Regarding Daytona Air Fence:


I just wanted to thank everyone at Roadracing World for their efforts with the Air Fence used at Daytona for the CCS/Formula USA Race Weekend.

I raced that weekend and felt more comfortable knowing the Air Fence was there!

Thank you,
Jessica Zalusky
#315

(Editor’s note: You’re welcome.)



Regarding Daytona Officiating:



From Brian Poppe:
Just a thought here, and not absolving any official of their responsibilities:

What is the process for a racer stopping a race in process due to hazardous conditions? I’ve seen it in WSB races where several racers come upon rain and hold their clutch hand in the air. How many racers have to do that for a race to be suspended so the officials can make a call? One, two, all?

Yes, if it was that dangerous (and the testimonials of the leaders sound like it was) then why should they wait for the officials to call the race or suspend it so rain tires can be fitted? I know the officials “should” be out there to protect and advocate for the racers. In the absence of that concern, shouldn’t the racers do it themselves? The factory riders did that at Loudon this year. Since the F-USA officials weren’t doing that at Daytona (assuming they should), shouldn’t the riders have done so?

Again, could the riders have halted the race on their own if the officials weren’t going to halt it?

Just a few thoughts.

And thanks for the work that goes into your website. I know it’s a cliche’, but I do make a point of checking it several times a day.

Thanks



From Roddy Cooper:
Why don’t the U.S. motorcycle sanctioning bodies do the same as they do in Europe? If the lead riders raise their hand, 99% of the time they stop the race. Over the last few years, I have not seen one case where the officials disregarded the riders and failed to bring out the red flag.



(Editor’s note: Brian Parriott tried that when it started raining at VIR a few months ago, and F-USA officials stated that their rules do not allow riders to stop a race.)





From Ed Gray:
It’s too bad we couldn’t have asked these people what they would have done before someone already screwed up, but that is the nature of hindsight.
It seems to you and me that the core issue is safety. I would have thought by now that the organizers would have realized that no matter what happens somebody is going to wank at them. As such wouldn’t it be better to call a race and have more healthy racers yelling at them than to have to be going to visit somebody in the hospital and apologize?

I was impressed as you were that he was able to see the error of his ways afterward; that seems like a good sign. I think suggesting that someone should try his own stupid suggestion does nothing but make that kind of person angry or confused.