OVR-SCCA 2x Regional + extras at Mid-Ohio 10/6 & 10/7

[downingracing]

Even with the mess below - I still had a geat weekend!!!

Rain for Q1. I put the Civic P1 in ITA and overall. At the start of the race, I got walked by Steve Sancricca in his CRX. He spun at t2 and I spun to avoid him (in front of the field). I joined DFL and figured I had time to work my way back towards the front. I made it to 10a.

http://youtu.be/8odUaTpoRQs

I believe the car is done. I'll start cutting the front end off this week and verify. I was thinking about getting a new car for 2013 and this may make that decision easier. This was my 14th year with this Civic. I've had this car since my daughter was 1 1/2 years old. It will be missed.

[Eagle7]

So sorry to see that. I know we're not supposed to, but we grow attached to these cars. I thought I had lost mine, but got it back from the frame shop yesterday "good as new". Maybe they can save yours too. Looks like Sean's got some serious damage to deal with too.

Question - would you feel worse if you felt like you were responsible for wrecking your car, or if you felt like there was nothing you could do to avoid it. I know I could not have avoided my wreck, and I think that made it easier to accept.

[ITA_honda]

When you have to say goodbye to your race car, it's really like saying goodbye to a member of the family. I know that is true for mine. Grandpa bought the Honda brand new and raced it in SSC for a few years. Then it was used as a daily driver and the "family rental." I grew up with the car and took my drivers test in it at 16. So it holds a lot of meaning. I will never be able to sell my car cause I really cant put a price on it.

[downingracing]

When you have to say goodbye to your race car, it's really like saying goodbye to a member of the family. I know that is true for mine. Grandpa bought the Honda brand new and raced it in SSC for a few years. Then it was used as a daily driver and the "family rental." I grew up with the car and took my drivers test in it at 16. So it holds a lot of meaning. I will never be able to sell my car cause I really cant put a price on it.

I had that conversation with someone about the 'value' of my Civic. Everything has a price and I'm sure enough money would have made me part with it. But that number is way north of $20k. (And the car was worth no where near that amount!)

My daughter wants me to make a coffee table from the trunk lid - that will be a project for this winter and should be a great addition to my racing room.

[Eagle7]

My daughter wants me to make a coffee table from the trunk lid - that will be a project for this winter and should be a great addition to my racing room.

My wife (who is not a big race fan) got tears in her eyes when I read her this thread. She did NOT want a replacement car - "fix 13 instead - I would MISS it".

We want a picture of that table.

[downingracing]

...Question - would you feel worse if you felt like you were responsible for wrecking your car, or if you felt like there was nothing you could do to avoid it. I know I could not have avoided my wreck, and I think that made it easier to accept.

Hard question. I don't feel I made the wrong decision here and I don't blame the other driver for the crash. (Looked to be both feet in the entire time) I blame myself for being back there to begin with. I started P1 and fell back to P2 at the start. That was my fault. If I was better at starting (from the front), I would have been in the lead at T2 and wouldn't have spun to avoid the car in front of me spinning. And I don't blame Steve for that spin either. He had a great start and the track was (river) wet there. He spun and I spun to avoid hitting him. All 'racing incidents' that together led to the end of my Civic. So the long answer to your short question is: It doesn't matter who was at fault - I believe I would feel the same either way.

The important thing is we both walked away from the crash. The mental loss of the car is the big thing for me. But I did walk away and can get another race car. (I do have an SM sitting in storage...) And I'm just about back to 100% (sore-ness is about gone). Family is 100% behind getting a replacement car (as long as it is Red!).

[darthmonkeyIT]

I have the in car from the race as well.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7rNs9tF7J8&feature=youtube_gdata[/ame]

Long and short the back end just let go. From watching Matt's video I didn't realize how late out of 10 it let go. I knew the track was slick and was having a hell of a time getting any heat into the rear tires. I was granny footing it around after the difficulty I had through keyhole with the rear end stepping out every time I got into the throttle.

Apologies Matt. I feel terrible that I collected you and am embarrassed by the whole incident. I dropped both feet in once the back end snapped but it didn't seem to stop the car from rotating. All I can figure is my tires were bricks at the time and I just skidded on them rather than biting.

I set the car up balancing and softening the shocks with the slick conditions. Tire pressures were 31/32 and 34/34 in the rear with how cold it was. Steve and I were running the same tires with the same pressures but I was really struggling to get any heat into the back.

Again apologies Matt. I feel terrible about the whole incident. Sorry for ruining your race and wrecking your car.

[downingracing]

...Apologies Matt. I feel terrible that I collected you and am embarrassed by the whole incident. I dropped both feet in once the back end snapped but it didn't seem to stop the car from rotating. All I can figure is my tires were bricks at the time and I just skidded on them rather than biting.

Again apologies Matt. I feel terrible about the whole incident. Sorry for ruining your race and wrecking your car.

I appreciate it, but like I said - you spun and went both feet in (like should happen). The car snapped back for whatever reason and I couldn't avoid you. I don't blame you for the incident and am just sorry I didn't get to say that face to face at the track (I know you stopped by and I wasn't there). I feel just as bad about your car - I hope you can repair it. I hope you are feeling OK! And I hope to see you back at the track in 2013!

[StevenS]

Matt - I also feel terrible about spinning in front of the field on Saturday. Luckily I spun to the inside grass very quickly so I didn't collect anyone. I knew T2 was slippery in the morning, but didn't expect it to still be so slippery in the afternoon. Apparently, it caught a lot of others out as well...almost every Saturday afternoon race group had a spin in T2 after the start.

Sean - do not beat yourself up too much about your spin. The CRX is a tricky car to drive in optimal conditions, and the conditions last weekend were abysmal: cold temperatures, puddles on a dry track, on/off rain, mud coated tires, etc. I had a VERY difficult time keeping the car underneath me for the first 2-3 laps of every session.

I really hope you decide to fix your car. You were making good progress all season! If you need any help or advice, please get ahold of me. I'll even help with the wrenching if you provide the beer...

Steve

[Eagle7]

Apologies Matt. I feel terrible that I collected you and am embarrassed by the whole incident.
......
Again apologies Matt. I feel terrible about the whole incident. Sorry for ruining your race and wrecking your car.

Sean, I hope you didn't think my question was a reflection on you or how you handled the incident. I didn't see anything wrong with what you did. I know I've spun my car a whole lot more times than I'd care to admit. But you do represent the other side of my question. I think if I had spun my car and it was wrecked it would be harder for me to deal with (mad at myself) than when another car suddenly shows up in the windshield (recognizing that "stuff happens", and that I COULD just as easily have been that other car). So give yourself a break.

Hoping you can and want to fix your car.

[darthmonkeyIT]

Sean, I hope you didn't think my question was a reflection on you or how you handled the incident. I didn't see anything wrong with what you did. I know I've spun my car a whole lot more times than I'd care to admit. But you do represent the other side of my question. I think if I had spun my car and it was wrecked it would be harder for me to deal with (mad at myself) than when another car suddenly shows up in the windshield (recognizing that "stuff happens", and that I COULD just as easily have been that other car). So give yourself a break.

Hoping you can and want to fix your car.

Marty, I did not think your question was directed at me. Actually I kind of realted to it in a way which you picked up from my post. I do feel bad about what happened.

After the incident my intent was to come to the forums and try to understand what I did wrong or what I could have done right to have prevented what happened. I still am not sure exactly what happened to cause the rear end to let go that fast with my best guess being cold tires and a poor setup for the conditions.

I am working on getting the frame fixed. I need some frame shop time to get the rear end pulled back out (and while I am at it fix the passenger door frame from July ). The incident put a kink in my winter plans for the car but I still have a planned list of upgrades/tweaks for the car. The motor mounts were pretty well done before this race so are probably REALLY done now along with the rubbery suspension bits. Along with some motor love and some "secret" suspension tweaks I am hoping to be back faster next year.

[StevenS]

I am working on getting the frame fixed. I need some frame shop time to get the rear end pulled back out (and while I am at it fix the passenger door frame from July ). The incident put a kink in my winter plans for the car but I still have a planned list of upgrades/tweaks for the car. The motor mounts were pretty well done before this race so are probably REALLY done now along with the rubbery suspension bits. Along with some motor love and some "secret" suspension tweaks I am hoping to be back faster next year.

How did your rear hatch hold-up? I've got a spare in nice condition that you can have for free if you need it...

Steve Sancricca
#32 ITA CRX