As the author of the post i would like to personaly apologize to the offended members. It was not in my best judgement to say what i did. It was wrong for me to say what i did about the tow truck driver, it was not the smartest move on his part but it did not deserve the thrashing that i started! The post was as if it was my car which it was not.

I would like to personaly apologize to the tow truck driver himself, This post was very unsportsman like on my part because without him there is no racing. I would also like to apologize to my sponsers, fans, and teammates this is not the way i want to represent them or myself. And i would also apologize to Patrick this was his issue that i got myself involed in.

All i can say is wow

What would racers do if there were no tow truck drivers at race tracks?

You may not exactly be happy with the outcome, but burning him at the stake won't solve the problem. I think those guys are volunteers aren't they?

Mike

Well stated Mike!!! Yes they do volunteer their time. Its not like he did it on purpose. The car looked pretty much like junk after it hit the wall! Well really the car looked pretty much like junk before it started the race.



Kim

Wow..I must be missing something. A volunteer tow truck driver rolls a car in the pits and X15 and Mike are flaming the owner of the car for complaining?

Are you guys NUTS?

It doesn't matter if the car was totaled, or not. What if the car would have rolled onto someone else, or Mike's Mod? What would you have to say then? It doesn't matter if the Tow Truck driver is a volunteer, or not. Just because he isn't charging anything, that doesn't give him the right to put everyone in his path in danger...

It looks like x15 has no respect for any cars but the ones he likes. Remember, everyone has to start somewhere and a Neon may not be up to your standards, but it is all some people have to race. You may think it was totaled when he started, but what was your first race car like?

You people sure have some screwed up values regarding other people's property and safety, just because some yahoo of a tow truck driver is volunteering his time.

RZ

This is a two way street. Most tow truck dirvers are in fact paid, but sometime stuff happens. We were towing a car once many years ago and could barely pick it up for several reasons. The promoter had just put in a new runway onto the track and instead of bulding it low they had a 3" lip. We went over it and tore the oil pan and pump off of the car we were towing. Well we did what we could to help the driver, but theres a difference between carelessness and a mistake. I dont know cuz I was not there.

What exactly happened, I'm confused how this could happen?

Me too.

It looked like the car was picked up by the right front wheel stub area, since that was the wheel that was missing. How it got onto it's top is the mystery, unless they picked it up too high to get up the banked track (turn 2) and then didn't lower the car until it was too late. I didn't see tow hooks on the front of it.

First of all, the person that made this post is NOT the owner of the car. The tow truck driver was going to fast, he was asked to pull in straight by the owner of the car, he turned instead, when the car started to get out of shape, he was asked to stop 4 times by the owner of the car, he did not, he kept going and he rolled the car over becasue he was being careless. Thats why some people are upset, because it was an avoidable incident.

It is unfortunate that it happened.

Well there you have it.

Thanks for the explanation Derek. Yes it is unfortunate that it happed. But still it was an accident and accidents happen.

rsnook2 did I say anything about the class in my post? No I did not! I have nothing against any class. I just stated my opinion as to how that car looked.


Kim

I wasn't there, but I'm trying to picture how this could happen. Here's my guess:

The boom was way up high which made the cable fairly long. If the right front corner was picked up, the car already had a slight tilt to the left as it was being pulled. Next, the tow truck driver made an abrupt left turn. The car did not turn right away due to the very long cable suspended from overhead. The car kept going straight. Now, the car and truck are at 90 degree angles to each other. The truck keeps going and both left side tires of the car are now digging in. The cable is now suspended over the car towards its right hand side and the truck just pulls the car over onto its roof.

Again, I wasn't there. This is just what I picture in my mind as to how this could happen.

And thank goodness, Randy wasn't riding on top of the door sill like many drivers do when they are being towed back to the pits.

-Maurice

By the way, it's actually a Dodge Intrepid.

-Maurice

Now there we go, an explanation of what happened to start with.

I too, was confused as to what the post meant, and what the pictures meant.

For all I knew, the tow truck driver was another racer involved in an incident on the track.

Then, the second picture shows the car upright, and I'm thinking, I thought that was how a car should be, (minus the roof and windshield damage) and then thinking, ok, something happened while righting the car.

Nonetheless, an unfortunate incident, very true.

have a good day,

schinde

What would any car owner do if the person towing your newly wrecked car to your pit stall put it on it's roof in the pit?
Patrick handled it much better than I would have. I don't care what the car was before or after the race blaming the owner of the car is absurd! I'm glad the driver was not riding in the car when this happened and that no one near the incident was hurt.

Glad no one got hurt, this could have been much worse. Patrick is handling it well. Kudos to him.

Nice touch! We need more people to give us incite with comments like this!
Doof!

Now kids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I race a "junk car", I would have been real real mad if that happened. Glad nobody was hurt though, the car had the right number on it I guess.

Maybe we should all stay home cuz our cars aren't pretty enough! That comment was uncalled for.

I agree Patrick handeld it very professionally and kept his composure. Most people would have come unglued.

Everybody should stay home including me and my junk car I guess.

Yes that was rude, for that statement I am sorry. Like some of you have never posted something that you knew you shouldnt have said.

Thanks guys my butt looks smaller now.





Kim

Apparently you guys didnt hear me. (cuz you know i never say anything Im not supposed to.)



......................Nooooow Kiiiidddddz................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like some compensation from the track is in order. I don't care if the tow truck driver was being paid or not, he has taken on the responsibility to do a job (no different from volunteer police or fire fighters. they aren't off the hook ethically or legally because they aren't being paid). I am certain this is covered in the drivers contract, but there is a big difference between what you have to do and what you should do. A season worth of pit passes from the track would seem reasonable to me.

Has it got a few dings in it?

-Maurice

Maybe Pastor Randy will get the "Scratch and Dent Award" this week. $50 and two pit passes.

-JT

rsnook... Too bad it DIDN'T land on my mod.... It would have cushioned it, and my mod already looks like something fell on it.

Mike

Damn dude you are just on lately. Who knew you were so damn funny!!


Hey Kim most women wouldnt worry much about chunks of ass.

Well.. I don't think that car was a piece of junk. Certainly didn't seem like it was while it was finishing 2nd in the feature 2 weeks ago and while it was leading the race when it crashed. And seeing as how it hit the wall really quite hard and the driver got out completely unharmed and feeling little pain, perhaps the aesthetics of the car aren't quite as important as how it finishes races and protects the driver.

That being said.. I don't think the track owes me anything, it was one of those things.. not much different then the accident itself. I would have preferred if one of the two tow guys had said "I'm sorry about that" rather then act annoyed that they had to roll the car back over. It was an accident, I'm sure they feel bad about it.. no sense in piling on.

Jimmy.. idiot of the year was harsh. I'd have preferred you hadn't posted this thread at all.

We should have the #50 back this week.. #14 also hopefully and maybe the #17 will makes its debut.

I think Russ Potter has a new car he is breaking out this week.. I hear the #2 has its issues squared away.

Lets hope for some good weather this weekend and a field of 16+ in the FWD division.

Good post Patrick.

All I can say is...watch "Wrecked" on Speed on Thursday nights.

Now back to your regular posting....

I am just glad to hear that the Pastor is Ok it sure as very hard hit I was sitting right down in that area and believe me it was a hard impact. Also actually it is nice to see all the nice looking cars and all but to be honest I am happy to see the not so nice looking cars (junk as some of you all call them) out there as well putting on a good show for us fans out there. I know speaking from our family we sure appreciate what each and every driver does to put on a show for us.

So Patrick will the Pastor be in another car then this weekend and if so which #?? Thanks.....

Brian

Your going to ruin my reputation..

Brian.. thank you.

I don't have a back up car for Pastor Randy at the moment.

The way it works with the leased car is if you wreck it, your out till we get it fixed... and if we can't get it fixed then that ends your lease.

I've had several people tell me that its probably not as bad as it looks.. so I'm going to hold out hope that we can get it fixed.

Right now, my racing account has a big red number posted.. so I'm not sure where the funds are going to come from to fix the car. I have a 95 Olds Cutlass which has been stripped but needs some electrical wiring issues corrected before we put a cage in it and take it racing. I'm going to have to figure out if it makes more sense to build a new car or fix the old car.

We would like to do a heart transplant in the #94 car also.. anyone got a 3400 GM motor laying around ??

Anyhow.. thanks again for the support.. I know all the FWD guys appreciate the recoginition and enjoying do it as much as we hope you enjoy watching it.

Gotta keep the rep up Pat!!!

and he calls him Pat! LOL

-JT

That's harsh man..

Golly I just forget that. My moms name is Pat. I guess your looking to avoid androdgony????

just glad no one was hurt. i use to run that wrecker last year. sorry to see that happen. the only question i had was did the car have the front and back lift chains on it like the rules call for? it does pull the car straighter. still no excuse. hope you can get it back togeather.

Hey Stanky,
He just hates being called Pat. I don't know why but that PO's him more than the wrecker guy rolling his car over.
Try Rick or Patrick he answers well to either!

Kim,
The deal is pretty simple. None of us have to build and own race cars at any level. A couple of us have seen the sport of racing dying out at the entry level. Patrick and myself although using slightly different means have chosen to help new people get into the sport.
I own 5 mini stock cars and sponsor 6 more (most are racing at Spartan and Springport). Patrick owns more cars than I do!
Between the two of us we have given a leg up to at least 20 new racers in the past two seasons at Spartan, Springport and Owosso. These are all people that have never raced before and probably would not be now if it were not for Patrick recruiting them.
If the cars don't look quite as well as one thinks, one should keep in mind that all race cars take a lot of work and money. Every car and driver pays the same amount at the pit gate on Saturday. Most people are having trouble fielding just one car! The only reward is seeing the smiling faces of the rookie drivers.

On that note Dennis, I would like to say thanks you to Mr McNamara for letting me hot lap one of his cars last Wednesday. Let me tell you, even though I was turning laps that someone said "Could have timed you with a sundial" I bet you couldn't have cut the smile off my face. The CRC is doing wonderful things and I hope they continue on for as long as possible.

They let you in a racecar!? Is that the Armageddon I hear coming?

More like a sign of the Apocolypse....

Just wait, the Moon will be Blood Red tonight, letches will be flying everywhere, lakes and rivers will dry up, etc....

Easy guys, easy. Be nice I will get better if I didn't embarrass Patrick too much by making his car look too slow.

Zach, i was asked to tell you that next time you need to put the car in drive instead of neutral. LoL

I dont care how fast you go just make sure i get some more of them taco's

Mark Mantyla

having been a tow truck driver for 10-13- yrs now i to have had things happen while towing cars back to pit stalls. one being having a tow strap brake and a corner of the car drops. what i dont anderstand about this incadent is why would you only pick up 1 corner of the car. i have never pick up just 1 corner. always 2 straps and more if the a-arms are broke and the wheel is hanging down. believe me there is nobody who feels worse about messing something up on the car while been hauled back to the pits than me. but ya wouldnt believe the abuse ya get from crews, drivers, or owners not just because ya screwed something else up but because i didnt get it close to there hauler or i was to slow in getting it back to the pits so they could work on it to get back on the track or i havent got time for ya to put jack stands under it because i got 3 more cars to haul off the track. been called about every name in the book, but im not there to arguy with the driver or whoever. no i do not get paid by the track. would be nice. would also be nice to here a thank you from a driver after ya got his car back to pits or maybe bring a beer over after the races. a thank you or not, im in no way trying to do more damage to your car but it does happen.

Zach kind of reminded me of his dad when he started at the Big O in 1982!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I swear it was in drive, I swear.
We won't have tacos for awhile, she rotates the meals every week.