We here in Germany/Benelux do standing still starts. What about to start a race
like we do? The cars are a lot slower entering the first corner.
Chris
----- Original Message -----
From: <Editorgary@aol.com>
To: <fot@autox.team.net>; <MGVR@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2005 9:20 PM
Subject: Rules, Accidents, and Vintage Racing
> In a message dated 7/23/05 9:52:14 AM, owner-fot-digest@autox.team.net
> writes:
> > The solution [to problems like the BRIC incident} can only be when the
> > organizations state that a certain list of modifications is legal or open,
>[and
> > others are forbidden}. There can
> > be no worse regulation than one that is not enforceable. (worse yet, is not
> > TRYING to enforce the rules)
> >
> While the speed and power (legal or otherwise) of the cars involved in the
> BRIC incident certainly contributed to the intensity of the outcome, and that
> power may attract a certain personality of driver to that particular race
>group,
> I don't believe that this is an issue that can be handled by emphasis on
> rules.
> Much faster, more valuable, and more vulnerable cars than these, such as the
> vintage formula car group, manage to have clean starts and relatively
> incident-free races by simply recognizing that the cars are faster than
>amateur
> weekend drivers are capable of handling in difficult circumstances and
>driving
> accordingly.
> The vintage formula car drivers also recognize that the pace lap and start
> are perhaps the most dangerous portion of the race. (Imagine a group of fast
> formula cars having a multi-car pile-up like that at the BRIC. Open wheels
>would
> cause cars to be launched in all directions, and period cockpits, roll bars
> and gas tank configurations would make injury and death an almost certain
> probability).
> Consequently, as I understand it, there is a clear though tacit understanding
> that no one starts "racing" (i.e. no passing) until the cars have spread out
> a bit, generally after the first turn on most courses. That still leaves a
>lot
> of track time left to show how fast the car is and how good the driver is,
> while avoiding the possibility of a truly awful situation at the start.
> Regardless of the legality and power of the cars, we need to focus the VMC
> discussions this fall on policies and procedures for pace laps and starts. If
>it
> means that we no longer get to play Dale Earnhardt or Mario Andretti when the
> green flag is dropped (or believed to have been dropped), that seems like a
> small price to pay for the assurance of increased safety.
> Cheers
> Gary Anderson
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