ABA Grands post game reports.

[Curtis Newkirk]

I would not lose hope with the Jack Kelly thing. In very rare cases the ABA will sometimes reverse a prior decision. Last year I seem to recall a call reversal several days after a race. Like I said, I did not see what happened. Lets hope that Go211 posts the video and its shows a good angle. Videos do not lie and don't have opinions. We can then have one of the Utah diplomats contact the ABA and have them review it again.

Based on what Mark said, it does sound like the officials thought it was a close call. Usually that is followed by a warning - not a DQ. I am also interested in seeing if anyone who Jack potentially impeded was determined the actual winner of the race. Did the kid in lane seven finish second and then get awarded the win? Or was he back in the pack, but the kid who finished in second parents were the ones to protest? In other words, if the kid who got 2nd, and the eventual win, was not near or impeded by Jack that might make a difference as well.

I guess we just have to wait for the video.

[stephen kisslinger]

let's also take a look 21-25 cruiser main i was not there with my "yard-stick" but the guy in red cut over big time on the whole pack and impeded on danny (might just be mad danny didn't win)but...

[Diesel]

Butt Head Hubert from Texas made the call on little Jack.

Now I come to find out that Danny got cut off right out of the gate by someone (Korbett) on the outside of him and no call. Danny didn't say anything about it after it happened and did not protest. He really should have protested and I didn't find out until it was to late.

For the record, I asked Bill Morris over the radio to go look at the go211 video of Jack's start before they made the call. I knew they would not, but I mentioned it anyway.

Hope Go211 will put the races up today so I can see for myself, and we can all see what the deal was with Jack.

There will be some hell raising going on but it won't do any good as far as the results go. You can save your breath complaining cause they will not change anything.

What they MUST DO is get a handle on this 30 foot rule thing cause it's been AFU since they started it! I know that for a fact cause I've been dead in it since the beginning of it. The first race at Reno 08 was all messed up and I told them right after they need an official camera up on the gate sign so they can make a ruling with that when there's a question. I think they make enough money to afford another DVR/Cam setup.

[Texx]

It is kind of funny. The official that made the call and the new nag 1(the protesting parent) are not only from the same state, but also the same aba district. I know we need to wait for the video. It just makes me wonder.

[joker75]

It is kind of funny. The official that made the call and the new nag 1(the protesting parent) are not only from the same state, but also the same aba district.

That is total poop. I agree with Mr. Paterson on the fact that if they are going to try to enforce anything with this 30 foot rule they need to have some objective way to verify and enforce it. ( cameras at the gate) If that means that they draw lane lines through the 30 foot line then at least they have a set in stone "If you cross the line your are DQ'd" so there is no gray area left to interpretation by poor sports.

However if they are going to start making a stink about whether someone rode their bike in a way that hurt my feel bads, maybe they need to just run individual timed laps, so cry babies that can't hold their own against a better rider don't have anyone to blame but themselves.

Sorry Mark for the crap you and your family have had to deal with this weakend (miss spelled intentionally). I hope that the videos will shed some light on the subject so we can all see why they made the decision they did. Hopefully if they were wrong the ABA will have the balls to swallow their pride, admit they were wrong and fix the problem.

End Rant.
Hal

[snakdaddy]

Jasmine Bullock finished NAG 2 and Brenlee Fordham finished NAG 3 in 10 girls. I think Mckenize Hansen should be NAG 3 in 10 girls cruiser. Great Job!

[Curtis Newkirk]

Butt Head Hubert from Texas made the call on little Jack.
There will be some hell raising going on but it won't do any good as far as the results go. You can save your breath complaining cause they will not change anything.

What they MUST DO is get a handle on this 30 foot rule thing cause it's been AFU since they started it! I know that for a fact cause I've been dead in it since the beginning of it. The first race at Reno 08 was all messed up and I told them right after they need an official camera up on the gate sign so they can make a ruling with that when there's a question. I think they make enough money to afford another DVR/Cam setup.

Dan - I agree 100% on the latter point, but on the former I disagree. When I mentioned they reversed a call on a "race" earlier, that race was at last years Grands and it was similar to this years call on Jack (I think). I don't remember the exact specifics, but I do recall that the video on Go211 was what made the difference. And that difference affected the overall NAG ranking too. The ABA are reasonable people. Lets wait for the video and see what we can do, and if it is even possible.

[bnd]

It is kind of funny. The official that made the call and the new nag 1(the protesting parent) are not only from the same state, but also the same aba district. I know we need to wait for the video. It just makes me wonder.

Wow!!

b.

[bnd]

Jasmine Bullock finished NAG 2 and Brenlee Fordham finished NAG 3 in 10 girls. I think Mckenize Hansen should be NAG 3 in 10 girls cruiser.

Congrats!!

b.

[Diesel]

Curtis,

I hope you're right! We'll have to see the video! Hubert said he hit the kids front wheel. So we'll have to look for that which would be pretty obvious. Or was he completely in front pulling away which would not be a foul even if he moved over. Did the other kid put on an act? Will also be hard to see that far down the hill as I recall from the camera angle way down on top of the first turn . Start hill was pretty steep.

If cleared by the video, second thing going for a reversal would be a heaven forbid, and very unlikely, wouldn't happen in a million years, and I really don't think it happened in this case, somewhat other than objective call by a local official. I'd say, and I probably shouldn't, there's a lot riding on that video for all concerned.

I have always thought they should use a camera on the first straight. Either on a truss centered over the track facing the hill, or on top of the truss centered over the gate facing down in such a way to plainly view the whole 30 foot area without distortion. And a separate DVR and monitor from the finish line video recording the whole race.

I don't think the ABA will like that because it will slow the races down having to deal with the protests that would most surely swamp them throughout the course of a national day.

Rules would have to be set as to when to refer to that video during the course of a race. A separate official designated for that purpose because Bill would not have time to deal with all that and do what he has to do. And the added cost.

No way could they deal with every parent running up there protesting!

Triggered by the gate starter if he sees something fishy?
And or triggered by the 30 foot official?

They would have to man that station throughout the race. Or maybe only in the quarters, semis, and mains?

Drawing lanes on the track would not be that much better! I don’t think that’s the answer.

I think something must be done to objectively enforce the 30 foot rule. We are all kind of at whims mercy the way it is now!
I think now's the time to push for this!

Diesel

[Texx]

There is a video up on you tube. Search 2009 ABA GRANDS-6 expert main looks to me like it could have gone either way.
It's my time to drop it. Sorry to all that did well having to read about all this and not their kids who did well. We'll see about trying
again next year. If you have an opinion on what you think about the video you can call or e-mail me. I want to see what impartial eyes think.
Mark 801-739-4660
texx.ut@comcast.net

[sspencer]

Video of Jack's main

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcjABhPjwhg

Regardless of the outcome we all know that Jack is the fastest 6 year old in the country.

Keep racing hard and having fun Jack and Mark,
Steve

[b2]

The video shows he comes over fast. I couldn't make out the 30' line and the camera is zooming out as Jack's moving over. It looks close but I couldn't tell if any contact is made (but contact isn't necessary). Jack is a great kid and maybe got a little excited and moved a little too soon. Regardless of any of this, to echo Steve's comment, Jack IS the fastest 6 year-old in the country. Be proud, Jack and Mark and hold your heads up high!

[Diesel]

I see him moving over quick, but I didn't see any obvious contact or even the inside kid break stride. The kid out of 6 looked to be more effected but they were over the 30 foot line by then.

I think he cleared the kid on the inside and did not hit him, but at the same time I can understand why Hubert called it. The shame of it is that Jack had such a killer gate and first straight, he really didn't need to move over that quick, but how was Jack to know that at the time. He just killed it all the way around. Did I mention how fast young Master Jack is? Wait till he's 12!

Unfortunately, I think it will be tough to get a reversal on the call.

If we had an official video of it, the matter would have been resolved in a few minutes. The inconsistencies of 30 foot calls will continue unless a more fool proof system is put in place. There is no doubt in my mind that a video system would solve this problem. For 2 years now this deal has been in a fog. Based solely on my on observations and nothing from what anyone at the ABA has said about it, somebody at the ABA made the rule, but I'm not so sure all of them support it. Thus the inconsistencies.

As a gate starter, I've got yelled at for not calling it, and I've got yelled at for calling it. My biggest problem with it is that most of the time it is nearly impossible to observe the whole pack of riders coming out of the gate from the gate stater position beside the gate. If I had a video screen to watch as they leave the gate, it would certainly help that situation. When ever possible, I move to a different position to see the hill better. When I've done this, and it's obvious that I've done this, I rarely have to call someone cause they know I'm watching. If everybody knew they were being watched on camera, I bet there wouldn't be that much moving over anymore! And if someone did move over, there'd be something there to fairly resolve the matter for all parties.

[Scott Mckay]

That video is so hard to tell. Bummer, I totally agree with Dan on the camera and an official designated to the 30 ft. line atleast in the quarters, semis, and mains. Money is the issue here, how much blood sweat and tears AND Money does a family go thru all year chasing Nationals and training to get hosed by a potential biased call in the main at Grands.

We love you Jack, you killed it and I'm glad you raced the open and still got the big one. You are the fastest 6 yr. old on the planet.

Scott