Number Plates...How do you want to be scored?

I have just started reading the comments on this site and have notice that riders quote the rulebook quite often as support or defense of their actions or to settle a dispute about their machines or classes. I am a scorer...Everyone always thank the corner workers(who, by the way, do a fabulous job), but do you realize that the scorers are the ones who ultimately determine the finish order of a particular race? We hear complaints often, but I would like for you to understand the process of scoring. During a race, there are four to six scorers stationed at the start/finish. As you cross start/ finish, we document your bike # diplayed on the front of your machine, as well as the #'s of all the bikes around you. Understand that you guys are sometimes coming at us in excess of 100mph in a pack of 10-15 bikes at a time. At RA, we had grids of up to 55 bikes to score in just six laps...that's not much time for the field to spread out. Also keep in mind that we keep up with lap riders as well. If there is a dipute about the finish order, we have several sets of results to compare to solve any discrepancies. For instance, during one of the races at RA, several of us realized that there were two #18 plates on the track and had presence of mind (in a field of 50+ bikes) to note 18E for Wrenn Smith and 18N for Kris Wall. The finish order was posted and Kris was placed eighth in the Novice race, when in fact, he finished ahead of Wrenn and should have placed second in the Novice race. We were able to look over all the scoring sheets and determine that he had, in fact finished second, so he got the points and contingency that he had earned. I'm rambling, but the point of this is that there is a section in the rulebook that is very clear on number plate restrictions and many riders disregard the 8" BLOCK SYLE NUMBER ON THE FRONT PLATE RULE. We see various infractions in EVERY race... "scripty", fancy, or "fluffy" numbers or numbers with sparkly outlines are beautiful on your bike, but guys! They are so hard to read when your coming at us so fast! Sometimes, we can't even score you until the race is over and we look at the grid and determine who bike #X is. It also delays our posting results quickly after the race. We have suggested that we post a scorer in the tech area so that we can point out these infractions and have you change your numbers before you can pass tech. We don't want to be bitchy about it, but it is a rule and lots of you are breaking it!

 

Shouldn't checking size, style, spacing of numbers be up to tech? I know Tony will always tell you if your numbers aren't correct.

 

WELL said Janie!!! This is Stacey from the MA Region. We met at CMP. We have the same complaint in our region. Some guys are really cool about fixing their numbers and some think we are just talking out of our ---. We always say that to complete riders school, the students ahve to come and score a race and see what we go through. Just a suggestion.

 

Yes, it should be a tech issue and Tony is quite dilligent about it...as a matter of fact, a rider at CMP was DQ'd last month (by Tony) because he had been told in tech to change his #, told on the grid to change his #, and reminded at post-race tech to change his # before his next race. He chose not to take us seriously. It is tech's job to point it out, but it is the riders responsibility to fix it.

Hey Stacey!!

 

Since this was my first year racing, I showed up at the first event at Putnam this year with no numbers and used black electrical tape to put the numbers that I was given on my bike. I did have number plates, just no numbers.

Anyway, since I was still a PN at IRP, I left the black tape special numbers on to get through the weekend, and then I was going to put my real numbers on when WERA issued my actual Novice competiton number.

Needless to say, Tech says "Change your numbers or you won't get scored". Obviously, this was somewhat of an exaggeration (I got scored at Putnam) but I wasn't taking any chances. 15 minutes and just a few bucks later, I had good, readable numbers on the bike. I was scored correctly- it's easy to be scored correctly when you are dead last ;-)- in all my subsequent races.

I guess my points are that:
1) Tech does check the numbers
2) Numbers affect no one else but you
3) Don't blame anybody but yourself if you don't get scored correctly with your funky numbers.

Thanks scorers!

Greg "Dead Last" Gabis
Novice # 223

 

Thanks for the note Janine & the explanation of your job as a scorer. I may not race with WERA this season (running AHRMA & CCS) but I certainly can understand your wish to have easy to read numbers on the bikes. I work with numbers all day long as an accountant and just hate to see those "fluffy" hard to read numbers ;-)

Thanks again,

Bruce

 

Janie,

Well said! This is Steve Clark, and I race, but, have also worked on the Summit Point Scoring Pier(SPSP) with Stacey. I also have worked the tech shed at Summit and CMP.

You can call what I do scoring, but I'm really not _that_ good at it, so I have to compensate. I'm there, only as a backup to the backup's backup, but there have been times when I've gotten bikes that no one else has, so I keep trying.

Anyway, I've adopted the method that if I can't read it, it gets a dash. There are just too many bikes going by to let one occupy more than .00000001 of a second of my attention.

Also, I had scored before I had worked in tech, and when I work tech, I have no problems telling people that their numbers are "not within spec" (Read: Suck). It's very frustrating to tell someone to fix it, then walk around the pits, or see them on track, and they HAVEN'T fixed it. (Evidently, Scott Beasely was the Number Plate Nazi this last weekend at Summit. Good for him.)

----

I was racing at CMP when Tim Carroll was pulled off the grid for his script numbers. He and I were in a regional points battle at that time, and I don't like that I'm now ahead of him now because he was unable to compete. He's a good rider, and a good guy. BUT, by the fact that I've worn the other hats, I have to take the organization's position long before the rider's.

 

i saw some rider on a "jap bike"
it must've come right off the street.
i'm sure the tires were 15,000 miles old
delapidated street body work(belly pan??dunno)
tape here and there
and his number plate ...COLORED IN BY HAND WITH A FLAIR PEN.... .....but he was talkin'
the talk.....in tech line

 

Thanks, Greg, I think you made my point better than I did!

 

What is bad when the guys with the bad numbers distract us to where we miss the three bikes behind him or her. They are the ones that get penalized for having correct and legible numbers. I guess that is why we have to pull people out of the pits to help out. Steve we do appreciate it.

 

I may be the Number Nazi this weekend...I may be working tech and grids...flair pen,huh?

 

yea, but he kept within the lines.....he done colored good!

 

Another thing you can do to make sure you're scored correctly:

Go really slow past the scorer's so you make sure they see you. It works for me !

Greg

 

LOL

 

Quote edited.

OK, guys (and ladies)... Y'all heard it from the folks what score ya.

Scorers have asked me to "DO SOMETHING" about your numbers. I've always said "If you can't read 'em, don't score 'em." Nothing worse that racing hard and not getting credit. BUT, some one will whine to HQ and you will be given credit for your finish.

I've always wanted to fine $25.00 for un-readable numbers. I'm referring to numbers that can be read at speed, not the ones that look way cool while your bike is on its stand. Then again, you'd probably all whine to HQ about me costing you extra money just 'cuz you spent bucks for way cool numbers and then got fined and had to get legible ones.

Maybe it's just my old age, but it seems ot me that if you EXPANDED THE BACKROUND FOR THE FRONT NUMBERS, you could spread out the numbers a bit and the scorers would be able to read them accurately. Of course, that means changing you paint scheme a bit and you'd all whine to HQ etc etc etc.

I'm sure you'll all tell me it's the other guys that cause the problems for the scorers.


THE Rain Director

 

Oh!...just threaten to make everybody run numbers on their helmets...that'll do it.

 

Hey! I had not even thought about that! Helmets...I like it!

 

Yeah right, numbers on helmets - have any of you seen a racer with his/her head on straight?


Another number note for Novices - use fluorescent yellow backing, it helps a bunch!

For George - the boss is just too damn nice sometimes... But then again, she hasn't killed either of us yet so I guess too nice is a good thing

For everyone - please cooperate on this and spread the word, we really don't want to be out there with a ruler in tech while you are all waiting to go practice...

 

After the first crash this year, No. Second crash, Yes. Third crash No. Fourth crash Yes. So the answer is Yes. At least until the next crash.