Really bad news at HyperFest
#31
Rennlist Member
So sorry to hear.
Don't know the track, or anything about the circumstances, but as an instructor never felt so uneasy about a track session as a Hyperfest. For most the first time on a track at all, car or driver. Fast turnaround, quick intro, almost no time to preflight the car and student, you have one run session and hot swap to the next group. Most of your time us just keeping the student on the track and whoa'd up. Most of the instructors clamor to the hottest cars, I looked for the ones with the most airbags...
In combination with a marginal track a recipe for disaster. Condolences to family and friends.
Don't know the track, or anything about the circumstances, but as an instructor never felt so uneasy about a track session as a Hyperfest. For most the first time on a track at all, car or driver. Fast turnaround, quick intro, almost no time to preflight the car and student, you have one run session and hot swap to the next group. Most of your time us just keeping the student on the track and whoa'd up. Most of the instructors clamor to the hottest cars, I looked for the ones with the most airbags...
In combination with a marginal track a recipe for disaster. Condolences to family and friends.
#32
Rennlist Member
FYI
SUMMIT POINT, W.Va. — An instructor at Summit Point Motorsports Park in Jefferson County, W.Va., died over the weekend when a car on the track careened off a curve.
The instructor was a passenger in a 2006 Pontiac GTO driven by someone Saturday as part of the HyperFest event, according to Sgt. Robert Sell of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department.
HyperFest allows amateur drivers to take their own vehicles onto the track with a National Auto Sport Association driver in the passenger seat, Sell said.
Peter
SUMMIT POINT, W.Va. — An instructor at Summit Point Motorsports Park in Jefferson County, W.Va., died over the weekend when a car on the track careened off a curve.
The instructor was a passenger in a 2006 Pontiac GTO driven by someone Saturday as part of the HyperFest event, according to Sgt. Robert Sell of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department.
HyperFest allows amateur drivers to take their own vehicles onto the track with a National Auto Sport Association driver in the passenger seat, Sell said.
Peter
#33
Drifting
Sad News.
Anyone know the details on the Lightning crash that happened earlier in the day? I understand one of the drivers had to be airlifted? Hopefully that person(s) condition is improving.
Anyone know the details on the Lightning crash that happened earlier in the day? I understand one of the drivers had to be airlifted? Hopefully that person(s) condition is improving.
#35
Guys, let's remember that this was a NASA Hyperdrive, which is supposed to be just like any other "INTRO TO DE" that most clubs *including PCA hold at their events.
The car in question was a street car and the driver was an introductory student. Generally that means street car with no tech inspection and no past experience. The "general" assumption is that you're going to get a GREEN zero experience student and you are going to go relatively slow. I was not there at the event, and do not know anything more than I just posted. I don't think we need to be speculating beyond that.
Godspeed to the driver and prayors for all involved for their loss.
The car in question was a street car and the driver was an introductory student. Generally that means street car with no tech inspection and no past experience. The "general" assumption is that you're going to get a GREEN zero experience student and you are going to go relatively slow. I was not there at the event, and do not know anything more than I just posted. I don't think we need to be speculating beyond that.
Godspeed to the driver and prayors for all involved for their loss.
#36
Update on Todd - Todd is doing ok. He's in a hospital in Fairfax. He had surgery on his finger last night (not sure how much of that he lost). Other than that and a major concussion he is doing well. Not sure when he will get out - most likely in a day or two. I'll let you know more after I talk to him today."
So I guess the femur is okay, and it looks like Todd is going to come out of this without much more than a wrecked car and a fantastic story.
So I guess the femur is okay, and it looks like Todd is going to come out of this without much more than a wrecked car and a fantastic story.
#37
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Car just ahead of them hit by beer can as it passed bridge.
#43
Rennlist Member
Every bit of video I have seen shows it to be a hillbilly free for all in the stands, bunch of drunken idiots fighting, ripping their shirts off, spraying each other with cheap beer, etc.. You know, what Nascar would be without proper supervision..
I'm sure most entrants are just people wanting to have a good time but if you have to worry about some drunk doing something to endanger your life? Time to end it.
I'm sure most entrants are just people wanting to have a good time but if you have to worry about some drunk doing something to endanger your life? Time to end it.
#45
Rennlist Member
This is awful to hear... At my first DE in the Miata a couple months back with NASA, I remember thinking "there's no efffing way I would wanna be shotgun in a car with a total noob." I have great appreciation for the instructors of all these major clubs, they really do a lot of good teaching car control to people so they can be quick on a track, but more importantly, safer on the street.
Riding to work a couple saturdays ago in the Miata, I had one of those 'sick' feelings as I passed a bunch of big rigs on I35 north of Austin: How have I not been hurt driving a car like this, amongst so many clueless drivers?
An hour later, I had just taken my food from the lady at the McD's drive through... Let the clutch out to pull forward and stopped... Must have gotten a bad feeling, as the pull out to the drive through is blind.
An ******* in a Tahoe ripped just past my bumper through the parking lot at something like 30mph, and I was very close to being in the hospital if not the morgue. I caught up to him and let him know that he almost killed me- he hadn't even noticed. Didn't apologize either.
Whether it helps me in that type of crash or not, I'm putting a full Spec cage in the car ASAP, and I'm not gonna drive it much on the street until that happens.
RIP to this instructor and the instructors that have died before him, and prayers going out to all involved, including the drivers who might need them most.
Riding to work a couple saturdays ago in the Miata, I had one of those 'sick' feelings as I passed a bunch of big rigs on I35 north of Austin: How have I not been hurt driving a car like this, amongst so many clueless drivers?
An hour later, I had just taken my food from the lady at the McD's drive through... Let the clutch out to pull forward and stopped... Must have gotten a bad feeling, as the pull out to the drive through is blind.
An ******* in a Tahoe ripped just past my bumper through the parking lot at something like 30mph, and I was very close to being in the hospital if not the morgue. I caught up to him and let him know that he almost killed me- he hadn't even noticed. Didn't apologize either.
Whether it helps me in that type of crash or not, I'm putting a full Spec cage in the car ASAP, and I'm not gonna drive it much on the street until that happens.
RIP to this instructor and the instructors that have died before him, and prayers going out to all involved, including the drivers who might need them most.