From the Chief of Protest at the event:
I was expecting the forums to virtually explode with the typical Monday morning second guessing, safety stewarding, chief stewarding, finger pointing, blaming, character assassination, rampant speculation and name calling but this has gotten completely out of hand. I was the Chief of Protest at the Ft. Myers National Tour and to set the record straight I believe it now necessary to make some kind of statement regarding the facts of the protest filed by Robert Carpenter. This is not an official response from the SCCA or the SEB. I have no intention of debating, in any of these forums, the Protest Committee’s decision or its merit. The PC’s decision stands on its own and is wholly supported by the facts. Nor will I respond to those who find it necessary to attack and defame the Protest Committee. Such statements say more about the author’s character than the character of those they are intended to assail. The purpose here is to provide the solo community with information as to why the PC took the action it did.
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Robert Carpenter was one of several people who approached me Sunday morning expressing concern regarding the course. I know Robert well and know that he would much prefer for the competition to be settled on the course not in the protest shed. Robert raised the issue of a protest and I advised him that filing a protest would guarantee the course issue be dealt with. Robert thought it through and filed the protest after he drove in heat one. He was VERY surprised when I later informed him that the PC had upheld his protest and that Sunday’s times were thrown out. He even stated that he never considered that the protest would be upheld, let alone that the results would be affected. In fact, he told me that he “had not intended for this to affect the results and mess up anyone’s event”. I commend Robert for having the guts to file the protest. I have heard a lot of whining over the years but seldom does anyone ever step up and take the heat for actually taking action.
Once a protest is filed, the Protest Committee must deal with it. The committee cannot simply sit around and whine and argue on various forums, they must make a decision and that decision carries with it the responsibility of its effect. It would have been easy for the PC to dismiss the protest or pass the buck. However, the protest committee has the responsibility of ensuring the integrity of the event and protecting the interest of the competitors at the event and the membership as a whole. This is a big responsibility and one that the PC takes very seriously. Nor is it an easy job and one that few people will take on because of the potential for controversy. That the members of the Ft. Myers National Tour Protest Committee took on this issue knowing their decision would result in extensive armchair quarterbacking is to be commended.
On the issue of the ruling: The protest committee must first determine legality. The course was protested under 2.1.A. The protest committee found the course was in excess of 2.1.A in respect to this sentence: “Turns should not normally allow speeds in excess of 45 mph in unprepared cars.” Members of the PC spent much of the afternoon observing the competition and monitoring car speeds through all sections of the course. I also interviewed various competitors in a variety of stock and street prepared cars as to speed in gears and speed at rev limits. What the PC determined was that the majority of turns were taken in excess of 45 mph. In fact, that turns at or below 45 mph were the exception not the norm. This fact contradicts the quoted statement in 2.1.A. Whether or not a Super Stock GT3 Porsche went 83 mph or 73 mph was never an issue. The PC must follow the rules and based on our investigation it was determined that the course was not in compliance with 2.1.A.
Results: The second step in the process is the action taken by the protest committee once it votes to uphold a protest. Because the course was found to be in excess of the rules times resulting from said illegal course are illegitimate. Therefore, the logical course of action was to throw out all times from that course. Without this action, the final results would have been, at least in part, determined by times that were illegitimate. Allowing illegitimate times to stand undermines the credibility of the event. This was not a decision taken lightly. In fact, during the process of hearing this protest, the PC adjourned several times for the purpose of investigation, review and consultation. I personally met with another member of the SEB, Howard Duncan and (via telephone) SCCA Risk Management. The Committee was well aware of the impact that its decision would have and anticipated that there would be considerable public debate among the membership. However, The Committee also knew that they could not allow their decision to be influenced by the prospect of such debate.
Timing of the protest: I cannot speak for Robert Carpenter but clearly he did not anticipate this result. It is also important to note that the protest committee cannot act proactively. A protest must be filed before it can take action. Remember that it is the responsibility of the competitors to police the sport. Not only the legality of competitor’s cars but also the courses and the actions of event officials. When event officials drop the ball it is up to the competitors to take action. No one wants to be branded a whiner and therefore most are naturally reluctant to take action. Robert did what he thought was right; the expected reaction on these forums has proven that axiom to be true.
The Protest Committee Members: I will not identify the individual members here. If they want to identify themselves they can do so. I can tell you that, much to the dismay of its critics, the Ft. Myers National Tour Protest Committee members had the best interest of the competitors and membership in mind when they made their ruling. The three members represent nearly 50 years of National level experience and collectively have more National Championship jackets than will fit in your closet. Also, they each posted some of the fastest times of this event. All were chosen for the committee based on their high level of experience, ability, knowledge and integrity. As a competitor at that event, you could not have been better represented.
Conclusion: It was anticipated by the Protest Committee that their decision would be appealed. The SEB acts as the National Appeals Committee and will therefore have the responsibility of reviewing the ruling on appeal. The Protest Committee cannot predict the actions of the Appeals Committee but is confident that whatever action the Appeals Committee takes will best serve the competitors and membership.
Steve Hoelscher
Chief of Protest, Ft. Myers National Tour
Solo Events Board member
Here is a link to the complete thread from SCCA Forums:
http://sccaforums.com/forums/thread/177845.aspx