Russ, Doug, et al:
Hear, hear! Agree 100%. I used to think I was the only guy who felt this
way. Then I read Carl Lopez's new book ... there are plenty of other ways
to explore the limits & recover, without spinning.
Have I spun? Yes, I can think of 5 times in 70 events over 9 years. Even
had an at-fault incident once, in my rookie year. Every one of those
experiences was caused by a significant mistake on my part, or mechanical
failure. I make little mistakes all the time, every lap, and make
medium-size mistakes probably 10 - 20 times a weekend -- early apex, enter a
little too fast, lock up a wheel, turn in too suddenly, too much throttle
too early. What happens? Modify my line, steering correction, feather the
throttle, lose momentum, MAYBE put a wheel off at the exit ... and get eaten
alive on the following straight by some 800cc Honda or 1147cc Spit! That's
ignominious punishment enough for my transgression.
Some will argue "well if you managed to correct & not go off, you weren't
right at the limit anyway". Hogwash. The people that preach "you have to
spin to find the limits" are people who do not recognize the limit when they
approach it, or the dozens of minor mistakes they make every session. They
can only recognize a mistake when it's really big. They can only identify
the limit when they're way over it. They need more driver training.
IMHO, testing the limits in the right fashion is the only way to learn car
control & makes you a better race driver, whether it's vintage or NASCAR.
Mark Palmer
MGA #185
>From: S800Racer@aol.com
>Reply-To: S800Racer@aol.com
>To: gregmogdoc@surfnetusa.com, Bahnseye@aol.com, rem9@cornell.edu,
>vintage-race@autox.team.net
>Subject: Re: SVRA Points
>Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 23:36:49 EDT
>
>In a message dated 9/25/99 10:15:59 PM, gregmogdoc@surfnetusa.com writes:
>
><<I would certainly be enclined to classify a spin as overdriving.>>
>
>100% agreed.
> There are some who advocate the position that you can't find the edge
>of
>the envelope if you don't spin sometime. This must be recognized as a
>dangerous, incorrect and very vintage-inappropriate attitude. It doesn'
>tmatter what you are driving, at some point you can feel the front of the
>car
>"wash out" or the back end "get a little loose". Guess what? That is the
>car telling you that you are approaching the edge of the envelope. You can
>find that edge WITHOUT spinning, going off the track or hitting anyone.
>You
>just have to take your time and work up to it slowly. (or at a pace
>commensurate with your level of experience)
> I contend that some of the very best drivers in the history of motor
>racing were well known for NOT making mistakes: Fangio, Clark, Gurney,
>Stewart, Prost, Senna - It was a very rare and noteworthy event when one of
>these guys went off because they simply "overdid it". In other words,
>first
>rate driving in vintage or otherwise means keeping it on the track and
>finding the limit without exceeding your own limits.
>
> Doug Meis.
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