Will anyone summarize the ITS race?
....I would have much rather been there in the mist,
than doing amateur electrical work in my kitchen...
you'll be happy to know that both the fridge and the
blender work now ... :rolleyes:
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Will anyone summarize the ITS race?
....I would have much rather been there in the mist,
than doing amateur electrical work in my kitchen...
you'll be happy to know that both the fridge and the
blender work now ... :rolleyes:
I wish I could do a better job summarizing, but when I left the track, results hadn't even been posted yet. They're not up at the NARRC site yet.
Quick version: Misty conditions; I had my wipers on, but virtually everybody was on slicks. Maynard (ITR), Driscoll, and Harding took off. Driscoll wound up edging Harding for the ITS win. They lapped most everybody else. Ronald Jesberger (not sure whether it was Sr. or Jr.) ran a great race in a SM, he may have finished third in ITS. Henderson fourth, I think. (Maybe Hendo was third, Jesberger fourth - not sure).
Rob Thiele's spin on Lap 1 (described above) caused 10 cars to basically come to a halt in the Lefthander, I heard (I was lucky to be ahead of the mess).
No FCCs, lots of good heads-up driving in tough conditions. A dryish line would form for 5-6 laps, then the mist would intensify and it would be slippery city again ...
Steve
http://www.fox61.com/pages/video/?au...clipId=2964640
NBC 30 was there too, but I've not seen anything from them yet.
Uh, yea. It appears that Richies car was not as far to the right as I had understood it to be. That red car in front JUST got by.....
Yeah, the Miata had nowhere to go. in fact, it looks like Richie was still rolling forward? Maybe trying to get out of the way??
Well, I think if he had just backed off a tad, and maintained a normal line, it would have been fine, but hindsight is 20-20. I can certainly see how it was a racing deal. I imagine I might have ended up in the same place.
(It DOES serve to show that our perceptions aren't always accurate. Richie, was sure he only had his rear tires on the track when it happened, but the video shows that's not exactly the case. I imagine that makes the jobs of accident reconstruction people and SCCA Stewards difficult when people are SURE they know what happened, yet the physics don't add up)
Agreed. When he rounds the corner, the car in front of him blocks his view of Richie while the smoke starts in. He (logically IMHO) follows the car that can see Richie and then it's too late. I think I would have done the same thing with the same result...unless you could see Richie actaully sideways some bit earlier but I am not sure you could. Dang shame.
ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yet another example of why locking your brakes and being "predictable" is the best (and always preached) practice...
however that is easier said than done, I would not want to be sideways ON the racing line either:eek:
I talked with Richie earlier and he swears he had both feet in. SWEARS.
And it's a hit like that where I thank god I bought a HR seat.
Or let off the brakes and continued forward to get off the racing line...Jason had nowhere to go - tried to go away from the smoke with the other car. And he did let off, you can hear it and see his leg move up a bit. That's a critical corner and no time (in this instance) to make a second attempt at a correction.
That is the hit I dread in racing - broadside to the oncoming traffic, stopped and being hit full on. Was the Miata driver OK? Wearing and HANS? That hit is THE REASON the wear one. Glad Richie is OK. Freak deal on the cage busting in. Wonder if Tech will ask to inspect the car.
Still holding out that somebody will post a detailed account of the ITS race. Did Dave Maynard win overall? That was his kind of conditions.
The number 77 driver Mark Greggory is a true standup guy so when he sees the post looking to chat with Mr. Thiel I am sure he will call or post. He is not a hammerhead driver.
Really missed not racing but damn, let's take it easy with the hard hits! (Not that anybody could do anything to avoid the deal in the video)
Well as you all know I do not play on this site to often ! However I would like to say thanks for all the congrats on Saturdays NARRC OFF WIN :smilie_pokal: I was very determined and looking forward to an epic battle with Andy for the win, however Andy was not up to the task......Just kidding AB :shrug: I would like to dedicate the WIN to my father "Bob" who passed in MAY and also to Paul Nueman ! Again thanks for the kind words.
Sincerly, Shane "Hollywood" Hawthorne.
Great run Shane. Grabbed a nice lead early and stayed there. Joe seemed to be pulling you in...but not really, he spent alot of time behind a few cars. Congrats, strong driving!
Ben, not to start an ISAAC vs HANS debate but side impacts are the reason I did not get a HANS. I'm pretty sure both Greg and Richie said they experienced issues when wearing their HANS with the type of impact it was.Quote:
That hit is THE REASON the wear one.
Does anyone know if Ritchie had a seat with head protection (against side impacts)? Since Keith Odor's fatal crash in 1999 those were introduce and I think they make lots of sense.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxua2wdyoxo&feature=related[/ame]
I'm certain Richie has a HANS, and after the hit he said it seemed to do nothing. Greg Amy said the same of his Watkins Glen hit, and added that the HANS came out from under the left belt.
If I had a HANS, I'd need to get a seat with side wings , but, I wear an Isaac, so I have more options. I'm going to stick with what I have, as the wings take up a lot of real estate in the window, and could make egress very difficult. For me the Isaac is the best of both worlds.
Richie runs his car with NASA, so he has little choice. I don't recall seeing a winged seat but I could be wrong on that.
Another no no. Richie had one of those inexpensive (maybe Butler) alum seat with no wings and things. The upper part of it bent over to the right a good three inches. Had it not been for the seat back brace, that would have probably failed too. Never skimp on safety Man!
Just watched the impact video.
So why was Hunter rolling across the track into the path of the Miata?
I've had two hits in the past two years where drivers didn't lock 'em up and rolled across the track or off the track. It's not a matter of zigging when you should zag. It's a matter of spinners not being responsible enough to lock up the brakes and having a predictable trajectory.
Do it for your fellow racers - not for yourself..................please. :rolleyes:
Richie SWEARS he was locked up, and I think he WAS, during most of the spin...check out the smoke, but at the last second, he obviously was rolling.
Honestly, maybe Richie could have done a better job, and probably the Miata as well, but, in the moment, both were doing their best, i bet.
At what point do you think he didn't have them locked up? After the first contact? That's what it looks like to me. From his split judgement perspective, if he did let the brakes go he did so while getting close to the inside of the track. If the Miata saw Richie (and I understand why he probably didn't), he would assumed Richie was going to continue his path - towards the inside of the track. In this case Christian, I'd argue that Richie was going in a predictable path.
Other incidents are different. I've been involved in at least two like you're talking about. One in the left hander where he never locked them up and recovered right into my passenger side door instead of continuing his spin off the track as anticipated. That does get frustrating.
(in response to Dave)
richie was sideways at trackout for a long time. If he ever locked up his brakes, they were then. After he presumably released the brake(or after his tires finally found some traction) he suddenly began to roll across the track... that's my POV
I know that if I was either driver this second guessing on what to do, what ability etc. would bother the crap out of me. Let is rest that both guys were doing their damn best.
+1 :happy204:
The only reason I chimed in was because the "digging on the new guy" bothered me... don't know if that's a good excuse but that is mine:D
very good point, I second guess myself enough, I hate when someone else does it too...
Basically hindsight is 20/20 and what happened was racing
I agree with Ben...... next .....
Who is coming to NJMP for the JRRC? Plenty of track time for a small amount.
Regional -
20 min
22 min
15 lap race (20 mins max)
22 lap race (30 mins max)
18 lap race (25 mins max)
Pro-IT -
30 min qual
40 min race
40 min race
End the season right.
Who is coming to the NARRC banquet in Albany?
Celebrate our NARRC champions
IT7 - Jake GULICK
ITC - Fred WHITE
ITB - Nat WENTWORTH
ITA - Crazy Joe DiMINNO (or is he just insane)
ITS - Jeff HARDING
ITR - Dave MAYNARD
Thanks,
Darrell
Driver of car number 77 ITS Mazda. I have spoken today with Mr Robert Thiele I have expressed to Mr Thiele my regrets for the unfortunate contact at the start of the NARRC race at Limerock Park on the 27th of September. I assured him that the contact was in no way intended . As every one in the race was aware the track conditions at the start of the race were very slippery to say the least. I was in complete control of my car at the time of the incident but did make very slight contact with the left rear bumper of Mr Thieles BMW. With the wet track conditions this contact was enough to send his car in to a spin. I explained to Robert that from my perspective there was a large space that opened up on the inside of the left hander and I made a move to go through the space. The opening started to close and I checked up but still made the unfotunate contact. I did seek out Robert after the race but he had already left the circuit. I completly understand how Robert feels as I have been on the recieving end of this type of incident more times than I car to remenber. Going forward I am shure that we will enjoy many new races together.
Mark, really appreciate the call - let's look forward now and have fun at NJMP and many more races!
Rob
I like racing with guys who have class - Kudos to Mr. Thiele and Mr. Greggory who demonstrate that there remains such a thing as "the gentleman racer".
I will now do my best to kick both your asses at NJMP :-) Although I think Rob got the best of me last time :-(
Hi guys...
Read the thread, figured I should see what was being written about my unfortunate line choice at LRP. Yes, I was fine (and wearing a HANS thank goodness), and yes, my wrist is still bothering me, but not bad, just some pain, no mobility issues. Must have gotten wrenched back pretty good.
It's unfortunate that I t-boned whomever it was driving the other ITA car. I had actually decided before he was driving too aggressive for me and pulled back from him a bit on the green flag at the entry to big bend. I figured I'd give him a few laps and then see if I could make a move. Probably just a driving style difference, as you could see -- I took one wheel off on no-name so I gave the guy in the red car I was crowding on the right room for his line. I'm actually pretty conservative.
The crash...
I couldn't see with the smoke on the left and saw the other car and figured he wouldn't make it (did he? I think he made pretty good contact).
I think the other driver did have both feet in at first, but he decided to move (I can only assume he couldn't look right 90deg because of seat or hans). Too bad, there was a car width and a half when I committed to the line (and let off as someone pointed out). Once I saw he was moving I went to brakes, but I think it only helped a litle... I was really worried about hurting someone, including myself... Nobody wants to DNF a race... especially when you're on a super-limited budget (like me).
Anyway, hope the guy is better now. I wish the outcome had been different... His experience I'm reading about coupled with Whit's unfortunate experience in the #7 (newly repaired and broken again) at WGI at the "Last Chance" has convinced me FIA seats are the only way to go, no more aluminum.
Thanks for the kind words... and I understand the other stuff, but, the video shows what happened pretty well... one makes a call in a split second and, well, that's racing.
Cheers
Justin