The results of the 45th annual Slinger Nationals are currently under protest.
Andrew Morrisey was flagged the winner of the annual summer Super Late Model classic at Slinger Speedway in Wisconsin but failed a post-race front roof height inspection in which the car was never deemed to meet the 47 inch minimum, first 1.25 inches low and then 1 inch too low.
First some backstory: Morrisey won the pole for the race but his time was disallowed after time trials for left side weight. Morrisey came back through a qualifying race and then won the feature event, where he was disqualified for the roof height violation. As a result, Brad Mueller was declared the winner of the event, his first in two decades of trying.
David Mccardle, who owns the car raced by Morrisey has protested the disqualification over both the process and the conviction that their car was unfairly targeted by track officials.
Mccardle issued a social media statement in which he said he was told their roof was too low on Monday in pre-event inspection, which led to them adding bracing to raise the roof and the car was still too low. So, the team added even more bracing until the car passed inspection.
“Tech signed off, we were fine,” Mccardle said.
Mccardle also took responsibility for the qualifying error, which he cited as not placing as much fuel in the car as he thought they had. But they won the race anyway until going through inspection again.
“We were fine across the scales,” Mccardle said. “They wanted to put the roof template on and check it. They also wanted to look at all the wiring by the switch panel and box area. Check comp, carb, spacer, pull exhaust, ck axles, air box, right rear tire. We (endorsed) everything being checked.
“So. first thing they did was have us start pulling the box and wiring and the brace we installed for the roof was riveted to that area. We had to pull it to take apart our wiring. So, tech told us to start doing this and then after the brace was moved, checked our roof with the template. We also had damage in the front, back, and sides. Our windshield was also cracked.
“We had a conversation about and thought everything was fine, Slinger tech then proceeded to have us rip our car apart and found nothing. Absolutely nothing and then proceeded to disqualify us on our roof.”
In other words, Mccardle says they were disqualified for roof height only after the inspectors removed the bracing they used to pass pre-event inspection in the first place.
SLINGER STATEMENT
During research of this protest, interviews were conducted of tech inspectors with regard to their inspection of the measurements in question. Inspector Jay Kalbus stated that the template was never closer than a gap the size of his fist when he placed the template on the roof during pre-race inspections. Inspector Jim Tremblay states that in the times he placed the template on the roof during pre-race inspections the template never acceptably fit the roof. Finally, Inspector Jeff Milner stated that he did see improvement from the initial fit of the overall template during pre-race inspections, however, Milner also stated the roof at it’s best presentation during pre-race inspection was better than the roof as it was presented to tech after the completion of the feature race during post-race inspection.
The protest states everything on the body was approved by Technical Director Jason Shultz, this is incorrect. At no time did Shultz place a template on the roof of the 39, nor did he observe the 39 being inspected with the referee tool. Further, Shultz did not provide an indication of satisfactory repair of any portion of the body other than the required maximum height of the spoiler.
Next, the protest outlines the post-race inspections that were to be completed, however the protest neglects to detail the conversation between Morrissey and Shultz before the car was removed from the scale pads to begin disassembly of components for post-race inspections. Shultz was positioned inside the right side of the racecar inspecting the electrical switches, wiring and components in their installed position and then advised Morrissey that the switch panel would need to be removed. At that time Morrissey pointed out the brace that was installed atop the switch panel holding the roof up. Shultz instructed Morrissey not to remove the brace before the overall template was checked. This instruction was disregarded by the 39 team and the two-piece adjustable brace was disassembled and removed from the switch panel by the 39 team before the template was place on the roof of the car.
The protest alleges that Katelynn Shultz directed the team to begin removal of the switch panel. Katelynn Shultz states she did not give any direction to the 39 team about removal of the switch panel.
Once the template was placed on the roof Shultz was asked to come back to the car to view the gap between template and roof of the car. Shultz observed roof support had been removed from the switch panel. Then, Shultz advised the team to re-install the support brace to replicate the condition in which the car was raced. The team illustrated to Shultz a mark on one of the two pieces that comprise the brace and they installed the brace to align with that mark. Shultz observed the template installed once this was completed and noted a consistent gap well over 1” from the front of the roof panel to the back of the roof panel. Having completed this inspection, the template was removed from the roof and Shultz advised Slinger Speedway Track Owner Todd Thelen of his findings.
Thelen instructed Shultz to continue with other components of the post-race technical inspection process to allow him time to consider the rules infraction and appropriate outcome.
Shultz conducted an inspection of the exterior of the 39 car and found rubber tire marks on both doors that did not cause denting of either door panel and the rear bumper cover was found to be free of scuffing or scratching indicative of heavy or damaging contact. Shultz proceed to inspect these same body panels from underneath the car. The right-side door is readily visible from underneath the car and was observed to be undented and the rear bumper cover remained solidly affixed to braces of 1”x1” tubing that appear free of bends or damage. Finally, Shultz looked inside the left side door through the opening between the top of the door panel and door bars and found no dents or bends. Having found no damage to body components it was concluded no damage to the body affected the installed height of the roof panel and/or template fit.
Shultz completed the remaining planned inspections and advised Thelen there were no other infractions. Together Thelen, Shultz and Competition Director Scott Hoeft agreed the severity of infraction was such that disqualification from the event was warranted.
Finally, the protest alleges that Jason Shultz targeted Andrew Morrisey and the 39 team. This statement is absolutely false.
