In a move that has the potential to rock off-road racing, a new racers association is in the process of being formed. The PENALIZED RACERS ALLIANCE, is "a coalition urging action by SCORE International to have a competition review of how the scoring of the 500 went down".
Formed recently by Andy Kirker, he said, "It's just a name, but is does cover about 90% of us. The main thing is that I doubt anyone is happy about the way things happened and now there will be a larger group to talk to SCORE International instead of a couple of random individual phone calls". Citing the recent SCORE International scandal at the Baja 500 Kirker said, "I feel we all got penalized."
Could this be the start of the long awaited racers association that many in off-road have been waiting for? Many badly needed associations were formed around a single issue that damaged specific peoples interests. Calling everybody racing with SCORE International, "cheaters", is certainly game. The recent SCORE scandal did just that.
The recently formed short course racers association has been successful at addressing issues dealing with both professional and amateur shortcourse racers. Many believe a racers association is long overdue and it was simply a matter of time before some calamatous event happened to bring the racers together.
Associations, effectively join the common interests of many different people together for a common, mutual benefit. A single voice, speaking for the racers would also benefit SCORE International, simplifying its communications for racing events.
They have produced a petition to begin their organizing:
"We the undersigned have participated in the 2009 SCORE Baja 500 as a racer, chase crew or card carrying member of SCORE-International and object to the procedure in which penalties were handed out to 90% of the entrants. We believe the manner by which these actions were taken by SCORE have been detrimental to the sport of off-road racing. We support the idea of having an immediate competition review board meeting to review the scoring of the 2009 Baja 500. We approve of a board comprised of active competitors and SCORE officials to collectively work together to solve these issues and further define the procedures with clarity for scoring future races."
Petition produced:
http://www.gopetition.com/online/29055.html