Larry Herman

Another reason to move to a more lenient 13/13 is all of the safety equipment that we are running. In the old days, with low cut seats and no H&N restraint, if you hit someone next to you, you obviously weren't looking, and deserved a 13. Now a days, with heavy nets on both sides, full containment seats with halos, and H&N devices, it is very hard for even the most aware to keep track of everyone around them. Incidental contact is one of the prices that we must consider for the reduced visibility inherent due to our advance safety equipment.

Manny Alban

I hope not. I just got a HANS device on the day before the Sebring club race and was expecting the worst, but found it to be non existent when I was racing. Only thing I had to do was adjust my mirrors slightly. Didn't change my racing habits one bit. Granted, much like Colin, I give racing room. I was running really close with several guys and I gave them room if they wanted to pass me. The only negative I had with the HANS device was when I got into the car in the paddock with it attached. I could not turn my head fully left to see if any cars were coming down the paddock road. After a few times, I just readjusted how I parked to car so I could use the mirror to see the cars. While I have the car paid for, thus written off and I'm not emotionally attached to it, I still try to keep it in one piece. I'd hate to be hit and then have that racer claim "my HANS prevented me from seeing him on my right".

Larry Herman

Don't get me wrong, Manny. I'm not using it as an excuse for poor driving or lack of awareness. But I can promise you that there will be more incidents because of "I was past him and took the racing line. I could not see that he was just behind my door post & he should have given room".

Veloce Raptor

I think what we have hit on here is the fundamental core truth of club racing/13-13 racing (versus semi-pro & pro racing):

Namely, that it is for FUN, where the primary goals are to have a blast with friends, learn from those better, and compete on a relatively level playing field with a very high probability of taking your car home intact.

IMHO, if folks keep that in mind, and drive accordingly, multi-car incidents not caused by mechanical failure should really be near zero. It's only when folks aggrandize the stakes of a club race (in their minds) that they can get in over their heads, over drive, and seriously risk running out of talent & into another car.

I remember my very first club race. I was driving my friend Scott's car. Toward the end of the race, I was making a pass of a fast car driven very well by a very experienced guy. I made the pass cleanly entering a tight corner, but pinched him at track out, and he had to seriously lift to avoid hitting me.

I was aghast. Immediately after the race, I went over to him & publicly apologized for not completing the pass w/o causing him distress. To me, that was my responsibility, and club racing is all about clean. He was a good sport about it, but it was clear that I had not pleased him on track. Yet he was surprised at my apology, and we have become fast friends ever since.

trackjunky

I see this as the fundamental problem with the 13/13 rule. When you are wheel to wheel in the corner, you almost never think that you don't own it. Because of this, both drivers are thinking that the other guy is going to conceede the corner. Normally, you might have two cars go side by side through the corner and continue this on corner exit and even through the next corner. Mutual respect is given.

I think the 13/13 unintentionally allows drivers to assume the other guy will give because "the rules say so". Just my 2 cents.