Majeski DQ at 417

[RodneyRodriguez]

One gun drilled bolt? Thoughts on this the rules do say you cannot have those? 

[Flagman]

Catch 22 - Rules say none, 1 bolt does not give a performance advantage advantage. 

Enforce the rules and catch hell, don't enforce the rules and everyone complains and when they get caught with something they will go back to were something was ignored before and expect the same.

Crew chief reportedly admitted to installing it because they were one bolt short during build and forgot to change it later.

I will never have to go through this as what little driving talent I may have had has went.

[RodneyRodriguez]

Donnie Wilson said there are too many rules for SLM... I tend to agree but what do I know?

[MikePeters95]

Rules are rules, illegal is illegal.  Sucks, pretty solid to see the team own it like adults/professionals though. Huge props to the tech team for being that thorough. 

Edited November 29, 2022 by MikePeters95

[JRfan]

My thoughts exactly Mike. I just couldn’t put it into words that wouldn’t ruffle feathers.  
 

If the rules say you must paint your right front spring fluorescent pink then you paint it pink. Performance advantage/overwhelmingly stupid or not it is in the rules. 

[NickHolt]

As a long-time tech official (from TIDA Late Models, to all three "Pro" classes at different Texas tracks/series, to all classes at San Antonio Speedway, to TIDA Pro Sedans, to TAMS modifieds, to Lone Star Legacys and all USRA classes under SAS), I can assure you that the vast majority of racers break the rules (or the spirit of the rules) or push the meaning of the rules to suit themselves.  Most consider it cheating only they are caught. 

And when busted, most teams have dreamed up in advance a very good-sounding excuse to justify the rules infraction. I've heard most of them at one time or other.  I can't recall a DQ I imposed where the racer admitted they were cheating. 

A lot of racers feel they have a lot to lose if they are caught cheating and will resort to all sorts of threats to pressure the track into reversing the DQ.  Most times it doesn't work, but every so often the track decides it is better to overrule (or fire) the official(s) than loose a top competitor who may organize a driver boycott.  

 

[RodneyRodriguez]

Yep great point Prof, have seen it many times. I've been thrown out by the best of them, usually it was a valid reason. 

[rebelracewriter]

My question is.....Who just has gun drilled bolts laying around to begin with and why?

[txtom]

9 minutes ago, rebelracewriter said:

My question is.....Who just has gun drilled bolts laying around to begin with and why?

In years past, gun drilled bolts were legal. The issue is really not that the bolt is drilled, but more it is how much. It is one thing to take a 3/4 inch diameter bolt and drill about a 1/4 out of the center. .750-.250 leaves .500, which means you have .250 wall thickness. In that instance, it actually gives a bit of strength to the bolt being a tube rather than a solid. But, 1/4 inch was OK, so lets put on the racer hat and decide a few more ounces can be saved if we drill it out a half inch.  .750 - .500 leaves .250, or a 1/8 inch wall thickness. And that is the shank. remember the entire bolt is drilled. Lets go out to the threads and measure the wall diameter in the thread valleys. It is going to be less than the 1/8 inch. So if you look at the bolt in question, it is significantly drilled. This leaves a potential for the threaded area to crack, break,  and release the bolt, giving it a chance to vibrate out. This has happened. That is why every SLM sanctioning body in the country has a no drilled bolt in the suspension clause, and some go so far as to ban them over the entire car. As for a DQ over one bolt, where do you draw the line? If you are on this forum, you have something to do with racing. OK, one bolt, we'll let it slide. you will say, well, its only two bolts. then only three bolts. You all have seen a scenario played out like this. 

 

[rebelracewriter]

11 hours ago, txtom said:

In years past, gun drilled bolts were legal. The issue is really not that the bolt is drilled, but more it is how much. It is one thing to take a 3/4 inch diameter bolt and drill about a 1/4 out of the center. .750-.250 leaves .500, which means you have .250 wall thickness. In that instance, it actually gives a bit of strength to the bolt being a tube rather than a solid. But, 1/4 inch was OK, so lets put on the racer hat and decide a few more ounces can be saved if we drill it out a half inch.  .750 - .500 leaves .250, or a 1/8 inch wall thickness. And that is the shank. remember the entire bolt is drilled. Lets go out to the threads and measure the wall diameter in the thread valleys. It is going to be less than the 1/8 inch. So if you look at the bolt in question, it is significantly drilled. This leaves a potential for the threaded area to crack, break,  and release the bolt, giving it a chance to vibrate out. This has happened. That is why every SLM sanctioning body in the country has a no drilled bolt in the suspension clause, and some go so far as to ban them over the entire car. As for a DQ over one bolt, where do you draw the line? If you are on this forum, you have something to do with racing. OK, one bolt, we'll let it slide. you will say, well, its only two bolts. then only three bolts. You all have seen a scenario played out like this. 

Thank you for the well-informed reply....I never realized it was even an issue/option in the past.....It's easy to see the potential safety issue involved by reducing the integrity of the bolt....I still don't see the possible weight advantage unless EVERY bolt on a car is drilled to maybe get a few pounds....I know those crafty dirt car guys will wallow out the holes in the trailing arms to give it travel(rear steer) and hoping the rubber bushing will hide it well enough to pass tech. #iftheresawintheresaway

[24nomo]

Those guys took it like the Champions that they are.  They admitted it, owned up to it, and have now moved on.