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Date: Wed, 21 May 1997 14:44:54 -0400
From: "Frank, Elizabeth" <EFrank@consult.csc.com>
Subject: RE: crazy vintage driving
Terry,
Your words are with great merit, and not preachey at all.
I have experienced, firsthand, the death at a vintage race of a fellow
brethren racer. It is painful and it is very sobering. We mourn for
the individual life and friendship that is forever lost to us. We
mourn for the families left behind. We feel such intensity from the
loss, and such sadness, because we love the racing so much. It reminds
us what a tremendous responsibility we shoulder, to ourselves, and to
each other, each time we bring our racecars to the racegrid or to the
stating line of a roadrace.
I have raced in many venues, both vintage and others. Often I find
there may be a great experience gap between drivers at certain events,
coupled with lax oversight to manage this issue by certain sanctioning
bodies. With so many different clubs and racing events now, it is
critical that at each event someone from the host club is responsible
and accountable for who is allowed on the grid. I think this is a
good practice; I have, as a new entrant in certain clubs, been
"watched" until a comfort level was reached that I knew what I was
doing and that I would be a respectable competitor.
Even within a club's "familiar" crowd, if someone is overdriving
their ability, it should be put to a stop immediately. No exceptions!
And, if car shows up improperly prepared, it should not be allowed to
race. No exceptions! It is the driver's responsibility to have a well
prepared car, to keep their racing credentials current, and to race by
the rules---both the written rules of the sanctioning group and the
"gentleman racers" rules. It is the club's responsibility to enforce
a safe environment for all. This should include rethinking the mixes
of cars in certain race classes. And, above all else, every driver
and race sponsor should give respect and thanks to the men and women
volunteer workers who keep us all safe!
When I attended the VSCCA event at Lime Rock for the first time,
Charlie Gibson required submission of all racing credentials
beforehand (even though I hold many national and international racing
licenses). To encourage a newcomer's familiarity with the circuit,
VSCCA hosted a class, taught by an experienced local driver, on how to
optimally drive the track. Charlie and other "seasoned" racers
directly observed all driving (with related lap times) during
practice. It was only after I had proven myself (proper credentials,
track familiarity, and demonstrated performance) that I was "cleared"
to race. This makes sense; in my group there were 36 formula cars.
From the first to the 36th, the lap time spread was only 12 seconds.
On a 1.5 mile track, considering we spent most of the race "bunched"
together with alot of dicing, you would want to be SURE that the
racers knew what they were doing. But, what incredible racing for all
drivers from the first to the last car! I learned a tremendous amount
in just one weekend, significantly improved my capability, and had a
terrific time. You could tell that all of the drivers were aware;
even with the few spins that occurred, all knew how to manage the
situation effectively and appropriately. If you cannot trust that the
person next to you knows what they are doing, none of us should be
racing.
For beginner race drivers, novice stripes should be worn for more than
just a first race. Similarly, each novice should be given the
opportunity to be paired up with a very experienced driver who has
oversight and coaching responsibility for a period of at least a year.
Drivers should be consistently educated---that's where it all begins.
At certain CVAR events we offer separate races for licensed novices
to allow people the opportunity to practice and gain seat time with a
group of equal experience. We send a teacher out to assist and
support the race.
I have noticed that lately many folks do not look in their mirrors,
are not mindful of the flags, do not understand the meaning of the
word "respect", or cannot understand that the line is "owned" by no
one. In a race there are many judgment calls to be made. Clearly,
experienced drivers need to be mindful of passing the less
experienced; and all should realize they are racing, not Sunday
driving. Competition is still competition. The rules serve a purpose.
But, the best vintage racing is always about having fun and enjoying
the experience!
My first racing teacher (a many time IMSA champion) once said that
optimal racing occurs in a 6" space---the distance between your ears!
Let's employ our brains and hearts, and remember that both precious
lives and valuable cars are at stake. This should guide our judgment
both on and off the track.
Thanks for the opportunity to speak out.
Elizabeth
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