Forum: Oklahomatidbits.com General Forum (go)
Moderators:  /  David Smith Jr

In dirt track racing, you race on dirt and there is contact. Most of the time it is incidental but there are a few instances where there is rough driving. It isn't that hard to detect - or so I thought.

This is not picking on any one track because it has happened more this year at weekly tracks I have been to in this state then I have seen in three years put together. And I just don't go to one or two tracks all year and say I have been to alot of tracks. I travel all over.

Nothing can deflate a persons interest in "racing" then to see something as bogus as a black flag for contact. Not to mention that in earlier races same driver accidently got into somebody and backed off cause he made a mistake. Again, not picking on one track at all but have seen it at four tracks this year.

This isn't NASCRAP where you pick a pavement line and stay there in the groove. This is dirt track racing where contact will happen and I expect it to happen. It is called racing hard. There is a difference in racing hard and obvious contact. If some of these flagman were at 81 Speedway for the NCRA late model show last weekend they would have black flagged John Anderson for driving into Kelly Boen entering turn one for the lead. Kelly got by him later but said afterwards that it was just racing and he expects it.

Lighten up on the black flags and use it when you know contact was intentional. You ruin a good race when you try to control it with a black flag. I am not done with weekly shows by no means, just makes it dishearting when you get black flagged for racing on dirt.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

have seen it several times myself this year. If you bring it to the promoters attention, all you hear is "its a judgement call and we do our best"!!!!

case example ( will not mention track ) Three cars running hard and very tight for 2nd,3rd, and 4th. going into turn three the car in 4th drives too deep and pushes the 3rd place car into the 2nd place car. The 2nd place car spun out and the flagman "blackflagged" the 3rd place car. All this happened with an offical standing in the corner, so i wander, what was he watching???????

TOO MANY BLACK FLAGS can HURT THIS SPORT!!!!!!

I know its a fine line but its a very important one too.....

Jayson Ellis

I whole heartedly agree with the BLACK FLAG theme. I will mention the track, because I was there and still wonder why? At Brill Speedway I watched two drivers receive black flags which I perceived as racing incidents. One was in the first E-mod heat when the #65 car was black flagged for supposed rough driving when he and the #5R car got together coming off turn 4 for the lead. #65 drifted up into #5R and 5R came back down into 65. This is hard driving, going for the lead incidental contact. Next lap the #65 was out. UNFAIR....

Second incident occured in the Factory Stock Feature when the #30 car was blackflagged for a reason I still do not know of. Then because of the emotions shown in the pits was told to leave and not return...Fair? The #30 car was running in the top 5 and happened to be in the area when a piece fell off another car, and apparently they thought it might have come from him. The other car had already been in TWO yellow flag incidents and should have been in the pits anyway. But again, no one knows why, but The BLACK FLAG again bit another dirt track driver in the butt.

You said three key words. "Which I perceived"!! And the track officials perceived it differently. I was in the pits after the races, when Mark Brill and the driver of the #30 car and crew had a calm discussion of what happened. Calmer heads prevailed, and I'm pretty sure the #30 will be back next week. While I came up on the end of the confab, and was not privvy to the whole conversation, all parted with handshakes.

How many times have one of us had just the opposite reaction? Where we believed someone SHOULD have gotten the blackflag and didn't.

Officiating is hell. Try it sometime, especially when you've got mass numbers of people second-guessing you. You only get one chance, and to someone you'll always be wrong.

Did you ever hear a fan say "My guy was completely in the wrong????" Nope. Nebba happens. That's why they are fans, which is short for fanatic.

I'm not disagreeing with you all, bad decisions are bad for a racetrack, but being right all the time is impossible.

Everyone knows the 65 wouldnt rough drive anyone. Hell he just cant drive.

If you want to use the black flag so bad then do so to those drivers who blatently stop on the track to get a caution. THEN they mysteriously start as soon as that yellow flag comes out.

Casey McClaskey got screwed in the modified feature. One of the cleanest drivers we have on the NCRA modified divison. Tyler Propps got screwed earlier this year at another track as he was just racing. I understand Sellers got the wrong end of the black flag a couple of weeks ago. It is not just one track but several. Yes, I thought the #65 last night was a racing deal too.

Let them race as you should be able to detect rough driving from good, hard racing.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

3 different officials saw McClaskey spin the 3 car and then drive thru him. Maybe we should hire you as an official. What's your credentials??? Former driver??? Former track official???

And, since it's over and done with and can't be re-done, what point is there in rehashing it???

So from what I'm hearing you say, all tracks should throw away the black flag and let anarchy rule. Surely that's not what you propose.

Let's just agree to disagree, and I won't tell you how to run your website, and in turn you leave the offficiating to the officials.

If I were to take a poll of every single person at the track last night. I bet I could find as many people who saw things the same as the officials; as you could find people who saw it your way. That's why they are called opinions, you just have a forum for yours.

Sorry David, i have to disagree with you on that one. Bailey made one heck of a pass on him, never touched him, and that guy drove right thru him and never lifted. Thats why he got black flagged. You usually can tell if someone lifts off the gas and the guy never did. Not saying he drives like that or has a rep like that. This time he did.

Well said Smith.Tracks should LOOSE the black flag.If ever rough driving occurs,deal with it,or live with it.

Steve Moyer CKS Fabrication & Welding                  
CKS Chassis                                            
I want my last words to be "damn this is fun"

I am going to try really, really hard to bite my tongue and not say anymore from what you questioned about my website and credintials. And no you didn't shut me up, it is just you wouldn't like what I would have to say and I would be upset with myself for lashing out.

We shall just leave it at that.

I will say that I had a good time at Brills last night as he really has turned things around. And if I know Mark, more improvements are going to be done during the winter. Could be the place to be in two or three years, you never know.

David Smith Jr.
www.oklahomatidbits.com

How dare you question Davids credintials. Im assuming your the announcer at Brills so i can see where you defend your beloved officials but dont ever question what David has done for racing. If David ever did drive a car you would not be worthy of carrying his helmet bag. If he ever ran his own track or series you would not be worthy of announcing for him with your so called opinion. And if you dont like his opinion stay off his website and start your own anarchy but i promise you this David will still be standing and you will be looking in.Have a good day all.

David, I came back specifically to apologize. You have a right to your opinion. I just disagreed. I was in no way questioning your website, or what you've done for racing.

I'll say again, however, unless you've ever officiated over ANY sporting event its really unfair to question their decisions. I don't really want their job; do you? Kinda like armchair quarterbacking.

Deke saw the McClaskey thing the same way we did. Proves my point as far as the "people seeing it differently" goes.

You keep posting you're opinion, and I'll keep posting mine, and hopefully we can agree as often as we respectfully disagree.

Easy Darrin,the announcer might denounce,then pronounce you and Dave.lol

Steve Moyer CKS Fabrication & Welding                  
CKS Chassis                                            
I want my last words to be "damn this is fun"

Lmao Moyer thats funny stuff.

David I was wondering the same thing about black-flagging the 65 car, didn't look like it was intensional to me.

What was the 30 f/s actually black flagged for? If you loose a mud-plug or cover, you're black flagged?

Seems theres one f/s that jumps the start or re-start every chance he gets & nothing is done about it!!! But I heard last week that he will never get the B-F as long as he runs Meeker!!!

Larry, you should have came down to see me last night, I had access to some pliers for that tooth!!

Flash
New website!!!!!!!!!

www.flashracecarbodies.com

Andy, I would have let you pull it too.

well i don't want to get anyone wound up more than they are but the flagman has the best seat in the house. and therefore can see what most cannot. I try to sit right in the middle of the track and i see a lot but it is so hard to watch everything on the track. The flagman also makes 70% of the calls on that track and Mark makes the other 30% or so but they almost always ask each other and every official on the track if thats what they saw then they piece all the info together and come up with an decision. So even if you think the drivers are being flagged for no reason its not just one person making the call. And its like the announcer said, if you think you can do better at making calls or dealing with the angry drivers all the time,and i have heard Mark offer the job to many and none have taken it. And also i see more things on this message board that shouldn't be said for one reason. LACK OF INFORMATION!!. Everyone thinks the drivers get screwed all the time but what you don't see is the chances that we give them all the time. and im not talking about just one night but Mark watches every race and every driver and if he sees he is getting better throughout the year then he will let him slide a bit more than a wild out of towner coming in and killing everyone on the track. So Please work with us. We at BRILL MOTOR SPEEDWAY are not perfect but we will try our best to make it fair for everyone and give those that need the seat time the time. Mark even lets drivers go out after the races and drive by themselves and will even give you pointer if needed. So please don't be so hard on us out there. All we want to do is make a FAMILY fun race environment. Sorry so long. have a wonderful week.

Dont get mad at me, im just the pushtruck guy.


www.myspace.com/pushtruckguy

I showed at Brills track for the first time in a few weeks.I was sitting on the wall minding my bezz wax Mark ask me if I would run the line up,short handed to night, radio head set an everything.I was just trying to do my new job and do it well.Several times during the racing pit guys coming over to me venting frustrations.My first time to wear a radio,but just listening almost a democractic process I saw it this way or that way several voices on the radio with in a few seconds the had to make a call, right wrong or some some where in between can't please m'all.Wearing the radio and orange not as much fun as it appears.Did ya notice Baley got his spot back fairgrounds he been the back.

the

matt you are right

terry good job