42 replies to this topic

[Terry Hanushek]

As for yesterdays race.. That start was a joke! How they started that race like that is beyond me. The bad decisions made by a stewart or stewarts endangered lives and did well over 100k in damage to race cars with a few being right offs.. It is only SM, those guys are used to crashing anyway! Maybe we need a special committee on how to insure our safety, seems like we start a new a new committee for everything else but what is really needed.  

 This stinks and should be addressed and not swept under the rug like the June Sprints start from 2011!

 

Jim

 

At the start of a race, the decision to start / wave off the pack rests solely with the Starter.  He uses his experience / judgment to determine if a race should be stared.  Even if the Steward wanted to call the start, the communication delay would introduce danger or error into the start.

 

I'm not entirely sure where the green flag was initially displayed but I suspect it was before or just as the leaders reached the oil dry.  It appears that much of the mayhem was caused by the dust cloud and attempts to avoid slowing cars.

 

Terry

[Jim Drago]

Jim

 

At the start of a race, the decision to start / wave off the pack rests solely with the Starter.  He uses his experience / judgment to determine if a race should be stared.  Even if the Steward wanted to call the start, the communication delay would introduce danger or error into the start.

 

I'm not entirely sure where the green flag was initially displayed but I suspect it was before or just as the leaders reached the oil dry.  It appears that much of the mayhem was caused by the dust cloud and attempts to avoid slowing cars.

 

Terry

Terry

The cars should NOT have been allowed out on track until the track was safe! It SHOULD HAVE NEVER gotten to the starter. 

Jim

[Jim Drago]

Here is the video.. not sure if posted elsewhere..

It is on Jason Connole FB page

 

https://www.facebook...hc_location=ufi

[Bench Racer]

After watching the two videos and on the E Speed video seeing the DUST OUT on the out lap, the lack of vision issue should be put strictly on the OFFICIALS.

 

Yup, I understand they are volunteers. Agree with Drago (did I say that), a standard operating procedure should be added to the GCR and memo to all stewarts, quickly as in before the next race.

 

Terry you have capacity, please take the lead on the remedy for the dust out issue.

 

How about EVERYONE write a letter to Lisa Nobel, right quick.  

[Terry Hanushek]

The cars should NOT have been allowed out on track until the track was safe! It SHOULD HAVE NEVER gotten to the starter. 

 

Jim

 

I don't disagrees that this race should have not been started with this condition.  Most oil spills are cleaned-up with no problems.  I'm not sure what happened here.  With 20-20 hindsight, the area should have had a closer inspection and perhaps there should have been two pace laps so the pack saw this area and the officials saw the dust.  I wasn't there so I can't comment on what should have happened.

 

Terry

[Jim Drago]

Jim

 

I don't disagrees that this race should have not been started with this condition.  Most oil spills are cleaned-up with no problems.  I'm not sure what happened here.  With 20-20 hindsight, the area should have had a closer inspection and perhaps there should have been two pace laps so the pack saw this area and the officials saw the dust.  I wasn't there so I can't comment on what should have happened.

 

Terry

It has been my experience that the club never chooses to make a statement in these matters. The club owed our class and the competitors an apology for the debacle at the Sprints.. They owe the drivers of this race an apology as well. We all know the club never intended to put anyone in harms way, everyone makes mistakes. Hopefully the club will make a statement in this matter, it is the right thing to do. 

[Glenn Davis]

Jim

 

At the start of a race, the decision to start / wave off the pack rests solely with the Starter.  He uses his experience / judgment to determine if a race should be stared.  Even if the Steward wanted to call the start, the communication delay would introduce danger or error into the start.

 

I'm not entirely sure where the green flag was initially displayed but I suspect it was before or just as the leaders reached the oil dry.  It appears that much of the mayhem was caused by the dust cloud and attempts to avoid slowing cars.

 

Terry

I you turn the sound up, you can hear the flag wave as they come around the kink.

[Duncan]

That video was terrifying.  Reminded me of "Days of Thunder"

 

Duncan

[FTodaro]

That was ugly, No reason they could not have put a blower out there to clean the track first. IMO it was all about the oil dry, it only takes one person to lift in front of the pack to cause the pile up.

 

sorry for the guys who got torn up.

[38bfast]

We had the same problem 2 years ago at MIS. It was a disaster.

[Preston Pardus]

Mine and Jason Connole's view of the Race 1 start..

 

[Keith Andrews]

Wow Preston, great job missing everything by both you guys.  Amazing!

[MazdaSteve]

I was flagging in T1. Race control had EV on track to drop Speedy Dri from the kink all the way down to T1 after a FF popped an engine in the previous session. They did have the EV truck "broom in" the kitty litter and in fact called them back on track to broom it multiple times because they were not satisfied with the results. EV told Race Control that the track was OK to go green. Remember at VIR, all EV crews are employees of the track and not SCCA staff. It is their "job" to know if the track is in race-ready condition or not.

I did not see a blower there. They do have a hydraulic broom, but that was only brought out at the conclusion of the day's activities to sweep rubber off the track.

[Johnny D]

Sat Race Winner
https://www.youtube....h?v=fBrta4IlnKc

Sunday's winner
https://www.youtube....QwILdI0a0g#t=21
 
J~

[Bench Racer]

Thanks Johnny, ^ good stuff from great drivers.

[suck fumes]

That's really disturbing and upsetting that the track workers didn't sweep the litter off the track. That dust cloud made everyone race blind!

[Armando Ramirez]

One heck of a job by Preston avoiding.

[Jim Creighton]

I wasn't there when this happened but looking at the videos, it sure looks like the 10th or 12th place car in the inside lane turned or was turned into the outside car and this is what started the pile up. Watch the video from the starter stand and you can it. In another video, you see a car off on the inside in the dirt far before the flag stand. He gets back on and doesn't hit anything.You can also see him in the flag stand video.

 

But, I agree that this was far too much kitty litter on the track for a race start. It should have been blown off even by a gas leaf blower which is what many of the short tracks use for quick K L removal. A guy sits on the back of a 4 wheeler and they drive by and blow it away. Would have taken two minutes to clean to blow if off. What we have here is a failure to execute.

 

BTW, the CCC was there and everyone passed with flying colors. I had dropped off the whistler and stayed around for most of the day Thursday to help get everyone through tech. I went short track racing down at Orange County Speedway 30 miles away.  We ended going until 1 AM and I didn't get finished until 2:30 AM so it was too late to make the short drive. Arrived Sunday at noon as the last of SM's was leaving the tech building.

 

See all of you at Daytona in two weeks.

[Bench Racer]

I'm always curious. This year and the Sunday podium top step.

 

jonathangoringmotorsports.com/

[Jamz14]

That was nasty for sure. But you guys should come out and drive Buttonwillow. Multiple dust clouds per session way worse that this. I had my steering column break off this weekend at 90 mph. But driving through the dust clouds at 60 was 100 times scarier than that.