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Here is the incident with my #79 JPC/Dawes in Sprint Race one with P1 and P2 SPB, Turn 1.
Much like stated, we had approached some slower 944 traffic, and as seen in the video, ended up having an incident involving all 3 of the SPB leaders.
Entering the corner, I had noticed Matt get very loose, causing the Green and White car to back off to the right, and myself to back off and go left. As Matt saved the slide, I went for the very open inside line for a pass, and was almost beyond everyone when out of nowhere, Matt (who was avoiding the Green and White car coming down into him to avoid a 944) came into my line/car leaving us all with no place to go. You can see in my video I held the inside line and was perfectly against the white line with space to go when it all happened (very quickly I may add).
It stinks the incident ended the way it did, but these things can happen even to the best of us on track when we least expect it. It could have ended much worse for all of us, and thankfully we were all able to escape with in tact cars (mostly) that were able to drive away from it all.
I had a great weekend though, and the competition was awesome. Stinks that my engine let go during the enduro as I was having a blast up front with the guys there too. SPB is going to be VERY exciting with the level of competition out there today. Look forward to a nice season.
I have to thank the Dawes for all there help building and setting up of the car.
Originally Posted by mmuller
I had a new and unique experience the last week at the 48 hours that gave me a fresh appreciation of the PCA racing community. I believe it is worth sharing, although I will leave out the names.
In sprint one while leading the race, I was hit from behind and taken out of the race. This was as 1st, 2nd and 3D place in SPB all approached a slower SP2 car the was mid corner in Turn 1 as we turned in. We were all within a car length of each other and all cars where loose given it was the start of lap 8 and we had all been pushing hard all race long. As we exited the corner 2nd place went around the outside of me and pulled up behind the SP2 car and to my right. At the same time, 3rd place made a a pass to the inside, on my left. Short story, two of use came together. This is not the unique experience.
As violent as the impact was, my car lost its bumper, and had all of its rear wheel studs bent over, but not broken. NOTHING ELSE. It was clear the wheels studs needed to be changed in order for the car to be raced in Sprint 2. I had to go through the incident process and wouldn't have time. Then 2nd place showed up at my door. He wanted to know if I thought he caused the incident, as he felt he had. I told him, I got hit in behind when I thought I was voiding him hitting me, so I couldn't be the one to post cause. He insisted as a result to change my wheels studs while I went through my process. I told him not to worry, but he insisted. Some time passes while I wait out front of the stewards with 3rd place as we discuss the incident. We both have our video, our computers and have completed our incident reports (which the stewards have), and suddenly 2nd place walks into the tower with a Scrut. 10 minutes later he returns with Vicki and apologizes for causing the incident. Vicki shows us the video which was from the SPB behind the 3 of us. It was clear what had happened and my heart sank. He had just fixed my car, while I waited to find out what had happened.
2nd places car was also nothing more than a holed tire and some minimal body damage. Other than the two of us hitting, we both kept it off the walls (once I get the video in order, it's a great race). We both started the second sprint as a result and thanks to 2nd place (who wasn't able to race sprint 2) my car was in racing shape. Sprint 2 was a holy s**t kinda race, with the last 3 laps raining while on RR's. After coming from 4th place and fighting to the front, I was able to capitalize on the traffic and rain. I survived and won and got a workers choice award as a result. After returning to my pit after the race and weigh in, the first person at my door was 2nd place from Sprint 1. He wanted to congratulate me for a great race.
Without his help, I wouldn't have been able to race. This is why I only run PCA racing. It's the people and the experiences that make it the way it is. 2nd place in Sprint 1 (who also didn't finish sprint 1) got 2nd place in Sprint 2. It was truly a great weekend
Wow that looks different from your car Jay. You can't even see the green/yellow car for your perspective. Now seeing it from all all cameras (the car behind us, my. At and your car) it's amazing it wasn't worse. That was 4 cars in very close proximity!
Brilliant driving in all classes Saturday afternoon, after the heavens broke loose.
I worked the flag station at 17a from 1-5pm. Except my galoshes I was soaked to the skin, despite the shelter.
I felt heroic until I met the 76 year old couple who worked at 17b.
THEIR shelter was TINY blue and white umbrella. She was beaming at dinner. Because she LOVES Boxsters
NICE driving in GTB1 and SPB. You esp Carlos and Matt M.
The best part? My buddy PLNewman raced at Sebring again after a looong break (At age 16 he raced the 1962 12 Hours).
Brilliant driving in all classes Saturday afternoon, after the heavens broke loose.
I worked the flag station at 17a from 1-5pm. Except my galoshes I was soaked to the skin, despite the shelter.
I felt heroic until I met the 76 year old couple who worked at 17b.
THEIR shelter was TINY blue and white umbrella. She was beaming at dinner. Because she LOVES Boxsters
NICE driving in GTB1 and SPB. You esp Carlos and Matt M.
The best part? My buddy PLNewman raced at Sebring again after a looong break from age 16 (he raced the 1962 12 Hours).
Next time I'll be on track in a SPB.
Thanks for your work over the weekend. Especially when it rained. I commented to several people how good I thought the stations where manned and the flagging was. It's one of the things I enjoy about driving Sebring which unfortunately only get to do once a year.
17 is perhaps my favorite turn at Sebring. In the SPB it's great fun to float the car deep in there. And get into the gas as early as possible and ride the bumps out.
Wow that looks different from your car Jay. You can't even see the green/yellow car for your perspective. Now seeing it from all all cameras (the car behind us, my. At and your car) it's amazing it wasn't worse. That was 4 cars in very close proximity!
Man that could have been much worse. Good job that no one hit the wall. It appears muller was not aware of JPC, otherwise the instinct may have been to brake as opposed to swerve left. Muller probably busy watching the slower car and the other SPB on his right......
Its always risky going for the inside pass in a situation like that. The pay out would have been huge!
Man that could have been much worse. Good job that no one hit the wall. It appears muller was not aware of JPC, otherwise the instinct may have been to brake as opposed to swerve left. Muller probably busy watching the slower car and the other SPB on his right......
Its always risky going for the inside pass in a situation like that. The pay out would have been huge!
Exactly. Watching the front so I didn't get hit. I knew Jay was behind me, but he had disappared in the mirrors, so I knew he was close. Didn't expect the green/white car to come across like he did and with the speed at which he did. I had barely moved the wheel when I got hit in the rear to the point where I thought it was the green/white car had actually hit me.
That inside pass was a very risky move, especially with 3 cars already in the space. It was going to be hard to get that car turned at 3 from the inside with the other cars already there.
That inside pass was a very risky move, especially with 3 cars already in the space. It was going to be hard to get that car turned at 3 from the inside with the other cars already there.
Sure, it was going to be hard. But if folks had held station, y'all would have gotten though it, IMO.
Sounds like the car that cut across your bow was the problem. But you lost track of the car on your left. It does look like you drove left, not that he hit you...
Not sure I see a black and white 13 for the latest camera view car. But I don't make the decisions, thankfully!
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"Combining the Art and Science of Driving Fast!"
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Man I gotta agree the traiLing car video does not help the 13 decision .....that's not even a turn but as he was not ahead.......I think I'd put it on the car that moved over...just like at the start you can't just move across tack cause the car in front is slower and your slightly in front of someone.......and the guy in the green white hadn't completed the pass yet
Sorry to see the damage but great to see the close racing
I had an incident I'm not happy about and really confused me on the 13 decision.........I thought I had a good grasp but now I really dont.......I know its not easy but man....glad there is a rub out rule I guess
Sure, it was going to be hard. But if folks had held station, y'all would have gotten though it, IMO.
Sounds like the car that cut across your bow was the problem. But you lost track of the car on your left. It does look like you drove left, not that he hit you...
Not sure I see a black and white 13 for the latest camera view car. But I don't make the decisions, thankfully!
Agreed on all fronts. Last lap....you gotta go for that pass. of course the inside car would be going so slow you probably could have made a counter pass (2 wide) on the outside of 3. Would have been interesting.
I personally advocated for a rub out in this situation. 3 cars running that close and little to no real damage left me feeling like it was a racing incident. Having said that, I got a 13 at LRP when I got moved over on and was hit in the rear wheel. It was explained to me that I needed to make a clean pass and that if the person I was passing moved over, that was my problem. In that incident, I was trying to avoid hitting a car that had hit the brakes much to early and much to hard, while leaving a full car width open on the inside.
Talking with stewards at the end of the day, they indicated they believed it was the silver cars fault based on the corner worker reports until they saw the video from behind the whole incident and which showed the green\white car two wheels off on the right side. I was left with getting hit in the front or getting hit in the rear and a split second to make the choice. I still maintain that if the green\white car had hit my front it would have been much worse incident.
Hey Matt.. I posted what I have of sprint race 2 orange group in the SPB section of the forum. Unfortunately I only have the first half since I lost 4th gear half way through and had to pit, but I was staying with the front pack for the most part. Great race you had. I was pretty bummed out I couldn't finish and challenge some of you guys in the second half. Here is the limited footage I have.
02-11-2016, 04:25 PM
