[PF Flyer]

... was run this morning, and again ended in controversy.

Lou qualified well on Saturday and was running good until they black flagged him for an oil leak.

Chip Herr was driving the Tiger Racing Corvette. He qualified 9th and that was were he was when the engine let go.

I was with the AutoSports Delevopment GTO of Stu Hayner. He qualified 14th, worked his way up to 8th in the race, then on the last lap, next to the last turn, slide into the gravel and lost three places to finish 11th.

The controversy was again with the Caddies and Max Papis' last lap manuver that took out Robin Liddell as they were about to enter the back straight on their way to the checker.

Figure that even if the DQ'd him for that manuver, the other two Caddies with Angelleli and Pilgrim were running 3rd & 4th.

I did the incar stuff for Stu Hayner, Chip Herr and Jim Osbourn in the Touring Car race. I'll get some of it up before the week is out. Met up with Louis and had a chance to discuss video/audio techniques. He will have some good stuff of the LG team to post once he gets back.

... now those ALMS cars ... to watch them come down the front straight at about 'a buck fitty' and enter turn one with just a lift of the throttle and a hint of brake is amazing to watch. TV does NOT do it justice.

[rmackintosh]

I think that Lidell was taking his own, defensive line through the turn, and he got punted. Granted that Max had a better run on that turn, and it occurred to me that Lidell may have slowed up going into the turn for some reason. But I didn't see that he made any blocking manuever. And getting spun on the last lap just sucks.

It was funny that Speed didn't want to show his gesture live, but decided to watch him as Max came around then show a replay of it. I was expecting worse than just a finger point (ok, I was expecting the finger to be pointed differently).

Jason

...like I said, I don't think Liddell was blocking up until that point....he was taking defensive lines, which is VERY MUCH a copacetic thing to do....the little adjustment to NOT ONLY take the inside on entry, but move to take the inside ON EXIT as well was:

1. At BEST a dumb move that slowed the car down WAY TOO MUCH for a tight, last lap battle between two close cars. By making such an unexpected move, giving Max little time/space to adjust. Thus, while Max is tasked with making a safe pass, he took away much of Max's options to do so......you CANNOT really expect a professional race driver to sit back and lift/coast while the bozo in front of you figures out what he is doing...

2. At WORST the move to pinch the exit to hinder Papis' run was IN FACT a "double move" and DID constitute blocking by Liddell.

Either way, IMHO that was a racing incident....and this is from a guy who DOES NOT TOLERATE overaggressive driving...just ask anyone who raced in IT/SM in the 2002/3 in the SFR SCCA (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) I basically bitched so much to the SCCA about getting hit from behind in the ITC car by SM's that were faster and started behind us...that we had driver meetings EVERY RACE discussing this subject for quite a while.....they all hated it.... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif)