High School physics at the track
#1
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High School physics at the track
Here's a fun little clip involving a spin and the subsequent reaction from my high school age daughter...
I took her out for an open session at MSR this past Saturday. It was only her 2nd time on the track with me, and the first time was over a year ago. So it's not like she's seen a lot of action from an in-car point of view. Yet she absolutely knew what was happening when a Corvette driver spun in front of us.
From her first comment "he took that too fast" to her post-track analysis, she was spot on. Not only that, while I was focusing on avoiding the vette and then putting it behind me for the next set of turns, she had the wits about her to perform the role of commentator to the small camera she was holding - aimed backwards, in order to film herself. Only one turn beyond the spin and she was already thinking about the lesson to be shared with her high school physics class.
Here's the spin, followed by her post-track physics lesson...
http://www.vimeo.com/2878189
(MSR 1.7 CW, Ricochet)
I took her out for an open session at MSR this past Saturday. It was only her 2nd time on the track with me, and the first time was over a year ago. So it's not like she's seen a lot of action from an in-car point of view. Yet she absolutely knew what was happening when a Corvette driver spun in front of us.
From her first comment "he took that too fast" to her post-track analysis, she was spot on. Not only that, while I was focusing on avoiding the vette and then putting it behind me for the next set of turns, she had the wits about her to perform the role of commentator to the small camera she was holding - aimed backwards, in order to film herself. Only one turn beyond the spin and she was already thinking about the lesson to be shared with her high school physics class.
Here's the spin, followed by her post-track physics lesson...
http://www.vimeo.com/2878189
(MSR 1.7 CW, Ricochet)
#2
Race Director
Well,
The C5 driver went in too deep and could not slow down at the turn in point. His braking put him off line in the dirty part of the track causing less grip than normal sending him spinning when he turned in. The drivers should have recognized he was in dirty part of the track while braking and went of straight. Dumb idea to try to make the corner as it was never going to happen.
Ok to bring it to physics. The coefficient of friction is lower in dirt and marbles off line than on well rubbered in line.
The C5 driver went in too deep and could not slow down at the turn in point. His braking put him off line in the dirty part of the track causing less grip than normal sending him spinning when he turned in. The drivers should have recognized he was in dirty part of the track while braking and went of straight. Dumb idea to try to make the corner as it was never going to happen.
Ok to bring it to physics. The coefficient of friction is lower in dirt and marbles off line than on well rubbered in line.
#3
Or taken driving lessons, or learned how to downshift (I cringed at that last one).....
I watched the video first and knew before I heard anything or read your description, that had to be a highschool aged girl in the passenger seat. Pink camera faced backwards, clearly taking a picture for facebook/myspace.
I watched the video first and knew before I heard anything or read your description, that had to be a highschool aged girl in the passenger seat. Pink camera faced backwards, clearly taking a picture for facebook/myspace.
#4
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Well,
The C5 driver went in too deep and could not slow down at the turn in point. His braking put him off line in the dirty part of the track causing less grip than normal sending him spinning when he turned in. The drivers should have recognized he was in dirty part of the track while braking and went of straight. Dumb idea to try to make the corner as it was never going to happen.
Ok to bring it to physics. The coefficient of friction is lower in dirt and marbles off line than on well rubbered in line.
The C5 driver went in too deep and could not slow down at the turn in point. His braking put him off line in the dirty part of the track causing less grip than normal sending him spinning when he turned in. The drivers should have recognized he was in dirty part of the track while braking and went of straight. Dumb idea to try to make the corner as it was never going to happen.
Ok to bring it to physics. The coefficient of friction is lower in dirt and marbles off line than on well rubbered in line.
You should see the rest of the video taken from her camera. It's a lot like the Patrese video of his wife screaming in the passenger seat, except my daughter's are screams of pure joy!
#5
Good to see she likes it! Now more importantly, come license time is she going to get out there and drive? We need to even out the M/F ratio at these events, so all the elligible young men like me......trails off..... I'll keep my mouth shut so dad will still consider letting her get out there .
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#8
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Good to see she likes it! Now more importantly, come license time is she going to get out there and drive? We need to even out the M/F ratio at these events, so all the elligible young men like me......trails off..... I'll keep my mouth shut so dad will still consider letting her get out there .
Including her father.
I'd try to confirm that with her, but I've already had a debate with her on Newtonian vs. Aristotelian physics, and lost.
#9
Nordschleife Master
Great clip. Funny how the Vette driver also did a money shift (bounced the engine off the limiter on the downshift.) Funny...I have a feeling that my daughter will be a lot like yours in the not-so-distant future.
Her 1st "track day" -
Her 1st "track day" -
#12
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Charming pics!
In your near future...
teaching them the rules of the road...
(2006)
sharing with them your passion for the sport...
(2007)
and finally.... track time!!
(2008)
In your near future...
teaching them the rules of the road...
(2006)
sharing with them your passion for the sport...
(2007)
and finally.... track time!!
(2008)
#14
Nordschleife Master
#15
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