More thoughts about track safety

[GREGM2002@xxxxxxx]

I've waited awhile to put my 02 cents worth in on this serious and "on-track"
thread as opposed to Honda's are junk and the age discrimination WOB. Both
Keith and Duane are nearing the essence of the problems. Today's BMW and not
just the very impressive M3's reach speeds at track events that diminish the
safety/recovery margin to almost nothing. 
      Keith said                
<<When I first taught at club schools, everyone was on 165/13 XAS tires in
their 2002s.  Spins and off-track excursions happened, but were seldom too
serious.  Those days have gone, and another answer is needed. >>     

This is so true. At 70mph the reaction level is a lot less than 80mph for a
given corner. Braking from 125-130 is much harder than 110-115. The reaction
speed doesn't increase along with the increased speed.  The "New Breed" if you
will of Bimwads can buy a car that's faster than many race cars and with the
"red mist" and "I'm faster than him" blur good judgement at times. It's so
much better do drive at 90-95% and drive it home than go for that last .1
second of lap time and blow the car off into the weeds. I fear the biggest
"potential" incidents are those new owners who ask the questions of "What's
the best way to make my M3 faster than it already is". Duane and others have
chanted the mantra of "Drivers School" but in too many cases it falls on deaf
ears. Up here in the great NW , we been blessed with few bent cars but we seen
some ugly bent up Porsches and a Burnt to the Ground Ferrari F40.  Causes one
to sit back and reevaluate the priorities of life. Fast driving at the track
is a great experience but not without risks. It is better to slow down, get
SMOOTH and live to drive it home.  At the levels the newer BMW's reach and the
use of "R" tires and such leave little room for correcting the slip and slide
that can happen. Maybe "R" tires should be highly discouraged until a certain
level of skill is proven at sliding around. ALL school should have a wet skid
pad. At least the chance to get the car out of shape and catch it. Duane is
probably correct in that someday and God I hope I'm wrong some serious injury
or death is going to happen. A simple roll over will probably be survivable in
our well made BMW's but should one catch serious flip and roll like the Nascar
cars do often, without a roll cage we're reducing the safety level to too low
a level.

The simulator idea has some merits, I love the "feel" of Precision Cart racing
by Microsoft. The head programer on that project drives a M3 Lightweight and
had his entire crew go to a driving school to get a feel for the manners and
physics of a car at speed. But it wouldn't be enough with any PC based
simulation, Maybe a SEGA style arcade game with massive force feed back and
such would be of some use but the expense would be prohibitive. A skid car
like is used at Portland International by the Professional school there (name
escapes me at the moment) would be a better idea. Maybe one that can make the
rounds of schools around the country is possible. 

My only off track experience was scary but for some strange reason the thought
"go off straight" went thru my helmet and it was at a place where I had some
room at the entrance to the 5,5a6,6ba chicane at  SIR.  The guy behind was
surprised to say the least. But it was 65mph and not 130. Over the winter
maybe we can come to some level of understanding of what needs to be done at
the club level to insure that the worst thing we do is put a BMW onto a
wrecker and not some Bimwad into a ambulance.

Greg Mierz
GregM2002@domain.elided
Roster Manager
Puget Sound BMWACA
69 2002ti  Wa plate MPOWER

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