On Mon, Apr 21, 2003 at 02:30:22AM +1030, Eric wrote:
> Larry Colen wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > Why would he be black flagging you? Unsportsmanlike conduct? Were you
> > > doing something naughty when you spun?
> >
> > In most of these "open track" events, doing anything like spinning or
> > going off the track is considered naughty. They don't want anyone
> > losing it and wrecking their car, much less anyone else's.
> >
>
> Ahhhhhhh - I am glad then that we get judged on how "elegantly" we leave
> the track - and re-enter (or I would have had to return to the pits
> every few laps in my first few seasons - I am much better now, thank you).
>
> If we were doing something "silly" near other competitors when we left
> the track, then we might be up for a warning or two, followed by visit
> to the Stewards to show cause why we shouldn't be kicked out of the comp
> until we can prove we can handle a car properly in traffic. Likewise if
> we re-enter the track dangerously (at speed, dragging lots of garbage
> onto the track, or diving back into the middle of traffic).
As I intimated, there's a big difference between how the same event
will be viewed in a "race group" and an "open track" group. I don't
know if they are popular in Oz, but in the US there are a lot of clubs
that will rent a track for a day, and then for about $200 US (about AU
$300) someone with no racing or track experience can go out and play
at the track in their street car. For many reasons, including
insurance and repeat business, they want to minimize risk in the "open
track" sessions lest the clientelle be scared off from risking their
BMW M3s, Porsches etc.
Back when the club that is now NASA http://www.nasaproracing.com was a
couple of guys in the Capri Club putting on open track days, the open
passing group (run groups are divided by driver ability not car
ability), was almost entirely racers who were looking for some cheap
track time. Most of the cars on the track were actually IT (Improved
Touring then the low buck class) cars, and some of the track sessions
were even more spirited than a practice or qual session on an SCCA
race weekend, with the driving only slightly less aggressive than an
actual race.
On a related note, I'm starting to think about writing an
article/book/treatise on teaching performance driving. I'd especially
like to write a chapter on teaching performance driving to women. (By
the way check out http://www.racerchicks.com this page in particular
is excellent, for anyone getting into racing:
http://www.racerchicks.com/racerchick_101/RC_tracketiq.html
I'm at the point of starting to solicit advice, stories etc. from
folks who have taught, or taken performance driving courses, and what
did or did not work for them.
>
> Motorsport is Dangerous (but have fun :-)
Racing is dangerous, it's made that way.
--
I've found something worse than oldies station that play the music I used to
listen to. Oldies stations that play the "new" music I used to complain about.
lrc@red4est.com http://www.red4est.com/lrc
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