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It dawned on me Sunday afternoon as I cruised around Road America behind a few other cars, slowly, impatiently, at cool down pace, with the pack entirely out of sight, that some of our newer fellow drivers might not realize this important fact.
During a full course yellow you CAN drive fast and catch up to the pace group. Please remain in full control of your car at all times, and drive slowly/carefully past any incident that may have precipitated the full yellow condition, but otherwise step on the gas and catch up. Who knows, you might just have someone behind you who stupidly did not fully seat the #4 spark plug wire on his cap that afternoon, and after relinquishing 2nd place at T4 to limp around and fix it, is hoping to be with the main group for the Green, and looking forward to a shot at catching the leader (which I did not successfully do). In the end the corner workers did a great job of making this point with huge flailing windmill arms as we cruised by the 2nd or 3rd time, and we did catch up.
Yes this is what happened to me. Yes my situation was my own darn fault, and no I don't have any issue with the guys that I was following. We were all new at this at some point. But it did make me think that maybe a reminder to all of us might be useful.
thanks for reading :eclipsee_steering:
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Ditto on pace laps!
Grumble, grumble, grumble.
K
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Not only CAN you drive fast to catch up to the pace group during a full course yellow, you are ENCOURAGED to do so, and not only by those behind you, but also by the emergency crews dealing with the situation that caused the yellows.
Thanks Chris for your friendly observation and useful reminder.
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As a corner worker as well as a driver, PLEASE bunch up during full course cautions. The bigger the hole we have in traffic to deal with the incident, the faster we get it cleared.
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Adding to Captain Who's comment, if F&C staff are short and there isn't anyone cross-track, your dawdling could mean that the first response to a major incident could be delayed. Most are familiar with Road Atlanta. If you get off driver's left at T7, as well as T5 and there is no cross-track coverage, corner workers are endangering their own lives (more so than usual) by crossing the track. PLEEZ get back to the pack as soon as safely possible.
Scott Franklin
ITA/IT7 and SPU
F&C
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At which time a quick pull up to the left side of the car in front to wave furiously at him to move his butt, then possibly followed by a little bump in said butt.....
