V8 pole sitters 'pinged'

Photo:Kayne Scott

Two of the three BNT V8 races at Powerbuilt Raceway over the weekend had the pole sitters pinged for speeding at the start.  What appeared to some as overzealous officialdom may actually be over eager drivers.

In race one Kayne Scott was on pole position (grid 1) for the rolling start.  Now the regulations (CH20.4.1) * state that:
•    Safety car to turn off lights and exit track
•    Constant speed between 40 and 50kph set by vehicle in pole position
•    Red lights extinguished
•    Race starts

Scott was caught for speeding before the red lights were extinguished and the resulting penalty added 10 seconds to his race time and his licence gained one demit point.  While crossing the finish line first, the additional time dropped him down to third but after the later disqualification of John McIntyre he was promoted to second.

In the third race the same happened to Tim Edgell, also on pole.  The additional penalty time dropped him to third after crossing the finish line in first place.

There is the old adage that there is the letter of the law and the spirit of the law.

For example the speed limit in town is 50kph.  Now the letter of the law says that we must not go over that limit, whereas the spirit of the law says that if the flow of the traffic is 52kph then the traffic needs to maintain this speed, even though you are officially breaking the law.

How many times have we become irate at the car maintaining 49kph, backing up the traffic behind?

So the argument against the overzealous officialdom is about the spirit of the law and can be summed up by Tim Edgell’s comments after the race.  

“Was there an advantage gained at the start?  No”

“Was there a crash at the start? No.”

“Did anything dangerous come from the start? No.”

“So what is the problem?    There has to be some tolerance and today there wasn’t any.”

Where on the other hand there is the argument against the overeager driver.

The ruling is clear cut and it works.  The onus is on the pole sitter to maintain the correct speed until the lights go out.  

As one driver commented, “What you have to do is drive between 40-50 in first gear.  I’m sure they will let you go to 39 or to 52 but speeding is like creeping at a standing start.  It is quite clear cut.”

Unfortunately there is only one speed camera used and that is on the driver in pole position.  So in theory other drivers could start speeding without getting caught, as long as they don’t break formation (which is what Wade Henshaw received a penalty for also in race three).

It is unfortunate that two drivers lost certain race wins because of a technicality.  But that technicality is a ruling and particularly in motorsport they need to be obeyed. 

Unfortunately neither driver gained an advantage by speeding and had a good argument for the spirit and not the letter of the law to prevail.

*V8 Touring Cars Formation and Start – Applies to V8 Touring Cars only

Media: Benjamin Carrell 29th Nov 10