Wka tech vent!!!

R

ricmcdade

Member
Send my car to Daytona, with an accomplished driver, first time at Daytona. Running Stock Leopard on the big track. She runs upfront in a large pack all race Monday, shuffles to 6th at one brief point, and a Red is thrown, and that's where she finishes. Her Father notices conversation in tech about flex length, so after the races are over for the day, takes the kart dn to tech and ask them to measure and make sure they are legal. Tech says plenty good. Go out Tuesday, run again in a large pack, the whole race, and at the very last minute, grabs the draft, dives way low, and wins. Get to tech, guy Cuts a coat hanger to 15,3/4, a friggin coat hanger!! Arbitrarily picks a spot and bends his precise instrument along header, over large flange, along pipe and DQ's her for being to long. The father tries to argue the point, #1, tech measured it the night before and assured them it was good to go. #2, how the h*** do you get a proper measurement from a bent coat hanger?? Obviously they were furious, said they wouldn't be back, grabbed their stuff and left, to find someone who might be a notch or two up on the intelligence scale. Happen to find the Pres of WKA, explain, he sees a karting legend standing close, calls him over, who ask for the tech manual, points out that she is more than legal, all of them go to tech and show the tech man, where, he says )&&#%^, I just $&@>£% up. I thought they had to be at 15 3/4 on the dot!! Didn't realize the manual said 15 3/4 MINIMUM. My car measured 15 7/8-- 1/8 over minimum!! But-- because they had left tech, to find someone with some knowledge, he wouldn't reverse his decision. How in the heck is this right??? Most Mickey Mouse thing I have seen in 25 years of karting. And WKA wonders why there is turmoil?
 
over on the dirt oval they made the Yamaha class a "Stock" WKA engine instead of what we ran last few yrs, and the only tech they performed was c.c. the heads, never pulled a head, to check bores and stroke or ports, or carbs. also they printed pit passes $30.for 3 days, I got charged $35. not to mention the tires mandated which are totally cracked and chunked after only 2 days of racing on a very slippery track, no wonder they cost so little., Is it just me, or has the creditability level gone even further down?
 
It is not just you, Jack. That's the reason why I didn't race myself. I just went to help at the Road Race and had fun with the UAS crowd at the dirt track and after, but as I said before I didn't race an open class under a tire rule and I won't do it in the future. Great job Jack and the Nicosias though and as I said before great racing from the Leopard drivers at the Road Race.
 
I was a witness to a good part of the drama, to be blunt; your people need to work on their social skills.

Any ruling can be protested and reviewed by another party. Insulting and threatening the tech official then angerly removing your vehicle from the tech area while uttering insults and nearly knocking other racers out of the way pretty much voids ones right to that second opinion regardless if your from Texas.

At one Daytona Road Race with a different tech man then one of two present in your event. On an four-cycle animal; using possibly the same bent wire used in your case and a well traveled plastic degree wheel. We were told our cam was 1/4 degree out of tolerance.
Let me tell you, I work almost daily with instruments that are capable of measuring angles to 1/100 of a degree. I would not trust his setup to one whole degree, never mind a fraction of.
After apologizing for my outburst of laughter I offered to retrieve my 16 inch aluminum machined and engraved degree wheel, precision pointer and dial indicator for his use to verify his finding. The other tech man (your same guy) was called over and we stepped back to let them discuss and review the measurement. My offer was declined and the cam was deemed legal and we were singed off on our official THIRD PLACE win.

So I feel your pain but I have got to tell you the truth - From thirty feet away I was ready to tell your friend to take his kart and get the **** out and I'm a nobody. :cool:
 
I agree with Bernie. Showing your azz in the tech area (infront of your kids) was not the way to get the situation corrected.
 
So what really happened? I agree that if you want to ask for a review or protest there is no need to be disrespectful. As I tell my students if you don't agree we can talk but if you are rude or disrespectful they will never listen to you. There is always 2 sides on every story. I do think tech has to be done with the right tools or not done at all. JMO
 
Rainman, don't know if we will ever know the true story. According to the people I know, everything was fine, until he pulled out the coat hanger, said your out. First question they asked was how you get a true measurement with a coat hanger. I dont think at that time, they realized he was saying too long. So while the argument started over the coat hanger, and they were disagreeing, I think they felt, they were being told they couldn't protest, an that's when things went bad to worse. Everyone is right, you dont show your a$$, but at the same time, you achieve a life long dream, and it's taken away in a rather ridiculous way. Can't say, I might have got upset too. Just a bad deal all the way around.
 
The true Story is simple as far as the tech procedure " Tech Man Blew It " how they handled themselves has NOTHING to do with the screw up call standing, The Tech Issue should of been reversed take owner ship of that and get it right, then if tech people think they were out of control they get Race Directer involved and if he see's fit then HE DQ's them for
Un-Sportsman like conduct End of Story.

I love you guy's that act like when you get screwed over you don't ever even raise your voice, as a Track owner, Race Director I've seen it all anyone that puts themselves in that position understands where to draw the line, but you gotta make sure your calls in tech are 100 % correct.
 
"..how the[y] handled themselves has NOTHING to do with the screw up call" You are correct BUT! How one reacts to it has everything to do with the outcome.

..so we should all just act in any manner our emotions take us and except bad behavior??

I totally understand being upset, so did the tech man, we talked after the guy walked away, he was waiting for him to calm down to readdress the issue - Have you ever done tech? It’s quite hectic. I watched the guy take the kart away while the tech man was busy. An official popped his head in to ask about the issue. Kart is gone.. Case closed!

This is a life lesson here and it was a harsh one. My advice, DON"T REPEAT THE BEHAVIOR!. I can write a book on the many I have had, most all of them in my 30+ years kart racing.

Get upset - sure, its excepted but how one conducts themselves is another issue.
See: 100.1.1 CONDUCT AT EVENTS

- You cannot excuse or blame it away, personal conduct on and off the track has everything to do with the word: SPORTSMANSHIP
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sportsmanship

We need not tolerate bad behavior and your man needs to take responsibility for his actions that sealed the deal on his situation. Man up!

If one is unwilling or incapable of reasonable behavior in these situations that WILL happen at a racing event then go play someplace else!

I try to my best of my ability to conduct myself in a civil manner and 99.9% of the racers I know do the same, it is what makes a sport enjoyable. Do mistakes happen in tech, absolutely! That is why there is a procedure to rectify it.
 
I wonder why they talk about "World Championships", over the P.A. system then seem to have the most incompetent tech. people we've ever seen. I even heard of a 4-C DQ, for a valve spring .001" too long. All production things have a plus/minus spec. for a finished part.
 
B-man-- couldn't agree more on the attitude statements, as I said earlier,
That was a new story to me, but still have to say, none of it would have happened if the crazy call wasn't made first. I think both parties need to man up and take ownership of their actions, and I do mean both!!
 
..oh the story I can tell about a valve spring that was 0.001" too big in diameter. Ask me about it one day we meet, was not a case of incompetence it was an outright conspiracy - different matter entirely.

Mistakes happen - resolution is available - decorum overcomes.
 
ricmcdade, do you understand the lesson? Does not matter the cause - reaction created TWO other infractions, threatening words and gestures then removing the vehicle - where does the latitude end?
 
B-man- of course I understand the lesson! Been known as a lot of things, but never an Idiot!! I believe I have agreed with you twice or more, that if that is the way they responded, they were out of line. I won't chg that thought. But, after agreeing with you, you seem hell bent on placing all the blame on them, and I don't see it that way at all !! I'm a pretty reasonable guy, really friendly, even though I'm not from Texas :), but just can't get my head around you wanting to blame them, instead of some of it on the incompetent, at least at that moment, tech man. If I say something vulgar in front of your wife, and you respond like I think you would, then I get to put all the blame for the confrontation on you, because you didn't remain calm?? Let me answer for you-- NO !! Now, can YOU see the Lesson here? I still think WKA owes her the cup, and if the other is true, they owe the tech guy a big apology!! Now everyone has man'd up, and has done the right thing!! Do you see the lesson here?
 
I don't know, the guy just had his kid win the biggest race of their year, maybe ever. If it was me I'd be on a pretty amazing adrenaline high, then to go from that to less than zero--- I don't know exactly how I'd react, but I'm pretty sure I'd show my ass a little. (but there you go, I'm not too far from Texas)
So, who screwed up worse, him or the tech man? I believe that if I found something I thought was illegal, I'd check the book to make sure before ruining someone's day.
The guy broke a rule by taking his kart out of impound, but didn't the tech man sort of break a trust by making a wrong call?
Worst thing is, I'd be surprised if anything get's done about it.

Just my .02
 
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