Tony Burkhard
- Thread starter TOMAN
- Start date
Tony Burkhard
Allseason Diesel Per.
I never saw the red flag!!!! If you look at the pull at a different angle you can see i was clearly already by the flag man, im not going to look for him in my rearview mirror. I was the last puller and the furthest pull was 310' so far so where should the flag man stand? He knew my truck and knows how it runs so why would you stand at the 300' line? He hit my window so hard with the flag that i thought someone threw a rock at my window than he jurked on my door three or four times before i unlocked the doors. I apoligized several times and tried to explain why i didnt see him after i whipped his spit off my face. I was watching out my front window and im sorry he wasnt there. I didnt want to start a fight and screw up a good thing for the locals but boy did it bother me for a week. I wanted to call NTPA but figured that the flag man would retaliate the next time i pulled with them. God I still want to kick his ass! I think he would get the best of me though. Im a lover, not a fighter...
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Tony Burkhard
Allseason Diesel Per.
So the tech official should just be ignored if he's an "asshole"???
It looks to me like they weren't running a "floating finish", and when he hit the 300' mark he flagged him. Most "occasional" pullers don't understand the need to play by the rules and think that they are either dumb, or that they are above them.
I don't care if the flag guy was an asshole. He was the official at the event, and Tony B should have known better. :thumb:
Your missing a few facts.
I decided to watch the videos before commenting.
I don't know what was/wasn't stated prior to pulling (ie. floating finish), but seeing as how there was no "pulloff" I would imagine it was a floating finish. As for Mr. NTPA flagman: being a "professional" flagman, he should have known to stay in front of the truck. Drivers should look where they are going and keep an eye forward on the flagman. I make it a point to tell our club newbies and even veteran flagmen to stay well in front of the pull vehicle (usually just beyond the 300' mark). At the end of the track where the box hits and pan drops is where most carnage (u-joints and driveshafts) occur, and you don't want to be right next to the vehicle (common sense). Imagine if Tony launched a driveshaft again.........yes he has shields but that doesn't guarantee all shrapnel is contained, or something goes awry in the steering and causes the truck to turn unexpectedly (ie. front axle gives out which I have personally seen).
I can see the end flagman at the start line just fine (even without my glasses) and if you can't you shouldn't be driving. I keep an eye on him and my "line" the whole way down. There is no need for the flagman to be in front of the 300' mark and definitely no need to be along side the vehicle (even though that seems to be the norm). I'm surprised more insurance companies that provide event coverage haven't bitched.
I say the flagman was an idiot, and should actually be reprimanded for his actions after the fact. It looked as if Tony's window was next to the flagger when he decided to throw the red. Tony was looking forward (as he should), there is no way he should have seen the flag. It seems to me the flagman was lazy and did not want to move.
I was once flagged because they thought I had reached a full pull and the lazer showed 299.xx and I missed the pulloff because of it..... I was pissed but dealt with it and have tried to keep it from happening again.
I don't think flagman should be ignored at all, but a little common sense should be used.
I have met with and talked to NTPA staff at different pulls and most have their stuff together, but they are human and some have their issues........
Congrats on the pull Tony and sorry you had to deal with that (it would bother me too).
I don't know what was/wasn't stated prior to pulling (ie. floating finish), but seeing as how there was no "pulloff" I would imagine it was a floating finish. As for Mr. NTPA flagman: being a "professional" flagman, he should have known to stay in front of the truck. Drivers should look where they are going and keep an eye forward on the flagman. I make it a point to tell our club newbies and even veteran flagmen to stay well in front of the pull vehicle (usually just beyond the 300' mark). At the end of the track where the box hits and pan drops is where most carnage (u-joints and driveshafts) occur, and you don't want to be right next to the vehicle (common sense). Imagine if Tony launched a driveshaft again.........yes he has shields but that doesn't guarantee all shrapnel is contained, or something goes awry in the steering and causes the truck to turn unexpectedly (ie. front axle gives out which I have personally seen).
I can see the end flagman at the start line just fine (even without my glasses) and if you can't you shouldn't be driving. I keep an eye on him and my "line" the whole way down. There is no need for the flagman to be in front of the 300' mark and definitely no need to be along side the vehicle (even though that seems to be the norm). I'm surprised more insurance companies that provide event coverage haven't bitched.
I say the flagman was an idiot, and should actually be reprimanded for his actions after the fact. It looked as if Tony's window was next to the flagger when he decided to throw the red. Tony was looking forward (as he should), there is no way he should have seen the flag. It seems to me the flagman was lazy and did not want to move.
I was once flagged because they thought I had reached a full pull and the lazer showed 299.xx and I missed the pulloff because of it..... I was pissed but dealt with it and have tried to keep it from happening again.
I don't think flagman should be ignored at all, but a little common sense should be used.
I have met with and talked to NTPA staff at different pulls and most have their stuff together, but they are human and some have their issues........
Congrats on the pull Tony and sorry you had to deal with that (it would bother me too).
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Sorry Tony. I meant no offense to you personally. And I see that I was missing a lot of your side of the story. I got fired up because I thought people were getting upset simply because he didn't do things there way and that meant they had the right to ignore the rules. I stand corrected.
Not for nothing but the Flagman sure did act unprofessional! I don't know much about pulling never claimed to but if that was me it wouldn't have ended calmly. Certainly they need to be there and need to be followed as far as officiating but that guy was a jerk even I can see that.
What did he need to get into the truck for anyway? Steal the keys? WTF
What did he need to get into the truck for anyway? Steal the keys? WTF
tony i know how you feel, we have quite a few local farm pulls around here and me and the other guys i pull with ALWAYS place and usually win. well one dude got all liquored up and was leaning on my truck when i came back from helping a newguy set up his hitch. So me figuring he was a little tipsey was very kind and asked him to not lean on my truck and he got all pissy and dragged his finger across the dust on my freshly waxed truck then i gave him a nice push out of there and he spit on my truck..... well that was it and next thing i knew my bean pole self was charging him like a line backer and i had him right out in the middle of the pulling track (during an intermission cause we blew a hydraulic line on the sled) and one of my buddies was holding me back from breaking his jaw so he could never spit again....
tony you are a better man than me and my hats off to you
tony you are a better man than me and my hats off to you