How Many Calls Per Show?

[Toeknee]

Hey Gang, hope everyone is enjoying their race season. Just a few questions about USAC non-judging procedures and results. It is my understanding that at National Events there are no judges and race officials can make calls for blatant, flagrant stuff. On weekly local shows the club has the choice and basically does the same thing, no judges just go dead and go to the back or race officials can make a call. 3 Strikes and you are out. Hope I have it right so far?

Main questions is, on average how many calls are being made during a regular race show?

Thanks for yor help. Frustratingly Yours, Oaklane Toeknee

[RBurns17]

It's hard to put a number on it because it differs greatly between races, but I will say, they don't miss much, if anything.

[Toeknee]

I guess what I am trying to determine is it like having no judges and 95% of the cautions are all dead cars in the back OR are they making calls on cars 50% of the cautions. Does USAC race with no judges or are the race officials ultimately judges?

[sfreitas20]

Our track is making calls on pretty much all the cautions, they just aren't using judges to do it.  The race director, flagger and turn three official make chopping, charging...etc calls just like QMA does on pretty much every incident and only puts the car they make the call on to the back.  I know that isn't the norm for USAC tracks, but that is how ours does it.

[wesracing]

At Kokomo, on every caution, someone gets a strike.  That car and dead on track cars go to the tail. 

[Toeknee]

So just because there are "no judges" calls are being made alot at local events? Are alot of calls made at national events? Are calls made in USAC based on a car being 100% at fault? I'm tired of kids that are not 100% at fault getting calls in QMA. That is not racing. Just seeing how USAC is handling it. Thanks for the input and I appreciate as much as you guys will offer.

[Phil]

 From what I have seen USAC handles the incedents on the track exactly how the QMA rule book is supposed to be interpreted. The key words are "100% at fault". Very very few crashes throughout a race day can be pinpointed on just one driver.
 I think your original question was lost in the terminology. A call in QMA is "who's at fault" a call in USAC is more like "who's involved", if that makes any sence. And its very hard to change that way of thinking.
 The nice thing is during weekly or regional events the clubs can do whatever they see fit works best for them. Freitas says they still use a modified type judging system. I think most midwest clubs go by USAC system. QMA will argue they want consistancy, I'll say control.
 In the short time USAC has been involved in quarter midget racing I honestly believe it is producing better racing and better drivers. The time I spent at the Brickyard I was fortunate enough to see some amazing racing.

 There are still quite a few national events on the schedule and I believe USAC is still honoring the "1 free pass" deal, come out and try it.

[Toeknee]

Thanks Phil, just trying to determine what percentage of cautions are being blamed 100% on 1 car and then being sent to the back. It is almost impossible to be 100% at fault when running 6 second laps, but in QMA it continues to be 50/50 on the one car calls. In my opinion it requires intent, mistake or stupidity to be 100% at fault. 99% to 1% is all it takes for everyone dead to go to the back.

So what percentage of cautions in USAC are blamed on 1 car?

How do I find out more about the Sept 18th Jegs Columbus show? May be possible to attend. But for now off to the Western Grands in Texas. Thanks fellow racers!

[ssssmoke]

i have yet to see a 100% call made in usac. i know it is talked about. but i dont get to watch every race either. my theory is if you get caught up in an altercation plan on going to the tail. no big deal, the purse isnt big enough to get angry about. makes it better to win from the tail anyhow, some of the kids get through the traffic without making any contact, some hit every car they can get too. just learn who to avoid.

[Toeknee]

SSSSmoke, so you are saying that everything you seem to see is handled that everyone dead on the track is going to the back...... as if there were no judges and just racing. SO a call for 1 guilty car that did not stop is rare, very rare? correct?

[jdracing]

The easy answer to your question is the car 100% is given a strike and set to the rear any other car involved is sent to the rear also without a strike.3 strikes you are out.The only way you keep your spot is if you were not in the accident and stopped to avoid it.

[sfreitas20]

At the National events I have seen the 100% called several times, but like others have said if the car that wasn't 100% at fault went DOT on the track as result of the incident they still go to the tail.  The only time they don't go to the tail is if they were trying to avoid the incident.

All in all, I think the calls have been very consistent at the National events.

Just to clarify what I said earlier, they aren't using a modified judging system at our track.  They are pretty much doing it just like USAC does at the Nationals where the Race Director is making all the calls but gets input from the other officials (no handlers or parents involved).  The only major difference at our track is that they call Chopping, Charging...etc on every incident and only put the car that gets the call to the tail.  Most of the people at our track wish it was done just like USAC and I personally think it puts our kids at a disadvantage when we go to other tracks and Nationals, but it is what it is.

[Toeknee]

Thx JD, that I did not know. so in USAC a call can be made if a car is 100% and they go to the back with a strike. Any ohter cars going dead on the track also go to the back but do not get a strike. If multiple cars go dead on the track and no one is ruled to be 100% at fault, do they all get strikes?

[ssssmoke]

yes all get strikes, the only way to keep your spot after going dot is if you were after the fact, avoiding an altercation in front of you.

[USACRULES]

Straight from the rule book

25. When two or more cars make contact bringing out a yellow flag one or both cars
may be charged with a STRIKE. If the Chief Steward can determine with 100%
certainty that a car involved in the incident was not at fault, that car will not
receive a STRIKE against it. A car or cars that are charged with a STRIKE will
go to the tail. All cars involved in the initial incident that go dead on the track,
whether charged with a strike or not, will go to the tail. Cars receiving STRIKES
will be positioned behind DOT cars not receiving STRIKES. If a car is not
involved in the initial contact, but goes dead on the track to avoid the incident, or
is inadvertently involved in the incident after the initial contact by the other cars,
they will retain their position in the field at the last completed scored lap before
the yellow flag.