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Just got back from Potomac's season opener at Summit Point and had an interesting weekend at the track. My goals for the weekend were simple: thaw out from the winter, work the hand-eye-foot coordination back up to speed, have a good time and bring the car home in one piece. The first session of the weekend was great. I was given an instructor that I really connected with who helped fine tune a few things early. The 2nd session was a continuation of the first and just as I was heading down the front straight after passing another car braking into turn 1... I heard a "thud" and saw a harness flapping in the left corner of my eye...
Video:
I had this happen to me at an autocross once, too. Fortunately the damage was insignificant and I didn't have to replace the light. +1 for check those lights! A loose fixture will give the same fast turn signal as a blown bulb.
I can't believe this sorta stuff happens. I would have never thought that headlight security could ever be a thing? The PPF really saved the lens from major damage. Who would have known?
@Jeff - TWICE???????
Be thankful there was not more damage. I lost mine in the same place (t1 summit) the light flipped over and smashed the fender leaving a big dent. I count myself lucky as it could of also been the windshield.
Yes twice. Ist time at Palmer. The car had been wrapped so the dealer blamed the installer and I had to pay. $3200. Second time at Lime Rock. The dealer payed for that one. I don't track that car any more since I have 2 track cars now.
Yup. We had a guy lose one during a braking exercise. His car was a bit of a jalopy and I figured at the time that was the cause, but apparently not. He was fairly lucky that the light belly landed and didn't get trashed, he just popped it back in.
As I remember the headlights have a tool and a pretty severe cam locking them in place. Are these headlights getting loose or not being properly locked in place after removal?
Happened to me once after removing the front bumper of my 991 to fix the 3rd radiator "blank" filler. I put everything back together and also put in new brake pads the same day. Took the car out to bed-in the pads. Blammo. Out came the light, dangling on the highway. It didn't fall off, though, and I was able to replace it in its hole. No harm done. A few scratches on the PPF. Scary, though!
EDIT: Upon further inspection, it turned out I didn't lock the light in place properly when I put everything back together. It felt like everything popped properly back with the headlight tool, but alas...
Sent mine into the stratosphere at Road America during practice last year. I was so glad I had clear track behind me and it didn't come down on any other vehicles and the part slid off the racing surface. Now I have some headlight blanks I run.