Shaking off an accident
01-31-2007, 11:31 PM
#16
Fred,
Just an ot question about the car... were you driving the RT? I'm at T-hill on Monday and Tuesday for the 2 day advanced school and am wondering how the aero car feels compared to the 4speed.
One of the drivers in my 3 day school had a very similar experience to yours in 4... although he got 2 off on the outside, lifted a bit to try to get back on track and took the left side front/rear wheels and suspension off in the inside tire wall.
Those little bugger cars get away from you so quickly! Are you doing the skippy race series?
Just an ot question about the car... were you driving the RT? I'm at T-hill on Monday and Tuesday for the 2 day advanced school and am wondering how the aero car feels compared to the 4speed.
One of the drivers in my 3 day school had a very similar experience to yours in 4... although he got 2 off on the outside, lifted a bit to try to get back on track and took the left side front/rear wheels and suspension off in the inside tire wall.
Those little bugger cars get away from you so quickly! Are you doing the skippy race series?
01-31-2007, 11:45 PM
#17
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Originally Posted by thusly
It was bound to happen. 
I had always prided myself in not going off track, much less crashing.
Turn 4 at Laguna in Skippy car; car had significant oversteer tendencies that I did not correct (wanted more track time so I didn't pit). Thought I would explore the limits and went into the turn in 4th gear with hardly a breathe of the throttle; back end rotated, I probably lifted slightly and boom - into the tire wall. Wrote off the entire side of the car, plus, plus, plus. No injuries and some lessons learned. Got back into another car (after sitting out a few sessions) and worked my focus and driving back up. Did pretty well to move on, but while thinking about driving, it is hard not to "forget".
So......without admitting any guilt or personal mishaps
any thoughts/ideas/methods to help put this situation behind????
I had always prided myself in not going off track, much less crashing.Turn 4 at Laguna in Skippy car; car had significant oversteer tendencies that I did not correct (wanted more track time so I didn't pit). Thought I would explore the limits and went into the turn in 4th gear with hardly a breathe of the throttle; back end rotated, I probably lifted slightly and boom - into the tire wall. Wrote off the entire side of the car, plus, plus, plus. No injuries and some lessons learned. Got back into another car (after sitting out a few sessions) and worked my focus and driving back up. Did pretty well to move on, but while thinking about driving, it is hard not to "forget".
So......without admitting any guilt or personal mishaps
any thoughts/ideas/methods to help put this situation behind????If you need suggestions let me know.
Glad to hear that you are OK!
02-01-2007, 12:29 AM
#18
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Originally Posted by 4ng crcs
Fred,
Just an ot question about the car... were you driving the RT? I'm at T-hill on Monday and Tuesday for the 2 day advanced school and am wondering how the aero car feels compared to the 4speed.
One of the drivers in my 3 day school had a very similar experience to yours in 4... although he got 2 off on the outside, lifted a bit to try to get back on track and took the left side front/rear wheels and suspension off in the inside tire wall.
Those little bugger cars get away from you so quickly! Are you doing the skippy race series?
Just an ot question about the car... were you driving the RT? I'm at T-hill on Monday and Tuesday for the 2 day advanced school and am wondering how the aero car feels compared to the 4speed.
One of the drivers in my 3 day school had a very similar experience to yours in 4... although he got 2 off on the outside, lifted a bit to try to get back on track and took the left side front/rear wheels and suspension off in the inside tire wall.
Those little bugger cars get away from you so quickly! Are you doing the skippy race series?
02-01-2007, 01:08 AM
#19
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Originally Posted by thusly
No skippy series for me - the open wheel crash potential makes me nervous, particularly when you are racing against 13 yo karters that have been racing for 8 years! They are fearless!
02-01-2007, 11:45 AM
#20
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[First of all, this is Mindy writing and not Marc, but I think that he would agree with me.]
Last May I stupidly went out on a damp LCMT (after a 12 hour drive up and 1 1/2 days of rain) on old-ish Cups and was foolish enough to not come off the track when it started pouring again. I have safely spun before on other tracks in the dry but I never expected to simply sail off the track sideways as my tires let go at about 45 mph. The wet grass was my big dose of inexperience and the approaching aarmco was an unwelcomed situation.
I spent the rest of the season tentative, worrisome, and unbearably slow. Others agree that you start to drive in your rearview mirror and may misplace the skill of using the entire track. A lot of folks said the same thing to me -- drive, drive, drive, and in one year it will come back. I've seen others prove this correct so I relay this advice to you.
BTW, I do not drive in the wet anymore, I will not go to LCMT before the end of June, and I am really looking forward to this May...
Last May I stupidly went out on a damp LCMT (after a 12 hour drive up and 1 1/2 days of rain) on old-ish Cups and was foolish enough to not come off the track when it started pouring again. I have safely spun before on other tracks in the dry but I never expected to simply sail off the track sideways as my tires let go at about 45 mph. The wet grass was my big dose of inexperience and the approaching aarmco was an unwelcomed situation.
I spent the rest of the season tentative, worrisome, and unbearably slow. Others agree that you start to drive in your rearview mirror and may misplace the skill of using the entire track. A lot of folks said the same thing to me -- drive, drive, drive, and in one year it will come back. I've seen others prove this correct so I relay this advice to you.
BTW, I do not drive in the wet anymore, I will not go to LCMT before the end of June, and I am really looking forward to this May...
02-01-2007, 04:51 PM
#21
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I crashed a Skip car my first year in the regional series.
Uusal rookie mistakes -- starting to go faster, early apexed, dropped two wheels at T6 at Road America and hooked it.
What helped me was to go out to the turn early the next day with an observer and talk about what I did and what i should have done. Very easy to get on the horse after that.
Uusal rookie mistakes -- starting to go faster, early apexed, dropped two wheels at T6 at Road America and hooked it.
What helped me was to go out to the turn early the next day with an observer and talk about what I did and what i should have done. Very easy to get on the horse after that.
02-02-2007, 09:01 AM
#23
Race Car
First of all, as others have stated, glad you weren't injured...and you've heard it a thousand times by now, "it could've been worse".
I've had a couple incidents on track, and thankfully, after every single one of them, I was able to get right back out on track and put it behind me. These things happen, that's all too apparent, just be thankful that it's only $$$$$$$ and not hospital time you spent - I have been just as fortunate and am thankful for it.
I've had a couple incidents on track, and thankfully, after every single one of them, I was able to get right back out on track and put it behind me. These things happen, that's all too apparent, just be thankful that it's only $$$$$$$ and not hospital time you spent - I have been just as fortunate and am thankful for it.
02-02-2007, 01:46 PM
#24
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Getting "back on the horse" asap is always the key! This is a bit removed from our racing, but I almost drowned off one of our So. Cal. beaches while windsurfing. If only I had a knife to cut through my sail which I had become entangled in. At the last possible second before I was about to inhale I got loose, I was probably under for 20-30 secs. without a breath before wiping out. I sat on the beach for a good 1/2 hour before getting back out there! No looking back, just "tango on"! Ya, I was leary of further wipe outs, but I learned from it and never had the same situation occur.
