Ugly side of track days.
Nordschleife Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,297
Likes: 6
From: Deep Downtown Carrier, OK
Please allow me to be the first to say WTF, Ken.
Brain fart?
Old age?
Gotit....they tightened the corner up between laps!!!
Sorry about the Zonker and glad yer not bruised.
Brain fart?
Old age?
Gotit....they tightened the corner up between laps!!!
Sorry about the Zonker and glad yer not bruised.
RL Technical Advisor
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 11,870
Likes: 75
From: Portland Oregon
Ay caramba!..................Ultimately, SYZ is fixable so the most important thing is that YOU are OK.
That was quite a tap there (no safer barriers) and that makes strong arguments for "halo" type race seats.
That was quite a tap there (no safer barriers) and that makes strong arguments for "halo" type race seats.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 179
Likes: 0
working the shifter takes so much concentration. it looks like having your hand a split second longer away from steering wheel caused the car to drift wide (probably too much force to turn it back in with one hand?). guess this is why flappy paddle shifters are the new trend.
sorry to see the crash.
sorry to see the crash.
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Seared
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 16,893
Likes: 496
From: Ellicott City, MD
Ken,
Very sorry to see the damage. Thankfully you're ok.
Please let me know which rear suspension bits you may need. I have quite a few, from complete hubs to arms, etc.
Andreas
Very sorry to see the damage. Thankfully you're ok.
Please let me know which rear suspension bits you may need. I have quite a few, from complete hubs to arms, etc.
Andreas
Thread Starter
Rennlist Member
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,312
Likes: 10
From: Roseville, CA
Thanks all for the wishes and general support, too!
Sure, this was driver error. But how many times are we entering T6 mid-track after overtaking? Maybe I apexed a couple of feet early, or was 1-2 mph hot considering my entry. But I damn well knew as soon as I turned in that I was going to run 2 wheels off. What I did NOT expect was to be lined straight at those sandbags. Thus, it was a near instantaneous decision to avoid them. If I went right I would have hit the tire wall head first. Left, we see what happened. What really got me was how what we THINK is off to the inside (deep gravel, like on the runoff elsewhere around the track) is merely a thin layer on top of the dirt. So my ultimate mistake.
I edited this video intentionally so everyone could see what I was dealing with. This was NOT a race, merely an open track event. Car in front of me is a Spec 911, owned by someone active here on Rennlist. Was a bit disappointing that after basically following a lap I had to take a hard run off of 5 to muscle my way past. Should I have been more patient? Who's to say? On the previous 4-5 laps of the session I was probably loose/verge of dropping 2 wheels 2 or 3 other times. Nature of hammering on these cars hard.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,096
Likes: 11
From: WetCoast, Canadä
Sorry to hear Ken. I once ran off the track at a DE - it was pissing rain - a dip in the track between turns - tapped the tire barrier was lucky with only a dent on rear fender.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,037
Likes: 5
From: Southern Maryland
Ouch! That is a bummer but I hope you keep going to the track. Your posts are very informed by your years of tracking. I love that you can be specific about what a given tire would mean "2 seconds a lap at .....track", or this mod would be 10mph more trap speed. It's very informative, so I hope you keep racing, posting and stay safe.....Chris
Rennlist Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,230
Likes: 104
From: Chicago
So sorry to see, Ken, but glad you're ok. Hope you get the car back fixed up quickly. And kudos to your wise commentary about how it went down.
This is a perfect vid for a novice/intermediate because this is how many/most novice offs occur: right after a pass. I teach my students to brake really early after making a pass -- you gotta think about YOURSELF in that situation. The guy you passed WILL slow down and tuck in behind you, so don't worry about him. You really have to fight your instincts here, and sometimes we lose that battle. 
ouch.. hope the repairs work out.
Anything you would do different if you were in the situation again (outside of running wide?) Im going into my first track day with mine and always curious how these things can bite you. Coming from a Mini Cooper S which is a lot easier to drive on the track.
phil.
Anything you would do different if you were in the situation again (outside of running wide?) Im going into my first track day with mine and always curious how these things can bite you. Coming from a Mini Cooper S which is a lot easier to drive on the track.
phil.