Blasting down the chute into 4, the tail end goes and I fly sideways, then completely backwards through 5, through the runoff grass still at 80+ MPH and finally hit the grass berm.

Miracously, there was no damage, other than grass in between two tires and the rims. I just drove over the berm, through the back roads back to the pit area. Had their shop take out the two tires so that we could remove the grass, then inflate them and continued the rest of the day.

After 3 years of running this track, this is the first time I went off. Quite a humbling experience ...

As to why it happenned? I was pressing quite a bit down the chute and I think I lifted to go to braking waaay early, before the car had settled out of four.

I also jinked myself, because I have been thinking of getting a rollcage for the S as the speeds are getting me close to the limit. I even visited a shop last week to get a quote. I guess I better go ahead with my plans... gut the interior and put a full cage in there.

 

Glad to hear that everything came out okay and that both you & your car are fine

 

Glad to hear you and the car are ok.

I still struggle with turn 4, I know the pros are WOT from the exit of 3 to the braking point for 5. I have to breathe the throttle a bit.

George

 

Any day were you can walk (and drive away) from an off with no damage is a very good day indeed. I recently went off at BeaveRun but ended up with no damage at all, just cam to a nice gentle stop after drifing through grass for ~200 feet.

I think of it as winning Lotto and a nice way to remind yourself that:

1) nobody is perfect and stuff happens

2) be careful because stuff happens (see #1 above)

Glad to hear you and the car are fine.

 

Yeah, I'm a bit worried about that if we have Fall Colors 05 at Summit. Don't get me wrong, I love the track. It's definately challanging. The problem is that Summit doesn't have much runoff room. I've seed people get their cars (not S2k) in the sand trap in turn 1 and end up on the roof or the driver's door. I've seen people spin going up the hill at turn 3 and hit the tire wall. I've seen people over cook trurn 5, end up spinning into the grass hill or the tire wall, damaging the front suspension. I've seen bad offs at turn 10 and several rollovers down the front straight.

Gregg Ginsburg had an S. Note I say HAD an S. He totalled it at Summit. All I can say is BE CAREFUL. It's a great place to go racing and to watch racing, but when you're taking your street car, your baby out there, things can happen. You know what happened with Skip at BeaveRun. Due to little runoff room at Summit, something like that could have been a lot worse.

Warren

 

Oh come on, Warren. By all accounts, I wrecked the car because I was a dumb-ass behind the wheel. I actually had a ton of run-off...just needed more. I urge you all to do a search and find my comments on the event. The red-mist played a big part in my wreck and I don't have a problem admitting it.

You run a risk when you bring any car out on any racetrack. I've seen plenty of bad wrecks at BeaveRun, at Watkins Glen and even VIR (where there is guardrail very close to the track in a few spots). Summit is no better nor worse. Their fencing / tirewalls and gravel are no better or worse. In fact, getting a little gravel underneath the car may be far less of an issue than sliding for miles thru the grass at Beaver or VIR and then hitting something when you have absolutely no directional control of the car.

Not having been to FC '04, I would assume that most of those out on track had qualified instructors with them. If those instructors are worth their mettle, they will, thru instruction, be able to minimize the chances for damage by just knowing when to rein in their students. Unfortunately, many of us, like Alberto have been driving solo for a long time w/ no instructor assistance. It never hurts to take one along every once in a while. They can usually pick out the bad habits you've picked up very quickly.

Like Warren said, be careful at these track days. You're students. Listen to your instructors and learn that it's prudent to dial it back a notch.

The one last bit of advice I can give you is this, and it was tought to me by a great sage: "Never put a car on track that you're not willing to write off and that you can't live without." When i destroyed my S2000 I got lucky and the insurance company paid (dearly). When I flipped my 1st race car three times I had no such recourse. I was out tons o' money but only had myself to blame. Choose wisely.

 

Warren, no need to scare the masses! Or I'll take those rotors back!

Gregg, I never met you nor do I believe I've met Reston. My off was because I kept pushing. Not too many folks were going around at th same pace I was. I had a trailer there. Sure, it would have been nice to be able to "drive" the car onto it, but those are minor details.

Fact is, either I have or my car/truck has been hit five times since moving to VA. The fastest I ever was moving was 3 mph. That idiot hit my driver side rear bumper in basically stopped traffic. I've been hit twice(once was on my 1400 Intruder) stopped at stop lights. Twice my car has been hit while parked- hard enough to have to replace the door, not just get it re-skinned. And now I have been involved in a single vehicle accident at speed and walked away.

I learned from my experience and my car is already paid for. Accidents happen everywhere at any time. If you're not pushing, you're not learning. Glad to hear you suffered not and the S is still rolling!

 

Gregg....quick to step up!

I ain't gonna lie, I'm scared of that place. But I'll visit soon, my neighbor has an M3 and keeps inticing me to attend.

I'm sure I'll be there one day, somehow, in some car.

Alberto, glad you were not hurt. You've had the car long enough, why not gut the interior....Track car all the way!

 

It is very unlikely one would total a car on the first outings; there is just not enough speed or space between cars in a Group 1 setting; so if you think of trying a track day no need to be scared IMO. If anything, just be carefule not to get hooked (like me).

Regarding this off, I do count myself lucky. I was yards away from a tirewall that would have totalled the car at those speeds.

The seesion following the off, I took an instructor with me (yes, these nuts will climb into any car, even one that was just off -- he is like, no problem, let's see what you did). Then it became obvious that I lifted, it was not clear to me until we went down the chute again.

It will be a while before I blast as fast as I used to down the chute. That was my favorite area to catch up on heavy cars. Anything on my sights on 3, I was usually on their tail by 5; the S is unbelievable once it starts carrying speed and how quickly it can brake.

So now I debate whether to gut the S or get a full race car (because stop tracking is out of the question).

I just hate the thought of having to get a trailer, and other junk and drive a beat up racer car (probably all I could afford). And I also hate the thought of gutting the S. For those that remember my S (STWOK remember how clean we liked to keep our cars?) it is still the same, spotless. Goes from the track to a nice hand wash and waxing and detailing then on the dust cover and into the garage; no one would imagine that this car is tracked as often as it is.

 

good to know ur ok ..