Luigi Novelli kicked out of indy! (1 Viewer)

[chknman]

Luigi Novelli was told he could not finish qualifying at Indy. On the first pass the center of a spark plug had blown out and burned the spark plug wires causing it to drop two cylinders and burn a head gasket. On the second pass the puke tank hose ripped right next to valve cover getting oil on the tire right around half track. Both of these problems were beyond our control and not caused from the tuneup. No warning was given. Dan Olsen didn't even have the courage to come and talk to Luigi,he sent 3 officals to relay his message. In the 7 races we ran in NHRA we had 3 oildowns and 2 were charged at Indy. Is NHRA trying to push the lower budgeted teams and older drivers out? They have low car counts already, I really don't think this helps that problem.

 

[HEMI6point1]

That really sucks. I've always liked Luigi.

NHRA just keeps digging a bigger hole with racers. First with the energy drink fiasco and now this.

 

[vegasnitro]

This was actually discussed at the Hooters in Indy Sunday nite ... I thought someone was pulling my leg.

Is Luigi welcome at future events?

 

[mick]

i believe a similar reprimand was handed out a few years ago to
another independent TF team?

 

[Toejam]

i believe a similar reprimand was handed out a few years ago to
another independent tf team?

doug palmer

 

[Jenn]

I think the oil down policy says that if you oil the track so many times, you may be forced out of the event until adequate testing can be done to prevent future oil downs. Or something to that effect.

 

[Jer]

doug palmer

Im thinkin Paul Romine

 

[Bullet]

Im thinkin Paul Romine

Bingo! We have a winner.

 

[sdwarf36]

Im thinkin Paul Romine

I think Andrew Cowin was told to park it also years back.

 

[MM]

jack wyatt had to complete a series of runs a couple years ago without oiling the track to be let back in to competition too....

 

[mikey]

When I'm at an event and Luigi comes to the line I always step out for a beer and a dog because there is a big oildown on the way ! He does seem to have a problem of keeping the oil in the engine ....it's a running joke with me and my friends !

 

[Ponyhntr]

jack wyatt had to complete a series of runs a couple years ago without oiling the track to be let back in to competition too....

That's true. He came here to KC to get that done.

 

[stanman]

Both of these problems were beyond our control and not caused from the tuneup.

Bob,

I'll give you the spark plug failing. But the hose ripping was totally within the team's control.

When was the last time you guys had inspected or replaced the hoses. They don't just rip for no reason. Something either caused the rip or the hose was deteriorated to the point of failure.

I hate to see any team bounced... especially independents like Luigi. But I think there's a proven record of excess failures with certain teams... Luigi's being one. Luigi's been charged with 3 oil downs in how many attempts down the track? A much higher percentage than any other team I'd bet.

Low car counts are no reason to suffer the quality of the show!

This is just my opinion.

 

[Jenn]

jack wyatt had to complete a series of runs a couple years ago without oiling the track to be let back in to competition too....

I understand the reasoning for it, support it and hope Luigi can complete that task, but what about the ban on testing? How's he gonna get it done?

 

[Toejam]

I do know that Doug Palmeroiled the track 3 staright times on Fri-Sat in Indy '06 and I did not see him another run on Sunday!

 

[Just Paul]

People in Brainerd this year still were talking about Luigi wrecking the track for Sunday a couple years back. What a mess.

 

[Jude]

Wasn’t there a period when Morgan Lucas started his team up and they were driving over the crankshaft at 1000’ better than 50% of the time?

Did he ever get bounced for excessive oil downs?

 

[Wes]

Happened to a TF car I was working on a few years back at Houston. Oil on three passes. Two of them were caused by a malfunctioning slider valve and the third was due to a pushed head gasket melting a plastic air fitting on the back of the rear-end housing...not engine oil...rear-end lube! We were told to not make the last session and not come back to a national event until we could make 4 consectutive runs without putting fluid on the track. We did just that and came back later that season dry and quick.

It happens more than you know...and in more places than you'd expect. As a former track operator I had to tell more than one "show" car to not return to our facility until they got their junk figured out...a couple Pro Mod cars, more than one blown alky F/C, and even an A/FD. Some of them got their stuff figured out while others continued to lubricate tracks elsewhere until they ran out of cash.

 

[Nitrohelper]

but what about the ban on testing? How's he gonna get it done?

The ban is only at NHRA tracks on Mondays after an event. He can test at Joliet ,or IHRA tracks, some NHRA teams test at Martin MI. during the week.
John Mitchell was also thrown out , that's when he quit.

 

[jackass]

jack wyatt had to complete a series of runs a couple years ago without oiling the track to be let back in to competition too....

Yep.. Mike beat me to it.. but thats not all they did to Jack... if you ever run into Jack .. ask him about it... i think our conversation was over an hour and half just on that subject...lol..


Billy