It happened this past weekend at the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series Season Finale at Lake Elsinore. It also happened at the second visit to Perris for the Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL. The LOORS incident changed the Unlimited Lite Championship. The TORC incident created some excitement, some confusion, and ultimately the dispute was cleared up and everything was good in the world of TORC.
What I am referring to is how the individuals in charge of Tech Inspection can deem a race vehicle safe and legal throughout the year and suddenly late in the season, turnaround and determine it's not when nothing has changed on that race truck.
The latest case in point is the well discussed disqualification of Chris Brandt after he seemingly won the LOORS Unlimited Lite Championship. After going through tech inspection all year and without a problem, after the season was complete, officials then measured his truck's wheelbase and it was found to be longer than the specifications in the rulebook. This gave another competitor the Championship. Was there a protest? Were any other trucks measured? Please let the public know.
In September, after Round 14 of the Perris TORC event, officials were told to measure the tire size of a particular competitor. An aluminum tire gauge that TORC officials had created for just this purpose was used. After about an hour of discussions, the tires were deemed legal. The only problem was that the other tire manufacturers that compete in the class were never measured. Why weren't other competitor's tires checked at the same time? Was there a protest? If so, again let the public know. If not, all tire brands should have been measured. For some reason, to my recollection, this incident was never mentioned by any press outlet.
My point is that a championship should be won on the race track, and not behind the grandstands by the tech inspectors. If one truck is inspected for a particular rule, others must be impounded for that inspection as well. Whether it’s the podium finishers or the Top-5, that’s for the sanctioning body to determine, but those finishers should have their post race inspection include more than a quick stop on the scales.
Maybe just a more thorough post race inspection is needed, so everyone knows that all the competitors are playing by the rules.
The LOORS incident changed history. The TORC incident could have as well.
Then having a championship determined this way isn't ggood for the sport, not the competitors involved, the race series, or the sport in general.
Look at the black eye that desert racing has gone through down in Baja this past season with broad interpretation of course rules.
Technical inspection and rules enforcement should be done thoroughly and completely at all times.
The NHRA sanctioning body offers tech inspection of any 10.99 second or quicker race cars before the season, or you make an appointment with an approved/licensed inspector during the season. SCORE desert racers have a similar process in place.
Isn't it time for the short course off road racing world to do the same?
