mikeblaszczak
Well-known member
Why would anyone get out of their race car in an impact zone, on a hot track?
Group 1 race at Seattle
- Thread starter mikeblaszczak
- Start date
Lynn Rimmer
Good2Go
Maybe driver wasn't taught/didn't remember to stay the hell in the car, belts done up, until help arrives.
Me thinks this is something for the Steward of 2011 (Tom you on the forum?) to reiterate/remind at the start of next season?
Was this the one at Turn 5, facing counter-course???
Me thinks this is something for the Steward of 2011 (Tom you on the forum?) to reiterate/remind at the start of next season?
Was this the one at Turn 5, facing counter-course???
thomas_liesner
TPFD Best Care Anywhere
I know in the past we have mentioned that in the driver meetings. Stay put, stay belted in untill help arrives and gives you instructions.
That being said it is also dependant on your immediate situation. I remember an example in Portland several years ago. A FF spun just past the right hand turn at one, was parked crosswise to traffic a couple of feet away from the right wall. I responded to him. As i approached I noticed he was undoing his belts attempting to get out of the car. I yelled at him to stay belted in. He yelled back HOT WATER. I yelled back do it fast. By the time I got there he was out, I helped him over the wall with most of his back wet. In that kind of situation, yes get yourself out quickly just dont forget to keep an eye onthe traffic.
That being said it is also dependant on your immediate situation. I remember an example in Portland several years ago. A FF spun just past the right hand turn at one, was parked crosswise to traffic a couple of feet away from the right wall. I responded to him. As i approached I noticed he was undoing his belts attempting to get out of the car. I yelled at him to stay belted in. He yelled back HOT WATER. I yelled back do it fast. By the time I got there he was out, I helped him over the wall with most of his back wet. In that kind of situation, yes get yourself out quickly just dont forget to keep an eye onthe traffic.
Steve Adams
Just this guy, ya know?
It takes a special kind of concentration to stand in an impact zone and frown at your car while the rest of the field zooms past on a damp-ish track. Not that I'd feel all that safe sitting in my car there, either.
In a perfect world ...
I was the communicator/yellow flagger on Turn 5, working with a not-driving-at-the-present-time driver who had kindly volunteered to help out but who has very little corner-working experience. In that perfect world I mentioned above, there would have been at least three of us ... or at the VERY least two experienced workers! But that's not happening anymore. So we make do with what we have. There was no way to signal to the driver to stay put without leaving the safety of the station - all I could see of him was his arm reaching over to give me a "thumbs up" that he was okay. In the time it took to make the call and try to get help on its way, the driver decided he'd had enough ... and frankly I can't say I blame him; I would be terrified having those cars flying up the hill towards me! What in reality is only seconds I'm sure feels like an eternity when you're the one sitting in the car. It was hairy, as situations at Turn 5 almost always are.
I should add that he had taken a truly terrifying wild ride on the wet grass driver's left, just missing the wall in front of Turn 5, veering across the track in traffic, hitting the gravel and again avoiding the tire wall driver's right, to somehow find himself countercourse just off track facing traffic slightly ahead of the Turn 5 station ... so he'd already had the fright of his life BEFORE having to stare down oncoming traffic ... yup, I probably woulda bailed too ...
I was the communicator/yellow flagger on Turn 5, working with a not-driving-at-the-present-time driver who had kindly volunteered to help out but who has very little corner-working experience. In that perfect world I mentioned above, there would have been at least three of us ... or at the VERY least two experienced workers! But that's not happening anymore. So we make do with what we have. There was no way to signal to the driver to stay put without leaving the safety of the station - all I could see of him was his arm reaching over to give me a "thumbs up" that he was okay. In the time it took to make the call and try to get help on its way, the driver decided he'd had enough ... and frankly I can't say I blame him; I would be terrified having those cars flying up the hill towards me! What in reality is only seconds I'm sure feels like an eternity when you're the one sitting in the car. It was hairy, as situations at Turn 5 almost always are.
I should add that he had taken a truly terrifying wild ride on the wet grass driver's left, just missing the wall in front of Turn 5, veering across the track in traffic, hitting the gravel and again avoiding the tire wall driver's right, to somehow find himself countercourse just off track facing traffic slightly ahead of the Turn 5 station ... so he'd already had the fright of his life BEFORE having to stare down oncoming traffic ... yup, I probably woulda bailed too ...
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Randy Blaylock
Highlander Motorsports
Poopy seat?
tom_olsson
Well-known member
Yup, I'm listening. That's twice this year, so I'll definitely be talking about it this weekend.
Lynn Rimmer
Good2Go
The only thing is, a driver is still safer in his/her car, buttoned up, until help arrives. (short of fire or dire circumstances)
A few years ago:
RX7 - Seattle - front straight past Turn 10 - rain - car spun hit the wall - he backs his belts off - big pack comes in - major contact with 4 or more cars - 3/4 of an hour to cut him out with the jaws of life. Driver unconscious for a while due to the impact(s).
Unbuckle belts, disconnect hans, open door, straddle side impact bars, get one leg out at a time, all the while not being able to always watch oncoming traffic.
Takes longer to do that, than it does to be hit by another vehicle. Watching that happen is truly horrible.
The turns can only do so much, depending on where the car lands, and just maybe little tidbits of safety to the drivers now and then, might keep them safer, when we can't get to them immediately.
A few years ago:
RX7 - Seattle - front straight past Turn 10 - rain - car spun hit the wall - he backs his belts off - big pack comes in - major contact with 4 or more cars - 3/4 of an hour to cut him out with the jaws of life. Driver unconscious for a while due to the impact(s).
Unbuckle belts, disconnect hans, open door, straddle side impact bars, get one leg out at a time, all the while not being able to always watch oncoming traffic.
Takes longer to do that, than it does to be hit by another vehicle. Watching that happen is truly horrible.
The turns can only do so much, depending on where the car lands, and just maybe little tidbits of safety to the drivers now and then, might keep them safer, when we can't get to them immediately.
westipton
Well-known member
That was an ugly scene Lynn, and the top 5 or 6 cars were brought 'past' the pit entrance and parked just across from that mess, with the driver you mentioned slumped to the right, not moving. They eventually moved us around the track and into the hot pits, but I never did figure out why they parked us there in the first place.
Front Row Seat
I can vouch for the exciting ride he had to get to where he ended up. He passed me exiting 3B and quickly accelerated away from me. I don't know what caused him to get off left of the pavement, but I came up on him as he was skating across the wet grass approaching 5A. I backed out of it, unsure if he was going to shoot back out on track, and actually came to a complete stop just short of the apex right as he slid across the track not far from my front bumper. After exhaling, I found first gear and launched myself on down the track as fast as I could so that I wouldn't get punted.
I must say that it was quite an exciting sequence of events for my first "real" race after upgrading from Novice status the day before!
I can vouch for the exciting ride he had to get to where he ended up. He passed me exiting 3B and quickly accelerated away from me. I don't know what caused him to get off left of the pavement, but I came up on him as he was skating across the wet grass approaching 5A. I backed out of it, unsure if he was going to shoot back out on track, and actually came to a complete stop just short of the apex right as he slid across the track not far from my front bumper. After exhaling, I found first gear and launched myself on down the track as fast as I could so that I wouldn't get punted.
I must say that it was quite an exciting sequence of events for my first "real" race after upgrading from Novice status the day before!
mikeblaszczak
Well-known member
To me, it's common sense. Do you stay in a cage, or do you get out of the cage and walk around? Sure, if the cage is on fire or getting wet, it's time to think about getting out. Otherwise ...
You know, most abandoned boats are found still floating after the storm.
You know, most abandoned boats are found still floating after the storm.
Lynn Rimmer
Good2Go
Doug,
Kudoos for your head's up driving (don't loose that) and somewhat timely stop.
Congrats on your upgrade!!!!
Chatting up some turn workers is an excellent way to garner more knowledge for your safety on track. aka: Do's and Please Don'ts
We are basically your first line of defense and would be happy to give you some tips.
Kudoos for your head's up driving (don't loose that) and somewhat timely stop.
Congrats on your upgrade!!!!
Chatting up some turn workers is an excellent way to garner more knowledge for your safety on track. aka: Do's and Please Don'ts
We are basically your first line of defense and would be happy to give you some tips.
db1
A.F.T.
Common sense isn't as common as we'd all like to think it is.
I was having a conversation on this very subject Saturday night with some drivers. It surprised me that staying in your car until you were told to get out of it wasn't common knowledge. Maybe its a topic we should be adding to the novice program, if you're stopped on track do's and don'ts
colin_koehler
Great SCOTT!
I stayed buckled in. 
And watched the whole race from 3b. The whole time I thought to myself I wish I had a cell phone. I would have called my dad/mom/gf (all spectating) and said, "You won't believe this sh**!" Or worse, I would have updated my facebook status: Colin Koehler is sitting at turn 3b right now watching the race from his busticated car, Go Mike Go!
All of those safety items did go through head. "Should I drive it turn 4 station, but what if the head is busted? I just built this motor. Is this a safe place? T3b station told me to roll here and they removed the local yellow so it must be safe. I will stay in my car and watch my mirrors just in case I need to brace for impact."
And watched the whole race from 3b.
The whole time I thought to myself I wish I had a cell phone. I would have called my dad/mom/gf (all spectating) and said, "You won't believe this sh**!" Or worse, I would have updated my facebook status: Colin Koehler is sitting at turn 3b right now watching the race from his busticated car, Go Mike Go!All of those safety items did go through head. "Should I drive it turn 4 station, but what if the head is busted? I just built this motor. Is this a safe place? T3b station told me to roll here and they removed the local yellow so it must be safe. I will stay in my car and watch my mirrors just in case I need to brace for impact."
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westipton
Well-known member
I have heard the same thing myself DB over the last few years, so it is a great idea to include that in our driver training programs. I understand the urge to bail from a dead stick vehicle that is in the line of fire, but staying put is the only way to go in most instances.
Randy Blaylock
Highlander Motorsports
Trust me, it's a very emphasized point in the Novice program.
Lynn Rimmer
Good2Go
This was a senior driver. Ableit a 700 number.
We still have the best Novice program in town.
We still have the best Novice program in town.
+1 on the Novice Program
Having just gone through the novice program, I can confirm that staying in the car is already an emphasis, as is trying to stop at a "non-intrusive" location, if you have a choice. Of course, they also said not to purposely stop on the track, which I did at the entrance of 5A during this race. It just seemed appropriate at the time to permit passage of the Porsche across the track. It wasn't without significant...um...anxiety about what might be approaching, and I hightailed it outta there immediately thereafter!
Having just gone through the novice program, I can confirm that staying in the car is already an emphasis, as is trying to stop at a "non-intrusive" location, if you have a choice. Of course, they also said not to purposely stop on the track, which I did at the entrance of 5A during this race. It just seemed appropriate at the time to permit passage of the Porsche across the track. It wasn't without significant...um...anxiety about what might be approaching, and I hightailed it outta there immediately thereafter!
FFRSpec72
Well-known member
Agreed it's a drilled in point at all the novice meetings, I felt much safer in the cage than I would outside the cage sitting on the track
Ken Killam
Fats
And only because it may have been omitted...
Keep all your gear on too. If it's hot, unzip a bit, open the visor, and think cool, calm, relaxing thoughts.
When I'm in sitting in Safety with "Shields Up" for a 'hot' track incident, that's what I do...
with one eye on the mirror, and the other on the Monkey.
And you know which Monkey I'm talking about.
Keep all your gear on too. If it's hot, unzip a bit, open the visor, and think cool, calm, relaxing thoughts.
When I'm in sitting in Safety with "Shields Up" for a 'hot' track incident, that's what I do...
with one eye on the mirror, and the other on the Monkey.
And you know which Monkey I'm talking about.
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