On 05/19/97 10:50:22 you wrote:
>
>Please describe what happened for the benefit of the list members. I
>was there, but did not see this incident. I was very disturbed by a
>series of incidents at the WCC. Steve Earle was not pleased either, as
>he called an emergency "Cool it you idiots" drivers meeting Friday
>during pre-race practice. This was a result of having a Jaguar XK120
>getting wrong side up in 11. I was in a spot to see it, but wasn't
>looking at the time. I didn't even hear anything. Somehow, the car was
>upside down with the nose in the tires. The roll bar did its job. The
>driver climbed out and was ok. It did not look like the car suffered
>too badly. The same was not true of other incidents. I saw a rare
>Cooper sports racer with the whole left rear corner torn off and much
>Aluminum pushed around, and a Shelby GT350 with a front corner gone.
>Fortunately, nobody was injured in any of these incidents AFAIK.
>
>What's the deal? Did people just show up in a real stupid state of
>mind? Some of these cars are simply irreplaceable. It makes no sense
>to bend the metal rather than suffer a bruised ego. Never mind all the
>mechanical preparation, what happened to the mental preparation? The
>mental preparation should NOT be "Win the race or don't come back." It
>SHOULD be "Have fun, be cool, don't bend anything."
>
>> After witnessing the incident at turn one at the HMSA Wine Country
Classic
>> on Saturday May 17th; I think it is a good time for all clubs to remind
>> their members of the procedures to follow when they have a mechincal
problem
>> while on course. Yes, getting off the course is a good idea, but not by
>> making a 90 degree turn across the track.
>>
>>
>> vinracer@ix.netcom.com
>
>
>
Simon;
The Cooper you saw was the incident I witnessed. See my reply to Miles
Kitchen and the list. I had a hic-up in my provider connection so the last
part of what I wanted to say was missing.
This was my intended last comment: If I am wrong about my observations of
the Cooper and he had a mechanical failure that caused the car to vier left
I apologize; but there were no indications of a failure happening to cause
him to vier left. Before going left the Cooper was moving in a straight
line at the right edge of the track and the car appeared to under control,
i.e. not swerving or sliding; no smoke; no flying pieces of broken motor,
etc. It didn't look like he dropped a wheel off (saw a lot of people do
that and not go left afterwards). It just looked like the driver was trying
to get off on the left instead of staying right.
I don't claim to be an expert on driving; but I sure know not to make a 90
degree across the "driving line." If this was a mistake because of
inexperience then the clubs need to remind everybody of the rules of the
road. I know the experienced people dislike hearing about the rules over
and over, but there just might be some inexperienced people in the group who
need the safety reminders.
If you here any further word on this let me know.
vinracer@ix.netcom.com
1963 Porsche 356B #631
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