Contact impound

dickita15

dickita15

New member
There was an interesting discussion this weekend during the Ne Div convention. Apparently Nasa has something at events called Contact Impound designed to make drivers accountable for metal to metal contact. The suggestion that evolved was to have an area in the impound are that if you have any metal to metal contact at the end of a session you need to stop briefly and fill out a short form describing the situation. No interrogation but just a brief what happen, who was at fault in your opinion and was it a big deal. After you turned in your form you would be free to leave.
Would you guys view this as a positive thing?
 
What happens to the forms? Is it like when you got in trouble in elementary school and you had to copy pages of the dictionary so your teacher can throw them out later or does something get done with them? For example, 3 strikes and you're out?

I think it sounds like an interesting idea, just want more info.
 
Stupid GCR question.. aren't you already supposed to report to impound post-race after any metal-metal contact?

Edit: Yes, I'm all for it as well. last few races, I've had my share of unintended contact, but fully accepted the responsibility..
 
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An excellent idea. More documentation into the system is a good thing, and the anticipation of *any* oversight might have a damping effect on tomfoolery.

K
 
Agreed.

Seemed to work years ago when a certain Steward took pictures of all the SRF noses to monitor bump-drafting contact.

Any comments Terry?
 
I think the idea to start is to be non-confrontational in the contact impound. After all there are times that unintended contact does happen and I think that in that case if both drivers forms agree that it was unfortunate but just a minor thing that was not intended that would be the end of it.
It is when the forms show a difference of opinion that further investigation should be warranted.
I would guess that someone could stand 50 yard away watching the body language of the driver filling out the form and get a feel for which is which.
 
If there is a way to make it work for the folks who have to jump from one race to the next back-to-back, I think it's a no-brainer.
 
Keith O said:
If there is a way to make it work for the folks who have to jump from one race to the next back-to-back, I think it's a no-brainer.
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Nope, no compromise. You have contact - your fault or not - you go to the box and fill out the paperwork. Got a back-to-back? then avoid contact.

Just the specter of having to deal with the paperwork is the major deterrent all by itself.

Easy peasy.

GA
 
Keith O said:
If there is a way to make it work for the folks who have to jump from one race to the next back-to-back, I think it's a no-brainer.
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We rarely have true back to backs. Up here we try to have double dip friendly groups with at least one group in between. I suppose if you are facing in FV and ITA it might be an issue however they are talking about a very simple form and no interrogation, but possible investigation at a later time.
I might even have some preprinted with the name of certain drivers on them and carry them in the car.:shrug:
 
I like it - but then I believe all MTM should have to be explained anyway.

As far as drivers doing back to back races; how do they handle it if they are top-3, and have to go to impound (assuming the event calls for that), or have some other on-track issue and have to go talk to the steward? I think any driver running back-to-back races should be prepared for the possibility that he will not make the start of the second race. Heck, in many MARRS events we are being given the 5-to-go as the prior group is exiting the track, so even without a trip to impound it would be tough to do back-to-back races.
 
erlrich said:
As far as drivers doing back to back races; how do they handle it if they are top-3, and have to go to impound (assuming the event calls for that), or have some other on-track issue and have to go talk to the steward? I think any driver running back-to-back races should be prepared for the possibility that he will not make the start of the second race. Heck, in many MARRS events we are being given the 5-to-go as the prior group is exiting the track, so even without a trip to impound it would be tough to do back-to-back races.
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The few folks around here that do true back-to-back classes (FF and HP) would take both cars to grid before race #1. After race #1, they drive car #1 into impound, then have a friend/crewmember with a golf cart drive them to grid and help them buckle into car #2. after race #2, they head back to impound again.
once impound is cleared, he removes both cars, and deals with any issues found in impound after race #2.

If there is any car-car contact in race #1, the paperwork wouldn't be sorted until race #2 is over anyway since tech takes 15-20 minutes to weigh all the cars in and do whatever surprise inspection they're going to do. Only then would they start on contact reports since "the bad kids can wait for the good kids to get through tech".
so a contact report for race #1 wouldn't necessarily even be looked at or talked about until near the end of race #2.
 
At MCSCC races any driver who has contact or thinks he/she has had contact needs to report to impound and fill out an incident report. If the contact was reported in by F&C and the driver or drivers fail to report you will hear your name over the PA asking you to report. Also if one driver reports and the other doesn't you will hear your name.

I had to this at my last race and MCSCC's last race for this season. I had minor contact with a slower car while passing it that resulted in very minor paint transfer and scratches.

The creation of a record can help the stewards determine if a driver who constantly has "minor" contact with other drivers is really at fault and not just write it off to "just racing". Which is what they would do if there were not this paper trail.

.
 
dickita15 said:
There was an interesting discussion this weekend during the Ne Div convention. Apparently Nasa has something at events called Contact Impound designed to make drivers accountable for metal to metal contact. The suggestion that evolved was to have an area in the impound are that if you have any metal to metal contact at the end of a session you need to stop briefly and fill out a short form describing the situation. No interrogation but just a brief what happen, who was at fault in your opinion and was it a big deal. After you turned in your form you would be free to leave.
Would you guys view this as a positive thing?
Click to expand...

Damm...

Mickey is going to get writer's cramp...:D

Abhi
 
I liek the idea, and would like it more on a national level and having the documentation available to or recorded with the national office. a trend of "harmless" MTM reports could be good background info for a guy who also has a few "racing incidents" and support the assertation by his competitors that he is overly aggressive, generally.

and, deterents are good. the bad side is if the group or whatever steward decides to be overly involved on the front end, that could be bad. get the reports, read them, make a decision and I'm for it.
 
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