PCA VIR Club Race 2018
06-28-2018, 05:19 PM
#242
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Mentioned above about cars showing up in a blind spot or coming up from behind another car.
That is really not a good excuse except maybe when we have prototypes in our groups which are rare. I'm scanning far behind me at all times and watching through turns so I can see if there are groups of cars.
I was caught off guard once this past weekend and that was my fault when I was satisfied with my qualifying lap and a car came up on me faster than I expected. I jumped out of the way and hope I didn't mess up his lap.
Seeing far behind and in front of you and planning for both situations is required when racing. We all depend on each other to be doing this at all times. Many times this weekend I showed my intention to pass after driving up behind someone and that person proceeded to move over on me during the pass. Either you guys don't like me or you didn't see me.
Just keep your head on a swivel and look much further back than immediately behind you. It will make it safer and more fun to see your plans unfold around you.
Stu
That is really not a good excuse except maybe when we have prototypes in our groups which are rare. I'm scanning far behind me at all times and watching through turns so I can see if there are groups of cars.
I was caught off guard once this past weekend and that was my fault when I was satisfied with my qualifying lap and a car came up on me faster than I expected. I jumped out of the way and hope I didn't mess up his lap.
Seeing far behind and in front of you and planning for both situations is required when racing. We all depend on each other to be doing this at all times. Many times this weekend I showed my intention to pass after driving up behind someone and that person proceeded to move over on me during the pass. Either you guys don't like me or you didn't see me.
Just keep your head on a swivel and look much further back than immediately behind you. It will make it safer and more fun to see your plans unfold around you.
Stu
06-28-2018, 06:26 PM
#243
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06-28-2018, 09:23 PM
#244
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Hi Clark, I raced with you guys at Barber, finished ahead of the Es in Sprint 1 and behind you, Meissner and Martinson in Sprint 2. Had a great time racing with you, admired your driving, complimented you on it Saturday night. You're right, I should be faster, working on it, doesn't mean I had any less fun racing (cleanly) with you guys. I admire what you guys do every weekend. Sorry to be in your way.
I was waiting for someone to mention this.
Just because you are not squeezing 110% out of the car, it doesn't mean you're not having fun. And club racing should be fun.
There are different factors at play here, driver skill is certainly not the only one.
Dealing with traffic, slow, fast, in class or not, is part of race craft. Don't complain, deal with it.
Just because you are not squeezing 110% out of the car, it doesn't mean you're not having fun. And club racing should be fun.
There are different factors at play here, driver skill is certainly not the only one.
Dealing with traffic, slow, fast, in class or not, is part of race craft. Don't complain, deal with it.
Stuart has a good point. There is always someone quicker (generally), so everyone can benefit from developing “360 Awareness,” a great skill that I first heard articulated by Ron Zitza.
Here’s a guy, fast, used to winning (and being out front), dumped into an American GT class car at the 2000 Rolex 24. With all kinds of stuff flying around them, they harmoniously coexisted with both much faster prototypes while simultaneously passing less quick GT cars for 24 Hours, and won the class! Secret was “360 Awareness.”
Racing really is a smart person’s game...
06-28-2018, 10:48 PM
#245
Three Wheelin'
It is not just looking in your mirror to see if someone is catching you. There are often spots after a turn you can see people come by glancing sideways
Eg at Vir if you are not battling someone take a quick glance to the right after the oak tree to see who is coming through 10.
Njmp has a similar option when you go through 9
Eg at Vir if you are not battling someone take a quick glance to the right after the oak tree to see who is coming through 10.
Njmp has a similar option when you go through 9
06-28-2018, 10:56 PM
#246
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It is not just looking in your mirror to see if someone is catching you. There are often spots after a turn you can see people come by glancing sideways
Eg at Vir if you are not battling someone take a quick glance to the right after the oak tree to see who is coming through 10.
Eg at Vir if you are not battling someone take a quick glance to the right after the oak tree to see who is coming through 10.
On larger tracks, it will often rain on one end and not the other. Brian Redman tells the story of realizing spectators at Spa were opening their umbrellas... Saved him from going off the road...
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06-29-2018, 03:53 AM
#247
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So now an important question...how many of you boys are coming to Road America so we can all play again, but hopefully with less incidents in September? Drinks on me at Siebkens! I am already having withdrawals from VIR!
06-29-2018, 08:10 AM
#248
Hi Clark, I raced with you guys at Barber, finished ahead of the Es in Sprint 1 and behind you, Meissner and Martinson in Sprint 2. Had a great time racing with you, admired your driving, complimented you on it Saturday night. You're right, I should be faster, working on it, doesn't mean I had any less fun racing (cleanly) with you guys. I admire what you guys do every weekend. Sorry to be in your way.
I was behind you at WGI. I was the one who came up and apologized for the move into turn 1. The responsibility wasn't on you to let me by it was on me to get by safely. I felt I was a bit too aggressive so I found you afterwards and apologized. But that was ALL on me. It had nothing to do with you. All anyone has do to is safely drive their own race while maintaining awareness and not doing anything stupid. You achieved all of those things, I did not, hence the apology. The nice thing was by the time I got to VIR it was one more lesson learned and something to apply on track and I DID back out of the pass this time
Some of the comments on here are really interesting. I was watching Ryan, Jimmy and some of the faster cars in front of me when they hit traffic. There were times we could blow through as a train of 4 cars, there were times Jimmy and Ryan had to line up and wait for a safe spot to pass meaning I got to make up a bit of time but subsequently I would end up behind the same traffic and the gap would even back out. There were times I sat behind a 944 for a few corners because there wasn't a safe spot to get by and I watched the guys in front drive off again. Then I had the learning experience of managing slower traffic, not just running 10/10ths which is a skill unto itself. I remember coming on the radio after clearing 6-8 cars in one lap to tell my coach I had lost 1 second in the process. Now THAT was driving I was proud of... Being able to seamlessly let a Cup through at 10 and not lose either of us any time. THAT is driving I was proud of... Going fast is not everything in this sport.
The one thing I never felt was more entitled to the track than them... If anything, that was THEIR piece of track, not mine and I had to find my piece of safe track to get by.
If you have blind spots, do what I did and get a rear view camera system. Not only is my head on a constant swivel but I now have a 180 degree view as a sanity check... The thing is the camera system doesn't make you more aware, it just gives you another tool.
06-29-2018, 08:25 AM
#250
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Mike,
I was behind you at WGI. I was the one who came up and apologized for the move into turn 1. The responsibility wasn't on you to let me by it was on me to get by safely. I felt I was a bit too aggressive so I found you afterwards and apologized. But that was ALL on me. It had nothing to do with you. All anyone has do to is safely drive their own race while maintaining awareness and not doing anything stupid. You achieved all of those things, I did not, hence the apology. The nice thing was by the time I got to VIR it was one more lesson learned and something to apply on track and I DID back out of the pass this time
Some of the comments on here are really interesting. I was watching Ryan, Jimmy and some of the faster cars in front of me when they hit traffic. There were times we could blow through as a train of 4 cars, there were times Jimmy and Ryan had to line up and wait for a safe spot to pass meaning I got to make up a bit of time but subsequently I would end up behind the same traffic and the gap would even back out. There were times I sat behind a 944 for a few corners because there wasn't a safe spot to get by and I watched the guys in front drive off again. Then I had the learning experience of managing slower traffic, not just running 10/10ths which is a skill unto itself. I remember coming on the radio after clearing 6-8 cars in one lap to tell my coach I had lost 1 second in the process. Now THAT was driving I was proud of... Being able to seamlessly let a Cup through at 10 and not lose either of us any time. THAT is driving I was proud of... Going fast is not everything in this sport.
The one thing I never felt was more entitled to the track than them... If anything, that was THEIR piece of track, not mine and I had to find my piece of safe track to get by.
If you have blind spots, do what I did and get a rear view camera system. Not only is my head on a constant swivel but I now have a 180 degree view as a sanity check... The thing is the camera system doesn't make you more aware, it just gives you another tool.
I was behind you at WGI. I was the one who came up and apologized for the move into turn 1. The responsibility wasn't on you to let me by it was on me to get by safely. I felt I was a bit too aggressive so I found you afterwards and apologized. But that was ALL on me. It had nothing to do with you. All anyone has do to is safely drive their own race while maintaining awareness and not doing anything stupid. You achieved all of those things, I did not, hence the apology. The nice thing was by the time I got to VIR it was one more lesson learned and something to apply on track and I DID back out of the pass this time
Some of the comments on here are really interesting. I was watching Ryan, Jimmy and some of the faster cars in front of me when they hit traffic. There were times we could blow through as a train of 4 cars, there were times Jimmy and Ryan had to line up and wait for a safe spot to pass meaning I got to make up a bit of time but subsequently I would end up behind the same traffic and the gap would even back out. There were times I sat behind a 944 for a few corners because there wasn't a safe spot to get by and I watched the guys in front drive off again. Then I had the learning experience of managing slower traffic, not just running 10/10ths which is a skill unto itself. I remember coming on the radio after clearing 6-8 cars in one lap to tell my coach I had lost 1 second in the process. Now THAT was driving I was proud of... Being able to seamlessly let a Cup through at 10 and not lose either of us any time. THAT is driving I was proud of... Going fast is not everything in this sport.
The one thing I never felt was more entitled to the track than them... If anything, that was THEIR piece of track, not mine and I had to find my piece of safe track to get by.
If you have blind spots, do what I did and get a rear view camera system. Not only is my head on a constant swivel but I now have a 180 degree view as a sanity check... The thing is the camera system doesn't make you more aware, it just gives you another tool.
Summit and Jegs have good rear view cameras...
06-29-2018, 08:43 AM
#251
Yep, got my camera system on Summit, even Rob S. was unsure of it at first, thought it might be a negative fixation but after running some laps with it at VIR he suggested we just move the monitor up to where the rear view mirror is it was so good... It weighs nothing, no concern for weight addition and it's just one more tool to keep you and others safe for less than what most of us pay for a tire... Plus it make reversing into your spot in the paddock SO much easier
06-29-2018, 08:45 AM
#252
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I was so sad to see Stuarts car hurt but very glad Joe was ok. It shows the importance of good safety equipment. The car had a P1300GT seat installed which I believe helped tremendously.
There was a lot of good and bad driving out there. Like has been said numerous times, having good situational awareness is key. I think the heat was affecting everyone. It makes a difficult situation even more challenging. All and all it was a great weekend and one of the best tracks in North America. Its hard to be upset about that.
There was a lot of good and bad driving out there. Like has been said numerous times, having good situational awareness is key. I think the heat was affecting everyone. It makes a difficult situation even more challenging. All and all it was a great weekend and one of the best tracks in North America. Its hard to be upset about that.
06-29-2018, 09:04 AM
#253
Three Wheelin'
Originally Posted by coryf
I was so sad to see Stuarts car hurt but very glad Joe was ok. It shows the importance of good safety equipment. The car had a P1300GT seat installed which I believe helped tremendously.
I know we don't like crash pics but I would love to read an analysis of this wreck and crash video by the race shop or some experts on what made the difference on the driver getting out as good as he did.
I would like to learn from it as I expect its a series of small thing that made the difference.
06-29-2018, 04:06 PM
#254
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For your entertainment:
Red Sprint 1 - the first 16 laps. Ultimately lost my splitter and radiators as part of my second avoidance maneuver of the weekend.
Red Enduro/Sprint 3 - loooong (50 min) black flag
Red Sprint 1 - the first 16 laps. Ultimately lost my splitter and radiators as part of my second avoidance maneuver of the weekend.
Red Enduro/Sprint 3 - loooong (50 min) black flag
