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????

TD in DC

Here is what helped me . . . . get right back on the horse . . . immediately.

Also, try to look at your driving holistically rather than focusing too much on the precise nature of what went wrong.

After my wreck, I found my self focusing too much on turn in point and corner entry speed. As a result, it was hard for me to be as smooth as I can be. Once I got back to focusing on the entire turn again and driving through the corner rather than connecting the dots from turn in to apex and track out, things got a lot easier again, which is no surprise.

The skippy cars at Laguna Seca can be a handful. I spun once w/o contact, but many of my classmates wrecked and damaged their cars. Funny thing is that the Skippy cars at Lime Rock seem to handle much, much better . . .

Glad you were not hurt.

ceboyd

I think getting back out there is very important... if you loose your nerve completely, then you'll never be able to enjoy it as much as you do.

I think a lot of us mentally prepare for the possibility and even when the law of averages catches up to us, it is still very hard to take.

I know I wasn't as fast in my lap times the next day but I did still have fun and got back more into my normal routine anyway.

I knew the second it happened the stupid mistake I did.. it happens... we are only human..

Wreck Me Otter

I've done the same thing in the same turn, but I tried going flat in 4th on the old surface...it didn't work either... ...fortunately all I did was bend the front wing a little thanks to the gravel trap.

I agree with others, take responsibility for your actions, learn from it, and get back out there. Sounds like you're most of the way there.

Veloce Raptor

Glad you weren't hurt. I concur with what others have said in this thread.

4 Kurves

Fred - so sorry to hear that. Was it is the red car?

I'm glad to hear you went right back out. The few offs I've had (with no damage so far) I tried to do the same and like TC said I was too focused on the turn in but that went away.

It really is a law of averages. No one and no machine is msitake free. How big a price is paid is up to chance.

thusly

Thanks goodness it wasn't. Skippy's car! Besides, red car would in no way ever pass sound - the RSR engine is loud!!!

ceboyd

see, even better to have happened to you in a school owned car! ..you didnt' have to be worried about damaging your car, a friend's car or a student's car, etc.

I have never taken a student's car off-track but it can happen since you never know what might happen to the car in front of you (oil slick, etc.)

..it all goes with the territory.

If we all started to think too much about it, we probably wouldnt go out there any more.. and that is not an option IMHO

...so you concentrate on learning from your mistake.. and move ahead!

4 Kurves

Oh - "Skippy". I just got it. Doh!

Gary R.

Stop thinking about it, get back on the horse and move on.

Bull

Agree with above. Don't make the mistake of focusing so much on the one part of your driving that was involved in this event, so that you start doing dumb things elsewhere. Learn from it, forget about it, and drive on!

chancecasey

+1 for getting back on and putting the whole thing in your rearview mirror. You're obviously not a GhettoRacer, so you probably learned exactly what you needed to.

FWIW - I've only run Laguna once and T4 was where I came the closest to completely losing it. Too hot (BAD), slight lift (WORSE), rotate (NOW I'M GOING TO DIE), throttle (I THINK I CAN), 45 degree drift to hookup at little white apron on trackout (EMPTY UNDERWEAR). It's a very deceptive corner - at least for me -looks easier than it really is.

IMHO, It's natural (and good) for a collision (or near collision) to shake you up - just nature's way of saying DANGER! PAY ATTENTION! - Which, let's face it, if there weren't the potential for harm, most of us probably wouldn't be doing this, whether we are consciously aware of it or not. So, from the eternal optimist point of view - this is actually a good thing - it will contribute to your dopamine rush when you're back at the limit and don't crash because you are more keenly aware of the importance of staying focused.

TD in DC

When I was at Laguna Seca, it was raining a lot. The rain washed out gravel and created gulleys just off the track in several places. I was really picking it up through Turn 10, and each time I would track out a little bit farther. One time I dropped just a little of my wheels off the track at trackout of T10 (I don't even think it was the entire wheels), and the crap at the edge of the track just caused me to spin, and it was a very fast spin . . . enough to raise the heart rate a little.

}{arlequin

drive drive and then drive some more. pretty much ignore what happened, maybe while taking it a little easy in that particular spot. eventually you'll start thinking ab how/what happened and w/ a clear but confident mind you can come up w/ a few theories. if you don't fall, you won't learn... (sorry, it gets lost in translation)

DM993tt

I did the skip barber race school in sebring, it took me one good spin to get realize the open wheel cars and their worn dodge neon tires were very tail happy. While running through cones on the first day I squeezed the throttle when the back end started to come out, (in my 911 that plants the rear and helps tracking out.) In the formula ford - see ya later. I didn't mind spinning in the dodge's bc there wasn't much to hit there. While I was out learning in those things I wanted to know where the limit was on every turn, and to find out, I took it just a little past the limit - I had a bunch of high speed spins, but I figured there was no better way to learn. I'll drive my p car 9/10ths because I want to be able to drive it home. I've had a few good slides and let the tail hang out but I've yet to have a spin on the track in my own car. If you spin, you've either made a mistake or found the limit. Hopefully you learned something - get back out there and do it till you get it right, and have some fun with it!