Turn 2 Blog: Where exactly is the finish line?

Turn 2 Blog is a regular feature on InsideDirtRacing.com. Here, site operators Michael Moats and Richard Allen take turns offering their thoughts on the dirt racing topics of the day from east Tennessee and beyond.

The latest edition of the Turn 2 Blog is presented by the American All-Star Pro Late Models Presented by PPM Racing Products

Should dirt tracks have a more clearly defined start/finish line?

Richard: Absolutely!

On Saturday night in the NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50 race sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series at Minnesota’s Deer Creek Speedway, the finish was extremely close between declared winner Bobby Pierce and runner-up Hudson O’Neal. From the angle shown by FloRacing.com, it appeared as if O’Neal had beaten Pierce to the flag stand. However, the timing and scoring device indicated that Pierce had won by .002 seconds. After several minutes of evaluation, series officials determined the final outcome.

Of course, the timing and scoring line might not be exactly at the point where the flagman is located. If the technology is going to be used, and its benefits far outweigh any negative issues, then it needs to be clearly pointed out where that scoring loop is actually located so that everyone can know where the end of the race actually is to occur.

Saturday’s finish brought back memories of a 2020 World of Outlaws CASE Construction Late Model Series race in which Brandon Sheppard just edged a then lesser known Ricky Thornton Jr. at Iowa’s Davenport Speedway. Both cars sat poised to pull into victory lane while officials made the decision in much the same way Pierce and O’Neal waited. And like Saturday’s ending, the video provided by DirtVision.com appeared to favor the driver who was judged to finish second but the scoring loop said otherwise.

Don’t forget, camera angles matter. If the camera shooting the race isn’t exactly on the line, the view can be misleading. Unlike NASCAR, which has a camera dedicated solely to the finish line, streaming broadcasts can’t do such a thing in the rare cases in which it might be needed due to the cost.

Unlike paved tracks where the start/finish line can be easily distinguished by simply painting a physical stripe across the track, that is not an option on a dirt track. However, some sort of painted mark on the wall at the exact point where the scoring loop is buried under the dirt should be a given.

Michael: The biggest drawback to dirt racing is the lack of a physical line on the track. There’s no way to do one. In a close finish like Saturday night, series officials have no choice but to go by the transponders. But even those can be susceptible to being slightly different on one the car where it could matter in a .002-second finish.

I’ve seen a photo that’s been shared online from one of the photographers located near the finish line. People are using it to say O’Neal won the race. People saying that are not considering the photo was clicked about 8-10 feet past the flagman’s stand. And it doesn’t appear the photographer is perpendicular to the cars at the time then shot was taken. That will give the illusion the inside car was ahead. In the case of that photo, O’Neal was ahead. But that is not where the finish line is.

Not only do camera angles matter, cameras can have a bit of a distortion whether it’s photo cameras or video cameras. For still photos, some imaging software has filters to correct this distortion.

The best way to make this situation better is to have some clear mark where the transponder is at the flagman’s stand and even have a high frame rate camera just behind it where they can take more frames per second to pinpoint who crossed the line first. Without knowing where that point is, the video did show O’Neal edged Pierce. But the transponder said otherwise. People will just have to accept that as the final result.

Is Ricky Thornton Jr. vs Hudson O’Neal an emerging rivalry?

Richard: The fact that these two drivers had an on-track dustup is not surprising because they both race for great teams and both are hard chargers so they are bound to find themselves in the same place at the same time on occasion. However, their personalities do not always indicate they might be the combative types. But on Thursday night at Deer Creek a heat race tangle led to aggressive racing in the feature then some post-race fireworks.

A good rivalry never hurts any sport whether it be racing or otherwise.

There are elements here that make for a rivalry. They are 1-2 in the Lucas Oil standings. One took over a ride after the other parted ways with that team. One of them drives a Longhorn Chassis and the other drives a Rocket Chassis. And, they are both rising superstars who are looking to make their marks.

The way Thornton and O’Neal are running and since both compete on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, there will almost certainly be more times this season in which they have close encounters. But as I said earlier, their personalities do not seem to be the types who would seek out confrontation. As we all know, though, close competition, frequent times of racing together, and the heat of summer provide the ingredients for an entertaining situation.

Michael: I was kind of surprised to hear about all of that the other night. I’ve had people tell me O’Neal and Thornton have been becoming friends and have been parking next to each other. I think this will be short-lived.

Racing needs rivalries or dustups. I can remember back a number of years ago when Chris Madden and Billy Ogle Jr. were in a tight race for the Southern Nationals championship. Ogle made an ill-timed slide job on Madden at Duck River that caused significant damage to Madden’s car. Of course, he had some choice words after the race. For the next race at Smoky Mountain, a very good crowd turned out for the next Southern Nationals race. Fans want to see rivalries. I don’t think O’Neal and Thornton will become one. But both series could benefit from some tension between drivers.

Are the DIRTcar Summer Nationals and the Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals as relevant as they once were?

Richard: As we have discussed on here before, the proliferation of so many races that pay amounts that used to be reserved for only a few big shows is changing the dynamic of the sport of Dirt Late Model racing. The Summer Nationals and the Southern Nationals used to provide the uniqueness of midweek racing and continuous competition. Now, there are so many races being contested on all days of the week that I have to check my calendar daily to see if there is a race that night or not. As a result, an aspect that used to set these two mini-series apart has been taken away.

At the same time, I believe there is still value in both. Where there used to be veteran drivers and even some established stars who planned their seasons around these events, there is some degree of hit-and-miss for those drivers. Still, this is a place where guys who tend to race regionally or who are looking to make a name for themselves away from their home tracks can do exactly that.

Further, younger racers have an opportunity to gain experience in that there are a lot of laps to be turned over a short period of time.

But to me, the endurance factor is what really sets these two tours apart. Consecutive weeks of racing and the travel between each contest not only incorporates the skills necessary on the track but also brings mental toughness into play as well as preparation and perseverance.

So yes, I believe both a still very much relevant in in the changing landscape of dirt racing.

Michael: I think both are still relevant. Some might say Bobby Pierce not running the Summer Nationals has been a detriment to the series. I say it’s the opposite. It’s giving other drivers like Ashton Winger and Ryan Unzicker a chance to shine. Not to mention the series is such a grind. I think most fans have an appreciation for that series no matter who is running in it.

Ray Cook’s Southern Nationals give those of us in the South a chance to see something similar to the Summer Nationals. Each year, I wonder if there will be enough drivers interested in running that series. Then the week of the start of the series, we see a driver’s list of those running. Then I’m reassured Cook has a good thing going.

One thing about the Southern Nationals I like for this year is the midweek race purses have been bumped up to $7,500 to win. As we have discussed before, $5,000 to win races are falling by the wayside because most teams can’t afford to race for that purse. This is good for the drivers. But I also wonder how some of the tracks can handle a bit bigger purse. I’m anxious to see how this works out this year.

Please consider also reading:

Bobby Pierce nips Hudson O’Neal in Lucas Oil thriller at Deer Creek

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