An exciting off!

Interesting video:

Having worked T6 and T7 a lot, I can tell you that 'off' by the green car is very common. Usually they slew off right into the dirt then WAY over correct and attempt to climb the bank on the lest side. Most times it ain't a bad off cept for a lotta dirt under the car.

I have to admit offs in that area are a 'pain'. T6 sure as heck doesn't want to run up the hill. And Turn 7, dreads the thought of the walk back up after everything is cleared. 95% of the time it will be T7 responding (down hill) even though it's T6 territory.
 
That video doesn't do it justice. Gary had an in car going and hopefully that will be seen. Gary actually made it about 80% of the way to turn 7. He actually got his rear end loose coming out of 6 and typical result ensued. He got his rear end off track right exiting 6 and shot across track, started to collect it actually avoided the bank at first but then over corrected(counter corrected??) started to drive up the bank about half way up the hill drivers left. Continued driving along the bank for about 100 feet or so. At one point he had such an angle on the car I still don't know how he didn't end up on his lid. He managed to drive back down to the track shoulder. He then pulled up just the turn 7 station so I could check him out. His left front tire was flat, I later learned that his rim was actually punctured on the flat strip that runs on the inside opposite to the treads (don't know what that's actually called). He managed to drive to hot pits and still get an administrative finish. After the race I looked where he drove up the bank, and noticed that he ran through 3 or 4 stumps that were left from when they cut down those trees years ago. A very rough ride and a very lucky Gary.

On Saturday my worker was looking at the way turn 7 is set up, with that Armco and tire wall and the bank, and asked how easy was it for a car to actually climb the bank and end up in the station. I told him that theoretically it was possible but very very unlikely. Someone would really have to be messed up to get to us. Everything goes off to the right somewhere past us or to the left way before us, nothing ever comes toward the station. Well Gary proved me wrong. With a little more effort he would have been in the station.
 
Yes, that was an exciting off as I watched it unravel from Turn 6. Was amazed he kept the car upright as he was at a very steep angle while traversing the bank. I also noted to Bonnie as we were walking up the hill how he had gone right over those old stumps. It's a wonder it didn't rip the whole bottom off the car.
 
I believe that those stumps are still holding a lot of dirt back too. Granted driving on the left bank up the stairway to seven isn't the recommended line. Nor should it become an option.

I'm glad Gary came out of it as well as he did. As he limped the car back to the pits, you could see that, past T9 it wanted to drive itself to the right... towards the wall.
 
I talked to Gary after the race. I mentioned he needed to take a very good look at the underside of his car, and mentioned those stumps. He told me his front tires are pointed in different directions, so he knows he has some work ahead of him. Hopefully its not to bad of a fix.
 
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