That's terrible. In a situation like this will SCCA insurance help him at all?

Godspeed Ed.

Watching Allon slide maybe 40 yards through the dirt in his Corvette on sunday pretty much sealed it for me- I'm not going back if it means people have to work stations out on the runways. If Allon had somehow managed to be pointing in our direction, chances are Nick and/or I would not have gotten out of his way. I won't even go into the stupidity of his actions after that.

Agreed.

I have to say, this was my first Hawthorne event, and I had a lot of fun when driving, but the feeling of danger (before and after Ed got hit) was much higher then normal as a worker.

Yes, it will. I am no lawyer, but assuming he is a member, I believe it will cover most to all of his medical, and lost wages...

From: SCCA/SCCA PRO Master Insurance Plan 2006 - Summary of SCCA Participant Accident Coverage

I'm sorry to hear that guys, I was there two years ago when the last guy was hit. Not a pretty sight. I participated in an event yesterday with the Northwest Region SCCA, that was held at an old airport in Bremerton, WA. We had several high speed spins that resulted in cars off the taxi-way. Not a safe feeling when your work station is in the dirt/grass/mud.

Not even for the curious who were absent from the weekend?

And out of further curiosity, when was the last time someone got hit at Stead or Lovelock and what were the conditions?

Good to hear.

Allon is Vegas region's Chief Safety Steward. At the beginning of the day sunday, at the driver's meeting (also saturday when we resumed after Ed got hit) he made an explicit point of telling us all not to try to save any big skids or offs we might have, becuase it only makes it worse. Swallow your pride and put both feet in during a spin, as you may have heard. Fast forward to the second run group on sunday, when he was running in his C5 vette. The course runs out one taxiway to where it corsses two others and forms a triangle that the course loops around. Saturday you go straight and go around clockwise, Sunday you turn right and go counter-clockwise- at his suggestion Saturday evening. during his third or 4th run, he screwed up by going straight (for the second time I believe), locked up the brakes, and plowed straight intot he dirt between the two taxiways. He slid along hte edge of the tarmac, and the car rotated about 90 degrees, then rolled back up on the tarmac. Now, the off is okay, that happens once in a while out at airport event sites, can't be avoided. But the stupid part was that he didn't even come to a complete stop on the tarmac, lit up the tires, and shot back down the right side taxiway. He went around it probably 10-15 mph faster than he had before, drifting most of the course, until he got back to where he was in front of me when I red flagged him. When I walked up to the passenger side window and told him to go straight back to grid, he spun the tires again and took off back down the taxiway. All after taking several minutes 3 different times that weekend to tell everyone else to "leave your nuts in the paddock" before going on course. :rolleyes: So basically, he went off big, which as I said was okay because it happens. But he acted liek a total douche after that, which was doubly unacceptable given the fact he's his region's Chief of Safety. He probably would have managed to go off the tarmac again before the end of that run if I hadn't stopped him.

Lame^

Minor correction: Allon is only a director on their board, not a chief anything. Gene Rolfe was actually their Safety Steward of record for the event. Allon is a very vocal person who is very actively involved in the LV efforts at N-S. He may also be a safety Steward, but I cannot confirm that.

His jacket said "chief safety steward" or something like that.

I'm sure he does, and he may be, but that is not listed on their web site, and Dave told me Gene was their Safety representative for the weekend. I think Allon just like to be the center of attention for everything. Why else would you own a set of bright yellow sweats? :rolleyes:

And the bright yellow jumpsuit sure was nicer on the eyes then the short-shorts of the following day.

Because your girlfriend bought them for you (would be one reason). :P

Nick, why did you take the tape off your "E"?..

Because the car got reclassed :p

And, do we suspect this might be an issue with Lovelock as well?

Though my speeds were up there at Hawthorne, I did not feel it was dangerous on the runways, however, I do have that feeling about driving at Lovelock (partly due to going off there). But from the perspective of working the Lovelock course, I felt it was reasonably safe (using the hay bales that were set, what?, 50' off the course?).

Not to be elitist, but I don't worry about Lovelock because the Vegas drivers aren't there. I'm not saying the Vegas people are bad drivers, I just don't think they majority of them have high speed experience.

Like I said earlier, if they only drive at a tiny little course all season, then cut loose at Hawthorne, it's no wonder we have off's from their less experienced drivers. I bet that if we held the event in the Safeway lot across the street, not only would we have a safer event, we'd probably also lose to Vegas because we rarely run very tight low speed courses.

Careful, don't give them any big ideas for next year. If there is a next year.

Lovelock is much wider, and while it is crowned, it is not as big of an issue because the added width permits more high traction room for errors, as well as permitting more offset manuevers to lower speeds if needed.

Shifting gears a little... there was talk about a certain AS Corvette driver threatening to protest Brian due to "not enough tread depth" on his street tires. :roll:

Just for the record, his "special edition" vette is a 1996 Collector's Edition... the last of the C4 Vettes:

http://www.idavette.net/facts/pics/96ce.jpg

You'll notice that the '96CE does not have a wheel arch extension over the rear wheels like our friend from Vegas. The fender flare was only on the Grand Sport Coupe... not the Collector's Edition.

http://www.idavette.net/facts/pics/96gs.jpg

Just thought it was some interesting information. And yes Brian, it's too late to protest him. :P

So, does this mean his car was technically not legal in AS?

Yep. One of many this weekend. ;)

Yes, unless he can prove otherwise. It has to be a factory option on that specific model for that year, not just an option on a model for that year in stock class.

That's why for 02+ an RS can't run with any wing, a WRX can't run with an STI wing, a STI can't run without a wing, or a WRX wing.... All Imprezas, but No factory option for it means you can't do it. Dealer options are not permitted either in stock, so no 17" wheels on WRXs, etc.

Port installed options are considered factory, so short shifters on WRXes are OK.

Lousy example Dean, since the '98-'01 RS came standard with a rear spoiler. ;)

I thought port installed were considered dealer options. But something tells me I should read the rules before talking back to Dean about solo rules :p

Shush, I didn't know. I still have the OE shifter, so if I have to, I can reinstall it.

How about a short shifter in ESP?

Search the '06 rules for "port-installed"

With my shifter, which is the same shifter that would have been installed on an STi in the port technically bumps me into BSP.

Brian, your shifter is AS legal becaise it's a PIO. Joeyy, any mechanical shift linkage is legal for SP.

They were, but the Board changed it this year. Too many people were getting bumped out of stock against their wishes basically.

Not sure if that was a question, but the answer should be no... Factory Short shifter should be legal in Stock class as it was originally Port installed in that year.

Port installed have been legal for a long time... Form 2004 rule book which is the oldest PDF I have handy:

Where is that Dean? I don't remember ever reading make/model specific rulesets.

Same text is in teh 06 rule book as well.

Stock class clarifications, page 263 2004 rule book.

wtf does everyone mean by 'port installed' ? like it got installed at the port of entry when the car came off the boat from Japan (didn't think so) so what exactly ? :)

Yeah, when it gets installed at the port. Not the factory or the dealership.

You've never been to Benicia on a day when a boat has unloaded have you? There's a big pier, and next to it is a gigantic parking lot. For many import manufacturers, in between the parking lot and the car hauler that goes to teh dealer, they go into a warehouse type thing where many cars get parts installed or replaced.

Port - installed

:P

I like the hyphen link.

The hyphen is the butter in that particular word sandwich.

Here is the problem, the dealer installed it for me because they couldn't locate on for me with it already installed. Basically, my car came off the boat without a short throw shifter in it. I had them install it.

So, is it still legal in AS?

Yes. It was available as a "factory" option. It does not have to be on your specific invoice to be legal.

the install options in some warehouse right next to the port ? :huh:
hmm.

and sweet on your shifter Brian :)

I'd tread carefully on this issue:

Top of page 230 of the 2006 Rules, says, 'The following items are port-installed options on the Subaru WRX, are listed when installed on the vehicle's window sticker, and pending evidence to the contrary are considered legal: carbon fiber trim, turbo boost gauge, titanium shift knob, short throw shifter, rear diff protector, spoilers, arm rest extension.'

Also, 3.8 talks about having required manufacturer's documentation, including the Monroney window sticker.

I would not think this was something to worry about at a regional event. However, if you are at a divisional or national event, and if you are winning, you should be prepared to support anything on the vehicle that may be open for question.

Yeah, at the port. In a building, or not in a building, on the property that is considered the port of entry for that vehicle.

I beleive this has been covered before, and multiple denied protests are why this language is in the rule book. Look carefully at the comma placement. They are three statements of fact seperated by commas. They are not saying that you must have them on your specific sticker to be legal, only that when installed, they appear on the sticker, which is part of the justification for calling them factory/port, not dealer installed.

Yes, 3.8 does say that, but for this specific instance, the clarification has already been made. Those parts are legal, period, on your sticker or not.

Dean, I think you're right... I couldn't remember the exact phrasing of the passage from the rule book, but after looking at it I believe it means that those options are legal on any WRX/STI as long as they're the factory bits you *could* have ordered as port-installed options.

Brian, you're off the hook IMO!