Scariest Racing Moment
#31
Video...
I wish we had on board video back in '75. BMW did a short documentary on motorsport in the USA and they talk about Sebring, but they don't mention 2nd place. I did race the 12hr one other time in '77 and won it overall, but don't have many photos and no video.
#33
[QUOTE=AutoQuest Motorsports;15024149]My scariest racing moment took place in a 125cc shifter kart, in which I raced competitively for six years. There are three main races in shifter karts...road course, sprint, and street. Although I've had many sketchy moments in road and sprint racing, the worst was in a street race in Illinois called the Rock Island Grand Prix. They shut the town down, and we raced in the streets at speeds in excess of 100mph if memory serves me right. I was in 4th place with a few laps left and closing on 3rd, and I would always get a good run on him on the straight in the draft and I aimed to take him on the inside of T1. Well, someone had nicked the barriers coming onto the straight the previous lap, and following my normal line I touched that barrier enough to break the bottom of my steering shaft. This put me through a set of barriers directly to my face. Apart from a broken helmet, being dazed, and a gash to my left shin I walked away no worse for wear. And guess what....I got it on gopro. Enjoy haha.
THAT is a big off! Glad you're ok!
THAT is a big off! Glad you're ok!
#35
https://vimeo.com/67030633
2011 at Road Atlanta. Track was drying but was still slippery. Lost it when i touched the brakes. Was scary as it is, but as you can see, could have been way worse.
2011 at Road Atlanta. Track was drying but was still slippery. Lost it when i touched the brakes. Was scary as it is, but as you can see, could have been way worse.
#37
Yeah, what he said. To the green guy the white P-car came out of no where. Fortunately for him the moment came and went very quickly.
With respect to the earlier post about driving to/from the track, I'd say the quantity of crimp moments is greater, but their magnitude is far less than a big oh-crap on the track.
Then there is the one that starts as some innocuous irritations, then a mechanical induced excursion (wrong diff fluid) aggravated by poor right foot input, then sliding along two feet in you recall that wall back there. Manged to tap it and by a freaking miracle didn't damage the car:
-Mike
With respect to the earlier post about driving to/from the track, I'd say the quantity of crimp moments is greater, but their magnitude is far less than a big oh-crap on the track.
Then there is the one that starts as some innocuous irritations, then a mechanical induced excursion (wrong diff fluid) aggravated by poor right foot input, then sliding along two feet in you recall that wall back there. Manged to tap it and by a freaking miracle didn't damage the car:
-Mike
#38
This thread is great. Makes me feel better about spending $$$ on track insurance even though I've never had an incident in DE (did while racing, but in a much cheaper car). Knock on the most luck-inducing wood...
#39
Reminds me of a quote a decade ago from a Canadian pro driver (Robyn Buck), who was coaching me from the right seat as I spun on track. After my apology, he said, "No problem, I've spun more than you've lapped!"
#43
For sure! My first and only money shift was with Leh Keen in the passenger seat of my NASA GTS2 E36 M3 at VIR in about 2011. His response was "hey it happens -- at least it wasn't a $60k engine." Got another $2k used S52 and went on my way...
#44
My scariest racing moment took place in a 125cc shifter kart, in which I raced competitively for six years. There are three main races in shifter karts...road course, sprint, and street. Although I've had many sketchy moments in road and sprint racing, the worst was in a street race in Illinois called the Rock Island Grand Prix. They shut the town down, and we raced in the streets at speeds in excess of 100mph if memory serves me right. I was in 4th place with a few laps left and closing on 3rd, and I would always get a good run on him on the straight in the draft and I aimed to take him on the inside of T1. Well, someone had nicked the barriers coming onto the straight the previous lap, and following my normal line I touched that barrier enough to break the bottom of my steering shaft. This put me through a set of barriers directly to my face. Apart from a broken helmet, being dazed, and a gash to my left shin I walked away no worse for wear. And guess what....I got it on gopro. Enjoy haha.
#45
[QUOTE=josserman;15025029]
Not scary but a couple close calls and lots of sideways action at this weekends AER race.
The fogging windshield made tough conditions nearly impossible!
Have you tried rubbing shaving foam on windshield?
The fogging windshield made tough conditions nearly impossible!
Have you tried rubbing shaving foam on windshield?