Power hitting pit equipment in Baltimore

[D Byrd]

In the just published Racer Magazine article in which Scott Dixon calls for the firing of Beaux Barfield, there is this quote: "Dixon says IndyCar's judicial system is in disarray. 'There's just no consistency," he said. "The No. 15 [Graham Rahal] turns us, the No.4 [Oriol Servia] does the same on the next restart and gets a penalty; the No. 12 car [Power] ran over a hose in a pit stop and gets no penalty. There were just so many [bad] calls.'"

I found myself wondering about that. When Will Power overshot his pit, he clearly ran over the hoses for the air guns, yet there was no penalty. Why not? There were multiple replays. I've been watching and around the sport since 1985, so I feel like I am in touch with things, so am I wrong in thinking that this should have been a penalty?

[sejarzo]

I thought so too, but apparently the replay didn't provide conclusive evidence that the tire ended up on top of the hose. The hose was certainly under the nose and wing of the 12, no doubt. Tire...I say it probably did, but I wasn't sure (and didn't DVR the race to take another look.)

EDIT: Just found the race video on YouTube. The hose was barely pinched in front of the left front tire, it never went completely under the tire, and remained in ahead of the right front tire at all times.

[Doc Austin]

I believe it's only a penalty to drive over a hose with the rear wheels, but I might have that wrong. That, and it was his own hose in his own pit box.

That, and Power did not drive through a competitor's pit box, bowl over a crewman, hit a tire and run over an airhose with the spinning rear wheels and send the gun flying hard enough to injure someone.

[crsfulk]

I think that I heard the comment that it was only a penalty when leaving, not entering.

[dwaldrep51]

I believe it's only a penalty to drive over a hose with the rear wheels, but I might have that wrong. That, and it was his own hose in his own pit box.

That, and Power did not drive through a competitor's pit box, bowl over a crewman, hit a tire and run over an airhose with the spinning rear wheels and send the gun flying hard enough to injure someone.

7.10. Pit Penalties
7.10.1. The following matters and any others which may be determined by the Race Director are cause for a Car to be penalized:
7.10.1.1. Failing to follow designated procedures entering or exiting the pit area, including the acceleration and deceleration lanes;
7.10.1.2. Leaving the assigned pit with air hoses, fuel hoses, tools or other equipment attached to or hanging from the Car;
7.10.1.3. Car passing over or under any air line or hose or any other equipment;
7.10.1.4. Car contact with pit equipment outside of standard pit stop procedures;
7.10.1.5. Contact with another Car;
7.10.1.6. Contact with personnel;
7.10.1.7. Pit personnel not wearing proper attire as set forth in Rule 1.2.7.2;
7.10.1.8. More than six crew members to be on the Track side of the pit wall during a Race;
7.10.1.9. Car entering a pit other than the Car’s assigned pit.
7.10.1.10. Penalties for violations of this Rule include, but are not limited to, a black flag and/or exclusion from the Event. No such decisions may be protested or appealed.

[IowaBoyinIndy]

I like Scott a lot as a race car driver and I like his personality. That said, one penalty that should come out of this race is that he should be fined for his very public comments towards race control. John Barnes was very correctly fined last year for his twitter comments towards Randy Bernard. I am not privy to the rule books on such things but every other major league series in the world - whatever sport - would fine him and very publicly as he is calling into question the integrity of the series. Calling for a race steward's job - as a participant - has to be dealt with and quickly. Frankly, he should have been fined the previous week as well. IBiI

[sherold]

7.10.1.3. Car passing over or under any air line or hose or any other equipment;

By that definition you could say he never passed over the hose, just made contact with it.

[Doc Austin]

7.10. Pit Penalties

7.10.1.3. Car passing over or under any air line or hose or any other equipment;

Thanks.

OK, it must the old cart rule I was thinking of. It's not so dangerous slide past your marks and run over a hose. What's dangerous is to hit it with a powered, spinning rear wheel. When you hit an air hose with a spinning wheel, it's like a giant bungee cord with an air gun on the end.

At least at some point in time one of the series only penalized you only for hitting the hose with the driven wheels. I've just given up trying to know all the rules all the time.

I like Scott a lot as a race car driver and I like his personality. That said, one penalty that should come out of this race is that he should be fined for his very public comments towards race control. John Barnes was very correctly fined last year for his twitter comments towards Randy Bernard. I am not privy to the rule books on such things but every other major league series in the world - whatever sport - would fine him and very publicly as he is calling into question the integrity of the series. Calling for a race steward's job - as a participant - has to be dealt with and quickly. Frankly, he should have been fined the previous week as well. IBiI

Beaux is just staying above it and letting Dixon make himself look bad, which he is doing quite well.

[Hitokiri]

John Barnes was very correctly fined last year for his twitter comments towards Randy Bernard. I am not privy to the rule books on such things but every other major league series in the world - whatever sport - would fine him and very publicly as he is calling into question the integrity of the series. Calling for a race steward's job - as a participant - has to be dealt with and quickly. Frankly, he should have been fined the previous week as well. IBiI

I agree 100%. If this same thing happened in NASCAR or F1 that person would either be fined, penalized, or at least warned publicly. Indycar is the boss and should act like it instead of bowing down to every word of the teams and drivers.

[Doc Austin]

I say start docking people points for trash talk. That will shut up everyone who is currently showing their posterior.

[sejarzo]

By that definition you could say he never passed over the hose, just made contact with it.

FWIW, to me that's a very vaguely written rule. Entire car, part of the car? And as you note, it says nothing about making contact.

[Jakester]

FWIW, to me that's a very vaguely written rule. Entire car, part of the car? And as you note, it says nothing about making contact.

Next paragraph
7.10.1.4. Car contact with pit equipment outside of standard pit stop procedures

[FormulaFox]

7.10. Pit Penalties
7.10.1.3. Car passing over or under any air line or hose or any other equipment;

Personally, I find the NEXT rule more informative:

7.10.1.4. Car contact with pit equipment outside of standard pit stop procedures;

Overshooting your marks is something that happens now and then. But since it occurs as the car is coming to a stop for service, it could easily be dismissed as a minor miscalculation during standard procedures. Clipping your own air hose on the way out is outside of standard procedures because the crew members are expected to get the hose sufficiently clear, AND the driver is expected to take a wide enough exit to avoid it.

Additionally, the "hit equipment means penalty" rule is aimed at improving safety in the pits. This type of incident is NOT a safety hazard - if Power had hit the brakes so late that he created a safety hazard, things far worse would have taken place and we would not be having this debate.

With that said, if you go back through past races and look at Dixon's pit stops, I can guarantee you that you WILL find a few incidents like what he's calling Barfield out on regarding Power. Is he gonna say he should've been penalized for those? If not, he needs to keep his trap shut regarding such occurrences.

[Danny Noonan]

[IMG][/IMG]

Don Draper impersonating Scott Di*#son

[Blood-1]

Overshooting your marks is something that happens now and then. But since it occurs as the car is coming to a stop for service, it could easily be dismissed as a minor miscalculation during standard procedures. Clipping your own air hose on the way out is outside of standard procedures because the crew members are expected to get the hose sufficiently clear, AND the driver is expected to take a wide enough exit to avoid it.

Are you kidding? Please tell me you're kidding. Oh who am I fooling there's no way you're kidding.

NORMAL PIT STOP PROCEDURES MEAN ATTACHING IT TO THE CAR FOR CRYING OUT LOUD COME ON GET A GRIP.