Weekend At the Glen (long)

[E36MPwrd@xxxxxxx]

Went to the Glen for the first time this weekend for a three day event with
the PCA.  Unfortunately the boot is being repaved, so we ran it Nascar style.
As Peter Li mentioned earlier this week, there were a lot of cars getting
friendly with the Armco. 

I had the pleasure of riding with a certain instructor in his E30 M3 (name
withheld out of respect to a great instructor and driver!).  One of the
smoothest and best drivers I've ever seen on the track.  After a bunch of
flawless laps, we were coming into the bus stop, on the back straight, doing
130.  As he began to brake in the exact spot where we did on the last six or
so laps, I feel the back end get loose.  We drop a wheel off.  And boom, we
hit armco at about 120.  We just glanced off the wall, and he had the presence
of mind to hold the car straight and drive down the grassy side of the track
rather then try to get back on, which would have certainly caused a spin, and
likely would have collected the other E30 M3 that was busy chasing us down
(and flat spotted a tire trying to ensure that he avoided ramming us).  No
harm done to driver or passenger, minor damage to the car.

Lesson here:  even very good drivers (and yes this guy is very good IMO) must
leave a margin for error.  We were simply too close to the edge of the track
when the back got squirrelly (a rear wheel may have locked up).  He had the
good grace to admit this at the driver's meeting the next morning, reminding
everyone to allow a margin for error, and stay away from the fragile edge.  

Sadly the third major accident of the weekend ended the event early on Sunday
afternoon.  Damage total for the weekend was one broken hand (airbag induced)
and a broken arm (an instructor riding as a passenger).  Two 993 911's will
need to have transplants from the nose forward, if they aren't declared total
losses.  One other 911, one Viper, one RX-7 and the above E30 M3 all left in
somewhat worse condition than that in which they arrived.  It was a very well
run event, and was a major bummer that so many people had trouble.  The
organizers were perplexed as to the cause, as were most of the participants.  

Also had the good fortune to ride in a 911 turbo in the instructors session
and do some high speed dicing with a CCA club racer in his lightweight.  Quite
a rush to be a passenger in what was close to a racing confrontation.  The
lightweight resisted giving us the pass for about 4 laps before relenting.
And I thought kissing the armco was nerve racking. 

In conclusion, following up on Duane's point about track safety, the one thing
I can say about track safety is this:  many accidents would be avoided if
people spent more time on the skidpad.  Duane's passenger experience, both the
993 911's that lost it in turn 1, and many, many other crashes that I've heard
about and/or witnessed resulted because people reacted too late and then tried
to save the un-saveable.  

More time on the skidpad means you'll recognize trouble earlier, react more
appropriately, and KNOW when to give up, whether that be driving it straight
off the track, or putting both feet in and waiting for the car to come to
rest.  Relish that skidpad time, and don't forget what you learn there.  It
can save your car, and your but.  Most importantly, "be careful out there..."

By the way, back to the subject of harness without a rollbar...  Apparently
Dodge doesn't see such a big issue here, as the limited edition (only 100)
Viper GTR (or GT2, or something like that), comes stock with 5 points and NO
rollbar.  The Viper Club showed up at this event in full force, and some guy
had one of these things there.  Car had 800 miles on it.  Neat car, but not
the nicest Viper there... 

THE 600 bhp Hennesy Viper that placed third in C&D's 0 to 150 to 0 test was
also on hand.  What a car...0 to 60 in 3.4 seconds.  Has done the 1/4 mile in
11.1 seconds.  And I must have passed it 4 or 5 times on the track in my 240
bhp M3.  I kept waiting for this guy to drop the hammer and disappear, but he
never did.  Most of the Viper guys were taking it easy.  Apparently those cars
aren't easy to drive--I'm told that the power steering is extremely twitchy.
Sadly, it took many of the Viper Club folks the entire first day to figure out
how to give a pass signal.  Once they learned, they were great about giving
it, and lifting to let us in lowly sub 400 bhp cars by.

Tim Leithead
Looking forward to 10/17 & 18 at Summit with NCC, my last track event for who
knows how long...

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