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06-23-2013, 03:57 PM | #1 |
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Wild rabbit!
Did a track day at NJMP Lightning on Friday with Hooked on Driving. First time with this organization. Nice guys, great lunch, but only three run groups, so intermediate was basically the Wild West. Generally poor discipline, lots of people reluctant to give point-bys or just oblivious, big speed differentials, and occasional instructors mixing into the group (one of which passed at liberty without waiting for point-bys). I really should have run with advanced, but I didn't because I hadn't run with them before. One of the HOD organizers acknowledged that intermediate can be dicey with its mix of people just advancing out of the beginner group and others who are ready for advanced.
Anyway, great weather and my Dad flew in from out of town to see me run. It was a good time for him. This was the first run of the day, in which an older VW Golf/Rabbit was whipping around in wild, three-wheeled fashion, and spun right in front of me. Glad I decided to hold my line to avoid him. The driver and car were okay and got back to the paddock under their own power. My Dad was riding shotgun with me this session and I think it was a real eye-opener.
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06-23-2013, 06:18 PM | #3 |
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I read on their website that they allow 1st degree relatives to ride with you, as long as you are signed off to run solo. This surprised me--first time I've heard of it being allowed. But I knew my Dad would be thrilled to be able to ride shotgun during a session or two, so I bought a helmet for him in preparation for him flying out to go with me to this NJMP event. Then during the drivers' meeting on Fri morning the organizers said "no passengers." Arghhh! I asked the chief instructor about it, and he said that normally they wouldn't allow it, but under the circumstances, and since I was experienced and had run at Lightning multiple times, they would make an exception.
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06-23-2013, 09:50 PM | #4 |
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The reason why the rabbit driver spun was because he over corrected when on the grass.
Quick rule, if you're going off on a turn. If you can,(no wall etc) go wide and and run straight along the side of the track and slowly come back on to the track , DO NOT turn the wheel hard to try to get back on the track quickly(natural reaction). If you do,once your front wheels get back on the pavement they will grip and shoot you across the track. Happens all the time |
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06-23-2013, 09:56 PM | #5 |
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LOL...Nice! That's awesome you got to take your dad out, I'm envious! I wish my wife would go with me but she started freaking out on a parade lap...hot laps are probably a bad idea.
I can imagine that it got frustrating. Its one thing to be slow...I'm OK with that. Its another thing to be slow and oblivious. I heard in an advanced group meeting someone say..."Don't be all over my bumper, cut me a break!" Ok...so basically you can just not check your mirrors and have no idea what's going on around you. Wait...aren't we in the advanced group? Not that its right to get aggressive but still. All should play nicely, not just the other guy.
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06-23-2013, 11:19 PM | #6 | |
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06-23-2013, 11:19 PM | #7 |
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06-23-2013, 11:43 PM | #8 |
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From watching the video it looks like he crested the hill while turning, the car got light for a sec then came down(car now has grip) and he was still turning. He went wide because he came in to hot and VW's push like mad(at least mine did) Once the front tires move from grass to fully on the pavement while turning and the rear tires are still on the grass the car will turn in hard. He did do a good job of correcting and not shooting across the track into the oposite wall. I bet you some poop came out..lol.. Not judging the driver, professional race car drivers do it all the time. Look at turn 3 and turn 6 at Laguna Seca. After a race there are all kinds of skid marks going across the track..lol
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06-24-2013, 07:34 AM | #9 |
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I think the vw just went wide, dropped 2 wheels and refused to unwind the wheel.
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06-24-2013, 11:20 AM | #11 |
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glad no one was going onto the track at that point or they would have been Tboned
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06-24-2013, 12:47 PM | #12 |
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i had a similar incident where a 335 hooked a left after dropping 2 wheels then crossed the track in front of me and proceeded to get airborn 3 times.
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06-24-2013, 01:29 PM | #13 | |
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06-24-2013, 01:39 PM | #14 |
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i think it happens a lot of the time where the leading driver is oblivious and will hold up a line of cars for multiple laps and my only way to get by is to present myself in his left mirror then right and generally make it obvious. i also have a talk with the track staff if he is running blue and yellow passing flag and request the driver is talked to.
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06-24-2013, 01:51 PM | #15 |
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If your a faster driver stuck behind a slower(your never going to pass me!)driver, pit in and have the marshal release you where there is space. It's really the best way to get a clear track. I've done it almost every track day. But, I do hear you guys about drivers in cars that are not in the correct group or in a group beyond their skill set.
Last edited by Shaung; 06-24-2013 at 02:53 PM.. |
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06-24-2013, 05:03 PM | #17 | ||
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If you're going through passing zones with someone on your butt...I'd take a hard look at yourself. You can't change what the guy behind you is doing but I'm sure YOU (not pointed at anyone here) can change something. Mirror taps? I believe that is BMWCCA standard protocol...it's in their 2011 instructor manual. Typically I will close the gap and present myself in the side view mirror and then back off. No point in crowding the guy if we're not in a passing zone. Then I'll close the gap again as we approach the next one. I'm usually in a pass anywhere with a point scenario. Very few instances where I get slowed significantly...because we all play together. There are some out there that make you earn that pass. But if there is someone behind you that wasn't there before...they ARE faster than you.
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06-24-2013, 07:11 PM | #18 | |
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What you described at the end is indeed great protocol, and in fact, I always try to give a rear view mirror wave to let the faster driver behind know I see them, and that they'll get a point-by at the next zone. In fact, I've been described by some past instructors as giving point-bys too quickly. My sensitivity to this topic comes from feeling way too close to being collected by the person behind me, due to not allowing enough space into passing zones. HPDEs are not racing, and it's not worth the risk of an accident just to let the guy in front know how impatient you are. Also, one final thought. While it may be true in racing, the whole "I've caught up so I must be faster" is not so true in HPDEs. I know I've been in situations where I trade passes with another driver where you cook a corner and the other guy gains (and passes), then he does the same. If the guy came out of nowhere, he gets a point asap, if he's been around me for awhile, he might need to earn it a little.
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06-24-2013, 07:59 PM | #19 |
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Same thing happened today at lightning with SCDA in one of the intermediate groups, only the next guy coming around turn one, avoiding the spinner ended up in the tire barrier. A big bang and three new body panels.
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06-24-2013, 09:01 PM | #20 | ||
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But I think if there is someone new behind you and you haven't been slowed by traffic, I don't see how they are not faster. What I've never understood is the guy in the back going into the hot pit. Unless you can beat the slower guy back out...you'll probably catch them again. The guy in front is the one that needs to go in.
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06-24-2013, 10:09 PM | #21 |
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There is definitely an art to being a good passer (or pass-ee for that matter). I like what bigjae said, HPDE is a team sport. Even in the advanced group in our E9xs, out there often times with some pretty hardcore race cars, you can still get into a flow and rhythm with the other cars, sort of a very fast waltz. It takes overall awareness...and common courtesy. Its a blast when you get it right.
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06-25-2013, 05:21 AM | #22 | |||||
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Here ya go--a few relatively clean laps, although not really at full steam: Quote:
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