Retired SCCA car vs ProTouring for Track Day

[GregWeld]

Old? Retired? Racing? LOL


WTF......


My opinion of the people that track their EXPENSIVE PT cars is ---- I hope they're independently wealthy... otherwise they're idiots.

These tracks days are so hard on equipment... they're hard on paint... they're brutal on the motors and transmissions.... and there's no way I'd drive my track cars on the street or vice versa.


Anyone that doesn't think tracks days are RACING are not people I would want on the track with me.... that means their heads not in the right place. I can tell you - visor down! Race on! I'm going to go as fast as I can. Get the right car with the right safety equipment -- full fire protection in a driving suit - helmet - gloves - shoes - fuel cell - in car fire suppression system.... get a full containment seat -- get a Hans device.... It's all a lot of fun - right up until the time you get hurt.

Nobody knows when they're going to wreck -- nobody can predict a tire blowout -- a busted trans that oils your tires - or someone else's blown up junk and oil on the track... Trust me - it can be as simple as a coolant dump and you're off track so fast you won't know what happened to you.

I still remember being at Oregon Raceway Park -- the pro driver was testing the Palatov Pikes Peak car -- asked me if I wanted to ride along.... I said -- Hell yeah -- should I suit up or just my helmet?? He says to me --- you know what?? I've never planned a wreck.... therefore I never know when that's going to happen -- I suit up every time I get in the car. DONE. I've never gotten in the car without every safety precaution I can use since that day. A very small engine fire coming thru the firewall at mach 9 --- good luck with that T shirt....

[YAMATHUMP]

As we say in the motorcycle world, Dress for the slide, not for the ride! LOL

[Vegas69]

And, it's not a matter of if you go down, it's a matter of when? I can attest to that.

[Flash68]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Anyone that doesn't think tracks days are RACING are not people I would want on the track with me.... that means their heads not in the right place.

Oh you mean like the "racers" at the last Norcal Shelby event who totaled their Mustangs?

Right ....

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by Flash68

Oh you mean like the "racers" at the last Norcal Shelby event who totaled their Mustangs?

Right ....

TWELVE CRASHES that weekend!


Not sure how many were completely totaled but more than just those two! And the one driver is the test driver for Cortex..... DRIVING A CUSTOMERS CAR!

[michics]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

TWELVE CRASHES that weekend!


Not sure how many were completely totaled but more than just those two! And the one driver is the test driver for Cortex..... DRIVING A CUSTOMERS CAR!

I'm not familiar with the type of track day events on the west coast or the reason for 12 crashes at one event. But we've never seen this kind of carnage at our midwest events and this includes Road America. But I think your point is it highlights the need for safety equipment and I agree.

As far as track events are races , I'd agree as far as the equipment wear and tear are concerned. But as a whole if you approach it as a race where you have to pass everyone on the track and are complaining that a slower car does not move over for you then I'd say your at the wrong place. Go do wheel to wheel instead.

Our midwest event structure will put super fast cars on the track with slow 4 cylinder cars of various makes. So everyone must drive accordingly. It is about the enjoyment factor not about who is the fastest.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by michics

I'm not familiar with the type of track day events on the west coast or the reason for 12 crashes at one event. But we've never seen this kind of carnage at our midwest events and this includes Road America. But I think your point is it highlights the need for safety equipment and I agree.

As far as track events are races , I'd agree as far as the equipment wear and tear are concerned. But as a whole if you approach it as a race where you have to pass everyone on the track and are complaining that a slower car does not move over for you then I'd say your at the wrong place. Go do wheel to wheel instead.

Our midwest event structure will put super fast cars on the track with slow 4 cylinder cars of various makes. So everyone must drive accordingly. It is about the enjoyment factor not about who is the fastest.

Just my 2 cents worth.

There are ALWAYS slower cars on track -- don't care where you're running or with whom you are running. Every club has different passing rules -- point by requirements - or where the passing zones are. I don't see where anyone is complaining about that .

My point was two fold --- you will be on track with people that are going 10/10th's and you need to know that and be aware of where they are - and who they are..... The rest is about being proactive for your own safety. A wreck is no joke and something relatively simple can be catastrophic - such as a simple spin and getting t-boned --- or a high speed off where you're sideways and roll --- and I've seen plenty of brake failures or suspension failures...


There's a red NASCAR that runs with our group - that when I'm entering Turn 1 at Thunderhill and I glimpse that red coming on to the straight at Turn 15 -- I move over in Turn 2 because I know he's going to be on my ass before I exit.... That's just a given on track. The drivers that are on parade laps and are totally unaware (experience!) are the danger out there - their lines suck - they have no clue that faster cars are coming on them like freight trains. If a driver has to get the "faster traffic" flag - then that tells me they're clueless.

[GregWeld]

I was at this event -- and on track......



Watch this Mustang ---- as he oils himself.... Skip to the 4 minute mark - or watch the whole thing....


It's just as simple as something like that - he wasn't even in a big turn....

[Flash68]

Originally Posted by michics

I'm not familiar with the type of track day events on the west coast or the reason for 12 crashes at one event.

It's a fun event with a lot of killer cars (if you're into Mustangs) but it is not run well IMO or managed very seriously...

[NOT A TA]

Originally Posted by GregWeld

There's a red NASCAR that runs with our group - that when I'm entering Turn 1 at Thunderhill and I glimpse that red coming on to the straight at Turn 15 -- I move over in Turn 2 because I know he's going to be on my ass before I exit.... That's just a given on track. The drivers that are on parade laps and are totally unaware (experience!) are the danger out there - their lines suck - they have no clue that faster cars are coming on them like freight trains. If a driver has to get the "faster traffic" flag - then that tells me they're clueless.

I was just asked to work on an old NASCAR car to get it ready for track days. It appears to be an old cup car from 2003-4 built by Richard Childress Racing. Not unusual in the Southeast. Guys try to get the ones used for the road courses at Watkins Glen & Sonoma.