We got put out for the rest of Saturday because of bf's. Two were earned (new drivers went four off in T1), and the other was because someone the outside of me in the first hour in T1 didn't look to make sure it was clear. They skidded out, I didn't, so it was assumed I was at fault. I was flagged, they weren't. Kinda hard to have the driver own up when their car isn't brought in. It wasn't my first black flag. In 9 Lemons races, I've had about a half dozen or so, only one of which I earned (four off in T1 at CMP in Feb, driving at the limit and the brakes faded). When I pulled into the penalty box I shouted "I finally got a black flag I deserved!!!" Phil just laughed at me.
We had one other BF that was dismissed once Jay determined it was the fault of another car and unavoidable. This brings me to an important point, one I've made before: OWN YOUR MISTAKES. If you bump someone, or run them off track, own it. Lemons judges understand that no matter how defensively you drive, there are a lot of cars on track, and not always a lot of skilled/cautious drivers. Red mist is contagious, apparently, and not everyone understands the "endurance" part. We all make mistakes on track. Don't let some poor sap take a penalty because of what you've done.
I've raced Chump Car as well. I enjoyed not worrying about flags, but then with a few dozen cars on a two mile track, contact isn't as big a problem, and when the corner workers go home at dusk but the race goes on for 24 hours, you can't get flagged anyway. Jay's system is designed to discourage asshattery on track to the point where people are unwilling to risk being trailered. I never thought we'd be trailered, but it happened Saturday. Still, three hours off track after 3 black flags isn't the end of the world. You get to return the next day, and you aren't booted for good unless you reach four, or endanger lives. We were black flag free on Sunday, despite zero visibility (no windshield in a downpour) and a slightly faster car (rear gear swap). Was it due to the time-out, or was it just luck?
I say both. The new guys chilled a bit and drove cleanly, and the other cars seemed to be more behaved/less reckless. You can argue that both are a result of the BF system. I liked the trial Jay held in the penalty area. He determined fault by having both teams testify as to what happened and why. We need a volunteer jury for contact cases where both cars claim the other is at fault, just like in real life. Make the team requesting the Jury trial pay $50 towards the Lemons charity (refundable if they win the trial, of course). Let the jury render either a guilty verdict for either team (winning team goes back out immediately with black flag stricken from their record, other team does penalty, regardless of who paid the $50 and requested the trial), or a mistrial (both teams take penalty). That would be both fun and entertaining, beneficial to the team who didn't deserve the BF, and beneficial to the charity.
It IS tough to navigate a field of racers as large as CMP was (101 cars) this weekend without black flags. Even the winners had a couple. Maybe the two/four off rule can be modified to read "Except in obvious cases of avoiding contact". That would cut down on some of the "undeserved" flags. I'd rather see a car go off a few feet then see it hit/be hit by someone not racing cleanly.
Captain: Speedycop & The Gang Of Outlaws -'94 Mark VIII (Least Horrible Yank Tank Stafford '09, NOLA '10) '61 Caddy (Org Choice-NL '09) '63 Tbird (EPIC Repair Failure-Gingerman '10, I Got Screwed-Summit Pt '10, I.O.E. WINNER Stafford '10!) '77 Lancia Scorpion (I.O.E. WINNER Joliet 2010!) '67 Galaxie 500 (Judges Choice-CMP '11)
Future Fleet: 1957 Ford Prefect 1942 Buick 1959 Bugeye Project GLCOAT