Lime Rock National and Pro-IT

[T Broring]

HP cars? Noooo problem.

Thanks for giving credit Greg. I was in the Prod Spitfire. I never ask for the split starts but do vote for them since my car is very low and hard to see in traffic. You have to wonder if that was the issue with the Lotus and Miata in the downhill. The vote FOR the split start had to include alot of ST cars since there were only 2-3 voting against. Glad your race went well.

[StephenB]

what is this lotus and miata incident that you speak of?

[StephF]

I heard they went boogity-boogity-BOING.

[Greg Amy]

Yup. I don't know the details, didn't see the incident, but the Miata ended upside down on the outside of the wall at the bottom of the downhill. Both drivers were called to the tower numerous times of the rest of the morning and early afternoon; rumor was the Miata driver protested the Lotus driver. Never heard what resulted. - GA

[mossaidis]

I have some details... 3rd, maybe 4th hand, so please don't quote me.

From what I understand, the Lotus went into the downhill 2 wide on the inside (though I thought is the uphill orginally). They made contact, the Miata being thrown over the wall just past the flag station, the Lotus making the APEX with ease now goes about his business. The Miata was now over the wall, upside down and slide some feet towards the river. ? The corner worker's story as well as another driver's story as viewed from behind the incident corroborated with the Miata's driver view of the what happened - Lotus drive into the side of the Maita. The Lotus driver obviously disagreed. Penalities ensued issued to the Lotus driver for contact as well as an unsportsmanlike conduct penality for one or another reason.

[raffaelli]

I have some details... 3rd, maybe 4th hand, so please don't quote me.

From what I understand, the Lotus went into the downhill 2 wide on the inside (though I thought is the uphill orginally). They made contact, the Miata being thrown over the wall just past the flag station, the Lotus making the APEX with ease now goes about his business. The Miata was now over the wall, upside down and slide some feet towards the river. ? The corner worker's story as well as another driver's story as viewed from behind the incident corroborated with the Miata's driver view of the what happened - Lotus drive into the side of the Maita. The Lotus driver obviously disagreed. Penalities ensued issued to the Lotus driver for contact as well as an unsportsmanlike conduct penality for one or another reason.

When did you start driving a Lotus? LOL.


(kidding)

[mossaidis]

LOL - I know I know... "did someone else get a double reprimand in one day or was that just Mickey?" Unlike my reprimands, these inoccured 2 penalty points on his license.

[StephF]

Funny how the hittor always disagrees with the hittee. I had a SRF drive into the back side of me at the apex on the downhill earlier this month, punting us both. He copped the attitude of, "Well, I GUESS I'm sorry, IF you say that's what happened." followed by, "Well, if I lifted, I would have had three guys pass me on the straightaway."

The video and the corner workers corroborated that he just plain stuffed it into me, taking us both out (and allowing those three guys to pass him too... ). It also, um, rearranged the front end of his car pretty significantly. All in all, he got the worst of it.

What truly blows is if he had only come over the hill and stayed to my inside, I would have stayed wide, turned in late and let him through. Instead he dive bombed me out of nowhere and lifted the ass end of the car completely off the ground, stuffing the nose under the rear bumper/back corner as I was on the apex. Instant backwards.

To get enough force to go OVER the tirewall took some talent. Without seeing the incident, I wonder what/how the Miata acted when the Lotus was inside? Was he held out too wide and had to turn or die? Or did they play chicken into the apex?

[Greg Amy]

To get enough force to go OVER the tirewall took some talent.

All I saw was waving yellow at the bridge, then nothing down the hill, then the bottom side of some kinda car over the wall caught my eye...I asked Billiel over the radio if there was actually a car OVER the wall in the Downhill and he replied, "huh...?"

[Greg Amy]

When did you start driving a Lotus? LOL.

Man, you guys are mean...but since we've already "gone there", shall we change Mickey's name to "Martin"...?




http://blog.axisofoversteer.com/2012...-schanche.html

[mossaidis]

I know busting my balls has become a National sport (not regional anymore mind you... I have MOVED to the big leagues) yet uf... geez guys.

I LOVE that blog... favorite quote " a Norwegian Chuck Norris who produces turds larger than Tanner Foust" . I am half danish... hmmm... LOL!

[Ed Funk]

What kinda Lotus? 7? There was a clueless Prod Lotus 7 driver at the LRP regional who on tape caused a lot of problems including causing a gaggle of SRF's to wreck in the down hill.

[disquek]

Hi Greg!
Don't worry, my manhood is not diminished by your vTek!

Re split starts:
I'm one of the folks who asks for split starts, and I'm happy to share my thoughts.

I agree that there are some CRAZY slow prod cars. The Healey at LRP, although beautiful, was 15 seconds off the pace!! 15 seconds!! I lapped him about 8 times (no joke). But this has nothing to do with split starts. Every group has slow pokes, it's part of the deal.

Small bore has always required the fast folks in lower HP cars to deal with the less fast folks in the high HP cars. It's part of the game. But that doesn't make it fun.

Most small bore races have the outcome of GTL, FP, and HP heavily influenced or even outright determined by the EP and STU folks that hold us up. I accept this when it's unavoidable. This is not the case for the slow GTL, HP, and FP folks. We can pass them on the straights. Passing a car with 50+hp on you is, to say the least, a challenge. Even when you're apex speeds are 10mph higher.

The number one thing that split starts add is:

It minimizes the pig pile in L1 T1. In every grid there are cars with tons of motor behind cars with faster lap times and less motor. Drop the green on this mix and they all tend to try to occupy the same place at the same time. Crunch!!!

Let's face it, split starts or not, the fast guys are likely going to lap the slow guys, race tires or DOT tires. So it's not like the split start results in any more lapping than a combined start, and it provides for a safer start.

No one likes bodywork. That's all we're asking for when we ask for a split start.

It's worth saying that in every case, when we've asked for a split start, the DOT tired folks have been understanding and super helpful. Folks have asked questions and objected, but when we had a chance to talk it out, they understood the reasoning and we're accomodating. HUGE thanks to you folks for your help.

-Kyle
GTL #92

PS: Here is my LRP video: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjY8Pa6P0Qo[/ame]

Click around and you'll find the SP and NJMP videos too.

[disquek]

The Lotus was a Series 4 Super Seven in FP. The Lotus driver was Jerry Hinkel.

Jerry was either leading or 2nd overall when this happened. I think the Miata was going two or more laps down at the time. I seem to recall lapping that miata more than once and I was in 3rd overall.

I didn't see the incident either. I do know that the Lotus was heavily damaged and did not continue.

-Kyle

[Ed Funk]

Different Lotus...thanks.