what would you do if you wrecked someone else's race car?
05-28-2013, 03:38 PM
#1
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what would you do if you wrecked someone else's race car?
I was at a track in Upstate NY a few weeks ago. There was a racer guy there with a new Cayman race car. The owner of the shop had literally just delivered it to the new owner. The new owner had a second older car there that day. The new cayman owner allowed the shop owner to take out the second older car to enjoy while owner drove the Cayman.
Unfortunately, the shop owner went to execute a pass on the Cayman and the Cayman was crashed. When I saw it in the parking lot, its looked pretty extensively damaged. Someone jokingly said it was a $50,000 shunt. I didn't think you could do $50000 of damage to a Cayman!
If you were the shop, how would you handle that? The owner of the car was trying to be real cool about the situation, but later I could see him twitching and totally aggravated, rightly so. I'd be furious to hit me with my own car, me in my brand new car, and cause major damage.
That must be a tough nut to swallow for the shop.
Unfortunately, the shop owner went to execute a pass on the Cayman and the Cayman was crashed. When I saw it in the parking lot, its looked pretty extensively damaged. Someone jokingly said it was a $50,000 shunt. I didn't think you could do $50000 of damage to a Cayman!
If you were the shop, how would you handle that? The owner of the car was trying to be real cool about the situation, but later I could see him twitching and totally aggravated, rightly so. I'd be furious to hit me with my own car, me in my brand new car, and cause major damage.
That must be a tough nut to swallow for the shop.
05-28-2013, 04:01 PM
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WRONGLY ACCUSED!
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That is one of my worst nightmares. In a race I would say "that's racing" but at an HPDE event I might take into account the stupidity of the move. Either way it would have to be something so stupid that you felt you owed the other person something.
But from a business point of view that shop owner should definitely do something. What was he thinking?
But from a business point of view that shop owner should definitely do something. What was he thinking?
05-28-2013, 04:09 PM
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You break it you buy it.
05-28-2013, 04:15 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
We need more detail here. For example, if the Cayman crashed simply from being passed legally at a DE or a race then it's the Cayman driver's own fault. If the shop owner actually hit him or ran him off the track then he or she should make full restitution; a moral obligation but not a legally enforceable one.
05-28-2013, 04:20 PM
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Marmini, you are actually the "racer guy there with a new Cayman race car".....right?
05-28-2013, 04:46 PM
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For sure, I'm not the owner of the Cayman. The shop had just built this brand new great Cayman 3.8L car for the owner. He was there with the shop shaking it down. He also had a second of his race cars there. He let the shop owner take that out for a few laps. The shop owner, in the borrowed car, went to pass the cayman driver/owner (owner of also the car the shop owner was borrowing), and somehow they tangled, and the new 3.8L cayman took a pounding.
effectively, the cayman owner in his new cayman got knocked off track by his own 2nd car driven by the shop owner who had just delivered the new cayman.
hopefully that makes sense. real unfortunately situation for sure. i'm sure the shop owner was incredibly upset that he was the cause of his customer going into a guardrail with a new 3.8L cayman he just delivered.
I'm not experienced enough to be borrowing anyone's race car, but if i were, i'd be real worried of something bad like that happening. Here, the Cayman owner goes home with two whacked cars.
This just seems like a very awkward situation and the owner (absolutely not me) was cringing on how to handle it. It was awkward to say the least.
effectively, the cayman owner in his new cayman got knocked off track by his own 2nd car driven by the shop owner who had just delivered the new cayman.
hopefully that makes sense. real unfortunately situation for sure. i'm sure the shop owner was incredibly upset that he was the cause of his customer going into a guardrail with a new 3.8L cayman he just delivered.
I'm not experienced enough to be borrowing anyone's race car, but if i were, i'd be real worried of something bad like that happening. Here, the Cayman owner goes home with two whacked cars.
This just seems like a very awkward situation and the owner (absolutely not me) was cringing on how to handle it. It was awkward to say the least.
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05-28-2013, 04:47 PM
#8
I don't drive others car because I could not pay for them. Yesterday at Pocono one our Instructors drove a Ferrari 458 of a students for 3 laps in traffic. He told the owner the car was worth more than his home. He was glad he drove it but was also glad he didn't really get on it & nothing happened. I don't have the nerve.
05-28-2013, 04:57 PM
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05-28-2013, 05:02 PM
#10
Race Car
IMHO:
the responsibility for the safe pass goes to the over taking car. or, the shop owner that was trying to make the pass.
there may be some other circumstances not reveled here... but that's where the responsibility lies.
but I'm not sure that means he is financially responsible.... legally.
the responsibility for the safe pass goes to the over taking car. or, the shop owner that was trying to make the pass.
there may be some other circumstances not reveled here... but that's where the responsibility lies.
but I'm not sure that means he is financially responsible.... legally.
05-28-2013, 06:02 PM
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Ugh 
05-28-2013, 06:04 PM
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Has the shop owner said he isn't paying for it or are you just asking in general?
Guys, this is a great reality check for all of us. I've had three co-drivers in a car that I owned. One is a pro who I do a lot of work with (who, if he wrecks it, I pay), one is a great friend who I have shared a race car with many times and we have a clear understanding of what happens in cases like this and one is a friend who regularly posts on here that I certainly believe would do the right thing (and has the means to). That said, I don't ever RELY on anyone doing the right thing in my own mind when I let them hit the start button so the "buck" always stops with me. This is why in 6 years of racing 3 people have ever driven one of my cars...
Guys, this is a great reality check for all of us. I've had three co-drivers in a car that I owned. One is a pro who I do a lot of work with (who, if he wrecks it, I pay), one is a great friend who I have shared a race car with many times and we have a clear understanding of what happens in cases like this and one is a friend who regularly posts on here that I certainly believe would do the right thing (and has the means to). That said, I don't ever RELY on anyone doing the right thing in my own mind when I let them hit the start button so the "buck" always stops with me. This is why in 6 years of racing 3 people have ever driven one of my cars...