Lightning Results

[rthiele]

Thanks for the update Rob. Now I know why I had this sudden boost into turn 1 - maybe I should stop using ear plugs
Good driving Rob - I saw you catching up and counted laps down. Saturday the three of us were within 2 tenths, Sunday within five or six tenths - and I was the slowest. So I guess I can call myself lucky.

Anyway - here's an interesting onboard: lap traffic and three ITB cars in front of us getting together in turn 3/4 (0:44+). The rabbit in the middle of the sandwich went up on one wheel!
I leave detailed analysis & comments to other people, but when you see the entire scene, it was pretty obvious that s*** would happen. Not good

YouTube Video

[benspeed]

What kind of times were folks running?

[theracinglawyer]

Jeff where did you post your video....Thanks Mike Cefalo ( the older Miata driver) Your the best!

[JLawton]

Jeff where did you post your video....Thanks Mike Cefalo ( the older Miata driver) Your the best!

Mr C,

Haven't been home other than to sleep and don't think I will be in the next few day (busy social life! :cool This weekend I'll get it up and post/send the links.





Rob, great video. That was a slightly "aggressive" move on the Golf's part, eh?


Damn, those ITR cars got some power!!!


Ben, ITR cars were doing mid 16s if I recall.


.

[rthiele]

15:8 to 16:4. Not very spectacular...

[gran racing]

That was a slightly "aggressive" move on the Golf's part, eh?

You mean stupid? Who was that?

[spnkzss]

One clarification for the video, that was towards the end of the race, the 2 cars on the left are fighting for the lead, the car on the right is an ITS car getting lapped by those 2 ITB cars for the SECOND time that race.

Edit: Not fighting either way, just adding for clarification.

[Ed Funk]

[quote=JLawton;292135]Mr C,

Haven't been home other than to sleep and don't think I will be in the next few day (busy social life! :cool This weekend I'll get it up

If you're having a busy social life, you'd better "get it up"!!

[erlrich]

One clarification for the video, that was towards the end of the race, the 2 cars on the left are fighting for the lead, the car on the right is an ITS car getting lapped by those 2 ITB cars for the SECOND time that race.

Edit: Not fighting either way, just adding for clarification.

Trying to stay objective...I think it was at best a poor decision not to back out. When he did the curb-hopping inside pass attempt that pushed him over into the leader he should have checked up; he (as well as the leader) appears to be still fighting for control of the car when they try to make it 3-wide with the Z, but that's just the way it looks to me. The Z driver could have stayed right, but even then trying to go side-by-side into the left hander was going to be dicey at best. If the Z driver is who I think he is, that would have been even more reason not to take that kind of risk.

I also think, more than anything else, after the incident at VIR that driver would have been walking on egg shells for the rest of this season; there's nothing wrong with going for a win when you have the chance, but there are times when it's just not worth the risk.

JMHO.

[spnkzss]

Technically, he was the leader, for the last 16 laps.

Again, I almost agree he needed to back out, but I wouldn't have. The inside car was smart and kept him hanging out, same thing I would have done, and the Z had no where to go, same thing I would have done.

[erlrich]

Oops, my bad...I thought the guy he was trying to pass was the leader

But, smartassedness aside, Rob I think with your experience you probably wouldn't have been in that situation to begin with...

[StephenB]

Lapping cars is always a risk. If this was in the first 3/4 of the race I would have definetly backed off. If this was the last lap or maybe the second to last lap and this was the FIRST time I had been able to get up beside the red golf then I may have tried to stick the move. The fact that the z came over and squeezed him out makes this a "racing incident" in my mind. The hole was their. The golf clearly filled the hole before the z came over but the z probably didn't expect them to both come through. I don't see anything wrong with dropping the 2 wheels on the inside dirt the turn before. I wasn't at the race and I don't know the drivers so this is just speculation on my part.


If this was me I probably would have lifted and tried to get a "run" on the red golf and attempted a pass under braking after the bridge. But that's probably because I do all my own bodywork and I hate bodywork!

I vote ambitious yes but still a racing incident!
Stephen

[benspeed]

Was the guy who took it 3 wide in the video above the same guy at VIR who passed in the grass on the start from like row 20 and wrecked up a bunch of cars? If so, somebody ought to take a piss on his seat to remind him his driving stinks....

[gran racing]

Yes. :cool:

[spnkzss]

But, smartassedness aside, Rob I think with your experience you probably wouldn't have been in that situation to begin with...

Hey, I know I'm slow and all but geez, you have to call me out like that

[steve b]

It looks to me like there was contact between the 2 ITB cars before the ITS car was ever involved. (0.53 seconds)

Not saying it was anyone's fault, just a combination of 3 decisions made at the same time by 3 drivers.

[erlrich]

Hey, I know I'm slow and all but geez, you have to call me out like that

Au contraire my dear sir, I'm quite certain you would have never let the other car get by in the first place - and it would have been him who went for a ride in the grass

Btw, how's the ankle doing?

[spnkzss]

Au contraire my dear sir, I'm quite certain you would have never let the other car get by in the first place - and it would have been him who went for a ride in the grass

Btw, how's the ankle doing?

Monday quote from Physical Therapy
PTist: How is the ankle doing?
Me: Good, I spent 14 hours on a ladder Saturday renovating my brother-in-laws kitchen.
PTist: So you do better when you do more........ What are you still doing here then?
Me: Cause you never said I could go.

It's doing ok. I'll be out there for the Aug race assuming I can get my brake pad issue resolved and my blown Koni replaced. I have the utmost faith in Lee. Has anyone ever said he is The Man?

I'm actually contemplating the Jersey race in Aug too. We'll see how the car is after M7.

[JoshS]

It looks to me like there was contact between the 2 ITB cars before the ITS car was ever involved. (0.53 seconds)

Not saying it was anyone's fault, just a combination of 3 decisions made at the same time by 3 drivers.

It doesn't look to me like the ITS driver made any decision at all. I think he didn't know what was happening. The leaders in another class were about to lap him, towards the end of the race. They were battling. I'm surprised he didn't just stay way outside and let everyone through. I know I never want to mess up a good battle for the lead.

It was definitely an aggressive move on the part of the Golf but if this was for the lead and it was at the end of the race then I probably would have done the same thing. I also would have been flashing my lights like crazy to let the drivers ahead know two of us were coming through, not just one.

[jjjanos]

It doesn't look to me like the ITS driver made any decision at all. I think he didn't know what was happening. The leaders in another class were about to lap him, towards the end of the race. They were battling. I'm surprised he didn't just stay way outside and let everyone through. I know I never want to mess up a good battle for the lead.

There was plenty of room for them to get by and the ITS car isn't to blame for this. If I was writing an incident report, this is what I'd have put down.

Car 33 dropped 2 wheels to the inside of the curb of the right-hand turn and, upon reentering the pavement, appeared to be out of control. Car 33 then hit car 69, (LF to RR). This upset car 69 and both cars remained in side-to-side contact. Car 69 appeared to have attempted to avoid further contact (by evidence of brake lights) while car 33 did not (note absence of brake lights).

The ITS car, number unknown, left sufficient racing room (2.25 car widths or more) to driver's left for both car 33 and car 69 to navigate the turn. At this point, neither Car 33 or Car 69, made the turn-in for the LH turn. Car 69 was on the brakes well before contact. Car 33 was not.

As the unknown S car attempted to navigate the turn from far DR, the ITB mass struck the unknown car. Immediately prior to contact, car 33 finally applied his brakes.

Moreover, 33 didn't need to hop the curb at the turn. Car 69 left sufficient room for him.

The Z car didn't move over on anybody. Tristan hit Reece and never lifted when he did it. Reece starts to rotate around Tristan's nose and gets on the brakes. They go straight and as the Z car tries to make the turn, they hit him. If the Z car had stayed to the white line on DR, he still would have been hit - neither Tristan or Reece were going to make that turn. Kee-rist, Reece is point to DR for a left turn and it's entirely because Tristan is rotating him around and not doing anything to keep from picking Reece.

Moreover, if the Z had been that far out, hit have been hit a heck of alot harder because both B cars were going to straight line that turn.