1973 UIM World Championship - Did Pak violate right-of-way rule?
Did Pak violate right-of-way rule?
Should Pak Have Been Disqualified?
Delayed reports of a possible rule infraction during the final heat of yesterday's World Championship unlimited-hydroplane race led to the suspension of an assistant referee last night.
Arnold Green of Seattle, a long-time competitor and boat-race official in the Pacific Northwest, was banned from unlimited-class officialdom by Bill Newton, chief referee.
Green did not relay to Newton a reported violation of the lane-change rule by Mickey Remund, winner of the $50,000 race.
"We cannot tolerate such action," Newton said when the matter was taken up several hours after the finish of the race.
Newton and Buddy Byers, unlimited commissioner, last night issued a statement which said four course referees reported to Green that the Pay 'n Pak violated the right-of-way rule by cutting too sharply on the Budweiser in the fourth turn of the second lap.
Green, contacted at his home last night, said a course referee did call the barge, but "I did not talk to him. I got his report second-hand., And I was watching the north turn, I felt there was no violation of any rule, I believe I was in a better position to see than a judge in a boat and I did not relay the incident to Newton.
"I made a decision. I guess I should have passed it on and let Newton handle it."
Newton's statement said the incident happened in the "second lap." Actually, Mickey Remund in the Pay 'n Pak moved to the inside lane and forced the Budweiser to the outside on the fourth turn of the first lap.
"I saw the Pay 'n Pak move in," Green said. "But in my estimation he left enough room for the Budweiser so I didn't pass it on."
The Budweiser camp did not say anything about a possible violation nor did they file a protest after the race. Chenoweth did not complain about being "cut off" when he returned to the pits after the heat.
Newton said he was watching the Budweiser and Pay 'n Pak at the point in question and saw no violation.