racedirectorncqma
Rookie
Posts: 2
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« Reply #117 on: March 01, 2009, 11:40:32 PM » |
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I apologize for not weighing in on this sooner. I just found out about this thread this evening and feel that the truth about several things have been conveniently omitted by QMA and needs to be addressed. First let me introduce myself, my name is Bill Miller and I served as the NCQMA Race Director last year. For those of you who know me, you know that I have never been one to hide behind a screen name.
First let me clarify that, Yes, Tire Doping is an issue at NCQMA, but I have personally witnessed the same issue at several other tracks over the last couple of years, so it isn't an isolated issue, it exits in every region that I have visited in the last two years both as a competitor and a spectator.
Before the racing season began last year I learned that the World Karting Association had decided to drop the JTR Eagle, as it was not effective against the new generation of tire preps the karting community had developed since its adoption in 2006. Armed with this information, I notified both Region 3 (Wade Williams) and QMA (Dave Preston) that this was an issue that had to be addressed immediately. Their response was, simply put, "tell us what we can do." I spent the next several weeks developing a tire claimer rule and claim form to put the policing of the situation in the hands of the competitors and I sent copies to Region 3 and QMA and then presented it to the NCQMA Club meeting in June. At that meeting there was a motion to adopt it as a local rule for NCQMA. The measure was put to a vote and was adopted by NCQMA, UNANIMOUSLY! I was floored and extremely exited to say the least. This was the club system working at its best, an issue was identified, a corrective measure developed, and a new rule was adopted.
Less than two weeks later, I was contacted by a representative from Region 3 telling me that our local rule was null and void and that we would not be supported in any way by either Region 3 or the QMA National Board should we try to enforce it, that they would handle the situation. About this time QMA published the QMA Tire rule establishing that a Safety Director or Tech Director could confiscate tires if the tires did not meet durometer or sniffer range parameters OR if they "felt" that there was "something" amiss with the tires, I called this the "Calibrated Eyeballs" test. Per the QMA rule, NCQMA then confiscated two sets of tires and forwarded them to Mr. Preston for further evaluation and testing. The club was not provided any test results for over THREE MONTHS, and even then the response was that they were "Okay". No analysis data was ever returned to the club nor was any additional information provided.
Now we come to the Fall Nationals. The day before the Fall Nationals, Chris Murray approached both Chris Brawley (Club VP) to inform him of Mr. Preston's "covert" arrival, that he did not want anyone to know he was coming and what he wanted done regarding Tire impound after qualifying. This begs the question as to why Mr. Murray, who held no office (NCQMA, Region 3, or QMA) in 2008, was contacted by Mr. Preston regarding this visit and not the local officials. During the driver/handler meeting, I outlined the impound procedures to the competitors and was interrupted by a gentleman, who I was later told was Tad Fiser, stating that that was not what Dave Preston had wanted or said. Again the question is how, at that point in time, did Mr. Fiser fit into this "Surprise Inspection". Tires were impounded; Tires were confiscated and shipped off. There were serious chain of custody issues, one competitor told me at the Banquet about his tires, they were impounded and he was told that they were being sent for testing. When he inquired about them, he was told that they didn't take his tires for testing. Hmmmm? By the way, if you're wondering, I didn't have tires involved.
The testing results were not provided to the club until February of this year, nearly three months after they had been confiscated. The excuse provided was that it was a lot of tires, and testing like this takes time. By my experience, a core sample has to be taken from each tire, the sample then has to be prepared and the tests run. If the samples are batch run, testing should have been completed on 26 tires (we don't even know for certain how many tire were tested) in less than one week. How do I know this? I worked up the tire testing timeline with FAI Labs in Marietta, GA when I wrote the original tire claimer rule (Is that the Lab that QMA is using? FAI Labs can't tell me due to a confidentiality agreement that is in place with QMA, you be the judge)
Finally, the new tire claimer rule that is in place for the 2009 season, I, in all honesty, had considered legal action against Mr. Preston and QMA. The rule as adopted by QMA is the rule that I wrote last year, and while I did use the Honda Claimer rule as a template, I do most sincerely object to Mr. Preston and QMA publishing it with his initials on it, leading everyone to believe that it is his creation. After all, intellectual properties do have value, if nothing more than for ones reputation. But, aside from petty revenge against a couple of individuals there's no point to it.
We've sold one Prowler and have three more and some spare parts left if anyone's interested. We could have spent another year with my son. My daughter had expressed a desire to drive (she's eight) but after having dealt with QMA, Region 3, and NCQMA’s cliques we've had enough. We'll be racing something else later in the year. For those of you who helped, Thank You. For those of you who preferred to stand around telling jokes and laughing while a handful of members struggled to get the track back in shape after rains came, I appreciate the opportunity to show my kids the kind of people that I'm hoping they never become. QMA, Region 3 and NCQMA have taken something that was fun and turned it ugly, but the thing that bothers me most is that I feel I have to defend my and my family’s reputation from guilt by simple association.
If you've read this far, again I would like to thank the visiting competitors who helped out at the 2008 Carolina Fall Nationals, your help was sincerely appreciated by myself and my family.
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