Howdy,
pinkertonpunk:I can second the class of Andy Hollis tonight. I am sure this was as much a surprise to him that it was to everyone in the class about his engine. Doing what he did at the banquet was definitely the right thing to do and I think should help to also keep the forum chatter that was inevitable down.
Wait.
Andy Hollis, the guy who afaik goes down in history as the recipient of the biggest fine/discipline for cheating in the history of autox, got caught cheating again?
And the reaction of some folks to this is "I'm sure this was as much a surprise to him"?
That stretches my ability to believe a little too far.
Anyway, let that alone.
He "mans up" and stands up at the banquet and does what would have happened anyway, while at the same time shifting the blame to his engine builder? How is that manning up?
Ok, let _that_ alone.
Here's the thing... Andy needs to stop autocrossing, hopefully voluntarily but by enforcement of the SCCA if necessary. Anything less makes a mockery of our sport. I don't give a crap whose "fault" the cheater engine was or how nice an apology you offer up after you get caught... Its his responsibility and I think this is a case where you don't get the benefit of the doubt when its your second major offense.
Andy pushes his cars to the bleeding edge of the rules (how many other folks in STS have pro built motors?) When you're at the sharp end of things like that, you better be ready to own up to illegalities, not retreat into "I didn't know".
I hope Andy does the right thing. If he doesn't, I hope the SCCA has the balls to do it for him.
Mark
oh yeah... Does anyone else think if this wasn't Andy that a request to get on stage and plead their case would fall on deaf ears?