Was at RA for a track day with PCA Nord stern on Monday. I have a MWC race there later in the month and wanted to get some track time.
Sure beats showing up to work on a Monday morning!
My lap timer wasn't working but my 12 yr.old crew chief timed my in the 2:31 - 2:33 range, which was an improvement for me.
Anyway there were a few guys with Z06s there. I was talking with one guy in a red one (not a Z06vette.com guy), and he seemed inexperienced and I was giving him some pointers ( like not to lift in the kink ).
So we are leaving at the end of the day, and there's his Z, totalled on the side of the access road. Apparently he was OK, thank goodness.
Another guy in a 928 Porsche spun in the kink and messed up his car pretty well, too. Also he was unhurt.
Just a reminder that one can make big expensive mistakes!
Although this can happen to anybody (I have damaged my cars twice by my own fault over 6 or 7 years of tracks days and road racing, luckily not total car and bank busters, though) it does pay to get some instruction and take it easy until you get the hang of it, and it's always surprising to me how many folks don't....
I had a M3 crash right in front of me in the Kink. He missed the apex by about two or three feet, ran out of room at track out a hit the wall hard. Pretty intense stuff to wath happen right in front of you!
I had a M3 crash right in front of me in the Kink. He missed the apex by about two or three feet, ran out of room at track out a hit the wall hard. Pretty intense stuff to wath happen right in front of you!
Are you doing track days currently? I am only doing a few now and am road racing at Midwest Council ASR. You should consider coming out and racing. It's great fun in ASR and really not THAT much different from tracks days (outside of the start and passing in corners...)
Cobra, I really need to get out there with you guys. I passed the Bondurant Advanced Road Racing course so I should qualify to get my SCCA Regional or other competition license. With work and family commitments it has been hard to plan my summer fun stuff. I am a member at the Autobahn Club and try to get on track at least once a week, I just don't know what day I can get free. Hopefully you will see me (and Zippycar) out with you guys soon!
I remember a similar scenario from class instruction ...
[quote=99cobra]The red Z I was mentioning apparently crashed in turn 5 in a somewhat odd way: wheels off, then back across to the inside finding the wall...
...QUOTE]
HPDE instructor says ... big mistake noobies make is trying to bring it back on the track ... if they do ... traction changes drastically and more often than not, car shoots across track to hit something hard on other side ...
To put a point on it ... this happened at Summit Pt to a guy at an event I attended ...
RULE 1: Off the track ... bring it under control and stop it ...
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^VIR Turn 3 '08^-MungoZ06-'03 QS/ModRed - NCCC, NASA NCM Member - Z06 Fest IV,V,VI,VII
Cobra, I really need to get out there with you guys. I passed the Bondurant Advanced Road Racing course so I should qualify to get my SCCA Regional or other competition license. With work and family commitments it has been hard to plan my summer fun stuff. I am a member at the Autobahn Club and try to get on track at least once a week, I just don't know what day I can get free. Hopefully you will see me (and Zippycar) out with you guys soon!
Well once a week is fabulous. ACC is great, us MWC folks get on twice a year one race on N and one on S. I think you would enjoy wheel to wheel.
The red Z I was mentioning apparently crashed in turn 5 in a somewhat odd way: wheels off, then back across to the inside finding the wall...
...QUOTE]
HPDE instructor says ... big mistake noobies make is trying to bring it back on the track ... if they do ... traction changes drastically and more often than not, car shoots across track to hit something hard on other side ...
To put a point on it ... this happened at Summit Pt to a guy at an event I attended ...
RULE 1: Off the track ... bring it under control and stop it ...
You know that just brought back a memory. I had a 64 Vette in 1982 or so (I was 21) and I had a guy in front of me, he was going slow, I had just had a fight with my girlfriend, and I was in a bad mood, gave it gas, pulled out to pass on the left, passed in front of him and the rear end came out and I smashed it up back on the right. It's so long ago I had almost forgotten.
These days I do my fast driving on the track, and I am a better driver, but the rear end will still come around if you are not careful!!
PS - I bought that Vette for $10k and sold it smashed up for $10k. That was the beginning of the real upward trend in the vintage car market. But the real good old days are now! $31k or so for a low mile Z06. Boy are we all lucky!!
Never tempted to go W2W? I used to love the AX, but then when I found track days, and the greater track time I went to that....then W2W.
Maybe we will see you at Gingerman on Labor day. Planning on being up there for the weekend with the family...
Is there AX at RA later this month 7/29,30)? We will be there Saturday through Monday...
W2W wont' be in my future. If I had a lot more money and free time... maybe. I feel fortunate that I have been able to run MCSCC series for all these years.
I may go to GingerMan on Sunday and camp out for the HDPE. I was asked to instruct, and I'm still thinking about it.
MCSCC never runs AX at RA. I usually run the Fall Challenge with AROC, but this year I may skip this a go to Grattan.
The red Z I was mentioning apparently crashed in turn 5 in a somewhat odd way: wheels off, then back across to the inside finding the wall...
Not odd at all. As the following posters said....
Quote:
HPDE instructor says ... big mistake noobies make is trying to bring it back on the track ... if they do ... traction changes drastically and more often than not, car shoots across track to hit something hard on other side...
Quote:
A common and natural mistake is to fight it back on the track. The result is almost always going off on the opposite side of the track.
Absolutely correct.
I attribute this type of crash to the "I can save it. I don't want to wreck my car", phenomenon.
A similar phenomenon occurs in aviation where "I'm a good pilot and I'm not ejecting until there is nothing left but the burning tires. I can fly this crate gosh dammit!" has cost lives.
The urge to "save it" and prevent or minimize further damage (incorrect), instead of stopping straight ahead or slowing to a safe speed (correct), is hard to resist.
W2W wont' be in my future. If I had a lot more money and free time... maybe. I feel fortunate that I have been able to run MCSCC series for all these years.
I may go to GingerMan on Sunday and camp out for the HDPE. I was asked to instruct, and I'm still thinking about it.
MCSCC never runs AX at RA. I usually run the Fall Challenge with AROC, but this year I may skip this a go to Grattan.
Well I'll look for you at Gingerman. Grattan is great fun. I have been missing it since I started W2W...
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but my 12 yr.old crew chief timed my in the 2:31 - 2:33 range, which was an improvement for me.
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