My COTA Experience: A Porsche Pinata Production
05-20-2013, 04:43 PM
#47
The Penguin King
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05-20-2013, 05:07 PM
#48
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LOL ... thanks guys, I just lost a mouthful of my afternoon Red Bull all over my keyboard! I assume you'll all be gentlemen and offer to pay for the repair?
05-20-2013, 05:19 PM
#49
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His crew chief came to me with a head full of steam, immediately placing blame on me (based on what his driver told him). I then calmly explained what happened and then offered to pull the video to show him what happened. We then watched the video together and he agreed his driver was at fault.
I then asked him to go back to his driver, explain the real cause of the incident, and then bring him back to my pit so he could watch the video and learn something. While watching he acknowledged fault to his crew chief (not directly to me) and then the two of them discussed the correct line using my car as the example. They then asked to watch several laps of the video so he could coach his driver on the line, thanked me sharing the video and left. No apology or discussion of the damage. In fact the driver never even engaged me directly after we were introduced.
It happened on the 10th lap of the session, not the first. If he wanted someone to follow all he had to do was point me by as I had been behind him for several laps at this point. He knew I was there and did not want me in front of him despite this being a T&T. Again, note the strange path he takes on the front straight - he moves off line in what appears to be an attempt to protect the inside.
In hindsight, yes I could have parked the car in the corner in an attempt to avoid contact. But parking on a race track is usually a bad bet, I erred on the side of him being able to avoid a car hugging the rumble strips on the opposite side of the track. Lesson learned, if this ever happens again I'll resort to the DE tactic of driving through the pits.
I agree with Plavan, the 2nd guy needs to be abused more.
He actually seemed to think the whole thing was funny. I had to walk away because I could see that it was going to get very ugly if I didn't.
I then asked him to go back to his driver, explain the real cause of the incident, and then bring him back to my pit so he could watch the video and learn something. While watching he acknowledged fault to his crew chief (not directly to me) and then the two of them discussed the correct line using my car as the example. They then asked to watch several laps of the video so he could coach his driver on the line, thanked me sharing the video and left. No apology or discussion of the damage. In fact the driver never even engaged me directly after we were introduced.
It happened on the 10th lap of the session, not the first. If he wanted someone to follow all he had to do was point me by as I had been behind him for several laps at this point. He knew I was there and did not want me in front of him despite this being a T&T. Again, note the strange path he takes on the front straight - he moves off line in what appears to be an attempt to protect the inside.
In hindsight, yes I could have parked the car in the corner in an attempt to avoid contact. But parking on a race track is usually a bad bet, I erred on the side of him being able to avoid a car hugging the rumble strips on the opposite side of the track. Lesson learned, if this ever happens again I'll resort to the DE tactic of driving through the pits.
I agree with Plavan, the 2nd guy needs to be abused more.
He actually seemed to think the whole thing was funny. I had to walk away because I could see that it was going to get very ugly if I didn't.
05-20-2013, 05:27 PM
#50
The Penguin King
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05-20-2013, 05:30 PM
#51
Instructor
During practice day and T&T you need to be cognizant that others are A) learning the track or B) testing alternative lines - when I was part of national I would tell new racers to practice breaking on the inside when there was no traffic because the "DE" no longer applies when racing.
From what I was told there was absolutely no passing allowed in corners during T&T - only straights per COTA rules. The S's IMO are not straights. If those were the rules you should have been able to see his rear bumper at any time until a passing zone. Smart thing would have been to back off until and get him after the kink.
From what I was told there was absolutely no passing allowed in corners during T&T - only straights per COTA rules. The S's IMO are not straights. If those were the rules you should have been able to see his rear bumper at any time until a passing zone. Smart thing would have been to back off until and get him after the kink.
05-20-2013, 05:49 PM
#53
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Unfortunately I have said it before and I say it again the quality of drivers is getting worse not better in PCA. This is compounded by cars and tires being more capable than ever. Recipe for the problems that keep developing in PCA (and other organizations)
The whole club racing term means we watch our mirrors and we leave racing room for fellow competitors - the funny part is that if some people did this racing would become 10x's more enjoyable for them
The whole club racing term means we watch our mirrors and we leave racing room for fellow competitors - the funny part is that if some people did this racing would become 10x's more enjoyable for them
05-20-2013, 08:00 PM
#56
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I am not yet a Club Racer, still training and making sure I have all the skills I need to protect everyone's investment and keep others safe.
That said I have driven COTA a fair amount and even on the very first day in a DE enviroment did not see this poor of quality car control. I cannot understand being this overwhelmed by a track, if you can't figure it out pull off, walk around, observer other drivers from literally hundreds of vantage points.
I am sorry for your loss however I really hope this video and the lack of common courtesy has caught the attention of PCA National and that the drivers ticket is getting reviewed.
The worst IMHO is him sitting at your car and reviewing the diaster and not being man enough to simply shake your had, apologize for unbelievable bad decisions and an offer to pay for the damage. I bought a SPB over a Spec Piñata so I could run with gentlemen when the time is right.
That said I have driven COTA a fair amount and even on the very first day in a DE enviroment did not see this poor of quality car control. I cannot understand being this overwhelmed by a track, if you can't figure it out pull off, walk around, observer other drivers from literally hundreds of vantage points.
I am sorry for your loss however I really hope this video and the lack of common courtesy has caught the attention of PCA National and that the drivers ticket is getting reviewed.
The worst IMHO is him sitting at your car and reviewing the diaster and not being man enough to simply shake your had, apologize for unbelievable bad decisions and an offer to pay for the damage. I bought a SPB over a Spec Piñata so I could run with gentlemen when the time is right.
05-20-2013, 09:07 PM
#57
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While I loved the event and seeing my old friends, I had the unfortunate experience of being in the wrong place at the wrong time - twice!
Here is a clip of me being hit in the non-PCA run Test & Tune on Thursday. After trailing the rear bumper of the much higher hp car for several laps, the video picks up the story where it appears he wants to take a defensive line on the front straight before remembering his hp advantage. Defensive line, in a Test & Tune? About a minute later he broadsides my driver's side door before turn 9.
https://vimeo.com/66473824
In the next clip I am rear-ended in the braking zone for T12 on Lap 1 of the first race. The other driver never reported to the black flag station but we were able to identify him from the view in my rear view mirror. When I found him, the exchange went like this:
Me: 'I'm the guy you hit, what happened out there?'
Him: 'Oh. Just run into a bunch of slower trafffic.'
Me: (Internal thought - you mean the guys who qualified ahead of you?)
Me: 'What did you expect entering a hairpin turn on Lap 1 of the race?'
Him: 'That was the first lap of my first race.'
Me: 'Well, you really need to anticipate that will happen for the first couple of laps. It will take a while for the field to thin out in a big race.'
I then begin looking at the front bumper of his car, looking to see what damage he had
Him: 'Oh, most of that is not from you. It's from last week'.
I had to walk away at that point, unable to communicate at the level this guy was operating at.
https://vimeo.com/66474343
Here is a clip of me being hit in the non-PCA run Test & Tune on Thursday. After trailing the rear bumper of the much higher hp car for several laps, the video picks up the story where it appears he wants to take a defensive line on the front straight before remembering his hp advantage. Defensive line, in a Test & Tune? About a minute later he broadsides my driver's side door before turn 9.
https://vimeo.com/66473824
In the next clip I am rear-ended in the braking zone for T12 on Lap 1 of the first race. The other driver never reported to the black flag station but we were able to identify him from the view in my rear view mirror. When I found him, the exchange went like this:
Me: 'I'm the guy you hit, what happened out there?'
Him: 'Oh. Just run into a bunch of slower trafffic.'
Me: (Internal thought - you mean the guys who qualified ahead of you?)
Me: 'What did you expect entering a hairpin turn on Lap 1 of the race?'
Him: 'That was the first lap of my first race.'
Me: 'Well, you really need to anticipate that will happen for the first couple of laps. It will take a while for the field to thin out in a big race.'
I then begin looking at the front bumper of his car, looking to see what damage he had
Him: 'Oh, most of that is not from you. It's from last week'.
I had to walk away at that point, unable to communicate at the level this guy was operating at.
https://vimeo.com/66474343
05-20-2013, 09:15 PM
#58
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Does anybody know who the other driver is?
Any chance we can get to hear what he had to say to defend him/herself here on RL?
That is got to be more than just plain incompetence......... at least I hope so.....
Any chance we can get to hear what he had to say to defend him/herself here on RL?
That is got to be more than just plain incompetence......... at least I hope so.....
05-20-2013, 09:35 PM
#59
I will repeat what I said in the 3rd post, this driving is inexplicable. I would bet serious money that a driver with just one full day on the track DE experience would would have been more predictable.
I'm from Toronto, our mayor smokes crack and that guy looks like he was on crack - no one that has been on a track more than 3 times and was sober and not high would be driving like that.
Pull the fvck over and follow someone - can you imagine this guy on the N-Ring - he would be responsible for at least 50 deaths.
That guy is the definition of completely oblivious.
I'm from Toronto, our mayor smokes crack and that guy looks like he was on crack - no one that has been on a track more than 3 times and was sober and not high would be driving like that.
Pull the fvck over and follow someone - can you imagine this guy on the N-Ring - he would be responsible for at least 50 deaths.
That guy is the definition of completely oblivious.
05-20-2013, 10:12 PM
#60
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