Transponder Ground Pounder at Motor Mile

Electronics.

You’ve been on the short side of it… The internet goes down or your router blips and the wi-fi drops out and none of your devices work right…

It’s a bit like that. The thing that caused a bit of confusion and almost a fight at Motor Mile Speedway on Saturday night. (April 23, 2022)

The transponders… They are the things in the race cars that electronically count the laps and tag the positions on the race track. These are either owned by the teams or supplied by the race track. The second late Model race at Motor Mile was an example of confusion caused by an intermittent transponder.

That, however, was later in the evening… Racing was spread over eight classes including the visiting Southern Ground Pounders which actually comprised two of those classes. Sportsman, Super Street, Mod-4, UCar and Pure-4 joined the late model and Ground Pounders on this Saturday afternoon at Motor Mile.

The Ground Pounders bring a bit of nostalgia to the tracks they run on. It’s a rolling car show from a time gone by! The Sportsman and Super Street brought some numbers to the track as both classes had over 15 competitors chasing hot laps. The show in these races gave fans a good view for competition! The Late Models ran only six cars on this one but the drama was there. The Mod-4 and combined UCar / Pure4 ran a fair showing, also.

As for the Late Model transponders… Three (at least) drivers and teams were impacted in one way or another. An earlier caution had shaken the field of six cars and put the early leaders on the back. The #4 of Kyle Dudley flatted in turns one and two and quite possibly made contact with the #87 of Mike Looney as both cars came through turns three and four off the back. They managed to get back up on the bunch and get around as the final laps turned. However, the failing electronics did not represent this on the scoring tower.

This was unknown to most at the time. As the final laps ran down on the white flag, the #17 of Bryan Reedy was shown in the lead with the #75 of Cory Dunn chasing. At the checkers the #17 was shown on top. Moments later, however, The #17 and #75 were pushed to spots two and three as the #87 was placed on top.

So… From our vantage point… Bryan Reedy won, but didn’t. So Mike Looney won…? Well, read on…

This was explained by a track official as the transponder in the #87 was not working but had actually regained the lead several laps before. This manual adjustment of the scoring did not sit well with the team that was being shown in 6th (#4 Kyle Dudley) spot which prompted some heated words and what appeared to be a “fighting posture” on the front stretch concerning the contact that had put the #4 down with a rear flat. Some fun words were exchanged… Maybe an unsanctioned hand gesture…

It is actually a tad ironic. Dudley had won the first late Model feature with Looney in the 2nd spot. Looney congratulated the #4 driver as Dudley smiled and gratefully shook hands. That happy meeting was quickly tossed aside as Dudley was quite angry with Looney at the conclusion of race number two.

It is also ironic, perhaps, that later it was determined the transponder in Dudley’s car was actually one lap off. Once the reviews on the positions were done it was found, and announced the next day, that the actual winner of race two was Kyle Dudley. As in race one, Looney was again in the 2nd slot and Reedy was scored in third for this second race.

We assume any hostility has subsided…

The next races on the schedule at Motor Mile Speedway will be run in the evening and under the lights – Check their schedule online!

Results and Photos – Motor Mile Speedway – April 23, 2022