132 replies to this topic

[Jim Drago]

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=b7iUKaPlBl8
J~

Sad, but that company closed their virtual doors No more Danny videos

[Danny Steyn]

After I watched Danny's video I don't understand how anyone could complain that he hung back intentionally, thus causing difficulty for faster cars that were lapping.

DrDomm - my mistake - I have now edited my post to avoid the confusion. Thanks for bringing this to my attention

[Danny Steyn]

Sad, but that company closed their virtual doors No more Danny videos

 

Yup - that is sad - but the original tikispeedmaster is still clicking up the views

 

glad to have been the focus of some guys laughter for awhile!!!

[Johnny D]

Yup - that is sad - but the original tikispeedmaster is still clicking up the views
 
glad to have been the focus of some guys laughter for awhile!!!

How would you like it if it was into grated in each post here?
Watch each post, hands moving, etc : )
J~

[Danny Steyn]

Just for consideration, here are a few excerpts from my recent foray into TT with NASA.....

 

I think that we forget how privileged we are to have this massive class of generally exceptionally skilled drivers that we can race against every weekend. Other than SRF I suspect that very few classes come close.

 

But for some starting out, moving on from HPDE, TT is their next step, and so there is a massively akward mix, fast cars with fast drivers, slow cars with slow drivers, and then you have the slow cars with fast drivers and the fast cars with slow drivers and it looks something like this...

 

[RussMcB]

My two primary thoughts after reading this thread:

1. I sure haven't seen any evidence of blocking or hanging back by Danny.  And based on what I know about his personality, it's very hard to imagine him blocking in a selfish manner.  In fact, the videos showed several times Danny was pretty considerate with approaching fast cars (the ones NOT holding him up in corners.  :-)
   
   On the other hand ...
    
2. It seems like someone with Danny's driving talent (who's already doing 60 races a year with a big budget and top notch equipment) probably doesn't belong in a local time trial event, especially if treating it like a serious testing opportunity.  There are just too many people on track with very limited experience (like we all went through in the beginning).  You simply can't expect them to understand what it's like to race at 10/10ths.  Many of them are new to just driving on a race track.

[David L]

Seemed really frustrating, did you get enough laps working on the car and learning the track that made it was worth it?  

[Danny Steyn]

 

My two primary thoughts after reading this thread:

1. I sure haven't seen any evidence of blocking or hanging back by Danny.  And based on what I know about his personality, it's very hard to imagine him blocking in a selfish manner.  In fact, the videos showed several times Danny was pretty considerate with approaching fast cars (the ones NOT holding him up in corners.  :-)
   
   On the other hand ...
    
2. It seems like someone with Danny's driving talent (who's already doing 60 races a year with a big budget and top notch equipment) probably doesn't belong in a local time trial event, especially if treating it like a serious testing opportunity.  There are just too many people on track with very limited experience (like we all went through in the beginning).  You simply can't expect them to understand what it's like to race at 10/10ths.  Many of them are new to just driving on a race track.

 

 

 

Russ - I think your point #2 above is spot on - As someone completely unfamiliar with the TT format, I mistakenly took my SM expectations to an event where they cannot be realized - thats why, in hindsight, I realize that this is not a good fit for me or for most seasoned Spec Miata drivers, and also why I apologized to those drivers whose laps I apparently messed up. You always have to see it through the other persons eyes to get perspective.

[Danny Steyn]

Seemed really frustrating, did you get enough laps working on the car and learning the track that made it was worth it?  

 

David, I was doing tuning on my spare car, so yes it did help and it was worth it, despite being a major learning curve for me.

 

But it is also had GREAT VALUE as a learning session driving amongst cars with massive closing speed differentials, as well as learning to drive defensively amongst unfamiliar drivers. At the front of our SM class, I know each driver so well and I pretty much know how each driver is going to drive each turn on the track. Here I knew no-one and I had no idea what they were going to do, so I had to drive very cautiously, as you heard from my throttle application in the video above.

 

Put this entire event down to a character building exercise

[DrDomm]

But also...I think it can be helpful for less experienced drivers to see what the "standard" is.  That's why (partly) I go to Majors.

[Jim Drago]

David - I think your point #2 above is spot on - As someone completely unfamiliar with the TT format, I mistakenly took my SM expectations to an event where they cannot be realized - thats why, in hindsight, I realize that this is not a good fit for me or for most seasoned Spec Miata drivers, and also why I apologized to those drivers whose laps I apparently messed up. You always have to see it through the other persons eyes to get perspective.

My perspective is similar... I think this stemmed more from the other drivers frustration. I am sure he was held up by others as that group looked like a moving cluster #$%^. Like many, he needed to blame someone, easier to blame an outsider, remembers seeing Dannys miata ( easy to remember). Probably even believes Danny did hold him up in some capacity. Way different experience levels and expectations.

In the start of year three of SM racing, I had sold my car and headed to Sebring in a POS 1.6 rental car that was like 106-108 hp, this was 2005. My car was 4-5 seconds off the pace, so I was racing in the back third. I was faster in the corners and off on the straights ( like 99.9% of all SM Drivers) I would push the driver ahead coming out of the turn, way into the straights.. His car was clearly faster, so no sense really passing him. After the race, the guy came to our paddock and said he just wanted to put a face to the F-ing A$$hole that had been hitting him( bump drafting) for no reason, on the straights no less! I just walked away and asked that he call me in a few years when he gained some experience and apologize. Never heard from him

[davew]

I could only watch the first 3 minutes. Danny, I feel your frustration.

 

dave

[suck fumes]

Apparently the first lap is supposed to be a point by lap to get sorted then after that its a free for all. Guess someone didn't relay that message to the group very well which is why everyone got upset. But that black NSX was making me angry haha, he points you by then runs you down and screws you up....really!

[Topher]

More shenanigans-  I just received an email from the National NASA TT director informing me that my times were DQ'd because if an inaccurate/incomplete Car Classification Form.

 

Since the TT driver's meeting was during the race, those under the OPM tent didn't know that our paperwork was incomplete until the grid marshall informed us late Sunday afternoon.

 

I found the form here http://www.nasaprora...ssification.pdf

 

It was filled out, reviewed and corrected by the TT director present at the track, then rejected after the fact.

 

 

 

For those driving Spec Miatas or Spec E30's, you should be aware that a car fully prepped to the limit of either of those series will end up illegal for TTE/PTE, unless the competitor has taken measures to make the car legal for TTE/PTE.  Spec Miatas do have the option of using the generic Dyno Re-class in the Appendix of the TT and PT Rules that if used, should allow a compliance Spec Miata to compete legally in TTE/PTE. 

 

I'm waiting for clarification from the SE division TT director on how to properly classify a SM and how to fill out the form correctly.

 

Beware if you are planning on running in the TT at the March event at RA.

[Chris101]

Per the CCR and class rules, it is the driver or Team responsibility to have a classification form properly filled out (so not something one can blame on someone else).

[Ken SM94]

That NSX was special.  Was he on street tires???

[Topher]

DQ'ing times for not having a form filled out according to the rules is fair.  A classing structure that is so inordinately complex that the acting TT director can't guide you through it is a problem.

[Jim Drago]

For those driving Spec Miatas or Spec E30's, you should be aware that a car fully prepped to the limit of either of those series will end up illegal for TTE/PTE, unless the competitor has taken measures to make the car legal for TTE/PTE. Spec Miatas do have the option of using the generic Dyno Re-class in the Appendix of the TT and PT Rules that if used, should allow a compliance Spec Miata to compete legally in TTE/PTE.


This is for no other reason than to keep the competition that cars and drivers in SM bring to the PT. There is no justification for disallowing any legal SM car in PTE/TTE. This is similar to the guys whining in IT about under prepped Sm cars running and winning in IT. legislate to win , sad

[Chad Martin]

Yeah the National level folks are getting a lot of complaints from TT Competitors on lack of competition compliance tech and people just willy nilly cross classing cars from spec race groups.  I don't know all the details of what happened but it created a real sh_t storm that radiated to all TT/PT and Regional Directors.  I think the TT inspections are going to tighten up in a big way this year in all regions.

 

I'm happy to help anyone fill out PT/TT forms.  I'd still recommend having your local regional director review it but I have a pretty good handle on the PT/TT rules.  I'm the PT director in MW region.

 

It's unfortunate if what you say is true and a TT director accepted and approved a form that was later rejected.  I'd sure like to know what happened there, but being it's not in my region, i probably wont.

[Chris101]

I say its about time the correct TT/PT rules get enforced nationwide.   If someone in SM wanting to run TTE would like to petition to get more 'no points' mods in TT/PT class, I wouldn't mind but somehow I just don't see shimming the steering rack becomming a no-points mod like it is in SM along with other SM unique allowances such as a front lip crossing over.    Maybe TT wants to create a special TTSM class just for SM cars though?  There's an idea anyway!  ...heck, that might become another unique way to motivate TTers to build towards an SM miata and keep the SM class going that much stronger and longer!