marty was screwed...

wow, this isn't what really happend....
marty was screwed, and everyone there that saw it knows.

when did marty start lifting when his front wheels were in the air?
maybe cause he was told he was on a single....

Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed-----Car#-Driver(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
6 Marty Thacker 25 Arthur Allen
E2 0.072 8.490 97.91 ****WINNER**** 0.366 5.848 228.77
Prior rounds:
E1 (R McPhillips) 0.043 5.361 266.32 (C S. Bozzell) 0.082 5.360 256.60
Qualified: #1 5.344 271.24 #4 5.537 255.19

Thacker brought the front wheels way up into the air and he had to lift. Allen will give lane choice to Reichert in the final.

 

Wow, that is an interesting story. This is the first I've heard about this, but two questions come to mind. Who told him he had a single? Did the right lane red illuminate?

 

well Marty ? What really happened? I know you are out there!

 

marty got SCREWED! but in arties defense he got motioned in after they told marty he was on a single. But think about this. Championship on the line and marty shuts it off??? Then what happened in dallas? His foot get stuck.? Come on. He got screwed.

 

Artys reverser cable broke and he was unable to back up, the crew ran out and manually put the car in reverse. If the starter thinks he took to much time he should have given him the red bulb he did not. So if he got screwed and I believe if Marty thought he did he wouldn't blame the other team. Now you know the rest of the story.

 

Yeah he did.I have a question on this incident.When one of the cars can not back up after a burn out,why is it that the STARTER goes out to help push the car back? I didnt think that was the starter's job but maybe I am wrong.

 

This should definately be looked into, especially the fact that Marty is in a points battle... yea, correct me if im wrong but i didnt think the starters job was do help PUSH back the car either?

 

Is it just me or is the fact that Marty hasn't said anything that strikes me funny? Believe what you want but when he saw prestage and stage lights on the tree for the other lane he knew he had a racecar there.

 

Careful

Mike and others.
I have not replied before for worry of being treated unfairly in the future because of any comments I might make. I told Artie & Chuck that I did not blame them. They had a problem and were trying to fix it so they could race.
The problem was one NHRA Official leaned in front of my car (after Artie hadbacked out of my site and had nothing but problems for a long while) and showed me his index finger(ever since I've been racing this has been the signal for "you have a single"), then using the same finger moved it to point toward the starting line. Then the starter leaned over and gave me an "O" hand signal that he later said was asking me if we were "OK" after sitting there running so long ( I thought maybe he was saying you won this one, but wasn't sure). I prestaged, brought the R's up, staged, then noticed the other lanes second bulb lit up (I am 95% sure the first yellow was never on). I have seen a starter put his foot in the beam before to make the tree function normally, and since I had been signaled that I was on a single, believed this was what was happening here. The lights came down, I took off and drove into a wheelie. the car was drifting out of the groove, so I peddled it. After I got back into it, the front tires came down and I set it back toward the middle of the groove. Then, since I had just watched Reichert run a 5.28 and I was sure I couldn't get lane choice, I shut it off to save parts (believing I had already won the round). Then 200 or 300 feet later Artie flew by me in a big way, and I couldn't believe it.
I tried to protest the race to the Division Director, asking for a re-run, but he said the race stood as is. The Official that showed me the index (single) finger, said he was sorry if I misunderstood his hand gestures.
By loosing that round, and then later Bill winning the event, we were eliminated from the National Championship contention. That hurts more than anything. My crew has poored there hearts and souls into this effort this year, more than I could have believed.
I know that that round will never be made right, so I don't believe it would be wise for our team to anger NHRA by furthering our protest.
I just hope we're able to contend again some day and maybe realize that lifelong dream.
Thanks to all of our friends for their concern but I'm afraid the water is under the bridge already. I know Artie & Chuck and their crew didn't like winning that way, and would have re-run us if NHRA would have ask them too. Just had to get the show over, so folks could go home.
Take care all,
Marty

 

Miss seeing you Mike

Mike,
Sorry you don't come around and see us anymore, or maybe you could have witnessed what your talking about. There were 6 or 7 other race teams who were on the starting line who have offered to give eye witness accounts of the race if I want to push it further. Unfortunately, with the event in the books, I don't believe anyone would benefit from that.
God bless,
Marty

 

I just wanted to make it clear that in no way was i faulting artie or his team. I was pointing out the starter and track officials actions. Not the other teams. They were as confused as the rest of us. I am sorry if my coment was taken incorrectly. Thanks

 

I have seen a starter put his foot in the beam before to make the tree function normally


I have had this (foot in the beam) done to my sons car on a bye also.

 

Marty, I would have replied last night but being the computer wiss I am I don't have my login at home. I also have been the car that has come up on the wrong end of a bad call by an official. Sorry to see your season end up on such a sour note as I know how hard you and your team work for each and every round. Unfortually our division races sometimes leave alot to be desired verses the National Event level. If there was one thing I wish could happen it would be that the alcohol classes be treated as pro's and get the respect that you should get. Hope to see you guys again. In response to Will who has seen this kind of situation time and time again you are exactly right and as a voice for these guys maybe someone needs to explain just what the starter's intentions are, maybe a meeting before the race to get everyones handsignals down. I know what one finger I would give them.

 

Private messages

I had a couple of e-mails this morning telling me my PM's were full. Sorry. I deleted some this morning. I'm alot like Mike (God help me - LOL) in that I'm mostly only on the computer during the day while I'm at work.

I appreciate everyones concern on this goof up. But as I said, I've been racing long enough to know there is nothing they will do about it now.
Anytime you have people involved in something, there is a chance for a error (the human factor). Thats a fact at the races, our places of work, and in our personal lives. The thing that sucks is when the responsible party will not try to correct that error.

Like a battered child or woman, I probably ask for it. Just hope I don't get it again for talking about it.

 

Hey Marty, Brian Bednar Here-do You Remember Me? Think Citrus Nationals 93. Sorry To Hear About What Happened,i Was Really Hoping You Could Get That Championship. But Hopefully What Goes Around Comes Around,if You Remember When I Red Lit To You In The Final At The Citrus (at My Home Track) When I Knew We Had You Covered By A Tenth Or So(no Disrespect Towards You). Well At The Snowbirds A Week Later We Were In The Final,but This Time Whoever We Were Racing(i Can't Think Of Who It Was For The Life Of Me) Had Us Covered By At Least A Tenth,but He Killed His Motor In The Semis And Did'nt Have Time To Fix It,so We Took A Bye In The Final For The Win-we Were Lucky It Shook Badly And I Had To Lift. All The Best To You,brian

 

Marty this is a hard pill to swallow but you are showing a lot of class. people just screw up sometimes and it can't be rectified.
About the best you can hope for is that they at least admitt their error!

 

Marty,

That last comment was the funniest thing I've ever read. Hope to see you guys in Pomona. This will be my last race in the "pro's". So long JFR. Maybe back to the alcohol pits next year

Tommy H.

 

Maty,no matter what.......your a champ in our eyes..Dave
www.myspace.com/daveloweswr

 

I agree with Dave. Marty is a true champion