Challenge protests

Has there ever been a formal protest filed by a contestant at the $20XX Challenge?

I have been doing this since 2004 and am not aware of any. 
 

Just curious. 

There's one i wish someone would have(myself included), otherwise none I've heard of

Didn't someone protest themself in '04-'05 just to get something on the books as being legal? 

I thought the protest rule was a very recent addition - like was introduced in 2017 or 2018. Maybe it was around before but removed from the rules and then re-added. Maybe it was simply formalized recently. 

No, we've never had one. The formal protest rule has only been around for a few years. It was added after a number of informal protests were made, but no mechanism existed to act on them. 

Huh. I was certain there was a protest rule all the way back in 2004...

Ok. Thanks. 

SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:

Huh. I was certain there was a protest rule all the way back in 2004...

You know, I seem to remember people posting comments about coming to Gainesville with a stack of fifty-dollar bills to lodge protests about something or other way back when, so I went digging a bit in the Wayback machine.  From the $2006 Challenge rules:

28) Protests: Any car may be protested by another entrant.

A) The entrant who is questioning the legality of another car shall present their case and a protest fee of $50 to the Independent Council. The Independent Council will rule on the car. If the Council says the car is legal, then the protest is dropped and the protest fee is forfeited. If the Council says the car is not legal, then the owner has two choices: run for exhibition only or go home. In this case, the protest fee would be returned.
 
B) The Grassroots Motorsports staff can protest any entrant at any time without having to pay a protest fee. The GRM staff can also pull any car from the Challenge results and/or magazine coverage for any reason deemed necessary.
 
C) The ruling of the Independent Council shall be binding and is not open to dispute or public debate. The Independent Council will be selected by the GRM office staff before the event. All protest intentions must be presented to the Independent Council by the end of the first day of competition.

In reply to wae :

Yep. I'm confident that existed in 2004. 
 

Oh well. I'm glad to be part of an event where people don't actually show up with a stack of fifty dollar bills. 

In reply to SVreX (Forum Supporter) :

I mean three dollar bills maybe...

I could have sworn that somebody "protested" one of the nelson's drag runs.

The ruling went against them but they accepted it gracefully. I think I remember it because it struck me as an example of good sportsmanship at the event.

In reply to SVreX (Forum Supporter) :

Here's 2004 just for posterity: http://web.archive.org/web/20040803121331/http://www.grassrootsmotorsports.com/2004rules.html

Oops! My bad, forgot about the 16-years-ago rule. 

Tom Suddard said:

Oops! My bad, forgot about the 16-years-ago rule. 

When you put it that way you make me feel even older than I already feel!  Gee thanks!

Tom Suddard said:

Oops! My bad, forgot about the 16-years-ago rule. 

I don't think you should be expected to remember stuff from when you were 3

I was 10, thank you very much :D 

SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to wae :

Yep. I'm confident that existed in 2004. 
 

Oh well. I'm glad to be part of an event where people don't actually show up with a stack of fifty dollar bills. 

I'd imagine anyone showing up at the event with a roll of fifty dollar bills is there to buy a car...

WonkoTheSane (Forum Supporter) said:

SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to wae :

Yep. I'm confident that existed in 2004. 
 

Oh well. I'm glad to be part of an event where people don't actually show up with a stack of fifty dollar bills. 

I'd imagine anyone showing up at the event with a roll of fifty dollar bills is there to buy a car...

For once, I'd like to be "that guy." I told my wife that there are cars that get sold after the challenge (step one In making it happen), but no chance of buying one this year. Five vehicles, two drivers, and trying to buy a house.

In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :

last year i bought my car Wednesday on the way down, sold it Friday night during drag racing and bought another Saturday during concours.  

Patrick (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) :

 

last year i bought my car Wednesday on the way down, sold it Friday night during drag racing and bought another Saturday during concours.  

 

You're my hero!

SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:

Has there ever been a formal protest filed by a contestant at the $20XX Challenge?

I have been doing this since 2004 and am not aware of any. 
 

Just curious. 

2005.  IMO how it was handled is why folks have not protested since. 

CrustyRedXpress (Forum Supporter) said:

I could have sworn that somebody "protested" one of the nelson's drag runs.

The ruling went against them but they accepted it gracefully. I think I remember it because it struck me as an example of good sportsmanship at the event.

In 2011, the person who protested the drags did not protest the Nelson's bug.  The fastest teams had made their drag passes and the bug had run a 10.582. Many of the slower teams had held back from running in order to allow the top 15 to battle it out. When the rain stopped the drags from continuing, the top teams were brought together to discuss the inclusion of the drags. The Nelsons excused themselves from the vote since they had the most to gain. the bug had placed second in the auto-x and the eventual overall winner had placed first in the A-x.  The initial call was to include the drags and the bug would have won the overall. Later, a staffer contacted the team and said they were not going to include the drag score.  The protestor claimed they could have improved their overall position by 1 or 2 spots.  When asked, the staffer acknowledge that the protestor could not win the event. But since they protested because they felt they could improve their overall position, the drag would not count. The Nelson's said they would endorse whatever decision was made for the health of the event, but did not have to agree with the choice. The protestor had intentionally showed up late and had openly stated that they planned to be late knowing that the rain would interrupt the drags and end them early.  

In reply to wheels777 :

Thanks for the summary. 
 

Was that a formal protest, or just a complaint?

My understanding of the protest procedure is that it would be questioning the eligibility of a particular car or entry, not questioning the event procedures. 
 

Again, just curious. 

In reply to wheels777 :

The protestor had intentionally showed up late and had openly stated that they planned to be late knowing that the rain would interrupt the drags and end them early

This sounds like the reason there's the "don't be a dick" rule now.  

And far more rules governing event format/how its run/ etc. We've learned a lot over the years.