Castrol Perkins SC - Was it really needed?

[Big Mac]

I was just wondering what everyone’s thoughts were on the second last safety car to remove the Castrol Perkins car between Reid Park and McPhillamy.

I for one thought it was a tad unnecessary. There was a hole in the was about 150 meters in front of where the car stopped yet race control still threw out the SC and look at the results…

Don’t get me wrong, I’m aware that Reid Park is a very quick and dangerous part of the mountain. But the Perkins car was well out of the way and surely a stationary or double waved yellows would have been sufficient for the period it took for the marshals to move the Perkins car or even for the remaining race laps.

Now look at the consequences of the SC action by Race Control. SBR and Orrcon have seriously bent machinery (ditto for PWR/Murphy car) with only a couple of weeks to get them right before the Gold Coast. Ambrose has lost the championship lead and we saw him and Murph on the verge of going 9 rounds in The Dipper, which is sprayed all across the media. Is this the way that AVESCO want the series portrayed in the media? Is this the level of sensationalism that the series is stooping to and looking for? I sincerely hope not.

All as a result of a seemingly unwarranted Safety Car...

(Mods-If this has been discussed else where, please merge or close.)

[TerryK]

I don't think it was required, perhaps it was done for TV & not safety

[pete60]

You could argue this one until the cows come home....

If the balaclava is a vital piece of safety gear, I don't think you'll win any argument to wind back when the safety car is deployed.

There is no doubt though that the safety cars influence the race outcome far more than they should. The safety cars got Greg Murphy back into the race in 2003 ( I thinK) and set up the win and they almost did the same yesterday.

[Antrodemus]

I'm not sure its the exact same spot, but didn't the stricken McLean/Cleland EL sit there under green for quite some time after clouting the wall at Reid Park a few years back?

[Mattracer]

Originally Posted by Big Mac

I was just wondering what everyone’s thoughts were on the second last safety car to remove the Castrol Perkins car between Reid Park and McPhillamy.

I for one thought it was a tad unnecessary. There was a hole in the was about 150 meters in front of where the car stopped yet race control still threw out the SC and look at the results…

Don’t get me wrong, I’m aware that Reid Park is a very quick and dangerous part of the mountain. But the Perkins car was well out of the way and surely a stationary or double waved yellows would have been sufficient for the period it took for the marshals to move the Perkins car or even for the remaining race laps.

Now look at the consequences of the SC action by Race Control. SBR and Orrcon have seriously bent machinery (ditto for PWR/Murphy car) with only a couple of weeks to get them right before the Gold Coast. Ambrose has lost the championship lead and we saw him and Murph on the verge of going 9 rounds in The Dipper, which is sprayed all across the media. Is this the way that AVESCO want the series portrayed in the media? Is this the level of sensationalism that the series is stooping to and looking for? I sincerely hope not.

All as a result of a seemingly unwarranted Safety Car...

(Mods-If this has been discussed else where, please merge or close.)

People did want the biff brought back.

[aj_308]

Most certantly.

[JABWOA]

How about drivers [a] learn to race at a restart properly instead of causing a new SC period, and [b] learn to back off during a yellow zone so marshalls CAN retrieve things without resorting to a SC period (particulary at Bathurst being so blind around corners.)

Plus, it would hold up racing towards the end with a yellow zone, and restrict track width if one of the leaders decided on a passing move...

[racer69]

If the drivers these days took notice of local yellows, 5 of the 8 safety cars would not have been needed. Safety cars for vehicles bogged in the sand are a joke, as was the d'Agostin/Coleman yellow.

And of course if those yellows weren't thrown ,its highly unlikely we'd have seen the Noske incident, nor the Ambrose/Murphy pileup.

And why didn't Dumbrell park the car in the gap in the fence after the cutting when he hit the wall? Instead he drove 100 metres further and parked it on the racing line, causing the first safety car. Why aren't fines handed out for this stuff?

[DKGandBH]

maybe he thought he might be able to make it back to the pits ???

DKGandBH

[lookleft]

Well you know my opinon on this... the SC was not issued on safety grounds. Not based on what we see elsewhere.

The thing I don't get is all the concern over "is it a 4 or 5 stop race". Who cares what they could "technically" achieve. Stay on the lead lap until the last safety car (which by AVESCO regulations will be between laps 130 and 145) and you have "bought your ticket" regardless..... I guess it is modeled on NASCAR.

[storyline]

Not really - at least with NASCAR they let them race and race to the flag. V8's are now being setup to achieve the results they want.

[TerryK]

Originally Posted by racer69

And why didn't Dumbrell park the car in the gap in the fence after the cutting when he hit the wall? Instead he drove 100 metres further and parked it on the racing line, causing the first safety car. Why aren't fines handed out for this stuff?

Because he is Dumbrell....I feel any car that causes a yellow & safety car & needs to be draged out or towed back should be returned to the rear of the pits & not allowed back as per F1... Both WPS cars plus others would be out.

Really some guys did not learn from the 1st trip in the sand pit, if the car can't get out on it's own then it's out of the race....no question, what you think guys ?

[plonkey]

Tagliani in the Team Australia kept forgetting to turn left......

[XW GT]

Originally Posted by storyline

Not really - at least with NASCAR they let them race and race to the flag. V8's are now being setup to achieve the results they want.

I hope that you enjoyed your weekend (albeit busy) Storyline. I look forward to your "first-hand" answers to some of the speculation and opinions that have been posted and commented on.

[storyline]

Now I've started to warm up maybe I will (and I thought Melbourne could get bloody cold - 87 was bad enough - well wet anyway - up there, but at least it was better than sleeping in my van in 1974 behind the pits!)

[retro]

Originally Posted by storyline

Not really - at least with NASCAR they let them race and race to the flag. V8's are now being setup to achieve the results they want.

NASCAR don't race to the flag anymore....it's automatic that the first car 1 lap down gets the *lucky dog* (only the yanks could come up with that one) which means he goes back to the lead lap.

They use timing monitors around the track to sort out who is the lucky dog.

I think this was changed last year as a safety measure.

[storyline]

Haven't watched it for a while so wasn't sure if they had changed it - I know they were talking about it but didn't really appear to want to change it.

[XW GT]

Originally Posted by storyline

Now I've started to warm up maybe I will (and I thought Melbourne could get bloody cold - 87 was bad enough - well wet anyway - up there, but at least it was better than sleeping in my van in 1974 behind the pits!)

Been there, done that! The people that complain about the conditions nowadays would "freak-out" with the conditions that we (including competitors) used to endure in days gone by.

[storyline]

But what I didn't tell you was that the van was a MiniVan - only way to sleep in it was turn the passenger seat around and put a camp bed in it. Now THAT was roughing it.