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Thread: Pablo had a bad day

  1. #1
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    I already told Greg A. and Phil P., since they were going to run with us at the VIR enduro, but I rolled the Golf today on a stage of the Rally Tennessee. It looks like we'll rebuild with the new shell but it's a big bummer for all involved. Cameron looked like a kid with a broken toy at Christmas...

    It was a classic case of a little error with big consequences. We had some people who know about crashing rally cars look at it and it increasingly looks like gravel on the outside of the exit of a fast corner (like 85ish) led to oversteer, which hooked the right rear in the ditch (or at the edge of, probably) and tripped Pablo into a diagonal kind of roll. He bounced off of the co-driver's roof edge, mostly toward the rear, then valuted onto the driver's side nose and top of the A-pillar.

    Chris Schimmel's cage didn't budge and that vertical element that we put in the door took the full load above me in compression. I had an almost gentle trip, with not so much as a bruise - thanks winged Recaro, Isaac, and full-face helmet (to keep the glass out of my face, thank you). The Isaac pins slowed my exit by about a second. I don't even remember pulling them.

    One lesson - if your window nets mount between the cage and roof or pillars, it is possible for them to be crushed in a rollover, making it hard to releast them. Take a look at yours, since this is probably a bigger problem in IT cars than in other classes, where cages can be tied to the pillars.

    K

  2. #2
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    Ouch!! hope Pablo's spirit lives on in another car...
    Evan Darling
    ITR BMW 325is build started...
    SM (underfunded development program)
    SEDIV ITA Champion 2005
    sometimes racing or crewing Koni Sports Car Challenge

  3. #3
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    Damn Kirk, sorry to hear that. Hope you and your co-driver are ok!!!

  4. #4
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    Well it's official Kirk, you are now a member of the "I rolled my GTI Club" Founded by Bill Miller, later I joined in '03. Bill and I found our fame in T3 at Summit. Glad to hear your ok. Will you be running OBD1 or 2 in the new car? Joe
    JOESELLSVW
    ITB 37 MARRS
    [email protected]

  5. #5
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    Shi! :angry:
    Glad to hear your car held up to the damage and that you're OK. I'll be talking to you...

    Originally posted by JOESELLSVW@Sep 5 2005, 10:21 AM
    a member of the "I rolled my GTI Club"
    ... Guilty here, rolled one over 5 times :119: according to the spectators....


    Bill Sulouff - Bildon Motorsport
    Volkswagen Racing Equipment
    2002, 2003, 2005 NYSRRC ITB Champs

  6. #6
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    Does a Rabbit GTi count? If so, I'm there. Hallet's Turn One in 1986...at an SCCA driver's school...

    I'm very disappointed that we won't be able to defend our VIR 13 Hour win, but "that's racing"... - GA

  7. #7
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    Same here 83 GTI Road Atlanta turn 3 5 times end over end...oops!!!
    Evan Darling
    ITR BMW 325is build started...
    SM (underfunded development program)
    SEDIV ITA Champion 2005
    sometimes racing or crewing Koni Sports Car Challenge

  8. #8
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    Wow, a who's who of IT.COM's VW crowd. I guess it's really just a rite of passage. Dave Parker's GTI got rolled in T6 of all places at Summit. Maybe we need sew on patches to identify ourselves "Shiny Side up GTI club".... to describe my roll, it was very loud, then quiet, loud, then quiet, loud again and then quiet. I rolled three times. Best of all I raced the car two weeks later at Pocono! I had just painted it before the roll over and turned my best ever time at Summit! I just sold that car and it's now doing hillclimbs! Joe
    JOESELLSVW
    ITB 37 MARRS
    [email protected]

  9. #9
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    Damm Kirk sorry to here this, one thing I would like to know how are you feeling days after the roll over. Do you think the H&N products did there part in curbing that sore feeling days after a impact.

    Gregg Baker if you have any info on the later effects of wearing , or not wearing a H&N device that would be good information for others to consider investing in a product that not only will save your life in a head on inpact but lessen the effects in a not so severe impact.

    Winter is the best time to build the other shell and the Crud Thug is still up to making the trip if you need it...

    Jon

  10. #10
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    Sorry to hear that Kirk.

    Good info on the net, and glad to hear injuries were limited to mental one.

    (A side note on the neck thing...I took a ride into the Armco at Watkins Glen a few weeks ago, and broke a few ribs, bruised the odd internal organ, but remember no neck pain.)

    I might need to check the fit of my seat I guess....
    Jake Gulick


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  11. #11
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    Damn Kirk, sorry to hear that man. Anything I can do to help -- I'll spend a day with you pulling parts of Pablo in his memory......

    Will miss you at the 13 hr.
    NC Region
    1980 ITS Triumph TR8

  12. #12
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    Thanks for the kind words, everybody.

    I don't know if the Isaac played any role in my not feeling any after effects of the roll. H&N systems really come into their won where big decelerations are involved and frankly, a roll like we had is really gentle by comparison.

    I canNOT emphasize how much faith I put in my seat in this situation. (Sorry, by the way Jake.) I felt the wings keeping my noggin between them and, with my belts really tight like I always run them, I was almost comfortable going over.

    Ironically, a primary reason that we were thinking about building a car is that, even though it is really well designed and hellacious stout, it didn't fit very well after we took out the interior: Now we NEED a new shell because it wasn't optimal.

    This was a strategic flaw in my SSC-to-ITB plan and because there was a gap of an inch or more in places, the shell deformed more than it would have, had the cage been as tight as Competition Cages typically builds them. Chris was actually a little embarrased about how it looked, after we stripped the car but now the point is moot - the next cage is going to be a show-stopper, applying what we learned from this design but in smaller diameter tubing and really fit into the crevices.

    Stay tuned...

    K

  13. #13
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    Aug 2003
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    Angry

    Kirk,

    Sorry to hear about your rollover - glad to know you and your co-driver were unhurt however.

    The General Li took a good shot today at the MARRS races at Slummit Point today, precipitated by (of all things) another VW in turn 4. Hit the tire wall between 4 and 5 on drivers' right with the drivers' side of the car. Nothing too dramatic, the nose is pushed left about 1 1/2 feet and it's up on the left side abou 8 inches but it still rolls but doesn't run - can't quite figure out why yet. From what I hear, the impact was somewhat dramatic - moved a 5 foot boulder and several sections of tirewall, spraying spectators with grass, dirt and dirty, mouldy water :119:

    Spoke with the driver of the car that hit me - we were on the first lap and he had a car hard on his tail. Entering 4, he was barely alongside on drivers' right when I started to move towards the apex. B/c of the car behind him, he didn't want to lift or brake which forced his LF tire into the right quarter of my car, just behind the door. The first bump wasn't so bad but the second one was the coup de grace. The other driver felt rather bad about the incident - so much so that he apparently pulled in early and didn't finish the race. We talked a bit and think that it's a racing incident - however the other driver is a helluva good sport (and also a neighbor). His parting words were "When you start fixing the car, call me - I'll be there to help".

    Haz-Matt Racing

  14. #14
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    Typical racer, finding an excuse to build another car........ Glad every one is OK!


    Matt,
    Sorry to hear of your "issue". Hope you're back soon!!

    Jeff L

    ITA Miata



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  15. #15
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    Kirk,

    Never rolled the Datsun 510 rallying, but I certainly had an entertaining barrel roll at Lime Rock in the GTI.

    Having mostly finished the OBD1 A3, if there's anything I can do from here please let me know.

    Dave Z

  16. #16
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    Yeah Joe, I hardly 'founded' that club! It is kinda interesting to see how many VW drivers have been 'over' in them though!

  17. #17
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    I never knew there was the GTI Rollover Club (GRC)

    I too am a proud member, April 2004, NHIS, turn 10, flipped five times, going OVER the tire wall upside down, with Raymond Blethen (from his account) having to drive under me.

    Should we start giving awards?
    Alan Lourenco
    NER #78 ITB Audi Coupe GT

  18. #18
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    I am actually still trying to find aftermath pics of my rollover...1997 ARRC test day there were many people taking pics of what was left...it was red yellow and black... i never took any myself but i saw many cameras and the usual onlookers ariving at the pits when the carcass arrived...
    Evan Darling
    ITR BMW 325is build started...
    SM (underfunded development program)
    SEDIV ITA Champion 2005
    sometimes racing or crewing Koni Sports Car Challenge

  19. #19
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    Originally posted by itbgti@Sep 6 2005, 08:51 AM
    I never knew there was the GTI Rollover Club (GRC)
    Let's not forget Peter Keane's infamous VW rollover in turn one at Limerock..........the black VW with the lightning bolt on the hood......



    Sorry Kirk about Pablo..........I will miss another stellar ride in such a well prepared race car.........but !!! there will be a new one........excellent
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  20. #20
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    I got over on one side back in the 80's in a 83 GTI at Sebring, not sure if this counts but it is as close as i care to go... sorry to hear about Pablo, I feel a certain kinship to him but glad everybody is ok........ Kirk, I will try to keep the three legged club going at the SIC and Gobblings Go
    Fred Alphin
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