NARRC Run Offs

[lawtonglenn]

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 ...

[ulfelder]

Will anyone summarize the ITS race?

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

[Magical Trevor]

I was watching the local news and they ran a story about Paul Newman. A reporter was at Lime Rock interviewing PLNs competitors and they showed a 2 second clip of the start of the ITR/ITS/ITB race from Saturday and the car that stood out the most was Rob's Green zebra striped BMW.

http://www.fox61.com/pages/video/?au...clipId=2964640
NBC 30 was there too, but I've not seen anything from them yet.

[Andy Bettencourt]

After reading the other thread about the cage it got me to thinking.... How/why did richie get hit (t-boned) in the door??? From what was said ,he was off line, stopped and it was a direct hit in the door... Did the driver even attempt to go around the car?

More importantly can we learn from this??? If any of us are given no choice but to "t-bone" a car, where do we aim??? This certainly shows us to do everything possible to avoid a direct hit on the drivers door...

Raymond "something doesn't seem right about this..." Blethen

It's pretty clear now...

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDpUjcQe92c[/ame]

[lateapex911]

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.....

[JLawton]

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??

[lateapex911]

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)

[Andy Bettencourt]

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.

[dickita15]

unless you could see Richie actaully sideways some bit earlier but I am not sure you could. Dang shame.

But Ritchie is alway sideways.

is sucks but it was no ones' fault

[Andy Bettencourt]

But Ritchie is alway sideways.

Checkmate! Usually it's in the lefthander

[dominojd]

ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CRallo]

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:

[Andy Bettencourt]

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.

[vwzx7]

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??

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.

[benspeed]

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)

[CREX ITA 69]

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 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 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.

[raffaelli]

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!

[gran racing]

That hit is THE REASON the wear one.

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.

[vwzx7]

Was the Miata driver OK?

I think I saw him with an ice pack on the right forarm but I'm not sure...

[rthiele]

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]