KITSON TAKES MIDWEEK SKEG
Another mid week Skegvegas and today's stunt show was the Motocross display team. Aaron Williamson (411) took a heat, but it was the Daz show as Kitson (732) took the other heat and the final. Andrew Spence (557) took the GN.
FORD FIRST AS BELLE MIDWEEK GOOD FOR SPEAK
A Manchester midweek shale session for those holiday folk, and if someone was looking for a shale form guide, then local Manc newcomer, Robert Speak (218) will certainly be one to watch. The youngster took both the heats available to him and the Grand National. Scotsman Chris Burgoyne (647) took a rare shale win, an ominous noteworthy point considering the up and coming weekend. However it was Martin Ford (19) that held off the the plucky Manchester driver in the final.
DAWSON'S DOUBLE DELIGHT
With many guys in foreign climes (Coventry and Venray) the numbers were down to 17. Ryan Morgan (48) was a welcome visitor. Stephen Forster (652) took a heat. Last time's nearly final winner Alan Edmiston took heat 2, and Robbie Dawson (854) took his second memorial trophy in a week, as he won the Chapman Trophy Feature Final. Craig Wallace (16) took the GN.
BARRY BLASTS TO WORLD OF SHALE
So without any grid or buildup, the World of Shale concluded with a wimper. After a support heat win for Antony Winters (260), the major title race was won by Our Barry, who certainly has been the top man on shale this year. Last time's Coventry final winner Carl Issit (103) won the consolation. Final time and Jake Walker (298) held of Tony Blackburn (225) in rich form, from Goldin. Grand National winnage happened for Josh the Coleman (615).
NOTHING FISHY ABOUT SALMON AT IPSWICH
Over to East Anglia for the one off Ipswich, which again, was down on numbers due to the fact that most of the high speed merchants were wearing clogs, and the factb F2's arent sutied there. Maybe the speedway track might eb a better choice, considering the other track in suffolk is shale! PJ Moss completed his full set with yet another track earning a tick on the back of the Mossy Motorsport Ivec.
Racingwise, there were heat wins for Richard Bowyer (761) and in the final, Jordon Salmon (566) which I'm led to beleive is the son of occasional F2 and often Spedeworth racer Glenn, took an impressive win. The National was won by Ashley England.
MEANWHILE IN HOLLAND.....
Over in the land of Tulips, it was Gold Cup time, and with Gordon allowed to play, it was all eyes on the Scotsman as he was going for yet another F2 Gold Cup win at the super fast Venray circuit.After another win for the fantastic female Finnikin, Courtney (55), the Gold Cup, aka the Dutch World Final, lined up. It's certainly gathering apace as there were several UK drivers over there. Adam Rubery (700) had a last bend dive at Wim Peeters (H124), which saw Gordon Moodie nick it on the line. However, the talking point was the horrific fireball that befell Theo van Wier (H57) in the F1's.
POINTS OF ORDER
Donutgate Special!
Well, a stern telling off and missing a Cowdenbeath and a midweek Skegness was the punishment dished out to Gordon Moodie (7) for his Batten Meeting misdemeanours. Now reggae fans might be familar with the Johnny Nash tune "There are more questions, than answers" A fairly apt theme tune for this whole situation. And the more I find out, the less I know.
Question. Why wasn't it dealt with on the day? Well, there were multiple offences on the crib sheet of Moodie and only one for Speak - after the 218 car was loaded for the day, it was deemed that was the end of his involvement in the crimes.
The steward and the "local" committee have limited powers. In the eyes of the steward, the Moodie donut offence carried a potential tariff of up to 3 months, which was beyond the remit of the steward and his local committee. So it had to be passed to the Board of Control.
Question. Was Moodie banned or merely suspended. And if he was banned, why wasn't the details of the ban placed on the announcement, as if he was to appeal the sentence, we would like to know what he was appealing....
Now, with an incident of this nature, the news was always going to be toxic. Jungle drums are much easier nowadays with social media involvement. I found out this on twitter, and it is only today (18th August) that an official announcement is placed on the website. Now, with all the hearsay and debate, and guessing on Facebook, it only stems the hatred of social media from promoters. However, in an instant news society, announcements like this should be immediate, perhaps a dedicated social media officer for the ORCi is required?
Why did Moodie get off and driver x did not?
Lots of upset and annoyed drivers at the lack of consistency, especially those who have been caught doing similar and there has been a quiet resignation that the recent events would act favourably in the accused favour. When asked for their opinion, they just shrug their shoulders and with a sense of disappointment that the right thing won't be done. "Lackiong From the process it appears that the disciplinary procedures have to be transparent, clear and fair. At the moment, it's consistently inconsistent - and this breeds ill feeling to the powers that be with poor judgements and inconsistent actions only breeds contempt and apathy.
If for ramming - then the inconsistency of previous decisions has damned this occasion, and give grounds for those presently up before the beak. When Nathan Maidment (935) and Sy Harraway (83) had their on track demolition derby at Brum, both got a month. However, a week later, Neil Hooper (676) does the same with Chris Mikulla (522) at Bristol, a fine and a load up is the punishment. If its for the aggressive donuts, then Dave Polley (38) got a month for a less dangerous set of angry tyre smoke than what Moodie did. Maybe these guys aren't seen as box office or seen as Brisca's Ambassador.
Regardless of whether it is red flag or yellow flag, the crime is still the same, whilst under red flag, cars are slowing down. Under yellows, cars are stationary, marshalls are often on track!
Whilst a Moodie/Speak clash is box office, we have to remember that stock car drivers are very much sheep. They follow and are influenced by their actions. Monkey see, monkey do. If they see Moodie can get away with, and the precedent is set by it, then on you go boys, do donuts whenever, you're putting on a show, and aslong as the crowd loves it, then carry on.
Now we know to be fair to all, each case should be looked on an individual basis, however, when there is a clear and damming evidence that in the steward's opinion that a wrong doing has occurred then a clear tariff of punishment of offences, should be an addendum in the rulebook for all those
Drivers need to lean on their promoters to push for a more independent transparent disciplinary process that all understand. Do this, get that. Give the stewards more power as they have firsthand knowledge of the event as it unfolded, and if there is nothing forthcoming, or wasn't seen but a complaint is made, then convene some days later and pass the judgement to an independent Board of Control, with driver and fan input into it. Red Jeff and his hoodlum fanclub fucked it for everyone to get any real justice, and sadly any clamouring for driver input was killed stone dead by Mr Lindsay's actions back in the day. It's easy to look at rose tinted days that the sport was better, however, the sport was smaller and not in a constant state of civil war. But there definately needs to be active driver input into the sport, something that McDougall did bring.
The formula is shooting itself in the foot, with inconsistencies and it's becoming the ugly duckling of the formulas. It should be a beauitful swan amongst all the other formulaes, as no other formula can boast the geographical spread that we as F2 do. But there lies the problem, too many promoters to give an idea of consistency. Maybe all clerks of the course and stewards should get together and enforce a consistent approach at the start of the season. Proof and guilt is in the pudding.
Decision reports should be freely available, and reasoned judgements should be available to read. If it makes discipline more labourious then so be it. But let's be transparent and clear.
As the ORCi hears the appeals, what rules may work for bangers or hotrods may not work for F2's. Now the chairman of the disciplinary committee, Steve Rees, if reports are to be believed, has offered his resignation over the matter. Now this opens up a new can of worms. Was he happy with the decision, or was he forced into a decision he wasn't happy with? How can it be a majority decision, if the chairman is overruled? And why has a charge and suspension now been levelled at Speak considering his sentence was served? We're back to the reggae again! Sing it Johnny!
And if drivers could just take their medicine when guilt is clear and obvious, without resorting to appeal, then the disciplinary job is so much easier. Again with clear and present guidelines there can be no quibble on sentence.
That's enough of it for the time being, well until the weekend eh.
On a slightly more positive note to come out of something horrific as the Venray fireball that poor Theo van Lier experienced is that there is a racers union. From Sarge at Mildenhall to Speaky and Sworder at Ipswich last year, it is very heartening to see drivers who are brave enough to risk all to help a fellow racer in danger. Well Done Frankie, Dyldo and Crasher and all others involved, you guys deserve a beer and take the plaudits, you guys earnt it!
To Theo,
De beste wensen en een spoedig herstel!
Ah well, could be some very spicy semi finals pon Saturday evening.........
Incoming!!!!!!!!
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