I would offer to pay half. The hood most likely can be repaired via painless dent removal, and will be fairly cheap. The roof will require more work.

Why did you have silencers on track?


Come out to the next S2K Challenge, and we'll help you get your car set up

 

>> He said he thought it was my responsibility to pay for the damage since it was as piece that came off my car.

I mean if I had felt like it was my fault I might have offerred to help out or at least said sorry but no way I think he should be asking you to sort out a bit of bodywork!

I would tell him its a racetrack sh1t happens and if you want a nice shiny car stick to fast and furious parking lot car shows with underage kids!

 

I'd say you should at least pay for half. If it were a true race then I'd say sure...shit happens, but it wasn't a race, it was an HPDE. While we go out there fully knowing that our cars can be damaged we don't expect parts to come flying off of other cars. Like CKit mentioned if it were a true mechanical failure, thats different.

I was out there Saturday, had a mustang go two off on the outside of sweeper and spit a bunch of rocks up at me...no damage, but even if there was that wouldn't be something I'd consider to be his fault. That would be mine for deciding to be a few feet off his bumper so he would LET ME PASS! But if I was several car lengths back as you mention he was (thats pretty far to me on the track) and parts fell off the car in front of me, parts that really should be more properly secured if they are going to be used on track...then yes I'd be upset if the guy didn't pay.

It sure is a gray area, and to you for making sure you do the right thing.

 

Soo......why did you have silencers installed at the track again?

 

All track events are a drive at your own risk. You are not responsible to pay for his car!!!

If he was so worried about his car he shouldn't have had it on the track.

Accidents happen.

 

I would pay for it. Put yourself in his shoes.

 

Well, I had the silencer on primarily because I forgot to take it off. I forgot about the time change that morning and was an hour late getting started for the drive up to the track from about 180 miles away. Got to the track just as the driver's meeting started.

I would have removed it for more hp, but I would have put it back on if I had gotten an instructor so I could hear him. It's just too loud for me to hear an instructor with out helmets on in an open top car.

 

I'm with the crowd of I'd probably offer to pay half.

 

CKit presented these types of situations well. It didn't sound like the silence was secured on the muffler properly so I would offer to pay for at least half or a good portion of it.

 

I have been on both sides of the fence before so I understand where you and the EVO driver are coming from.

If he wants to give you a good verbal lashing then you should take it and at the very least apologize for the incident. However, you are not obligated to pay for his damage. Even when people are being careless on the racing surface the careless person does not have any responsibility to pay for the damage they caused. They may be kicked out of the organization or lose their driving privileges for the day but they do not have a "legal" responsibility to pay.

If some idiot comes in too hot on cold tires into a corner and plows into me it is 100% his fault, yet I can't make him pay for the damage. If I happen to be the idiot that day then the same holds true.

This is a good reminder for everyone to make sure their car is properly scrutinized before a track event so we don't end up on either side of this dilemma.

Hope it all works out okay for you. Two things to remember, have fun, be safe!