Re: Going off (the track)

[Mike Orth <ORTHM@xxxxxxx>]

Bubba Duane writes:


> HOWEVER - the critical point I personally want to impress on this thread is
> you have to know what to do AFTER you've gone off the track.  Doing skid
> control and skidpads/skidcars is great. Tells you how to handle the car.
> But its still does NOT address the senario of going off the track. Even the
> most skilled drivers will over-rotate a car from time to time, or drop two
> wheels off the asphalt.
>
Very true,  I guess after 25 years of driving dirt bikes, driving in
dirt/grass doesn't bother me much. The main things to do when you know
you're leaving the track are try to get the car going straight and don't
panic.  Let the car settle down before getting on the brakes.  Don't do
anything suddenly.  Be looking where you want to go.  Never mind the
tree that is rapidly aproaching your bumper, look at  the space next to
the tree.  Treat the situation like your on snow.

Of course, if your at a corner with no run off room (turn 9 at Watkins
Glen), you're screwed.  You will have a few brief moments to contemplate
the error of your ways just before your hear the sickening sound of
crunching sheet metal.  Take that into consideration when you're
deciding how hard your going to push it throught a particular corner.

Mike Orth
Tarheel Chapter

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