BAD GT3 accident at SCCA Oregon AX, PIR
04-23-2007, 04:34 PM
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04-23-2007, 09:32 PM
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Top speed on that course was maybe 50 mph and the finish section was not the fastest part. The guy in the pink shirt normaly drives a C4 auotmatic and is undoubtly a left foot braker....tho I've never asked him. It was his first pass ever in the car. The finish lights were prolly 125-140 feet from the parked cars. At 40/45 mph, brain death would be the only thing that should cause this sort of thing.
Entirely too many armchair quarterbacks making judgements on this. That stop box and the room involved is pretty common at events held there.....but now I'm forced to admit it's not idiot proof.
Entirely too many armchair quarterbacks making judgements on this. That stop box and the room involved is pretty common at events held there.....but now I'm forced to admit it's not idiot proof.
04-23-2007, 10:11 PM
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Finishes should never be pointed at anything of value.
I'd say over 80% of the issues I've seen and dealt with as a Safety Steward has been with poorly designed finishing areas.
Also at 55 mph you are going 80 feet every second. 2 seconds to cover the distance from the finish to where you say the cars are.
I'd say over 80% of the issues I've seen and dealt with as a Safety Steward has been with poorly designed finishing areas.
Also at 55 mph you are going 80 feet every second. 2 seconds to cover the distance from the finish to where you say the cars are.
04-24-2007, 06:53 PM
#7
I agree with the course layout and unfortunate for all those involved. Lucky no one was injured.
However, everyone could have been perfect that day. All it takes is a stuck throttle at the most inopportune moment to make it a bad day.
At an autocross years (and years) ago in a Santa Monica parking lot, the throttle of a Shelby Cobra stuck in the WOT position (yes a real one when they were merely expensive) and went off course, out of the parking lot into regular street/sidewalk traffic before he managed to stop it. The car surgically created a Cobra-sized hole through the hedge surrounding the parking lot. Fortunately, the owner missed the bus stop and managed to steer it onto the sidewalk and avoid the Sunday morning pedestrian and street traffic. Close call.
Pretty sure they didn't have any more autocrosses there after that due to the limited runoff room. But how much runoff is safe for a stuck throttle?
Sherwood
However, everyone could have been perfect that day. All it takes is a stuck throttle at the most inopportune moment to make it a bad day.
At an autocross years (and years) ago in a Santa Monica parking lot, the throttle of a Shelby Cobra stuck in the WOT position (yes a real one when they were merely expensive) and went off course, out of the parking lot into regular street/sidewalk traffic before he managed to stop it. The car surgically created a Cobra-sized hole through the hedge surrounding the parking lot. Fortunately, the owner missed the bus stop and managed to steer it onto the sidewalk and avoid the Sunday morning pedestrian and street traffic. Close call.
Pretty sure they didn't have any more autocrosses there after that due to the limited runoff room. But how much runoff is safe for a stuck throttle?
Sherwood
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04-25-2007, 09:17 PM
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A quick vid of a nearly identicle stop box on that site....it's within a foot or 3 of the
subject box....including the timing lights. The SCCA guys didn't get this good of a run at it. OK, it's not fool proof, but note the perspective.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSZZ6LuN7fI
subject box....including the timing lights. The SCCA guys didn't get this good of a run at it. OK, it's not fool proof, but note the perspective.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSZZ6LuN7fI
