Why did you crash or go off track??
08-17-2007, 08:55 PM
#76
Lifetime Rennlist Member
I have been off more times than I can count. Almost every single off was the result of running out of talent. Even oil or changing track conditions - you should have read the signs - shiny track or the sun was setting and the track cooled, etc - these are all things a driver should be able to observe and adjust for. The only off I would claim was not talent based was when I had brake failure entering T7 at Mid Ohio. The car and the track are constantly telling you what is happening. We don't always listen or have the talent to listen.
That said, when those things happen, the most common mistake is to think you can save the car when it is gone. The most experienced drivers give up early and tend to spin in the first half of the corner. n00bs and intermediates more often spin at exit because they are either late to recognize an unsavable situation or they try to save it.
That said, when those things happen, the most common mistake is to think you can save the car when it is gone. The most experienced drivers give up early and tend to spin in the first half of the corner. n00bs and intermediates more often spin at exit because they are either late to recognize an unsavable situation or they try to save it.
08-17-2007, 10:40 PM
#77
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by TD in DC
Feel free. I posted it so that people can learn from my experience aka mistakes. 
thank you
tom
08-17-2007, 10:56 PM
#78
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Originally Posted by SundayDriver
That said, when those things happen, the most common mistake is to think you can save the car when it is gone. The most experienced drivers give up early and tend to spin in the first half of the corner. n00bs and intermediates more often spin at exit because they are either late to recognize an unsavable situation or they try to save it.
I have often wondered about this idea, spinning early, but always thought saving the car was the best strategy. Nice to expand the concept of how to define 'best outcome'.
08-17-2007, 10:59 PM
#79
Burning Brakes
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Late to the party, but only two of any consequence;
-Qualifing session, going into 11 (or is it 12) at Nelson's, in a bit hot, trailbraked and turned in - around she went, backwards into the mud.
Lesson - front engined, front wheel drive cars react differently from the 911 I was used to driving- Adjust.
- First session of NASA race school at Mid-Oh, came thru 7 smoking, forgot to brake for 8/ Madness. Came over the top to find alligators between my front wheels, decided right then and there to stay straight, went down the hill in the grass, rejoined in 10. Don't care for turn 9 anyway.
Lesson - have a plan when things,as Herr Professor would say, "go egg-shaped."
-Qualifing session, going into 11 (or is it 12) at Nelson's, in a bit hot, trailbraked and turned in - around she went, backwards into the mud.
Lesson - front engined, front wheel drive cars react differently from the 911 I was used to driving- Adjust.
- First session of NASA race school at Mid-Oh, came thru 7 smoking, forgot to brake for 8/ Madness. Came over the top to find alligators between my front wheels, decided right then and there to stay straight, went down the hill in the grass, rejoined in 10. Don't care for turn 9 anyway.
Lesson - have a plan when things,as Herr Professor would say, "go egg-shaped."
08-18-2007, 12:58 AM
#80
I had a fairly stupid moment the other day. Co-driving a car that wasnt mine T13 Nelson Ledges, 2nd gear, fairly cold MSPC's in a drizzle from the morning. Just a touch to much throttle and around it came, two feet, went across the grass and ended up facing the correct direction just off the track. Like I said, fairly stupid, was cursing myself out over the radio but it was good for a laugh the rest of the day. (Thanks Skip )
)
08-20-2007, 11:41 AM
#81
Race Director
That said, when those things happen, the most common mistake is to think you can save the car when it is gone. The most experienced drivers give up early and tend to spin in the first half of the corner. n00bs and intermediates more often spin at exit because they are either late to recognize an unsavable situation or they try to save it.
Seems like both Mark and I have more off tracks than most all of you combined. We both learned this a long time ago that one key to being "safe" if you will is to learn when throw in the towel and manage off as best you can to minimize the damage. Trying to save it for too long often results in a much bigger and more spectacular off.
08-20-2007, 10:54 PM
#83
Rennlist Member
Hey Mark! Exactly my thoughts. Funny I find this thread after a little "oops" on Friday at Thunderhill. Bad push from heat cycled out front tires on the Radical, went 4 off over the exit berm in T2 and got back on slaloming between the "2" and "1" brake markers for T3. First off track (other than a low speed spin on a wet track) in 4 years with the car. Probably was the longest surviving original front splitter on one of the things....... Gives me some work on Sunday before Monday!
Back on point, took me 20 years to crash anything: the RSA @ Sears Point in '03 when I didn't turn down for 1, pushed off into the marbles and swapped ends. 3 laps before the end of a race, tired, thirsty, running all by myself.
Only other damage at all I can think of was entering 10 @ Thunderhill about 5 years ago in my '74 3.6 widebody and my foot slipped off the brake pedal. Damn near rolled the car, but the only casualty was the RSR front spoiler.
Also had a totally unexpected brake failure into 14 @ Thunderhill w/ my '92 C4, also about 5 years ago. Luckily I slalomed between the offset K-wall and only got tire rub marks down the right side. That one could have been a writeoff.
Now that I think about it, my biggest "what could have happened" was about 10 years ago @ Laguna coming off of 10 and stopping not 2 feet from the wall, backward on the outside of the track TRYING to keep up w/ Craig Watkins (of Smart Racing/Flying Lizards). Every time he came around to pass me in an event I would try and try to keep up for as long as I could, and would absolutely learn something I would go pick his brain about afterward.
Too many 2-offs, harmless spins, and 4-offs that only required a visual inspection to count.
Back on point, took me 20 years to crash anything: the RSA @ Sears Point in '03 when I didn't turn down for 1, pushed off into the marbles and swapped ends. 3 laps before the end of a race, tired, thirsty, running all by myself.
Only other damage at all I can think of was entering 10 @ Thunderhill about 5 years ago in my '74 3.6 widebody and my foot slipped off the brake pedal. Damn near rolled the car, but the only casualty was the RSR front spoiler.
Also had a totally unexpected brake failure into 14 @ Thunderhill w/ my '92 C4, also about 5 years ago. Luckily I slalomed between the offset K-wall and only got tire rub marks down the right side. That one could have been a writeoff.
Now that I think about it, my biggest "what could have happened" was about 10 years ago @ Laguna coming off of 10 and stopping not 2 feet from the wall, backward on the outside of the track TRYING to keep up w/ Craig Watkins (of Smart Racing/Flying Lizards). Every time he came around to pass me in an event I would try and try to keep up for as long as I could, and would absolutely learn something I would go pick his brain about afterward.
Too many 2-offs, harmless spins, and 4-offs that only required a visual inspection to count.
08-20-2007, 10:55 PM
#84
Drifting
My first club race - Atlanta 4 months ago...
I was so pumped and excited that I failed to see the checkered flag at the end of the fun/practice race. Still driving at race pace, I passed 2 cars going up the hill after turn 1. A couple of turns later I spun and my car stopped in the gravel... i was facing the track... making humiliating eye contact with the drivers of the 2 cars that I had just passed... these guys must have been laughing or rolling their eyes. I was immediately blackflagged of course. The rest of the weekend went well.
Fred
I was so pumped and excited that I failed to see the checkered flag at the end of the fun/practice race. Still driving at race pace, I passed 2 cars going up the hill after turn 1. A couple of turns later I spun and my car stopped in the gravel... i was facing the track... making humiliating eye contact with the drivers of the 2 cars that I had just passed... these guys must have been laughing or rolling their eyes. I was immediately blackflagged of course. The rest of the weekend went well.
Fred
08-20-2007, 11:25 PM
#85
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2 spins, both in my old 944 on what I thought were great runs until...
Lime Rock 7 years ago, took a very late pass going into big bend, tried to force car back on line (yeah, I know, I was a beginner), ended up in the grass looking at cars coming up the track.
Watkins Glen 3 years ago, last run of the day, again, for me, very fast, passing a bunch of cars until, did not get car straight for braking for turn 6, did not do enough braking for turn 6, did not unwind wheel after turn 6, did a 180, stayed on track, no damage, no traffic (whew), no skid marks in my or instructor's shorts. That turn still give me heebie jeebie at times.
Learned a lesson each time. I had 2 brief pucker moments this last weekend with NNJR at WGI. One at turn 1, one at 6 again, managed to come thru OK, reminded me I can run out of my very limited talent and expereince at any moment!!
Lime Rock 7 years ago, took a very late pass going into big bend, tried to force car back on line (yeah, I know, I was a beginner), ended up in the grass looking at cars coming up the track.
Watkins Glen 3 years ago, last run of the day, again, for me, very fast, passing a bunch of cars until, did not get car straight for braking for turn 6, did not do enough braking for turn 6, did not unwind wheel after turn 6, did a 180, stayed on track, no damage, no traffic (whew), no skid marks in my or instructor's shorts. That turn still give me heebie jeebie at times.
Learned a lesson each time. I had 2 brief pucker moments this last weekend with NNJR at WGI. One at turn 1, one at 6 again, managed to come thru OK, reminded me I can run out of my very limited talent and expereince at any moment!!
08-20-2007, 11:26 PM
#86
Rennlist Member
Wow, where do I start?
-got rammed by a ****-up named Tom Nastasi (running in a higher class) on a restart when I was in a top 5 position;
-the off --I ended up atop a blind hill facing the rest of the field coming at me at full bore--was delightfully broadcast on national TV, as was my subsequent locking front wheels under hard braking trying to get back to the pits to assess damage (turns out the ABS was destroyed in the impact, which I discovered as I slid into the sand trap)
-at another race in another series, got used 3 different times by 2 different racers as a brake marker; 2 of those sent me into the gravel; one of these required a tow truck pull out
-other small offs were due usually to me running out of talent
-except for the time my radiator expired as I entered a fast off camber downhill left hander
-and the time I corded a tire in a very fast sweeper
-got rammed by a ****-up named Tom Nastasi (running in a higher class) on a restart when I was in a top 5 position;
-the off --I ended up atop a blind hill facing the rest of the field coming at me at full bore--was delightfully broadcast on national TV, as was my subsequent locking front wheels under hard braking trying to get back to the pits to assess damage (turns out the ABS was destroyed in the impact, which I discovered as I slid into the sand trap)
-at another race in another series, got used 3 different times by 2 different racers as a brake marker; 2 of those sent me into the gravel; one of these required a tow truck pull out
-other small offs were due usually to me running out of talent
-except for the time my radiator expired as I entered a fast off camber downhill left hander
-and the time I corded a tire in a very fast sweeper
08-20-2007, 11:28 PM
#87
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Oh, someone had a major Oh **** in a F1 car at the NNJR WGI event, I think they are OK, but the car wentflying in many different directions. Friend of mine came around the corner and saw pieces of car still in the air!
08-20-2007, 11:28 PM
#88
Rennlist Member
Mosport T4 during World Challenge qualifying. Hit the small bump at the apex while staying flat on the power. The rear snapped and thus we have the picture from my sig. Funny thing is I never left the track and kept the rear tires spinning all the way down the hill. I made the apex for the next turn no problem.
07-31-2008, 02:55 PM
#90
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Learned that when you go both feet in, count to three after you come to a stop before taking your foot off of the brake. Do not make the mistake of sliding down the track and saying "got it" and releasing the brake. Bad things will happen as the suspension unloads!