I’ve just returned from the SCCA Runoffs at Road America, and I am horrified. I saw three enormous incidents, all for the same exact reason, one witnessed with my own eye, another by my very capable coaching client Patrick Utt, and two of which sent drivers to the hospital and gorgeous, expensive GT2-class race cars to the scrap heap.
And …
Randy, I'm so grateful to have you writing for GRM. The track safety articles are particularly valuable.
Yikes, and there is PLENTY of time to check your mirrors there. I kinda of wonder about the other side too- positioning yourself to be seen. What is the best way to make sure the other driver knows you're there?
To the point of hold your line.
Such is the reality of vintage racing that I'm in a car that is anywhere from 7-25 seconds a lap slower than the lead cars in the run group and I do several things,
1. Like Randy said I leave faster cars a lane while also being predictable.
2. I calculate what lap the faster cars are going to come by. In doing so I know lead cars will be coming past on lap 4, 6 and 8 or whatever the math says. I'm running my own race and the leaders are a distraction; I want them by quickly.
3. Check my mirrors often. Typically I check just before the long brake zones and just after a corner or corner sequence. It's not uncommon to have a much faster car spin, pit or whatever and suddenly appear unexpectedly.
To the point of the oblivious driver
If you are driving a car and you can't process things outside of your car, novices notwithstanding, you shouldn't be in that car.
I've know several drivers who could get a car up to speed but had zero capacity left for process traffic or other issues. Often we think it's red mist when the reality is they cannot drive at the limit AND deal with traffic or flags etc. I find this happens with both back markers and drivers just of top 10 etc.
Again if one can't do two things at once then pick a lower performance class.
I've been on both ends of the equation and I will say an erratic lapped car is sketchy as it gets. The door closes so fast in the overtaking car.
Situational awareness is instantly obvious in Circle Track. You get 20 or more cars sharing a quarter mile oval and the passing is continuous and unpredictable. Some drivers have multiple wrecks in a season and others go year after year unscathed. I would like to think I'm in the second group. Check my mirrors constantly, try and get an idea where the lead cars are if I'm going to be lapped and always look ahead to the next turn and not to the guy right in front of me
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