sjanes

My region typically sees about 1-2 impacts per season (15 track days) at Tremblant. Although I've been to two events at Mosport over the years that had 6 cars get banged up. I think the tow truck got more track time than I did.

Carrera GT

I'm a relatively inexperienced private pilot -- I learned a lot in my "formative years" as a pilot from incessantly reading AIRs "air incident reports."

I like the idea of a post-OTE (off track event) or post-ROOT (ran out of talent) examination of the facts. If you connect aviation to track driving, the examination would not dwell on the last seconds in the absence of incontraverible data (video, data-acq) but would take careful note of contributing factors (preparation of the car, especially say tires, brakes, safety gear, preparation of the driver, time of day, state of mind, links to other events and the condition on the track, time of day again, traffic, running pattern, perhaps debris or a flag missed or other rule violations etc.)

After a few days at DE's or similar events you pretty quickly see the patterns -- first run group full of hot lappers, first session after lunch with food-coma drivers, last session with "one last go at my best time" ... or looking at the guy who shows up in the paddock with a welding rig as part of his regular tools for a day at the track ... simple patterns.

As far as safety reviews, it might be very helpful to see gathered statistics and know that, f'rinstance, street GT3s running slicks are breaking steering or suspension. Some of this information comes from Porsche, but those stats are only as useful as the underlying data. Things like service and inspection intervals for wheel bearings (for example) could start to make sense. At present, unless it escalates to the courts, nobody has the time, money or motivation to capture these data. So it goes.

ps. Check your wheel bearings from time to time.

dave morris

You should be checking your wheel bearings before each event.

Willard Bridgham 3

I've been ponderin' this thread and will note in our region that any off at an event is followed by a trip to the pits where the instructor and student sit w/the chief instructor to reconstruct the off or incident.

When the chief instructor is happy both the student and instructor understand what caused the incident, you get sent to the tech line to check for damage before you can go back on the track.

I will not posit that the discussion actually gets to the root of the off, but it surely makes you pay attention to your student's/your driving a lot more which I think is the lesson to be learned.

Reconstructing the physics, psychology and geometry of the off is an impossible task.....just the geometry would be good.

gums

Willard,
good idea. Now the forum has accomplished something positive. BTW, I don't think that incidents need be posted or published anywhere, it's still nice to recoup insurance when you can. It's just for the purpose of furthering our understanding and ability.

renvagn

So true. We were just having this discussion at the meeting last night, regarding why people forget the basics like, warming oneself and the car up for the first few laps, checking mirrors entering corners and backing it down a few levels especially during the last run of the day where fatigue sets in. Like skiing, some of the biggest accidents happen during the last run of the day.

The response to why people don't do these things was they forget. Maybe it would help to remind drivers of the basics at the mornining drivers meeting.

JayP

They'll forget by then... walking around the grid with a chalk-dry erase board saying "You are tired. Don't screw up the last session of the day" before the cars go out works.

smankow

So Willard, your region has people assigned to tech cars throughout the entire event? That seems a little impractical. My region has work assignments in the pits so that they can check out the car prior to letting it back onto the track. They check the tires, look for debris and loose parts, fluid, etc. This occurs while the driver gets "checked out".

also, we have the 2 spin rule

Steve

SundayDriver

One of my favorite grid workers in SCCA would walk the pre-grid before the first session of the day and say to each driver:

"Cold tires, cold track, cold brain. Take it easy out there."

If you want to remind drivers, it can easily be done with a sign as they enter the track. On that subject, I have seen most of the overdriving in the first session of the second day - especially with novice to intermediate. Confidence is up from day one but the rhythm is not.

kurt M

This is the pattern I have noted as well. Day 2 or day 3 a.m. Over 1/2 of the total fit this time frame for the past couple years. Damage and frequency seems to be increasing but I don't have hard facts on that, just a feel. Sunday afternoon has been quiet for a while.

TD in DC

Day 2 in the morning of a three day event was when I had my wreck, not that that meens anything . . .

renvagn

ALPO is calling, the horse is beaten to death. It's time to officially put T-10 to rest. You are a solid driver who gets it. You can follow me anytime on the track. HAHAHAHA

Carrera GT

As long as the word "drove" is in frequent use, no topic is ever laid to rest on Rennlist.