Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Sandy Noce was black-flagged while running sixth in the restarted MBNA AMA 250cc Grand Prix race at Mid-Ohio, came in to find no AMA Pro Racing official waiting for him on pit lane, cruised down pit lane and rejoined the race, and then was black-flagged again and told that he had been black-flagged for switching to a back-up bike during the red flag.

The trouble is, Noce did not switch to a back-up bike and AMA Pro Racing officials had mistaken him for someone else, black-flagging him based on machine color instead of rider number.

Official AMA Pro Racing results issued today show Noce as being credited with 24th position in the event.

An AMA Pro Racing official contacted at the racetrack declined to state on the record what would be done to reduce the impact of the error on Noce.

Besides being a racer, Noce is the Dunlop racing tire distributor in Canada.


This just in from racer Mike Walsh, who was at Mid-Ohio and who is also from Canada:

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

Via e-mail

As a side note to your story, I informed an AMA official as soon as I saw and heard the reason for the black flag over the PA, that Noce’s backup bike was sitting in the trailer with rains on it, and that knowing he was by himself and being garaged facing the hot pit, I ran down to help Noce out during the red flag.

I told the official that I held Noce’s bike while he used the facilities and had some water and then pushed the same bike off for the restart.

At this point Noce still had not done his cruise-through, and I thought this mess could have been averted and possibly sorted out after the race. Obviously not!

Mike Walsh
Toronto, Canada