slipangle

iTrader: (2)

A friend of mine was at Summit Point Raceway a couple of weeks ago for a Friday at the Track session. According to him, a guy rolled a rented 350z in the gravel trap in turn 10. Just wondering if anyone knows any more about it. This was an added date for the track day and evidently the cool temperatures made the track slicker than normal. There were 5 wrecks although one was a guy who hit a deer that ran across the track. I had my 350z there in August and the Z ran great. I did have a deer cross the track 2 cars in front of me and a guy put a Lotus Elise into the tire wall. Anyway, I am curious as to the aftermath of the rental 350z crash. I am not sure what story you would have to come up with to explain a car full of gravel.

Sean

he isn't the first to roll a rental, someone rolled a mustang gt at an autocross (a long time ago, rutgers in new brunswick).....and he was able to drive it away...and come back with another one before the day was done.

davidv

iTrader: (2)

Summit Point, WV 11/19/04

HPDE is not risk free. I am going to make an assumption and say that the commute to and from HPDE is more dangerous than HPDE.

I would prefer to hear the rented 350Z story first hand.

Motormouth

iTrader: (44)

snap you guys are running on the course I race my enduro kart!!

did you chck out the mini nurburgring? shenandoha circuit or whatever... how dangerous is that place?

next tiem you guys are going, PM me, I've never gotten to drive my Z on the track!

stijed

Agreed, there are waaay more morons driving around atlanta then there are at the average trackday..

Of course this guy hit some dropped fluid from a previous session, and spun it into the tirewall coming up the uphill esses (last year I believe). So clearly even when driving within your limits at a DE there's always a chance your cars going home on a flatbed.

6894kevin

iTrader: (1)

I just clicked on this and my GF walked in and said "hehehe another yard ornament!"

davidv

iTrader: (2)

Summit Point, WV 05/2005

You are talking about the Shenandoah circuit with the Karousel. Its fun.

slipangle

iTrader: (2)

Man it's amazing what a tire wall can do to a car. August was my first HPDE experience. I am really looking forward to next year. Although the pics of the banged up cars is almost enough to get me to back off a little. I asked my insurance agent what would happen if I wrecked the Z while at the track. She said that they would "probably" cover the car and then cancel my insurance. I wish Summit Point would get rid of a few deer around the track. I would be really torqued if I nailed one at 100+.

Motormouth

iTrader: (44)

yeah, in a kart with no suspension it isn't we call that dangerous!

looked cool, last time I was down there Ferrari club of washington and Porsche club were racing there (not with the bowl though) that back straight was nice.

we normally race at Summit Point. that is such a well layed out track.

and that retarded 'cruising' course in the back we call that the poser track!!

cool to see some Z's down there. maybe next year my club up here can get organized and we'll come down for a weekend! how much is it a day 130 or something?

slipangle

iTrader: (2)

If you go to one of the FATT's, it is around $235 for the day. They have an instructor that rides with you all day. When I was there, we had four 20 minute track sessions, as well as 2 classroom sessions. There was also an opportunity to drive one of their Caprice Classics on the skidpad. The skidpad is awesome, did it twice. I don't know if SPR has any "open" days where you can just pay and run the track. I know some guys that go to VIR and run, but I have never been there myself. The one thing that really sucked about the sessions at Summit point was the restrictions on passing. The person in front has to signal the person behind and allow them to pass. At least once in every session I got behind a slower car and the guy wouldn't signal me to pass. Then, a faster car would get behind me and my instructor would make me let him pass. Then I had 2 cars to deal with. Hopefully after my next track day, they will bump me to the next class where you can pass anywhere and not have an instructor with me. If a Z club ever gets the track, I would definately try to make that day.

Motormouth

iTrader: (44)

I know what you are saying.

from what I heard VIR (we race there also!) has these awesome rotrex karts you can rent real cheap for a whole day. seemed like a blast to have thw whole track to yourself and a group of freinds. we should do a Z club thing there. the track has great hotels!

commasense

I was at SPR yesterday for an instructors-only track day (I instruct FATT), and a fellow instructor showed me some pictures he took of the Z. The right-side A pillar collapsed and the roof was pretty much flattened on that side. Despite that, the instructor only suffered a cut lip (or bit his tongue; I heard both versions). Apparently the fact that he was rather short helped.

It occurred to me a little later that if I had not decided to skip that day, it might have been me in that car. I often make a point of taking students with Zs, and it might have been hard for me to resist another Lemans Sunset. Of course, with my superior instructing skills, he wouldn't have gone off.

It seems to have been the driver's first day, but I didn't find out anything else about him, or what happened afterwards. Presumably, he now owns a wrecked LS 350Z.

I asked the guy to e-mail me the pictures. If/when he does, I'll post them.

Motormouth

iTrader: (44)

honestly, that is why that passing rule is a good thing... if people abided by it too many 50 year old dentists in thier porsches that don't understand racing line, braking, that are really dangerous to others.

glad the instructor was ok.

03Z33

iTrader: (49)

That carousel turn looks like fun!

My last time out at Big Willow an S2000 in the first run group hit a coyote on turns 8/9 and ran off track into the fence... pretty bad damage to most of the panels

Unfortunately the rented Z is an all too common site at our local drift days... luckily no major damage at any of those that I've been to.

Stack

slipangle... when done right, the passing restrictions should not get in the way... Once you do get into the more advanced run groups, even with passing restrictions, you hardly notice them. They are there for your safety, period. Yeah, you'll always have some people that are not as aware of whats going on around them... my question to you is this: Do you want to be passing someone who isnt aware of you? Also, thats where good instructors come in to play and help out. Also... don't forget about the pits... you should always be able to pit in and ask the grid marshall for some space.

As far as a Z club going to the track... we've been to VIR twice a year for the past six years... where have you been?!

I'm getting ready to post a new thread with registration details for our event on VIR Full Course in February... we'll be on the North Course in April. Come one out...

commasense

I don't get your point. What do the passing rules have to do with this incident? AFAICT, the guy carried too much speed out of ten, went into the gravel, tried to turn instead of going straight, and rolled it over. He couldn't have been passing or attempting a pass, since he was between passing zones.

Stack

I assumed he was refering to the comment made by Slipangle about not liking the passing restrictions

commasense

Okay, I missed that line, and thought Motormouth was replying to me or the OP.

slipangle, Motormouth is right, and the passing rules are for everyone's safety. Occasionally a student will be so wrapped up in what's going on he/she won't notice a car that wants to pass. The instructor should be on the lookout for that. Just be patient and focus on your own driving. If there really is a consistent problem with someone not giving point-bys, you or your instructor should mention it to the track marshal, so he can speak to the instructor in that car.

If you've only had one FATT, and no other track days elsewhere, don't count on moving up to Group 2 after your second FATT, unless you're a much better driver than average. And you shouldn't be in a hurry to drive without an instructor, either. Solo time is an important part of the learning process, but don't think that once you're approved for solo that you don't have any more to learn and won't benefit from having an instructor ride with you.

I've been driving HPDE for eight years now, instructing for three, and have almost 100 track days on more than a dozen tracks in more than half a dozen cars. And I still ask a fellow instructor to go out with me once in a while just to have a fresh set of eyes look at my technique. No matter how experienced or skilled you may be, there's always more to learn.

That said, BSR does have non-instructional track days for drivers who have been moved to Group 2 in FATT, or who can demonstrate sufficient skill and experience. (Mostly that would be licensed racers in race prepped cars.) They're called Seat Time, and they schedule about ten or a dozen a year on SPR or Shenandoah. Usually, but not always, they're on Fridays before a race weekend. Sometimes on Thursdays. Two run groups: track cars and street cars, with five or six 20-25 minute sessions for each group. They're a little less expensive than FATT.

Oh, and the pictures of the car in the OP just came in. I thought that the car was an LS, but it was a Redline. Notice all the gravel in the cockpit! (Photos by Jim Roberts, FATT instructor.)

first350

iTrader: (24)

ouch!! Were they hurt? Seems like the argument against a harness bar without a roll cage should include these pics...with my helmet on, my head just touches the roof.

-Peter

Silkk

iTrader: (11)

Holy-moly he did a number on that thing... I can't imagine what was goin through his head when he hit that pit knowing he was in a rented $30k+ vehicle.

I can't imagine what it'd feel like to wreck your own vehicle there, let alone someone elses... I'd love to do a FATT, but the Z is my only vehicle and still not paid off. I just don't know if I like the risk. I'm sure 95-98% of the cars come-out without a dent, but I have bad luck when it comes to Zs and 350z meets, etc.