Feedback on Seattle Rain Rules

westipton said:
I don't think the guys who have crashed there would agree with you Rick. It's not about testosterone, it's about being safe, and sensible, and losing cars or drivers for the sake of bragging rights or a cheap little trophy would be pointless.
If we have a monsoon again the yellow will, and should be, displayed for the kink, which still leaves 90% of the track open to splash around on.
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Wes,

I was not commenting on the kink being yellow but rather the comments that were suggesting a yellow from 8 through 1. My math would make that more than 10% yellow.

You may or may not remember that I was the first one to test out the new striaght concrete wall in 2004. I understand the danger on the straight and agree that the puddling is getting worse.

Lets take this further. When the monsoon rains come, there is a river runnning across the back straight after turn 4 and we hydroplane through that area as well. There is small river across 3A. Turn 6 becomes slick too. If it is too dangerous to race, then racing should be cancelled. No different than when I made the choice to cancel Saturday morning due to heavy fog in 2003. It was unsafe until the fog cleared.
 
Rick,

My post was only to suggest using the yellow/surface flag configuration at any stations deemed necessary in the view of a Race Chair/Steward/Turn Marshals.

In my view, it is the proper use of the flag for the situation. Proper, meaning that the use of these flags, defined by the Regulations that are produced by the drivers, would be easily understood by, at least some of those same drivers.

Also, my suggestion of those flags' use at T8 was only to expound on the application.

Personally, I think that T9, and T10 would probably cover the kink 'danger zone' most effectively, but that would be the call of other safety minded officials that are responsible, and concerned with the true value of our participants' ability to continue with their racing program.

But if you folks want some drama? I got yer drama right here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nejlK7-6cSY

Here's where I mention, again, that the drivers should always stay in their vehicle belted tight and all gear on, until course, or safety crews can get to them. And, I also say that course workers should not attempt to respond too quickly in some situations. Because that's racing.

It's not about the $, it's about the sense.
 
And yet the waving yellow didn't stop the multi car pile up.

This I agree on whole heartedly "It's not about the $, it's about the sense." Of course not all our particpants have both, some just have the $. (see above)
 
I understand people can have strong feelings about other people, and I strongly suspect Rick would speak to Daryl in person as he has here (which is in keeping with the semi-official "act here as you would in the paddock" rule), but let's please try to keep things civil.
 
Rick and I CAN agree to disagree and move on, we just need to get a few things straight.

You might want to explain your comment on the rest of group 6 drivers though, they may not be so forgiving.
 
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Yes I agree Rick, T8 to T1 would excessive, but the yellow before the kink to S/F helps a bunch in my opinion. I also agree that the entire track is getting more and more dangerous with the water washing across track in numerous spots, but the kink seems to do most of the car collecting overall.
I know Pacific Raceways monitors this forum and they are aware of the problem, but I doubt they have the funds lying around just now to make the comprehensive repairs needed to solve this problem. I'm sure IRDC loses entries, and $$ every time it rains for one of their events, but cancelling it completey would put them out of business in a hurry if that became standard practice. So we yellow the bad spot and be careful through the rest of the lap, which for the most part seems to work well.
 
westipton said:
.... I also agree that the entire track is getting more and more dangerous......
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The 'hole' drivers left coming out of 3B half way to 4 is now a FOX HOLE requiring a cone in it about 28" inside the edge of the racing surface. Would be a heck of a hit in a formula car. It's deep.

FF's appeared to be suffering a push coming out of T8 more then 'normal'. Might have been due to the rain washing all the rubber off the racing stones.

With the exception of an FF roll over out of T6 drivers right (driver okay but Ricky had to rip his camera mount off because it was caught on his HANS device), SOVREN had a trouble free weekend of racing.

YES, four run groups got 20 minute practice/qual. and TWO 20 minute races Saturday (and an enduro practice), FOUR races today (3 15's and a 20) plus a 1.5 hour mini-enduro won by an FF!! :cool:

After the Saturday qualifications, subsequent grids seemed to be set by the previous race
 
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Turfer said:
And yet the waving yellow didn't stop the multi car pile up.
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They never do. I agree. And flags never, ever will. If the pilot can't see.

Now consider these flags at the time of their display, with the increment of recognition, added to the sum amount of torque on the nut behind the wheel.
 
thomas_liesner said:
Hey Rick

I heard that there were painfully few workers for the Sovren event, with some of the stations unmanned?
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"Painfully few" is a good way to put it. T-3B and T-10 not manned but that is NOT unusual. T-1 covered by the Starters (that's not unusual either).

However ALL stations had ONE person with the exception of T-4 (had 2) and T-3A (on Sunday had 2). We were thin so the E-crews rolled quickly to the 'few' disabled cars over the weekend. This is a VERY unusual situation for SOVREN.. where were the workers? Was there a CART race in Bellingham??

As I said, it was a quiet weekend except for the FF roll. One minor nose-tail hard contact in FV's and ONE passing under a standing yellow.

About 20 cars started the mini-enduro. All small bore and about 6 FF's. That was a strange field to see with FF's leading the way! But fun to watch with only one car becomiing disabled during the event.
 
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Rick,
There are usually some Canucks that work Sovren, and this weekend at Mission, was their big charity race weekend. So that might have put the head count down a bit.
 
Knowing that the SOVREN organization squeezes each of their nickels until the buffalo poops, I gotta wonder where they have their event insurance brokered.
 
chronos vs. turfer

this can all be settled with duel. mono e mono. big wheel vs green machine on the drag strip. might make for great entertainment after the saturday barbeque

lets get back to racing in the rain! oh wait, weather forecast says no rain. oh well it was at least entertaining watching this play out. I am sure we all trust that Mr Steward will make the right decision for the good of the club.

good luck to all this weekend!
 
Good luck to all of you at seattle, may the sun gods smile down on you, even Rick. See you all next year.
 
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I cast no stones. I have no opinion. This does not concern the rest of us. For all of our sake, keep it off the track and out of the forum.
 
Huh. All this brings to mind an old Kingston Trio Song:
(Yeah, they were popular when I was a young'un)

The Merry Minuet
The Kingston Trio
Words and Music by Sheldon Harnick

-From their 1959 LP "From the Hungry"

Theyre rioting in Africa (whistling)
Theyre starving in Spain (whistling)
Theres hurricanes in Flo-ri-da (whistling)
And Texas needs rain
The whole world is festering with unhappy souls
The French hate the Germans, the Germans hate the Poles
Italians hate Yugoslavs, South Africans hate the Dutch
AND I DONT LIKE ANYBODY VERY MUCH!!

But we can be tranquil and thankful and proud
For mans been endowed with a mushroom-shaped cloud
And we know for certain that some lovely day
Someone will set the spark off
AND WE WILL ALL BE BLOWN AWAY!!

Theyre rioting in Africa (whistling)
Theres strife in Iran
What nature doesnt do to us
Will be done by our fellow *man*---


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhaDtSBmIrI
 
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