MSR Racer

This is again very unfortunate especially knowing how passionate we are about the sport even as amateurs.

However, my opinion is that since OP decided to submit information, there is no point in holding some back even if he feels the request is unjust, intrusive or unnecessary. After all, they had already set the standard and OP had submitted to it by volunteering initial information

Just like a 911 cup racer suggested in the preceding post, I hope there is resolution.

LuigiVampa

All good observations and I thank you for them.

Maybe I hate rules that just don't make any sense. Maybe I am more against the process than the rule. Maybe I didn't like how the rule was explained to me. Maybe I just have an anti-authoritarian streak which makes me kind of an a-hole. More likely than not it is a combination of all these things.

I think the vast majority of people who volunteer for the PCA are here for the right reason. I have also served on enough boards and commissions to know that some people are there for the right reason, and some people lack the temperament or judgment to serve. As an elected official, for a position which paid nothing, I had letters written to the local newspaper attacking me personally because people didn't agree with a decision I made. I had people yell at me at meetings. I was the chair of the F-ing library board! We were not arguing over banned books or anything like that. It sucks to be a volunteer and get your head handed to you - I get it!

Let me say this here publicly - Aaron Ambrosino, the PCA president, and David Rodenroth, the club race chair, have jumped all over this issue and are trying to work out a solution. They want a solution. And not just because I am howling in dismay, but because they see a problem and want it remedied. In my anger I have been sharp with some of my words, but I hope, and do not believe, that I have drifted over the line into being unkind. Although it is no excuse, the tone for this conversation was set by the medical committee in the first call, not by me. Hell, this is me being nice! That is because there are so many friends calling and messaging me saying that if you go nuclear you appear unreasonable and will lose support.

PCA is a member organization of 160,000 people and I have spoken with the president on the phone at least a half dozen times, and exchange more than that in emails. He is trying to do the right thing and I do appreciate that - even though it doesn't seem like I do at times. He is a volunteer, as is Dave, and they have better things to do with their time than referee a battle of wills.

My anger is still directed at the medical committee, and volunteers or not, that doesn't excuse being obstinate in the face of a poor decision. Arrogance, pride, hubris? Despite several weeks of asking I have never received a single substantive response to my requests - the only responses I have received could be interpretated as "because we say so". Would you not be upset?

I will say that the only good thing that has come out of this who mess is the tons of support I have received reminding me that the people in the paddock are some of the best people in the world. I often tell non-racers a story about how in 2022 I was at the CMP race, which was the last race of the year, trying to win the championship. My clutch blew up in practice one and TJ Larson, who was in first place in the championship, sold me his spare clutch. With my clutch repaired I went on to win the championship. Non-racers scream with disbelief and don't understand that you help a fellow racer no matter what. I've sold parts and tires to fellow competitors, but never when the championship was on the line, but I know I would never hesitate to do so. I'm so very glad TJ won the championship this past year because he is one of the most honorable club racers I know. The point is that it underscores the code we all adhere to and the type of people you find in the paddock.

I will miss the Lime Rock Park club race - CVR is the region where I am assistant track chair (a volunteer!) and LRP is my home track. It will be painful not to race, and I dearly wanted to compete for the new trophy that my company is sponsoring. My hope is that this gets cleared up before Watkins Glen, and life can go back to normal, ad I can find something new to rant about!

Thank you again for all the kind words and support, and even the contrary views.

krell

A thoughtful and reflective post LV.

Based on what you've detailed here, I surmise you and I are a lot alike when it comes to stuff like this. The logical (engineering) side of my brain struggles with assimilating the illogical or the obstinate.

I do hope you're able to get back on track and do what you love - - we only get so many trips around the sun so I know how hard it can be to have something taken away, as much as I admit this is a relatively first world problem.

All the best.

RobT 394

It boggles my mind that an organization which is not HIPPA compliant can request medical data. And then make judgements on someone's fitness to race when that person is not their patient. This is truly overstepping the line and intent of what a medical committee should do.

NaroEscape

While I sit here in our trailer at Road Atlanta in the rain with nothing to do, I've just finished reading through this entire thread. This post describes exactly how I felt reading this, and how I would react to all of this - and heck I'm not even a lawyer! The problem we have in today's society is that everyone just "complies" and nobody challenges things that seem off. I applaud you for standing up to this, and i know I would have done the same. Lack or response to your questions is inexcusable and would probably push me over the 'being kind' line.
I hope for eveyones sake this gets resolved at some point: obviously for yours, but also for the good and betterment of PCA racing moving forward.

multi21

I’m old enough bough to remember when racers used to drink and party the night before races with little sleep that would have made James Hunt jealous. Sorry to hear this is the direction the medical committee has chosen as my guess is that it will give others who learn of this pause before full disclosure of their particular medical conditions.

LuigiVampa

I have been doing research and can't find a single non-pro race series that has a medical committee. All series just require a physical from a racer's primary physician. I'd be curious to hear if I missed a non-pro series that does have a medical committee that reviews a racer's fitness, in addition to their primary doctor.

Meanwhile, over at NASA - https://nasaspeed.news/columns/nasa-...cess-for-2023/

multi21

Does NASA track support offer Swedish fish?

LuigiVampa

Finally, someone asking the important questions.

dgrobs

Lol….

Igooz

I just had to renew my CDL medical form MCSA-5875 and the form is pretty extensive. But just because you answer "Yes" to one of the questions it does not mean that they won't allow you to drive.

ProCoach

SCCA abolished their medical committee on a National level in 2015, IIRC. The Divisional medical review volunteer position was no more after that, either. Part of the motivation to do this mirrored the current issue with the PCA structure for this case, AFAIK.

Bottom line, there is no concentrated power to deprive someone of a competition license if an MD has signed off on the suitability of the applicant for competition driving.

jakermc

This sums things up well.

Also worth noting, not all sleep apnea devices collect data. I wear a dental device that pushes my lower jaw forward to open the airway. It's a dumb device, like an old school retainer. So how would PCA look at that solution? It can't collect data so they have to clear me? That would make the OP's situation even more crazy. Or would they say I can't race because it has no data, and therefore they would disqualify me for using a device my doctor prescribed but they don't approve of? Again, diagnosing a patient and condition that they have no first hand knowledge of.

My guess is they have no answer to that question because they never thought any of this through. And now they are stuck and afraid to say they were wrong, so doubling down on stupidity.

fatbillybob

That's why there are lawyers. At the end of the day the legal system would have to excise the alleged "petty tyrant" directive for a cogent medical based response within the scope of HIPPA and limited decisions that could be medically made for someone who is not your legal patient within the scope of one's medical license. That's a landmine!

Veloce Raptor

And a gold mine.