renvagn

I just finished watching the Glen race (another great race) and once again there were some spins, which is expected with two classes of cars so closely matched. However, has anyone else noticed the reoccuring habit of the stopped spun car to either fail to put their brakes on to prevent rolling into the line or on coming traffic; or drive directly across the track into on coming traffic. I watched a spun ST car drive the wrong way, right into a very competitive GT Nissan in T-6. These actions have been taking place all year. Whats the deal? Someone is going to get seriously hurt do to these repeated amateurish and foolish actions.

Streak

That was some incredibly stupid **** right there. Then the guy stands around the car on a hot track! Skeen, the Nissan driver, hopped out and over the guard rail but the BMW guy stayed on the race track like he was standing in his driveway or something.

dp35

I agree. Can't believe the poor driving & wrecking I've seen in the Continental series this year. World Challenge too. The worst part is that nothing ever seems to be done about it. If there have been any punishments handed out I haven't heard about them. It seems wrong that "pro" racing tolerates driving mistakes that club racing does not. Makes it seem like the power of high dollar pay drivers hurts the rest.

I used to aspire to Conti or WC, but not so much after some of the things I've seen this year. The only way I could see myself there now would be through a sponsored ride, which is unlikely.

J richard

Conti is turning into a really sloppy series. Six yellows? WTF... The speed announcers were even disgusted. Seems like some of the starting rules are adding to the melée but some just stupid stuff that leaves you scratching your head. There is a pretty even mix of pros and joes causing the problems which is puzzling as well...

Lemming

I think he was afraid to be near Mike after that bone-headed move

I've been working hard to find some sponsors for next year, wanting to do just the Barber and Mid-O race to start. However, the more I've been watching the series, the more I am beginning to think twice about this.

stuttgart46

I agree with you guys and I felt terrible for Mike and Doran. But, I think these types of mistakes have been there as long as there has been an entry level to "Pro" racing. I remember watching Motorala Cup back in the day and it was the same thing. The drivers haven't changed, the cars have. These cars are so quick now and while yes they offer a ton of driver's aids to make even a rookie look good, they can't prevent them from pulling off bone headed moves like we saw a Watkins Glen. Things are happening quick and a bad decision that you used to make in a 115 HP GTI is now made in a 240+ HP GTI leading to the problems that we see on a regular basis.

Streak

WC needs to work on their clean up crews. I watched on race that had a few cars get hit on the opening green flag and it too over 30 minutes of a 50 minute race to go green again. Not sure what that was about. No other series takes anywhere close to that long to get back to racing. It was the same story in the next race as well. Guy goes off taps the wall and it's yellow for 15-20 minutes?!?!?!?!

Takes the whole point out of watching racing.

jrgordonsenior

I though GA was just as bad. In many incidents they could just hook and book but they always bring out a flatbed and painfully make us watch them slowly winch the car up. Frustrating....
GA and Continental always seem to have an incident with 7-10 minutes left. Always.....

BGB Motorsports

Not to mention that the Glen is always always good for an intermittent final 30 minutes. History repeats itself there, over and over.

paradisenb

CC has been one wreck after another for years now. As hard to believe as this may be, I think this year is better than the last couple regarding wrecks. Seems the series, owned by NASCAR, has adopted the, "if we crash, they will come" philosophy. After all, it works for NASCAR.
It is difficult to follow the flow of the race when there isn't one. With so many Yellows, I forget who was battling whom. Glad I DVR them all. I can blow by the 10 min delays.

Cory M

The video montage used at the intro to the race and in the commercials consists almost completely of crashes...

Streak

I saw an ALMS promo that was similar and the voice over kept saying something like :the technology, the speed the DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!" As if they were trying to use the same philosophy of carnage to draw spectators. They could just go back on TV and get people to watch that way

Plavan

Best Quote of the day during an interview on TV "I think the pace car is in the top 10 with all the yellows" Boris Said.

mcongleton

I have raced in the Conti and Koni series for the past 6 years, running full schedules and partial schedules in a ST MINI and earlier this year in the new RSR Motorsports Honda Civic. I pay for my ride and partially fund my pro co-driver when I run with a pro. The above comments are correct to a certain extent however there are a few things that require clarification.

Yes there are too many instances of avoidable contact. Rookie drivers are to blame for some of these as they think it is how you run at this level of racing, however there are a handful of pro drivers that feel that they can push people out of the way to advance through the field. I have lost two podiums due to this type of driving, both times the fault was at the driving of pro drivers who names everyone would know. When GS and ST were combined several years ago to secure the TV package, the wrecking became a big problem as a result of GS and ST not getting along. ST cars are faster at many parts of the tracks than the GS cars and it pisses the GS guys off to no end. Hello bumper.

GA deals with avoidable contact with a stop and go penality which I think is wrong. The penality should be more severe and in certain instances I feel fines should be imposed. Over the last few years GA has let things get out of control and now have a hard time getting the things back on track. At every drivers meeting avaidable contact is discussed and GA says it is going to put it's foot down. Great, with a stop and go that may have no effect over a 2.5 hour race while the innocent party is wrecked out of the race?

The problem GA faces is ratings are way up in the Conti series they are higher than Rolex. I guess viewers want to see wrecks thus the crash and burn lead-in's to each race. From my standpoint the wrecks have taken much of the fun out of running the series plus the cost of repairing damage just adds to my cost which is very expensive to start.

I feel Conti is some of the best (if not the best) racing when things go well, a real yawner when we have 6 yellows in a race. I must say running in this series has improved my driving by leaps and bounds, everytime you are on track you had better have your A game in full swing, running at 95% won't cut it.

What happened to Mike and BJ (my co-driver for 3 years) in their Nissan at WG is just wrong. As drivers we know who we can truct and who your best to just let go and pass them later when they take out someone else later in the race. It is a bummer to read the comments here from racers who know what good racing is, it says a lot about the work I feel GA needs to do to improve on the series.

Bottom line is I may be done with GA after Laguna in September. The problem is it is such a difficult series to run well in, when you do it is very rewarding. Who said racing is not addictive.

Mark

93 FireHawk 968

The Road America race was aother crash fest. The crashes at the start are a bit perplexing, 2 hour race and they crash crossing the green flag. No surprise the ratings are up, lot's of tight racing that fans want.