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My out lap. The session was already 3 laps in. I was late to enter the track because I had a student in the previous session. I followed the rules of the blend line by staying right and yielding to on coming cars on the straight and then safely blend in at T1.
The smoking car went right exiting T1. In trying to avoid oil trail I stayed left. So did the Red 2018 GT3 in front of me. The car behind came to almost a full stop a few car lengths behind me and then decided to accelerate into the smoke.
Last edited by Tom@TPC Racing; 08-09-2018 at 12:38 PM.
That's awful. Did you bump the red GT3 and then get hit too?
Yes. I hit the Red GT3 while he was slowing to a stop, same as what I was doing, the speed difference between him and I was maybe 10-15mph. The car that hit me from behind 6 seconds later hit me much harder. The g-meter in the video was over 1g.
My out lap. The session was already 3 laps in. I was late to enter the track because I had a student in the previous session. I followed the rules of the blend line by staying right and yielding to on coming cars on the straight and then safely blend in at T1.
The smoking car went right exiting T1. In trying to avoid oil trail I stayed left. So did the Red 2018 GT3 in front of me. The car behind came to almost a full stop a few car lengths behind me and then decided to accelerate into the smoke.
Here's a video from a different POV. It looks like the wind was blowing the smoke cloud to the left and my car was right on the edge of the zero visibility zone during the impacts. Just bad luck.
Been too busy at the shop to assess the damage but I will definitely repair my car to better than new(thankfully our shop works with one of the best frames shops in the country for Cup cars) and think of some improvements along the way.
The Assessment (Warning- This Post Contains Graphic Images!)
It has been almost a month since I even laid eyes on my car because the shop has been super busy. Just now getting around to assess the situation. For a thorough assessment I took the engine/gearbox out. Here are some pics.
***Warning to GT3 Owners: Graphic Images Below! ***
I am not sure if the energy from the front impact or rear impact ejected the headlights... May be a combination of both- front hit might have unlatched them, rear hit sent them flying.
May be the rear hit was low enough to not disturb the frame...
Front end needs new bumper cover, reinforcement beam, center rad, brackets, ducting, etc.
Rear bumper cover off shows the deformed reinforcement beam and crushed corner exhaust pipe.
The buffer tube did its job in absorbing some of the impact energy.
The buffer tubes also dispersed some of the energy side way to help save what's behind it. Cup cars don't have buffer tubes and reinforcement beam in order to reduce weight so any impact is more likely to affect the tub. The energy moved the reinforcement beam approx. 2 inches to the right. Also Cup cars have solid engine mounts which might have resulted in more damage given the same impact.
The factory center muffler took a good hit, it served as a secondary reinforcement. I think without the center muffler there taking some of the impact the engine would have been F'ed up.
At this point the tub looks okay at a glace.
Engine and gearbox out for a better look.
Cleaning off 11 years of grime buildup behind the heat shields.
After couple hours of cleaning we can see the tub better.
As I have suspected the left rear frame rail is bent.
Now that's over with, I think we are at the low point of this ordeal.Let's get on with the repair(and possibly even upgrades ). Thing can only look up from here. Next phone call is to frame shop to schedule. Oh wait, no, next phone call is FedEX to ship my gearbox to Brian Copans @ BMC&G for 4.0:1 ring & opinion and freshening up!
08-08-2018, 12:13 PM
I am a happy man
). Thing can only look up from here. Next phone call is to frame shop to schedule. Oh wait, no, next phone call is FedEX to ship my gearbox to Brian Copans @ BMC&G for 4.0:1 ring & opinion and freshening up! 
