What the hey?

Crash Test · 15 May 2000, 01:47 (Ref:5862)

Here are some excerts from the Motegi race report...i haven't seen the race yet, but this seems pretty whacky....

The BLACK FLAG is shown on Lap 133 to #19 KUROSAWA for a Pit Safety violation. KUROSAWA subsequently pits the car to comply with the Black Flag stop and go penalty.

The BLACK FLAG is again shown to #19 KUROSAWA on Lap 134, after CART Pit Stewards determine that KUROSAWA did not complete the stop and go penalty correctly. KUROSAWA again pits the car.

BLACK FLAG is shown to #19 KUROSAWA on Lap 134 for a Pit Road safety violation. KUROSAWA subsequently pits the car to comply with the Black Flag stop and go penalty.

BLACK FLAG is again shown to #19 KUROSAWA on Lap 135 for not successfully completing the stop and go penalty. KUROSAWA subsequently pits the car to comply with the Black Flag stop and go penalty.

The BLACK FLAG is shown on Lap 151 to #19 KUROSAWA for a Pit Safety violation. KUROSAWA subsequently pits the car and is excluded from the remainder of the race due to a Pit Incident.

Now is it just me, or was something very very silly going on? I think i was the only person here not going on about how great he was after he lead a few laps at Long Beach.... well this here seesm to be a bit over the top...

slicktoast · 15 May 2000, 02:02 (Ref:5863)

All that and nothing for Mikey passing in the pits under yellow. Silliness abounds!

Liz · 15 May 2000, 02:27 (Ref:5864)

How many pit guys did Kurasawa run over anyway? Or did he forget to bow when he left the pits?

Or was somebody having fun with the black flags?

Rachel · 15 May 2000, 03:51 (Ref:5865)

Ooohhh....so that's how he lost those 30 laps!
But why didn't they just DQ him right after he hit the guy?

KC · 15 May 2000, 14:39 (Ref:5866)

There is still a grey area in the rules. They aren't sure who has to make the decision if a guy is injured or not. Kurosawa made a mistake when he came in without warming up his carbon-carbon brakes and essentially had none when he entered his pit space. He also violated the pitlane speed limit twice during the race. He was eventually DQ'd when it was determined he had injured his crewman. CART really needs to address this issue and eliminate any interpretations of the rule.

Liz · 15 May 2000, 23:22 (Ref:5867)

I can't believe it took them a week and a half to decide to DQ Mikey, and poor Kurasawa was DQ'd during the very race where the incident happened. KC you are right - there has got to be some way of deciding these things on the spot. Surely they know right away if the pitman is injured (we all knew about Nigel Stepney just as soon as the doctors knew) and if the rules say "injury = DQ" then what is there to decide?

Crash Test · 16 May 2000, 00:22 (Ref:5868)

It's a bit like in football though, if a guy gets a conusion he would be back out there in 15 minutes...so does that count as an injury? Sure he can't remember being injured but that's not the point. What if someone drops a rattle gun on their foot trying to flee an out of control car, but is otherwise ok? Does that count as an injury, he has a bruise right?

KC · 16 May 2000, 12:31 (Ref:5869)

That's the grey area I was referring to. Wjhat happened if he strikes a crew member that falls down in front of the car? Should the team be penalized? Probably, but it won't look right.

A big part of what happened in the Andretti case is that the rule stated that a competitior could be DQ'd if causing an injury to a team member. They have amended that rule to read will be DQ'd. They just have to determine what an injury is.

Liz · 16 May 2000, 16:49 (Ref:5870)

An injury is an injury. Seems to me if you knock somebody down with any part of your car, that should count as an injury no matter if you can see anything or not. It's pretty obvious that you did it, and it's not a good idea to let anybody do such a thing with impunity. Other things (like dropping a gun on your foot) could be assessed on a delayed basis, but hits with the car should be automatic.

Liz · 16 May 2000, 16:49 (Ref:5871)

An injury is an injury. Seems to me if you knock somebody down with any part of your car, that should count as an injury no matter if you can see anything or not. It's pretty obvious that you did it, and it's not a good idea to let anybody do such a thing with impunity. Other things (like dropping a gun on your foot) could be assessed on a delayed basis, but hits with the car should be automatic.

Green_man4421 · 17 May 2000, 10:10 (Ref:5872)

I wanted Kurosawa to go well in front of his hime crowd I am dissapointed at that,