Damn! I wanted to go watch that race. The only time that I was at Mosport
was for 'Heatwave', which was a rock concert. ( Don't remember the year. )
Glad to hear that you faired okay. We'll wait patiently for the video
offering. :)
Robert D.
-----Original Message-----
From Wm. Severin Thompson <wsthompson at thicko.com>
>To all,
>
>Thickos north and south attended VARAC's race at Mosport thise weekend. If
>you've never driven Mosport, you must plan to attend this event next
year...
>great track, great people... and great fun.
>
>While qualifying Saturday, the Red Rat Bastard was really "honkin"...
>posting a great qualifying time. Turn 8 is a wide open right handed sweeper
>after a long straight...someof the fastest parts of the course. 9 is a fast
>left hander... followed by the right hander 10 that brings you back to the
>main straight. Moving right to prepare for 9... I felt the steering go. The
>car veered strongly right... heading toward the tire wall at a high rate of
>speed. I had time in my mind to think the following... "This is really
gonna
>hurt"...and "I'm glad that this wasn't driver's error". I slammed into the
>wall at somewhere near or over 90 mph, luckily hitting it at a 45 degree
>angle. I found myself rolling over after the initial impact... 2 1/2 times
>ultimately... ending up upside down on the roll bar. After the rolling
>sensation ceased... it was amazingly quiet... dark, and confined. I made
>sure all switches were off, and was hoping that my competitors behind me
>were paying attention to the yellow flags. It would have pissed me off to
>survive that part of the crash and then be punted while hanging upside
down.
>My helmet was pressing against the ground... my roll bar apparently having
>dug into the ground. After what seemed like 30 seconds (it may not have
been
>that long... or it could have been longer... who knows...) I decided to
take
>stock of my body parts. Nothing hurt seriously, and fingers and toes seemed
>to function normally... and since my weight already was resting on my head,
>I decided to try to extricate myself... as I knew I didn't like "hangin"
>around. (Corner workers and EMT's caution all you racers out there...
citing
>racers who manage to survive a crash, only to injure themselves by
releasing
>their belts and falling on their heads...)
>
>I crawled out from under the wreackage just as the EMT's came upon the
>scene. They had me sit down on the wall, while the corner workers dealt
with
>the upside down RRB, it's front wheel and spindle lying in the middle of
the
>track. I gave thumbs up to my shocked competitors as they passed the scene
>slowly. I walked to the medical bulding, where I was checked out and
>released. The usual party at Thicko Village commenced a little earlier than
>usual Saturday.
>
>Inspection showed failure of the 2 bolts that hold the spindle to the
>steering arm. Once that failed, the wheel flopped down and ripped off from
>the lower portion. (I hear the sound of Sprite owners everywhere scurrying
>off to inspect their front suspensions...).
>
>The Red Rat Bastard's days are over... better to end this way rather than
>rusting away in someone's back yard. I'm thankful I had no serious
injuries,
>and no one else was hurt. Thanks to the trackside personnel and medical
>staff, the race organizers and fellow competitors that helped out or
>expressed concern. Today, Monday, 2 days after the incident, I have very
>very sore ribs on the left side, a slightly stiff neck, and a bruise on my
>right shoulder... remarkable really, when you consider I stuffed 40 year
>old car. Thanks to Geoffrey Healey for a great design, and thanks to Tom
>Colby of Speedwell for a great roll bar.
>
>So, hoist a glass for the Red Rad Bastard... and look out for the next
>effort... "Frankensprite"...
>
>
>WST
>Flounder
>Team Thicko
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