Outdoor Recreation Network - Off-Road, Jeep & 4x4 Fun

Goodyear Extreme Rock Crawling Championship

Vernal, UT - July 2000

Short Cuts

by: Dave Gore

An Editorial Commentary from a Contestant

A Message From the Editor....

The views included in Dave Gore's Editorial Commentary aren't necessarily representative of the views of 4x4Wire or its staff. 4x4Wire is committed to accurately reporting the facts. With this topic, or any others, you can weigh your opinion in. If it is well-written, accurate, and reasonable -- as in this case, we may request to publish it.

OK, the lawyers made me open with that -- but I'll go a step further... Dave's comments match what I saw in Vernal. Our interpretation of what it means to the sport of competetive rock-crawling... that's where we differ. I saw the call on Stage 7 of Course B with my very own eyes, and though I disagree with the judge's call for that stage, I do think that ARCA made the right call by overturning the score reversal that the judge made after watching the video footage. I'll echo ARCA's official position: Instant replay shouldn't be used for any competitors if it isn't available to all of them. In my opinion, ARCA made the right decision, but it provides the wrong result.

I'm confident that the law of averages will work its magic in this sport, as with so many other competetive sports. Judging an event requires judgement calls. Some will be in a given competitor's favor, and others will be the opposite. If the governing organization has done their job, and I believe that ARCA has, the errors in favor and the errors against will offset.

Organized, competetive rock-crawling is a fledgling concept. Even in their first year, ARCA is one of the best organized producers of competetive rock-crawling events.

I have faith that ARCA will continue to improve their process, and that the events, the judges, and the rules will continue to be refined. 4x4Wire will continue to be there to cover these improvements.

Randy Burleson, 4x4Wire Managing Editor

Those of you who attended the ARCA event in Vernal may have witnessed the "new" and most insurmountable obstacle thrown before the contestants to date. It's an obstacle we can't build our trucks for or learn to drive around or over. Although it can't dent our fenders or flatten our tires, it could crush one thing we can't afford to lose... our trust and faith in the ARCA series. It's called politics.

Let me backtrack for those I may have lost. Day two, last obstacle: Walker Evans, who to that point had run a perfect event -- a task, in itself, worthy of front page news. He walked the course, the official barked the stage particulars to him "I'm not counting bushes," the official said….. Excuse me?……. Half a dozen drivers standing around me, who had just run that hill before Walker, were livid. They comprised the previous group attempting that hill and had been told that any standing vegetation would be a ten-point infraction if molested by the truck. The official also stated that a flag at the top at the hill was supported in a bush and if a contestant ran over the flag or merely ran over that bush, causing the flag to fall, it would count as a run-down flag. Fair enough.

With the rules explained, Walker and his spotter returned to the starting gate. Time was started, and Walker and Kevin ran up and stacked some rocks along the intended path. With their planned course laid out, Walker hopped in the truck and sped toward the base of the hill. His truck soaked up the first ledge like he was riding on air. Now with a hard left, up series of stairsteps, victory would be in the bag. As it turned out however, he cut a little too hard to the left, missed the rocks they'd just laid to facilitate the climb, and the truck came to a halt, hung on a ledge. Sighs of disappointment drifted through the crowd. Hundreds had gathered to watch this driver and this truck do the unheard of -- run a perfect event. Still the crowd cheered him on. He made a stop, a backup, and by many observers' standards perhaps even two. Undaunted, he attacked the ledge using all his weapons: front steer, rear steer, even the hydraulic suspension. Then, just when many started to lose hope, his tires hooked up and he shot up the left boundary of the course.

Here's where it got ugly. Cresting the climb, his left tire nailed the flag. The flag started out perpendicular to the ground, caught about an inch and a half inside the tire, then laid down... but because it was supported by brush, it popped back to about thirty degrees to the ground, where it stayed. I believe that in the excitement of having Walker in his presence, the official forgot to focus on the flags. Standing to the right of the vehicle gave him the perfect aspect to the right flag. Problem was, Walker wasn't within forty feet of that one. Why he wasn't watching the left is anyone's guess. Unfortunately for the official, the crowd did see what happened, so when he waved Walker on with no flag infraction, the crowd went nuts, booing and jeering the call. This continued until a gentleman with a video camera, who'd been filming from a more enlightening angle, replayed the incident for the judge. After viewing the tape, the judge realized his error and called the flag. The crowd quieted and was content.

Dave Gore
	Dave Gore (barely visible in the lower right of this picture) wrote this opinion piece. He's spotted for Don Robbins' massive FJ40 for every rock crawling event to date, and knows just about every driver in the series. A veteran four-wheeler, Dave's resume includes experience working with desert racing competitors, crews, and organizations.
Dave added this note after the Farmington event: Many competitors at Farmington talked to me about it and one thing came up that disturbed me. I was told that the feelings around the group were a heightened animosity towards Walker. Whether this was true or imagined, I hope my letter wasn't responsible. My intent was more to acknowledge Joel's accomplishment than demean Walker. Although I disagree with ARCA's ruling to disallow the video as evidence, I can't lay the blame for that on Walker -- Ranch publicly accepted responsibility for that decision. I doubt if Walker remembers but I worked for a company in the mid-eighties as a photographer following HDRA and SCORE events. I did a lot of business with Walker and always thought he, his family, and his organization were top notch. I'm glad he joined the ARCA group and I hope everybody welcomes him and helps him adjust to this environment. I doubt in the racing industry he saw as much comradery. I don't recall Robby Gordon sending his guys over to help Walker fix his truck before events! Also, if there are any concerns about the new rules please e-mail me at LCWIZARD@THERIVER.COM. I will be in touch with Joel Randall on this. Ranch would like to here your opinion. You all know I'll have one and can count on me not keeping it to myself!

The points incurred on this stage put Walker second to Joel Randall. Joel has been a four-wheeling figure for as long as I can remember. He has participated in every major event, and with his spotter Mike, has managed to be a top contender in every event despite the lack of huge sponsor support or a rolling entourage. He proved that the "little guy" could fare well against even the biggest budget. However, as Joel and Mike were busy dusting that spot on the mantle for that trophy they had worked so hard for, and very much deserved, the scores were being tallied back in main camp.

After careful analysis, Ranch addressed the contestants. He determined that the points Walker incurred could not be assessed because the score was obtained after viewing a video. Ranch reversed the official's original ruling, and Walker got his points back, making him the new winner. Something about "If we use the video in this case we'd have to set one up at every obstacle, to be fair, and that would be too expensive." The root cause of this problem is that the judge's view of the stage prevented him from seeing the flag, except in the video.

I, and others, hoped that when the awards were handed out Walker would acknowledge Joel and at least call him forward to share the award. Joel showed class, swallowed his pride, and accepted second before the crowd with grace. The crowd responded with the only standing ovation of the evening.

I understand that asking mere mortals to police Walker is probably a tall order. The inclination for most is to look stupid, stutter, and drool in his presence. Maybe the only answer is to ask Walker to police himself. He built a damn fine truck and drove a hell of an event, but he didn't win this one. That goes to Joel and Mike.

What broke at this event you won't find at your local parts store, nor can it truly be fixed. Like that annoying little creak emanating from somewhere under the floor of your truck -- the one you can't seem to find -- it may always be there and you may just have to get used to it.

I wonder if a trophy won in a hollow victory feels any lighter?

Dave Gore
Probably an ex-"world class spotter"
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