Stop&TurnFreak

........I am ready to GO. R compounds enroute, ***-kicking to come later.

MoodDude

Hi everyone - as all the Z's will be at ZdayZ and I would rather get more seat time at a track - I will be joining you guys! And I will probably be the only Z at Roebling! So I better do my best to represent!
I will be driving up with LEGOKCEN and look forward to meeting everyone.

Stop&TurnFreak

MoodDude, can I catch a ride? I want to see how the Z does at the track. I have a couple buddies with them, and I have always been curious.

I will swap a ride in your Z for a ride in a slow Evo with a mild 314whp. However, the ride will be in HPDE4 (open-passing) . I am no TrackAddict or Lego, but I can find my way around for a guys with a walker.

Phlash

OMG! We have two Virgins!!! Lego.....don't you tell him the routine....we'll put mooddude on his own tree and I'll bring an extra tarp....

MoodDude

I can give you a ride - no problem - I may even let you drive the beast (have to see how you drive). I am still learning and this will be my first time ever at Roebling, so if I can jump in your car too - that would be great.
Yet, nothing is stock in my car - so it will handle more like a race car and less like a Z. And I have a mild 440rwhp and 410rwtq.
Just got my Cups (265 front and 295 rear) and SSR's yesturday. Roebling will be the first time I get to use them at a track!
And I am corner weighting her again tommorow to ensure I still have 50/50 cross weight (and 50/50 left right and better than 53/47 front and rear - these where my numbers 3 months ago). I have been lightening her up to try to get everything to a perfect 50/50.
But, my car is still heavy comparied to you 8's, she was at 3200# fully fueled last time, I am hoping she is now between 3000-3100# fully fueled now.

TrackAddict

Mood - did we meet at TGPR? I am in the gray RX8 and my friend was in his gold mustang.

MoodDude

Yep - that was me - but I don't think anyone liked your friend after he ran into the Supra!

SilverEIGHT

I didn't here about this!

Phlash

Do tell.....

SilverEIGHT

What happened?

MoodDude

Well, all I can tell you was what I saw. The Gold Mustang was in a different run group than me - so everything was from the side lines.
The day at Talladega was a private group rental, but ran really well, with standard track passing and no racing! I saw the Mustang pass twice in two different turns and they black flagged him. Well, the Supra was pushing hard around the corner, and the Mustang looked like he was trying to pass. The Supras started to oversteer, and the Mustang could not react fast enought and ran into the rear corner panel of the Supra. They both then ran off the track. The Mustang (third black flag) was asked to leave after that. The Mustang did talk to the Supra and offered to pay for the damage, looks like the complete rear corner panel (yet don't know if any structural damage was done since they went into the grass pretty hard).
Like I said - this is what I saw - yet there is probably a different version of this, so take it for what it is worth.

whiterex

Oh.........

Well I guess that I'll make the reservation tonight.

TorqueAholic

Allright, here is the truth.

What did not happen:

1) Did not get black flagged once.
2) Did not pass or try to pass anybody in a corner or near a corner including the Supra
3) Did not get asked to leave the track

What did happen:

1) I Did follow the Supra for a few laps. But he did not notice that I had paced him and was behind

2) Comming into the corner, my brake pedal went to the floor (Overheated fluid) and the car slowed down a whole lot less than expected

3) I saw that I was getting too close to the Supra so I tried to go in the inside (my mistake) hoping that my continued efforts to slow down and his accelerating towards the apex would fix the problem

4) As mentionned before he had not seen me and was not aware of impending trouble and instead of accelerating he unfortunately braked some more. This time I was too close and could not avoid contact

5) I apologized profusely and offered to help with his quarter panel but he declined and we agreed to take care of our own and that's what we did


Lessons learned

1) Being close to somebody in the braking zone is fine in racing conditions but probably not a good idea in Open track events

2) Don't assume that any driver is aware that you are near even if you have been following for a while

3) Keep an eye on your mirrors

4) My car is getting upgraded brakes front and back next week

The good thing is nobody got hurt and no serious damage was done to either car

It's unfortunate, but as he said these kinds of things do happen on race tracks and it's a risk you assume when you participate in these events.

I am really sorry it happened but he is a great guy and was very cool about it.
I hope to see him again in up-coming events.

L8APEX

yes, I have a very LARGE tarp, it should work for both initiations.

Guys, it is getting closer, I can almost feel it. I may start watching some of TA's track footage this coming week, and start learning the line a little.

STF, don't forget, I want a ride in that slow car of yours.

SilverEIGHT

Ouch! I suspect that this will not be the last of the accidents we see happen. As the drivers in our group get more advanced and the speeds get faster and faster, reflexes must get more acute as well. The cars must be modified to handle the more extreme driving conditions and we must be willing to accept that we have put our cars on the line when we exit the paddock. I personally do not expect to advance to the point of what I would call racing and plan to stay in the area of HPDE 1 & 2. If I ever go beyond that, it would be with a car that is not my daily driver and I will trailer it in. It will have a roll cage and be set up to protect my old fart *** and if I have an accident, I will accept that as part of the hobbies expense. But while I participate at the low end of the HPDE environment, I will be keeping my distance and treating every encounter with another car with care. Kind of like I do on the highway, every car is a potential disaster waiting to happen so I give every one of them room to screw up and me as well.

TorqueAholic, I'm really glad you and the guy in the Supra are OK and I'm sorry to here there was a mishap. I know it made you sick to your stomach when it happened. The good thing is that it was not a major accident and was something that could be fixed.

"Onward and Upward"

MoodDude

Like I said - it was from the side line, and I didn't talk to him or you. So good lessons learned.
There is always more sides to the story - that is why I made sure I said to take it for what it is worth.
I know that pushing cars to the limits, there will be some kind of contact - eventually. I do know the guys from Z1 where not that happy, and they are the ones who told me about the black flags. But, I did see you both hit on turn 3. No harm - no foul - and I hope to meet you and talk to you at a future event.
Thanks for sharing the lessons - it should help us all!

whiterex

Red Roof Inn Airport

I 95 @ Savannah Airport
912-748-0370

Is this the hotel? If so, I'll make the reservation as soon sa I find out.

TrackAddict

I didn't see any of this happen. I don't remember if I was talking to my student or was preparing to go out on track. I do remember that when I came off the track I saw the 2 cars off to the side in the paddock and the 2 owners were talking. I can tell you all that TorqueAholic has felt terrible about this since it occured. He did not get asked to leave. I was done instructing, he was obviously done driving, my R compounds were down to the steel belt and I had a quarter tank of gas. I put my street tires on and went out for another session. When the fuel light came on, it was time to call it a day. We left the track around 330pm. He was not asked to leave. I was not on track at the time of the incident so I didn't see any black flags. I have known TorqueAholic for 20 years. If he said he wasn't flagged, I know he wasn't. There are many lessons to be learned. I learned a bunch myself.

I hope this chapter ends here and we all breathe a sigh of relief that it could have been worse but thankfully wasn't. And, maybe we filled our quota of track incidents for the year.

TrackAddict

From the event page...

Red Roof Inn
Exit 104 off I95, behind Zaxbys Restaurant
20 Mill Creek Circle
Pooler, GA 31322
912-748-4050
$59 per night
ask for NASA group rate

whiterex

Thanks TA, reservation is made. Good thing too, they only have a few rooms left. No non-smoking rooms though.

Stop&TurnFreak

Hey mooddude, check my videos in my link....labeled affectionately "how to".

I think you will find even with a under-powered Evo, I can, um, create some havoc on track.

MoodDude

Is Mark with the RX-7 that had the Corvette engine in it going to be at Roebling. Really enjoyed riding with him - I also let him drive my car. Great driver and his car has so much torque! Loved his NOS drink can glue in the rear window - it was good for a laugh.
He just needs to check his passanger seat for loose bolts!

MoodDude

Is that a 911 holding the pack up in your video?
Cool video, let me ride with you in your car, then I will decided if you can drive my car - ok?
I usually turn down the boost at the track - 400 hp is enough - but may turn it up now with the Cups on and race fuel.
Just don't run my car out of fuel like Mark did at Talladega. After he got done - I got in the car and drove three laps - then right before turn 1 - it started running on fumes - that will teach me to read the gas guage before I take her out each session!!!

Stop&TurnFreak

No worries, I have plenty of car...... I would love a ride though, something about piloting a car that I don't own, I don't like.

legokcen

STF is the instructor I told you about that will have you giggling like a school girl while in his car. He's a hell of a driver. But, you have to experience it for yourself, don't take my word for it... I could just be full of $hit.