NHRA re: The Incident (2 Viewers)

[Z28LT1]

Just curious, how many of you wanted Capps to be thrown out of the race, or suspended, or docked points, or tarred and feathered when he smacked Bazemore a few years ago?

Alan

If memory serves me correct, that didn't happen on TV, nor in front of the fans. Plus, It was Bazemore... I'd give Torrance a medal for smacking Bazemore too.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

We all mess up. That's a given. If he sincerely apologized, and MEANT it, then that's really all you can ask.

My issue remains the same, in that I realize stuff like this is going to happen but there is an element of responsibility the NHRA needs to own up to when it comes to sanctions when it does. And when I say sanctions, I mean CONSISTENT sanctions, whether they're dealing with a first-time Super Gas participant or the elite of the elite in the professional categories. Yelling back-and-forth is one thing, but when things turn physical, it needs to be reigned in immediately. Otherwise you end up having to do the stuff schools do now and suspend both parties, regardless who is at fault for starting it, which makes everybody look dumb.

Sean D

 

[Con]

What would people's comments be if at the banquet Torrance went to the microphone and said my dad and I talked and we decided the stress of running our business and trying to drag race is to much.

We are quitting drag racing. All of our race equipment and transporters are for sale.

All of our crews are out of their jobs and are looking for teams to hire them.

" Thank you and good night"
And walks off the stage.

 

[stoppro]

suits me

 

[none]

Exactly right. There was no film and the only people who saw it being a distorted he said/she said.

So are you saying that it's OK as long as nobody sees it? If Steve follows him back to the trailer away from the cameras then it would be alright?

Alan

 

[Gone Dead Train]

Business in this country shut down all the time, people lose there jobs they pick up the pieces and move on
The F-IN Torrance family is not the back bone of drag racing. They race on there own dime, it is a hobby to them.

 

[Pete]

You must have been watching something different than what happened, Steve was mad when he got out of the car, clearly agitated, confronted Ferre then smacked him, absolutely nothing professional about that, unless your a professional thug. Again it makes no difference what Ferre said or didn't say, that was an assault, quit trying to sugar coat it. Of all the posts on all social media it's about 99 to 1 against Steve.

Rick

Of course he was fuming when he got out of the car, but he was the one that put out his hand afterwards...

 

[Rat]

So are you saying that it's OK as long as nobody sees it? If Steve follows him back to the trailer away from the cameras then it would be alright?

Alan

Definitely not! It wasn't in the minds of everyone watching on tv back then because it was all heresy to the public. Sunday was public to about what? 1 million on tv and maybe hundred thou combined in attendance at the track who saw the replay, saw it in person, saw it on nhra.tv and nhra.com/third party replays and articles

 

[Jack]

For the thid time in this thread I will say what Steve did was absolutely wrong and it should not have happened.. But based on my own personal experience, anyone who thinks that an highly inappropriate comment (if that was the case as we do not and probably will never know the conversation) in a face to face situation cannot trigger a physical response lives in a far different world than I do. From some of this conversation, one would be led to believe that Cam was left on the ground, unconscious. My significant other has smacked me harder than that for making an inappropriate comment. As others have also suggested, assess a fine (and why not give it to charity) and get on with it. I think Steve has learned a lesson that will be with him for a long time to come and I think Cam will be just fine.

 

[none]

OK Patrick, fair enough. One thing that I agreed with in the Auto Week story was about setting the precedent. There is precedent, and I think it needs to be considered. I do think that NHRA wants to look at things like that, and make the right decision.

And as always, this is just my opinion. I'm not in the corporate office and have nothing to do with the decision making process.

Alan

 

[turbo ken]

When Steve was interviewed after the first round (before the incident with Cameron) he said something briefly about having to bury a young boy. Did some looking and found this on Facebook. While it doesn't excuse what he did, but with the way he can be emotional this was surely on his mind.

 

[stitcherbob]

Next year every driver now knows how to mess with Steve. I'd double bulb, go deep, take as much as I want on those 7 seconds.

If the NHRA doesn't do something about the incident, then anybody messing with Steve (or any other driver so inclined) will know how to deal with that... a face shove again.....

Drag racing is WAY too dangerous to allow a "have at it boys and girls" attitude....we don't even have soft walls yet. A fine is appropriate....no matter how able the defendant is towards paying it. DSR had to pay for the nitro infraction and though it may be a "piss in the ocean" for that team, they haven't broken the rule since


ps. I would mandate that every driver has to keep his helmet and neck restraint on until they cool their jets.....no sticking the microphone in their face until they are settled down

 

[TopFuel@Lions]

The Winternationals is going to be good.


TopFuel@Lions
Talladega Announcer.

 

[Jeff]

This is why NHRA should have ended it ASAP instead of giving a chance for articles like that. Does the NHRA need BAD mainstream press with the little it has already? IDGAF if it was a jam packed day of racing, whatever else going on, the awards the next day....I just don't care. Instead of the article saying NHRA did so and so and handled it, instead it's "look at the nhra who did nothing."

Are you honestly saying that Autoweek is "mainstream press"? Goodmorning America, or The Today Show maybe, but not AutoWeek .... they (and I love them) are as fringe as the NHRA

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

The problem with your post is that deducting points hurts the entire team...not just Steve. And in the case of a championship that can mean a lot of money. What's the most effective way to deal with Steve and his action? I don't know exactly. How much of a fine would it take to get his attention? $10,000? $20,000? $100,000? But to punish the entire team would definitely be the wrong way to go. Hell, one of the CAPCO team members quickly stepped in and separated the 2 racers. The negative response Steve is getting and will get in the future will do more to prevent this from happening again, IMO. Spectators at Pomona in Feb will remind him of what occurred last Sunday.

john, i take your point that steve will learn from all the negative response he is getting. But, on your other point i dont get the logic. a team means that the actions of one person always affects the other members. so if a crew member doesnt bolt down the super charger correctly it will fall off during the run and the TEAM loses the race. everyone suffers the consequences. thats the nature of a team. working together to achieve a positive result. steve is part of the team. they rise or fall together.

 

[ironpony]

OK Patrick, fair enough. One thing that I agreed with in the Auto Week story was about setting the precedent. There is precedent, and I think it needs to be considered. I do think that NHRA wants to look at things like that, and make the right decision.

And as always, this is just my opinion. I'm not in the corporate office and have nothing to do with the decision making process.

Alan

And is that going to happen this year ????

 

[ironpony]

john, i take your point that steve will learn from all the negative response he is getting. But, on your other point i dont get the logic. a team means that the actions of one person always affects the other members. so if a crew member doesnt bolt down the super charger correctly it will fall off during the run and the TEAM loses the race. everyone suffers the consequences. thats the nature of a team. working together to achieve a positive result. steve is part of the team. they rise or fall together.

I work as an owners rep on multi million dollar construction projects, customers with money equal to the Torrences. They WILL NOT change, the world revolves around them. Yes they are nice people overall but there is a reason they are where they are. Their kids are the worst, they do not know better they were raised that way, unintentionally. they do not understand real life situations. All they know is that they want it and they can have it.

It is a different world. I remember back in around 1998 or so, I was overseeing the construction of an office building. The owner I was working for was a basket ball nut. He had 2 boys and a girl who also loved bball. Chicago Bulls were in the championship game with Jordan playing. Owner comes in day before final game and says, I bought tickets for the final game tomorrow be at the airport at xx:xx we are getting on the jet and going to the game. Front row seats, private jet, dinner in Chicago before the game, chauffeured to the game from the airport. This is considered normal for this family. My guess is he dropped 50k for that trip.

I also learned quickly if they made the offer you NEVER said no. On another project the owner comes in and says run home and clean up, put on some nice clothes and be at the airport at XX, we are flying up tp Michigan to this really good steak house. Really we are flying to Michigan for dinner.

 

[none]

And is that going to happen this year ????

Yes.
Alan

 

[Marchboom]

john, i take your point that steve will learn from all the negative response he is getting. But, on your other point i dont get the logic. a team means that the actions of one person always affects the other members. so if a crew member doesnt bolt down the super charger correctly it will fall off during the run and the TEAM loses the race. everyone suffers the consequences. thats the nature of a team. working together to achieve a positive result. steve is part of the team. they rise or fall together.

If a team member fails to tighten a main cap bolt or makes the wrong adjustment to something on the engine, that's a mistake. And yes, the entire team might suffer. But what Steve did was a violation of NHRA rules and the penal code. He stepped over the line. Clearly this type of behavior would not be condoned by his team and, therefore, the team should not be penalized for Steve's actions.

 

[Steve Wayne]

Here it is Thrusday and still nothing from NHRA, how long does it take to review something that they had on clear video? They are playing the fans, and im afraid they are gonna lose this one, my parents have been lifelong NHRA fans and they called and cancelled their Fox Sports 1 they were paying extra for just to watch NHRA, and will not be renewing their NHRA membership they have had since I was a little kid. They also attend 3 to 5 races a year and said they will not attend one ever again. They said they are done and wont support the NHRA in any way. Regardless of stance on this, the fans are speaking and they are not happy at all nothing has been done, and the fans are what pay the bills, through ticket sales, merchandise purchases, supporting the sponsors, etc