yup, a counter protest! score says screw you guys but here's RG's and andy's take on this soap!
Robby Gordon jumps into the fray:
"BJ Baldwin will be DisQualified for not stopping at the checkpoint in the BAJA 1000, shown on the Vildosola video...Sal has no choice, rules are
rules and they must live and die with the rules"
Andy McMillin jumps in with both feet:
"Misclaimer: I am not writing this in support of BJ or Tavo. This is my view of the checkpoint issues at this race. As my cousin Daniel stated
earlier, MOST Checkpoints at this race were in the WRONG spots. MOST were very difficult to see and didn't have proper signage warning you a
checkpoint was coming up. I blew through Checkpoint 1 because it was on a fast straight away, I was in dust and the Checkpoint wasn't where the
USUALLY place it. I tried to slow down, but when the Checkpoint worker realized I couldn't stop he waved me through. I slowed down to maybe 30mph. I
mean really, Checkpoint on a 115mph straightaway? That doesn't seem like a smart decision to me. This is getting ugly. It's sad that this sport is
going in the direction that it's currently going. Like stated before, the 2012 Baja 1000 is tarnished. Same as the 2009 Baja 500 when everyone was
penalized and Rick D. Johnson won the TT class. It's a shame that this has turned into Tavo vs. BJ. And even worse than that, a USA vs Mexico finger
pointing argument. This is getting SO ridiculous. The racial remarks need to stop, the bickering back and forth needs to stop. Everybody act like
grown men, show that you are mature and have integrity, and let the Sanctioning Body (SCORE) do what they need to do.
Let Tavo protest BJ, because BJ protested Tavo. It's only fair. Now it is up to SCORE to decide what they want to do, not us on the internet. If it's
against the rules to not stop at a checkpoint no matter what, then give BJ a penalty. You guys are right that its only fair to enforce ALL rules that
apply to our type of racing. I should get a penalty as well for not stopping at Checkpoint 1, but how will SCORE know that if nobody got it on video
and the Checkpoint workers just waved me by and didn't report the incident to SCORE? We could go on forever, at some point we all need to put the past
behind us and move on."Sweetwater - 12-3-2012 at 09:33 PM
Too much money...too much greed...natural consequences...
No wonder my solo moto pal was tagged by a TT...too much pressure...too much moola...
The same ole continues IMHOBajaNomad - 12-3-2012 at 09:55 PM
SCORE has accepted a protest from #21 Gustavo Vildosola, Jr. against #97 BJ Baldwin for failure to stop at Checkpoint 7.
A video does in fact indicate that #97 failed to stop at the checkpoint. This video also indicates that #21 failed to stop at the checkpoint. A
different video taken at the checkpoint indicates that a Motorcycle and a third Trophy Truck also failed to stop, and four other Trophy Trucks made
hard sliding sudden stops. The first twelve motorcycles and the first two Trophy Trucks came through the checkpoint in darkness between the hours of
12:00AM and 6:00AM.
All of the eight 2012 SCORE Baja 1000 Stop Checkpoints were instructed to place the following large rectangular signage on the race course: CHECKPOINT
1/4 MILE - CHECKPOINT 200 YARDS - CHECKPOINT STOP.
If the checkpoint crews did not have all of the required signage prior to their departure for the race, SCORE would make arrangements to provide the
signs. To supplement this signage, the checkpoints were also instructed to hold a long or short reach stop sign and wave flags, preferably on opposite
sides of the designated stopping point.
SCORE has determined that due to a serious miscommunication between SCORE and the checkpoint captain, the checkpoint did not have any of the large
rectangular signs or a handheld stop sign. The checkpoint captain believed that the signs would be delivered to the checkpoint location, while SCORE
was under the impression that the checkpoint captain was in possession of the signs and would have his crew transport them to the checkpoint location.
The checkpoint captain was traveling to Baja Sur via commercial airline and was therefore not in a position to transport the signs himself.
The checkpoint crew did have two smaller square stop signs, yellow flags and flashlight wands. The flashlight wands were used during darkness and the
yellow flags were used after sunrise. The small stop signs were placed on light stands at the designated stopping point. All of the checkpoint workers
and their vehicles were located on the driver's left side near one of the light stands. The other light stand was placed across the course
approximately 30 feet away from the checkpoint workers and surrounded by a group of spectators.
The #97 and #21 were the only Trophy Trucks to come through the checkpoint during darkness, and as mentioned above, both of these vehicles failed to
stop at the checkpoint.
Even in daylight, a third Trophy Truck which failed to stop seemed to be under the impression that the checkpoint workers were pit flaggers waving him
into his pit, so he failed to stop at the checkpoint, but immediately and smoothly turned left into his pit and stopped.
This situation was further complicated by the fact that the designated stopping location of the checkpoint was approximately 700 feet before the
location indicated on the course gps file.
It is also important to note that the checkpoint captain did not file a protest against any of the race vehicles that failed to stop, and did not
mention the checkpoint stopping situation to SCORE officials even though he had the opportunity to do so at race headquarters in La Paz.
SCORE concludes that the checkpoint was not properly identified or made visible enough for #97 to be held accountable in darkness to the checkpoint
stop rule, so the protest is hereby denied and dismissed.
SCORE further deems that the time to file a competitor against competitor protest for issues arising from the 45th Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 has expired,
so no further protests will be accepted, reviewed or acknowledged.
[Edited on 12-4-2012 by BajaNomad]willardguy - 12-3-2012 at 10:17 PM
but of course! score has accepted a protest from #21 against #97 BUT time has expired so no further protests will be accepted.
mark and olivia are starting to look pretty good!motoged - 12-3-2012 at 11:51 PM
".....I blew through Checkpoint 1 because it was on a fast straight away, I was in dust and the Checkpoint wasn't where the USUALLY place it. I tried
to slow down...."
Well, Your Honour, they simply placed the stoplight in the wrong place... David K - 12-4-2012 at 06:48 AM
What happened to the beer can tapped to the roll bar and a token was dropped in at each checkpoint? If you finished the race and you didn't have all
the tokens, you were disqualified.
