24 replies to this topic

[Johnny D]

Blakes crash into the wall was extremely violent and sent him directly into AMY.

Blake is sore and understandably upset. Amy went to hospital, on crutches, same leg, same situtaion where it was not her fault, she was the next car following someone who went off. Amy qualified in 11th, next to me and ahead of some really fast drivers. She is the real deal and it would be nice if you all sent her some love, as having a fast ballsy girl in our class is not something that we get every day. Got to keep her coming back to have more fun with us

Sorry to hear, sucks before the big race. Get well soon you two.
J~

[Danny Steyn]

Kim and I had dinner with Whit and Amy and their Flatout crew guys again tonight. She is still in pain and on crutches but she is in good spirits! She appreciates all the support she is getting from her fellow racers

[38bfast]

Amy is such a great person and very fast clean driver. Very sad to see she got the bad end of the stick in this one. We need more like her in our sport.

[Jim Drago]

Amy is such a great person and very fast clean driver. Very sad to see she got the bad end of the stick in this one. We need more like her in our sport.

Unfortunately for Amy.. This happens to her way too often. I know of atleast three different serious crashes that look just like this. Atlanta was a terrible example and the identical crash happened to her a few months ago at Watkins. She is the worst spot on the grid... fast, but just off the pace of the guys right at the front and right in the middle of the pack of those on the cusp of moving into the very front pack for good. That is a very dangerous spot, always has been.  Glad she wasnt hurt

[Amy M]

Thanks everyone. 😃

[basscat]

impact at 2:10

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=fRA9wblZ8AQ

[Ron Alan]

I assume the first car you see hit the wall is not the same car you see next lap in the middle of the track? Did the first car drive off? Who is who?

[basscat]

car in wall is Blake, car on track is Amy

[Bench Racer]

Not only this incident and not aimed at any particular driver, BUT when will folks under YELLOW flag start backing off the loud pedal??? After someone gets seriously hurt or after someone gets killed??? Do we need rule addition that by time a driver enters the flag zone the speed is clearly reduced to some acceptable speed. At the SCCA 2016 Runoffs (understand this video is NASA) I didn't watch all the races but the races I watched under yellow all cars reduced their speed noticeably.

 

EDIT: By the way,  don't recall a yellow for SM. Was there a yellow? But then you folks get my point ^.

[Johnny D]

There's a difference in speed with a local and full course yellow right/unfortunately ?

 

Local you don't want to lose your distance behind the driver in front because your going back to racing next turn.

 

Should of been a FCC after Blake hit but that's easy to say after the fact, NASA likes to keep racing.

J~

[davew]

From the SCCA GCR:

 

B. YELLOW FLAG (Solid Yellow)

 

STANDING YELLOW – Take care, Danger, Slow Down, NO PASSING

FROM THE FLAG until past the emergency area.

 

WAVED – Great Danger, Slow Down, be prepared to stop – NO

PASSING FROM THE FLAG until past the emergency area.

 

DOUBLE YELLOW, DISPLAYED AT ALL STATIONS – Indicates the

entire course is under yellow (full course yellow). All stations will display

double yellow flags for all pace and safety car laps. SLOW DOWN, NO

PASSING. However, cars may carefully pass emergency vehicles and

other cars that are disabled or off pace (see 6.6.2.).

 

NOTE: A driver may encounter several flags before reaching the emergency

area.

 

I believe one driver was talked to about reckless speed in a yellow flag zone at Mid Ohio last Saturday. I will let him speak for himself if he chooses to.

 

Dave

[Johnny D]

Yup,   How many penalties were handed out ?

This would of been good too but Monday morning quaterbacking again.

 

NOTE: A driver may encounter several flags before reaching the emergency
area.

 

Should there be a little something in the drivers meeting about shit (cars) hit the fan (Armco) in 9 ?

J~

[Johnny D]

Can we have a local Red ?

That would be nice.

J~

[Keith Williamson]

Not sure what some of you are talking about with the yellow flag.  I think Amy was just behind camera car and past the flag stand which was at corner entry on right. Probably hit Blake less than a second after he hit the wall.  There was a waving yellow flag at corner entry when I came thru some 20 cars later and we all checked up.  No flag is going to stop someone getting collected in that type of wreck when you're one to two cars back from the guy hitting the wall IMHO.

 

I think the real issue is that they should have thrown a double yellow before they actually did.  They indicated the same the next day and said they had made some changes to insure it didn't happen again on Sunday. 

[MPR22]

Not sure what some of you are talking about with the yellow flag.  I think Amy was just behind camera car and past the flag stand which was at corner entry on right. Probably hit Blake less than a second after he hit the wall.  There was a waving yellow flag at corner entry when I came thru some 20 cars later and we all checked up.  No flag is going to stop someone getting collected in that type of wreck when you're one to two cars back from the guy hitting the wall IMHO.

 

I think the real issue is that they should have thrown a double yellow before they actually did.  They indicated the same the next day and said they had made some changes to insure it didn't happen again on Sunday. 

The issue was that Amy's car was stranded in the middle of the track with a very casually waiving yellow at the entry to the turn.  The leaders had no idea that their was wreck at the time they came back around.  Regardless, a car in the middle of the track stranded is cause for at a minimum FCY and eventually the Red that did come out.  There is no way to get the car off the track timely in that corner, so once the wreck happens it should have been FCY.  I was surprised that Blake was able to drive it away after seeing the impact first hand. 

[DrDomm]

Watkins Glen is dangerous.  There are many places where fast moving cars aren't able to scatter when they leave the racing surface.  In many places, they are pushed back onto the track.

[Johnny D]

That's why I suggest the local red when you just aren't going to make it through.

I haven't been a flagger before but don't you need to call in the situation before you display the Red ?

J~

 

Off topic a bit from what happened.

[Jeff Wasilko]

That's why I suggest the local red when you just aren't going to make it through.

I haven't been a flagger before but don't you need to call in the situation before you display the Red ?

J~

 

Off topic a bit from what happened.

 

Red flag means stop. How would a local red work? Seems like an invitation to disaster if people came flying up on all cars stopped.

 

The best description I've heard for a red flag is that all cars need to come to a safe and controlled stop together, off line, on the racing surface in sight of a corner station.

[Bench Racer]

Watched video another time, waving yellow flag, blind to situation in yellow flag zone. We've all been involved in yellow flag situations when after the fact said to ourselves, damn I could have been involved for not slowing down to have absolute 110% control of my car for any situation. Could list several yellow flag situations and a red flag situation where compared to many I slowed or stopped (red flag) beyond what many do. What does SLOW DOWN mean??? In this situation had another car been on track stopped chances are more $hit would have flown and maybe even a E copter. 

[Johnny D]

So like I said I've haven't been a flagger...

 

Example, 3 cars crash in this turn 9 blocking the track or really bad were you just don't want them passing by.

 

A flagger can wave yellow but can't wave a red until they go FCR correct ?

 

A local red is saying you don't want to go in there, not slow be careful with waving yellow.

 

A corner worker hand gestures are what you would use to get them to stop on a waving yellow ?

 

Just a though.

J~