Sacramento Governor's Cup Cancelled

Governor's Cup

There will be no funny cars at this year's event

 

Wtf?

I CANT BELIEVE PASCA GOT SCREWED BY THE TRACK. TRYING TO EXTORT MONEY AFTER A SIGNED CONTRACT IS REDICULOUS. HOPE NOBODY WHO GETS A CALL FROM THE TRACK GOES TO RUN FOR THIS JOKER. ANYBODY IS SACRAMENTO AREA WHO GETS A CALL, DONT RUN FOR THIS SCAB, HE WILL SCREW YOU TOO!

 

Que pasa?
Cheers,
Ed
Rocky Mountain Superchargers

 

Heard a rumor that last weekend there was an issue with an unlicensed TF driver racing in eliminations backing over a Pro Mod car and injuring a 9 year old running from the golf cart that was towing it. Major broken (shattered) leg. Anyone know if this is true?

 

The boy was 7 years old. Broken leg was the injury.
Story is something on the chassis broke which effected the transmission so it was in reverse rather than forward.
I'd like to hear more details on what exactly broke as I have the same trans/clutch setup.

Remember these Nostalgia Top Fuelers are direct drive with reverse/forward being the only choices.

I heard nothing about it being an un licensed driver.

Just found this on the net:
"Dave Smith will have a newly licensed Mike Irwin in his Nitro Fever dragster."

Bob

 

Carma?

http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=97671&catid=29 too bad kid got hurt, staging lanes are not well policed there with a lot of people not where they should be. could have been a lot worse.

 

Was a "match race" and heard he wasn't licensed as well. The driver has alot of alcohol funny car seat time, mosty CIFCA. I dont know what "broke" but pushing the clutch back in should have worked if some linkage to the reverser broke. Also since it was at idle the hand brake should have had no problem keeping the car in place unless it "broke" too.

The car belongs to the track owner.

 

CIFCA compared to alcohol funny car (TA/FC) are two different animals. If the guy driving the dragster wasn't licensed and this is an NHRA sanctioned track there may be trouble ahead.

 

He has some TA/FC experience I believe. Noted as being a good racer.

 

Let's get a couple of things straight:
The original post states that the governor's Cup was cancelled. Thus, we are told, no funny cars.
What has that to do with an injury to a youngster from a dragster?
PAFCA is a funny car group.
CIFCA is no more having been superseded by PAFCA. When last I looked, the Governor's Cup was still on the PAFCA site.
I know I'm a hillbilly up here in Colorado; but, honestly, I speak English. So, I say again que pasa?
Cheers,
Ed
Rocky Mountain Superchargers

 

I was there, thou many yards away. if you do some research you will learn that the "boy" was in the back of his fathers golf cart ( where he belogned ) and saw the dragster coming toward the golf cart and jumped off the cart to try to not be hit and infact was hit by the dragster. wrong place at the wrong time. Just trying to make some of the facts known.

 

Let me help you with the connection:

The Governors Cup Race was cancelled.
The Governors Cup Race is held at Sacramento.
Sacramento held an event last weekend.
The event had an accident.
The accident hurt the son of a racer.
The racer's car was damaged.
The damaged car was a Pro Mod car.
The Pro Mod car was hit by a NTF dragster.
The NTF dragster driver was a CIFC funny car driver.
Although the dragster driver also drove CIFCA funny cars, we have been told he may not have been licensed to drive a NTF dragster.
The NTF dragster driver, as was told to me second hand, was reported to be racing against someone else when it happened...without a license.
If this is true, the sanctioning body will likely have a problem with all this considering insurance, liability and all.

And figuring all this, I thought I would ask. My team has indirect involvement with the Pro Mod team that was crashed in to, so I wanted to know if anyone else had any details.

And this is what happened after the Governors Cup Race as cancelled (per the OP).

 

Thanks.
I'm still a bit puzzled by the second post, but I have a long list of stuff that puzzles me.
Cheers,
Ed
Rocky Mountain Superchargers

 

I will clarify this post.

The original post indicated (and is very true) that Sacto Management cancelled their contract with PAFCA to race at this event less than 48 hours prior to the event. PAFCA was asked to pay a higher amount at the gate than was agreed to and documented on the contract. PAFCA could not afford to pay that increase and so SACTO management told them to "Find another place to race"

Therefore, the GOV'S CUP RACE FOR THE PAFCA was CANCELLED.

As for the incident with Smith's Top Fuel car, I have no clue what happened except a 7-year old boy was injured in the incident.

The race went on, Adam Sorokin and the Van Dyke Motorsports team won in Nostalgia Top Fuel

 

Some Facts related to me By a Racer on the scene & in the know

The reverser was IN REVERSE
The UNLICENSED ( IN NTF ) driver was in an approach lane next to another car , ready for a side by side pass
The driver above stabbed the throttle from where the car was started !
The NTF dragster (CROWERGLIDE CLUTCH) SHOT rearward , went OVER the hood of Mark Meadors Pro-Mod Camaro , cleaning the BLOWER & INJECTOR off the motor , proceeding rearward into the fence .
Mark's 7 yr old son , sitting on the golf cart , jumped for safety , but the dragster caught the attached tow strap (to the Camaro) & jerked the golf cart into him , breaking the Femur in his leg . He is recovering .

comment : because there is nothing in that car which can break off the frame causing the reverser to "jump" into reverse , I would guess the car was sent to the staging lanes
with the reverser IN REVERSE !
This is a situation I have seen firsthand (recently) on another ntf car
Once you hit that throttle there is NO STOPPING it ,
You are thrown forward , You can't lift , You are in SHOCK , you are F*kd
With a direct drive car , You must be sure the reverser is in FORWARD before it comes off the stands ,This has ALWAYS been RULE # 1
There is more about this DRIVER , but I'm not going there , Pardon me I am sick to my stomach

 

Problems with what happened

1. Unlicensed? Was this getting seat time during an actual race?
2. Who would "stab" the throttle at start up? You roll into/thru the box at idle.
3. Who isn't hard on the brake during start up?
4. Who doesn't know where the mag kill switch is?
5. Forward/Reverse lever is brain dead simple. No body looked?
6. Clutch stop not set correctly? Over center it engages again.
7. Started with fuel lever "ON"? (I don't allow it and many others don't)

Somehow this sounds like a rushed situation that got out of hand but I wasn't there.

I just hope this chassis failure talk is either retracted or explained further.
We don't need NHRA coming up with yet another rule for a non existent problem.

 

"safe zone"

Hindsight of course , But many tracks have cars & crews "behind" the "pair"of cars being "Fired UP" for the next pass .

My opinion fwiw , is that NOTHING should be behind the fired cars , until AFTER they advance to the line , AFTER the burnout!
This will slow the show down a bit , yes , but other incidents of this nature , have occurred , in the recent past !!

 

This incident makes you appreciate Bakersfield type staging lanes. Lanes with a 90* turn right before the water...

 

Glad a couple of you with experience around N/TF jump in. The last thing we need is a new "safety system" like a neutral safety switch and SFI approved shiter w/lockout etc..
Before the car fired the hand brake should have enough holding pressue applied to hold car (even if clutch was let out). Once the clutch is out then slowly release pressure on the brake until it rolls. If it starts to roll backwards pull brakes full, stick in clutch and pull fuel shut off. Why put the stinking end of the stick into the hands of non-involved N/TF and N/FC cars?

 

For Immediate Release: September 26, 2010

PAFCA Communications

Official Statement Regards to Cancellation of Gov. Cup Appearance


PAFCA OFFICIAL STATEMENT IN REGARDS TO GOVERNOR’S CUP RACE

Oak Hills, Calif. – The Pro Alcohol Funny Car Association is disappointed to announce to our racers, marketing partners and fans a cancellation of our final event of the 2010 PAFCA season scheduled to be held at Sacramento Raceway Park on September 24th and 25th, 2010.

In the days leading up to our scheduled appearance at the Governor’s Cup event, both PAFCA President of Operations Joe Powell and members of SACTO track management engaged in conversation, both over telephone and email, which lead to a cancellation of a signed contract by members of the Sacramento, Calif. based quarter-mile racetrack. The PAFCA membership was asked to pay a higher fee than what was agreed to and signed by track management less than 48-hours prior to our event. Due to the proximity of the event, and the cancelation of the contract by SACTO management, PAFCA immediately notified our membership and marketing partners in order to minimize the financial damage which this breach of contract caused. The decision was not an easy one to make.

“PAFCA deeply regrets having to notify our membership, our marketing partners and our fans about the cancelation of our season finale’,” noted Joe Powell, the President of PAFCA. “There are several details about this situation which we do not feel are important to bring to public light, however we are deeply disappointed in the business ethics of Sacramento Raceway Park management and their decision to cancel our agreed upon contract. At the end of the day, the biggest loser in all of this were the thousands of fans who attended this event, who did not get a chance to be entertained by our quality race teams and the show PAFCA provides. Our deepest apologies go out to those who were affected by this late notice cancelation.”

“PAFCA is dedicated to providing a quality show at every venue we attend,” Powell concluded. “During our first season there have been learning curves for certain, however we feel our organization will become stronger because of this situation. We are actively seeking to increase our race dates at future events which will increase the brand exposure of our racers, marketing partners and the PAFCA.”

The race was to be a season finale’ for PAFCA which would provide our racers with an opportunity to showcase their teams in front of a large-capacity crowd at a historic event. The event would also have given our racers a chance to compete for the final season championship title, the first one in PAFCA history. However, due to the cancelation of this event, and the inability to set-up another event in short notice, our Championship will be awarded to Eric Gates.

To learn more about the Pro Alcohol Funny Car Association, please visit their website at http://www.pafca.com.