|
Post by XR2 Baz on Oct 20, 2009 20:49:14 GMT
When is the fun day?
Baz
|
|
|
Post by madguy on Oct 20, 2009 21:13:12 GMT
|
|
|
Post by euanstnumberll on Oct 23, 2009 9:20:04 GMT
Thanks for the concern after my "incident" on Sunday. Thanks also to the marshals and medic staff. I've had a few days to reflect and thought you might be interested in my views.
I believe there was a track issue as grip had been fine in quali and up until the lap on which I crashed. During that lap grip was inconsistent (eg oversteer through Macintyres even at slow speed when waiting for Stewart S to recover from an off at Leslies, oversteer through Butchers, however chicane and Clarks normal, Stuart had a slow speed spin in front of me at the hairpin, I had normal grip off line (avoiding him). I turned into Duffus as normal for me (ie slower than most STs after my May mishap) and there was no rear end grip at all. The back was coming round by the apex. It was unsaveable (by me at least).
If race control knew a car was spilling fluid then I think they should have put out whole course slippery surface flags as a precaution, even if just for a lap or two.
Re Duffus safety, the corner is what it is and we haven't signed up for knitting. That said, the run off area design made my incident huge. I was sliding sideways down Duffus in the gravel. When the car hit the transition from gravel to grass it dug in and flipped. The sad thing is I've spectated enough to know when I was sliding that was going to happen. Surely a consistent grippy run off surface (eg tarmac) would stop the car digging in and flipping?
Re helmet (Bell sport gt5) don't know what happened. The helmet is undamaged so I doubt it bounced round the car much if at all. It is the right size - the scrutineers were concerned (obviously) and came up to check that during the lunch break. I may have taken it off so I could see to exit the car, although if I did it was instinctive......
Re photographers, we've signed up to a public spectator sport and I have no problem with them selling pictures (although I did ask the Daily Mail not to print them). I was more annoyed by the cheers from some of the crowd in Duffus when I got out of the car.
Although now much poorer, I feel lucky. Anyone want to buy a slightly used ST? You'll need a lot of T-Cut.
|
|
|
Post by TheRealDC on Oct 23, 2009 11:24:08 GMT
Euan
I'd personally like to think the crowd were cheering as you came out of the car in one piece?
DC
|
|
|
Post by Mike Strong on Oct 23, 2009 11:40:08 GMT
The most important thing is that you didn't get seriously hurt in what was a pretty violent accident. From the photos it definitely looks like your helmet came off during the accident - unless you carry a spare in the back of the car
|
|
|
Post by Mike Hogg on Oct 23, 2009 11:41:00 GMT
Euan I'd personally like to think the crowd were cheering as you came out of the car in one piece? DC We were. ;D Why on earth would anyone be cheering otherwise? Not everyone watching are mindless neds even if there are a few.
|
|
|
Post by XR2 Baz on Oct 23, 2009 12:20:25 GMT
I'd second DC's comment Euan. I've been there and cheered myself, just happy to see the driver's OK after an accident that makes you say "holy £$%^" (that was the phrase I used when I came over the hill at Duffus too)
As for the track, I can't say either way, I was stuck behind another car so not carrying the same pace through the corners. There were a few cars between us so it's possible one of them dropped some fluid. Someone got pushed off the grid before a restart, but I can't remember if it was race 1 or 2, I'll check when I get home. I've given up trying to figure out what goes wrong when I have an accident.
Baz
|
|
|
Post by stu39green on Oct 23, 2009 20:30:57 GMT
Chaps, Let's stop 'dancing round the handbags here' The circuit was clearly covered in fluid. Those who care to do so can work out which XR2 it was. The damage..... running into some serious numbers. The photos are available.....link on this forum. The answer - we are reliant on Race Control and the SMRC to 'police' races properly. ST's sliding all over the place on slicks in the dry.... Not happened in my time racing them. Unless of course you try them in the wet which I have done once..... No disrespect to the driver involved - I would try and finish also. But where were the flags - red/yellow, black and orange or straight black? Getting more controversial - why when I slid off at McIntyres were the marshals apologetic for not helping me (fluid, wet grass and slicks do not match) because it was too dangerous. Reason - XR2's racing and overtaking through the waved yellows.... Time we stopped analysing and started started looking at the facts of what happened last weekend. Serious lessons to learn for all. Stu
|
|
|
Post by XR2 Baz on Oct 23, 2009 23:11:08 GMT
Stu, don't get me wrong, I'm just saying I never slid on anything. Doesn't mean there wasn't anything there to slide on. I see what you mean from the photos, there is a dark line on the track through Leslie's.
Regards 'racing' under yellows, well, yes, this happens and it shouldn't. Perhaps the race radio will do to put paid to this, it's hard to see a flag sometimes when you've got a face full of XR2.
Baz
|
|
|
Post by Mike Strong on Oct 23, 2009 23:26:35 GMT
Sorry Stuart; but this mythical "fluid drop" doesn't marry with what I recall.
I had a ding-dong with Russell Turner into Duffus the lap Euan went off. If there was any fluid on the track at Duffus then I'd be sure one of us would have gotten well out of shape at one point. We didn't.
I've watched Blair's footage of Euan's accident several times. Euan's car may have oversteered somewhat - but he seriously over-corrected which led to his accident.
|
|
|
Post by Blair on Oct 23, 2009 23:32:19 GMT
Interesting point re the yellows - at the last meeting (Sept 26th) I watched an XR2 pass for position under a yellow at McIntyres, very surprised nothing was done about it...
I don't know the circumstances that lead up to fluid ending up on track but one thing I will say is there seems to have been a lot of damage this year and what for. I wasn't quick enough in the XR2 to get into these sort of fights but I know I'd be mightily pissed off coming back with damage.
|
|
|
Post by Blair on Oct 23, 2009 23:43:13 GMT
Mike - the mystery car everyone is referring to was at Clark's when I came over the chicane, so it's likely you were well by Duffus before the alleged fluid was dropped and Euan's accident.
I may have said it earlier but I definitely locked the brakes at Duffus that lap and the car felt very weird at the chicane.
|
|
|
Post by aland on Oct 24, 2009 9:17:23 GMT
i cant comment on any fluid at the top of the hill, there wasnt any at the mcintyres section before the race started and the track was as good as it could be. there was a fair bit of bumper cars with the XR2's on the 1st couple of laps so it is very possible there was coolant dropped, my own opinion is that drivers need to start showing some respect to each other and stop using the bumper as a weapon in certain cases. This isnt the BTCC after all.
It is time that drivers policed themselves a lot better, you guys are adults, you dont need the clerks to give you a rollicking for not obeying the blue book and the sections on contact, whilst i can agree that accidental contact can happen there has been far too much contact this year that could and should have been avoided. some of the contact under waved yellows is totally out of order and it is the same guys that are doing it, i am not going to name names here buy you all know who it is. the decent drivers out there (which are in the majority) dont need this kind of crap, if drivers want to act like banger racers then they should go and do stock car racing where behaviour like that is allowed and encouraged. sorry for being a bit blunt but that is how i feel. I dont mind putting my own life at risk by going out to a live track but i do expect and demand that drivers obey the flags while i am working trackside, you guys have a car and a cage around you, all i have is a pair of steel toecapped boots. i am sure that most marshals feel the same way.
anyway it is over and done with, i really hope lessons are learned over the winter and we can look forward to a clean 2010.
as usual the opinions in my posts are my own opinions and should be treated as such
|
|
|
Post by TheRealDC on Oct 24, 2009 14:22:03 GMT
Alan I would wholeheartedly agree with you regarding the amount of contact this year. In the many years I've raced in the series this has been by far the worst for avoidable contact. Also agree that its down to all drivers to show respect and use common sense as to when another has fairly won a corner. This simply hasn't happened this year imho. However, I do think that the SMRC have a part to play in stamping this and overtaking under yellows out. Just my 2c worth .... DC
|
|
|
Post by foxymarshal on Oct 24, 2009 16:35:16 GMT
some may think that i require a tonne of chocolate this week but SERIOUSLY!!!!! lets draw a line under that last race Why dont we have a meeting, i know, i know, i hate meetings but i am willing to referree it! lets get all the XR2 drivers and ST drivers and have a meeting to discuss this rather than finger pointing and opinon throwing why dont you all be the over 16s that your all suppose to be and learn the lessons and work to resolve this. Is anyone up for it ? Another option is to see if this can be brought up at the SMRC AGM Foxy xxxx
|
|