Watkins Glen Video #1 - 911 Turbo? So
10-11-2014, 10:55 AM
#16
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
10-11-2014, 02:03 PM
#17
Rennlist Member
The comment that you are not insured is partially correct, but, you CAN have track insurance. The standard road policy may not cover the track driving, but there are companies that sell specific track insurance.
You can get a package for the number of days/events you plan to participate in, and the cost is related to that. I have two friends, as well as me, who have had the insurance, and there was no issue in getting paid when our driving exceeded our skills!!
I actually know two instructors whose road policies DID cover their one car track incident (each was in the $35K for repairs to a GT3). But the insurance companies said 'just this once'!!
Since the DE program is partially sponsored by Porsche Club of America, you can get info on the track insurance program on their web site.
You can get a package for the number of days/events you plan to participate in, and the cost is related to that. I have two friends, as well as me, who have had the insurance, and there was no issue in getting paid when our driving exceeded our skills!!
I actually know two instructors whose road policies DID cover their one car track incident (each was in the $35K for repairs to a GT3). But the insurance companies said 'just this once'!!
Since the DE program is partially sponsored by Porsche Club of America, you can get info on the track insurance program on their web site.
10-12-2014, 10:44 AM
#19
Rennlist Member
Michael,
Nice recovery on #11. Thank goodness you were in a 928, with the Weissach rear axle. The following comments are gratis, and are a result of the calendar turns I've had which resulted in grey hair, and lots LESS of it than when I was your age - HA.
The safest 'rule of thumb' for action when you go off the track, especially in that corner is to NOT try to recover, but to keep the steering wheel straight and SLOW DOWN before returning to the track surface (The problem is BOTH front wheels have good traction on the macadam when you steer back onto the track, while only ONE rear wheel has good traction, as the other is on something - probably grass - with little or no traction. Guess what that rear end which is at an angle to the track wants to do!! - keep going in the direction it is headed, which results in the spin).
IF you'd been in a 911, the right rear would have come around, and the car would have slid across the track and into the tire wall on the left going backward, bounced off, probably spun another 180 degrees and hit with the left front before coming to a stop!!
I've seen at least a half dozen 911's SERIOUSLY damaged in that exact 'off the track right' coming out of 11. One was about 2 car lengths ahead of me, as I'd been gaining on him for the last lap, and expected to pass after turn 12. His attempted recovery resulted in exactly what I outlined above.
I've tried to preach "practice two wheels off" for beginning drivers, to several regions, but had no luck! I believe a lot of the 'practice' stuff that Niagara Region has implemented is excellent, but I do wish they'd also install this. The instinct is always 'recover', but that's not usually the safest thing to do. (Same automobile physics holds for highways as well as tracks, so a wheel off the macadam should result in SLOWING DOWN there as well). That turn is not quite as dangerous as it used to be, since they paved the area beyond the turtles (was gravel or grass before).
By the way, the exit from turn 9 is also a 'trap' for going off the track on the left. Recovery attempt there has resulted in about 4-5 cars spinning and hitting the tire wall on the right side of the track with the left rear quarter panel. Both of these corners have speeds of about 60-70 mph when hitting the tire wall!!
Be Safe, and keep up the good work.
Nice recovery on #11. Thank goodness you were in a 928, with the Weissach rear axle. The following comments are gratis, and are a result of the calendar turns I've had which resulted in grey hair, and lots LESS of it than when I was your age - HA.
The safest 'rule of thumb' for action when you go off the track, especially in that corner is to NOT try to recover, but to keep the steering wheel straight and SLOW DOWN before returning to the track surface (The problem is BOTH front wheels have good traction on the macadam when you steer back onto the track, while only ONE rear wheel has good traction, as the other is on something - probably grass - with little or no traction. Guess what that rear end which is at an angle to the track wants to do!! - keep going in the direction it is headed, which results in the spin).
IF you'd been in a 911, the right rear would have come around, and the car would have slid across the track and into the tire wall on the left going backward, bounced off, probably spun another 180 degrees and hit with the left front before coming to a stop!!
I've seen at least a half dozen 911's SERIOUSLY damaged in that exact 'off the track right' coming out of 11. One was about 2 car lengths ahead of me, as I'd been gaining on him for the last lap, and expected to pass after turn 12. His attempted recovery resulted in exactly what I outlined above.
I've tried to preach "practice two wheels off" for beginning drivers, to several regions, but had no luck! I believe a lot of the 'practice' stuff that Niagara Region has implemented is excellent, but I do wish they'd also install this. The instinct is always 'recover', but that's not usually the safest thing to do. (Same automobile physics holds for highways as well as tracks, so a wheel off the macadam should result in SLOWING DOWN there as well). That turn is not quite as dangerous as it used to be, since they paved the area beyond the turtles (was gravel or grass before).
By the way, the exit from turn 9 is also a 'trap' for going off the track on the left. Recovery attempt there has resulted in about 4-5 cars spinning and hitting the tire wall on the right side of the track with the left rear quarter panel. Both of these corners have speeds of about 60-70 mph when hitting the tire wall!!
Be Safe, and keep up the good work.
Last edited by Gary Knox; 10-12-2014 at 11:35 AM.
10-12-2014, 10:59 AM
#20
Cranking the wheel in an instinctive correction during a break makes the front wheels lose rotating speed,
then even when you are pointing in the right direction the front wheels have no steering effect. -that's where AWD has an advantage. -or you could have little electric motors in the hub to maintain rotation
then even when you are pointing in the right direction the front wheels have no steering effect. -that's where AWD has an advantage. -or you could have little electric motors in the hub to maintain rotation