Taking the checkers

The stewards will probably kill me for suggesting this, but why not withhold points if you are the cause for your own demise, and give points if the cause was beyond your control--e.g. oil slick from the British car in front of you, the drafter behind giving you a push off a corner, etc....

Worms anyone?

...so the lines are not blurred:

I believe Randy is referring to the Mustang's DNF near the end of the ENDURO and not a SPRINT race. No points are awarded for running in an enduro however finishing positions have been for only those running at the end or able to cross the finishing line within a 5 minute "grace period". And yet, I see the point in Randy's question too.

I'm meeting together with Bruce Boyd Thursday evening to go over items that need to be included in the Supp's for 2008's 4-hour in March. So, there's time to implement a change...IF IT IS COMPELLING ENOUGH.

The case can be made to allow for the number of laps completed to show where a car should finish regardless of the car's condition, running or not. However, given this, what if a group of pro's show up with their GT3 SuperCup and lap the field many times over and then shut it down after 3 1/2 hours so the team can enjoy afternoon tea together and take the overall without crossing the checker at the completion of 4 hours? There has to be an incentive to be running at or until the official race completes.

I'm open for better ideas.

IMO the whole idea of an <u>endurance</u> is to be able to prove your endurance by still running at the checkered flag. (And occasionally enduring the trash in the pits. )

In sprint races, I also have a strong feeling that you need to finish in order to place. Part of racing is developing your car far enough to be fast but not so far as to be a grenade (with or without a time delay). I would rather reward the driver who prepared their car properly over the driver who "goes like a bat" for 29 minutes but blows up before taking the checkered.

It makes the Safety Team's life a bit less strenuous also, George.

"Whaddya mean stopping on course with no gas, and 10 minutes left won't get me a tow to the pits?!!"

And that wicked fast Red Cobra just darn near took the overall at Cascades 8 hr. last March, but in the final throws the car 'woofed'. More's the pity, but thats the endurance game.

"Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades."

Very good points Stu, and very clearly presented. I agree with you and am now confident which way I will vote if this does come up next November.

"stay away from dumb people doing dumb things"

Would that it were that simple. They don't usually give you enough notice to allow that option.

In one case several years ago, a Conference club was using an SCCA scoring program and it placed a car that did not take the checker ahead of several cars that did. I protested the fact that the then steward signed said results without even writing in the change at the track. Also I personally was in a race were the leader had 2 laps on the entire field, (he had made several overly aggressive passes and had forced at least 2 cars off track evasive) and I can tell you there wasn't a one of us that came around on the last lap that didn't laugh and wave, with all fingers, as we saw him sitting in the middle of what is now Turn 4 at PIR with a rod out the side! Under a system that rewards not completing a race, it would be possible for someone to win a championship, without building a car that could finish a race! Not a space that I want to enter.