https://www.youtube.com/embed/-ufFyzab4Fw
An enthusiastic S2K driver comes up on a slower Miata and chooses not to wait to make his pass. This constitutes a "hit and run" incident - while on track.
I say both drivers are at fault and need to embark on a steep learning curve for track and paddock etiquette.
This is why I don't feel comfortable sharing a track with modern big HP cars on huge rubber unless there is point by passing.
I'm not sure how the Miata would be at fault? At all HPDE's I've ever attended it's up to the passing driver to make a safe pass within reason. End of story. Full disclosure I only watched the actual event - not the bitch-session or whatever that was.
Especially at Buttonwillow - it's easy-peasy passing there.
Looks to me that the s2k is at fault here. The Miata was on his line through the corner and the s2k more or less dive-bombed him and assumed the Miata would duff off the line to let him by. Well, it's not his job to let the s2k by in mid-corner. The s2k is a much quicker car and could have easily ducked in behind the miata and made the pass on the next straight. It's not like he was behind the Miata for a long time or that the Miata was blocking. He just didn't want to brake and wait for after the turn.
If you're gonna duck under a car on the inside of a turn and you trade some paint and get all bent over it, I'll send the waaambulane....
It is a track. Dents happen. Don't want dents don't go on track. I don't care who is at fault. Not even going to watch the video. Creepers people are stupid sometimes.
I'd call whiney S2K guy 90 % at fault there. Dude in Miata probably should have noticed, but what percentage of time are you supposed to be staring at the mirror?
Neophyte comment, but at the point the Miata guy turns in, he has no idea the S2K has piled up underneath him.
No way for him to know, his eyes are forward through the turn.
The BS comment "lookie here, he could see me in the windshield as I went by..." is an excuse - realtime that is so fast, and again, MD has eyes forward.
Seems to me the etiquette might be to leave space for a faster car if you see it coming up behind, but the responsibility lies with the overtaking driver.
That opinion and $3.50 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks...
The guy with the camera could use a kick in the nuts purely for obnoxiousness with the camera. Pending that kick on video I don't care what terrible scratches in his paint job are incurred
I don't know what's worse. The video or YouTube comments! I'd be defensive too if someone shoved a camera in my face and told me go look what you did to my car. Even if I was in the wrong. You never know about people in situations like this.
passing car's responsibility to make a safe pass. Seemed clear the miata was holding his line. Other guy's job to find a safe way around. Dive bombing the apex wasn't the safe route. Bad on the miata guy for missing the black flag. OTOH, once a car is even with your door you've got a responsibility to give them 3/4 of a car width - though with speed differential, not sure miata guy had time to react. Don't take a car to a track you're not willing to ball up.
Hit and Run, LOL what a berkeleying tool.
Whaaaa I had to put two off on the inside. Really? Well... maybe make sure you have room... or maybe don't dive bomb apexes at a track day if you don't want to get tire swirlies in your quarter panels.
OTOH, Miata guy shouldn't be daydreaming enough to miss two black flags or toodle around a few laps after contact. That's kinda retarded. Send them both back to DE 101.
S2000 guy showed up w/ some kinda elitist attitude that slower cars should just get the berkeley outta the way of faster, more expensive cars (wherever and whenever that might occur). That was his first mistake.
First if this were a race weekend the S2K driver would be 100% at fault. I'm a very aggressive racer and that was marginal.
It's clear from the video the S2K driver truly thought the guy would give him room and knew he was there. The only thing the Miata driver did wrong was not responding to the black flag.
This also illustrates why I'm not overly fond of open passing at track days. A point by or obvious lack of it or a designated passing zone would have likely prevented this. What would have absolutely prevented this is "it's a track day I don't need to pass the guy right now?"
Edit: I took the time read the YouTube comments and they were such that I was tempted to comment but what do you tell a guy you don't even know. If he were my friend I'd tell him it was an idiot mov and of course the Miata guy doesn't want to talk to you......seeing as you crashed into him.
I'm mostly just sad that this tool is getting hits on his youtube channel for the incident he caused.
Coincidentally enough, I used to see many/all of the s2k guys doing tons of stupid E36 M3 at Buttonwillow when I used to do track days down there with SpeedVentures. That was over 10 years ago. Maybe it's the car?
Tom1200 wrote: ...and of course the Miata guy doesn't want to talk to you......seeing as you crashed into him.
...And then confrontationally shoved a camera in his face, attempting to get some kind of misguided Metube vindication and/or validation for your own error in judgement.
Why is the S2000 guy complaining about a couple scrapes? He obviously took home the trophy and prize money, and sponsors will be pouring in. His crew will patch up the car. Oh, wait, this was an HPDE. It looks like I wasn't the only one who forgot that for a moment.
On the oval we say You can't win the Race on the First Lap, So If you cannot drive AROUND the Inside Car ya just Gotta Wait, on the other Hand Next time you come by May be your Last. Just my Opinion And I didn't watch the Vid.
I don't see how you could expect a guy who has his line locked in to suddenly bail on it, upset his suspension/grip and possible spin off the track.
The fact that it's HPDE makes my point much more accurate.
And this is why I run a dented up miata with bad paint on the track.
As soon as I saw his shirt, I clicked off. That striped halter-top thing screams "I am an asshat" from 10 miles away.
In reply to pinchvalve:
I'm pretty sure my wife has that shirt. Looks good on her.
100% s2k driver's fault....it's an HPDE, not a race, there is NO NEED to dive-bomb the apex like that. And like other people have said, it's the passing driver's responsibility to make a safe pass, that was not a safe pass.
S2000 100% at fault. My local track would have likely sent him home for the day after a very stern talking to.
Dive bombing a turn at an HPDE? Pure asshattery.
I had a similar experience on motorcycles at a mini track day- a guy tried to divebomb me on the inside, and I (not seeing him, no mirrors!) turned in where I normally would. He hit my rear tire with his front, I stayed up, he went down and hurt his foot. Much bitching about me "shutting the door on him" ensued, and he went home early and wasn't seen for the rest of the summer. It's practice, not a race, chill the berkeley out and don't make risky passes!
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