September 10, 2009

Three into two equals.... aaaaargh!

A lesson in physics at Summit Point when a Spec Racer Ford tries to squeeze through... "can I make it? I think I can...ooops"

BTW, emergency response took less than 30 seconds from when the car stops, good job Summit workers, that's quicker than people got to Massa's car in Hungary!

Check out a different view of the incident AFTER THE JUMP





More Summit Point

11 comments:

  1. Scary. No blame for the driver IMO. I would have gone for the pass too (Done it many times). IMO there are three BIG Issues that increase the risk of this situation happening (and why some race organizations are better/safer than others through rules and enforcement):

    - Crappy Restart method. Why did they allow single file and so much space between cars on FCY restart? The group has to be packed, not just for fun but for safety (lower distance decreases the chances of big speed differentials in T1).

    - Combining (big) racecars with small prototypes. One too many things can go wrong when both contact (worst case that can easily happen is the racecar rolling over the prototype).

    - Allowing a car with tires that stick beyond their fenders. This is what caused the SRF to fly. That's the biggest risk in open wheel cars and why "Touring" Racecars are safer, and mostly why the rules in almost every class obligue the car to have its tires contained within the body.

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  2. @GC well ALMS and other run prototypes and sedans... and if you look at theat Triumph, it's not the tires, they don't stick out but those add on flares acted like perfect launch ramps!

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  3. The ALMS Prototypes are roughly the same size (and wider) than the cars. The SRF and radicals are bodied go-karts. Running in NASA with Radicals a month ago gave me goosebumps... You can easily run over, or they can dive underneath you VERY easily.
    Those flares are a joke, they protect the tires from what? rain? They only cover 70deg of the circumference instead of 270deg as the regular body of a car.

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  4. Oh but they make very effective ramps! :o)

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  5. nice comment CG. scary video!

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  6. My hat is off to the driver, he took it like a champ considering how scary that seemed to be:

    "You OK?"

    "Yeah, I'm fine."

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  7. The driver who flipped not at fault? Pull your head out guys. It is the passing car's responsibility to execute the pass safely. That was a long straight, he could have waited one or two seconds and just followed the other SRF on the right. Very lucky he is safe, but he made his own bed on this one.

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  8. In racing, there's never a 100% safe pass (that's just for DE). You always take your chances. What I'm saying, is that squeezing between 2 slower cars on a STRAIGHT is a regular move any racer who wnats to win a race will go for.

    However, here's some more perspective on this second vid (AC pls post) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB8n5I5h6R8

    Clearly not a lot of space to the right of the other SRF

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  9. looks like our flyer got pinched or, depentin on your point of view, was way too optimistic!

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