically states that lapped and/or slower cars has to move over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gasman Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 This is from the ROMCO rules ". The move-over flag will be displayed to cars being approached by the leader, it is expected that cars being shown the move-over flag will run a line designated at the drivers meeting to allow the leader to pass. ". It says nothing about some car holding his line running in the middle of the pack on the lead lap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 I think gasman summed it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickHolt Posted June 2, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 JagWireZ, I followed your lead and performed a thorough web search on the meaning of racing flags. I discovered that the blue flag or blue flag with an orange or a yellow stripe can have different meanings depending on the venue. Typically in road racing the flag simply means that someone faster than you is approaching. There is no particular "move over" meaning to driver for whom the flag is displayed. It can be displayed to lead-lap car or cars on any lap. It can even be shown to cars leaving the pit area to tell them there is a car on track coming towards the entering car. Motorcycle racing generally use the road racing protocols. Also, tracks that outlaw the use of rear-view mirrors may display a stationary (not waving) blue flag to cars on the same lap as the approaching car simply to inform the driver that a car is approaching. In this instance the flag is simply informative and the driver is not required to move over or change racing lanes. But when the flag is waved at the car it does mean "move over" or "change lanes" to allow faster cars to pass. However, in NASCAR-type oval track racing this flag is normally displayed as a "move over" or "change lanes" directive to cars that are significantly slower than the approaching traffic. It is rarely displayed to cars that are on the same lap as the approaching car unless that car has significantly slowed due to mechanical failure or driver incapacity. The flag may have slightly different meanings at different tracks and sanctioning bodies, but this is generally how NASCAR utilizes the flag. I recognize that ROMCO uses its own flag rules. It might be interesting to see how ROMCO officials interpret the blue flag rule that was shared by gasman in an earlier post. Nick Holt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLegend96 Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 You really need to understand the difference of a few tenths of a second and 1/2 or 3/4 of a sec.. I am looking at the ROMCO web site and C. Davidson's FLR was 14.342 and Crofford's was 14.262. Just wondering what kind of calculator you are using? Turn the light on if it's a solar powered one. That's eight hundreths of a second. Houston Results Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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