54 replies to this topic

[High Chair]

Yes it can !!

[Forrest Landy]

This may be grounds for a new thread. But, did anyone else who was at the SARRC/ MARRS VIR weekend think it was interesting what they said about bump drafting at the drivers meeting.

[Rob Burgoon]

I guess I'll delete this comment.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

I am sure what they meant was While BUMP DRAFTING IS STILL ILLEGAL IN THE SCCA, we will be watching for it but I doubt very seriously from our vantage point we would be able to reasonably discern wheather or not Bump Drafting is actually taking place.  Now go have a great race guys!

[Forrest Landy]

I am sure what they meant was While BUMP DRAFTING IS STILL ILLEGAL IN THE SCCA, we will be watching for it but I doubt very seriously from our vantage point we would be able to reasonably discern wheather or not Bump Drafting is actually taking place.  Now go have a great race guys!

 

Of course as Rob said volunteers are volunteers and this doesn't mean a complete change in club policy but I think its definitely the Scca, at least the North Carolina Region, responding to the discussion they had with the drivers at the majors positively.

[Caveman-kwebb99]

Of course as Rob said volunteers are volunteers and this doesn't mean a complete change in club policy but I think its DEFINITLY  the Scca, at least the North Carolina Region, responding to the discussion they had with the drivers at the majors positively.

 

 

Just to calrrify what the intended word was I changed it above in all CAPS...

[David L]

This may be grounds for a new thread. But, did anyone else who was at the SARRC/ MARRS VIR weekend think it was interesting what they said about bump drafting at the drivers meeting.

I thought it was a great move by the SCCA to adapt and spell out clearly what they thought legal bump drafting was. That and the yellow flag pass and give back.

[Brocodile]

This may be grounds for a new thread. But, did anyone else who was at the SARRC/ MARRS VIR weekend think it was interesting what they said about bump drafting at the drivers meeting.

 

I do believe the NCR officials considered the opinions expressed at the post-VIR Majors drivers meeting and came up with a pragmatic response. I attended both events. At the Majors, the bump drafting prohibition was honored in the breach. I witnessed bump drafting (sometimes through my windshield and sometimes in my mirror, but always in close proximity to one of my own bumpers) almost everywhere except beneath the flag stand. At the SARRC/MARRS, I personally pushed another car right past the stand. It felt pretty strange!

 

More to the point, those who chose to bump draft at SARRC/MARRS with quasi-official sanction appear to have done so responsibly. I recall two situations in which I exercised restraint: once when I overtook a car too near the braking zone and another where I judged that my closing speed was so great that I could have caused what Drago calls a "bump crash."

 

Kudos to the NCR.

[KW78]

As written about before, as any class gets more serious and progresses to an ultra competitive level, all the minutia about a car, the right car, the right prep, and then well practiced driving matters more and more and more, and is the difference between 1st an 20th.  It used to be the difference between 1st and 3rd, then 1st and 5th, and so on.

 

Bump drafting is part of this equation and has been huge since the runoffs have been at RA.  It dominates the equation there, maybe more than tire prep did (IE like in topeka).  Teammates on the radio with each other working together is nearly unbeatable.  The 5 car train from Jim's camp at RA is a big advantage.  I believe the coined term is "Shake.... and bake!"

 

I don't know what SCCA can do about it.  All the stewards I know of would like to eliminate it. 

 

But, and this is the point of my post- As bump drafting is a practiced performance advantage, the next step is upon us, which is to build pusher cars.  Cars that come off the corner hard but then can hang in the top end draft with the help of the front car.  Cars that handle just as good so they can stick with the 99 they are pushing, but have a little more grunt down low. 

Ideas?  .................      

 

 

Coming soon!  ( me thinks..) :

 

 

 

 

Running the '01 behind a '99 makes a lethal team if the drafting car can stay with the
99 through the turns. The 01 exits better with its torque, and initially
pushes the '99, then falls on is face at 6,000 rpm, but then the '99
car up front creates the draft for the 01, and this combo can hunt!

 

 

[LarryKing]

 Coming soon!

 

Already being developed

[Caveman-kwebb99]

Jim is building me a 03 presently, I will have a new teamate joining me next year in the 03 for the sole purpose of pushing me durring qualifying and racing, bonus for him he gets come out of retirment and race for free...  Make me almost wish this year was over already!

[Todd Lamb]

Ted is building 04's.

[Jim Drago]

Ted is building 04's.

I'm looking for an 05

[Jim Drago]

ahh and soon an 06 .. oh who said that ?

[Mike Collins]

I went straight to the '06 SM5 (oops)