That crash took place on what passes for a front straight on that truly fabulous track. While it would be nice to have some track-out space after the hairpin coming onto the front straight there, that crash occurred at one of the few places on that track without drama.

As far as I remember, there's generally pretty good runoff at Infineon. As Ry points out, if you choose to run into a wall on a straight, that's what they're there for. At substantially every track. Everywhere. Personally, I think I'd rather hit a wall, probably at a fairly gentle angle, at that kind of speed than go into the dirt sideways, and almost certainly do multiple rolls.

 

Sure, there is a wall close to the exit of 10, (but thats why I like it. most people are wusses thru 10). The wall at the exit of 11 isn't really something to worry about since you're going so slow. Now the wall entering T11 is another story since you're braking from over 100mph and should you have a brake failure you're gonna hit hard.

There aren't walls at the exits of any other corner on sears, especially since they changed the track. The old esses where the hill ended at the pavement was the best. If you went off the the left in the esses you were pretty likely to roll.

I'll take a glancing blow off a wall over a head on or a roll any day. As I'm sure the driver knows now, he turned a paint scratch into a total.

Man I love Sears.

 

Now imagine being in an open wheel or sportsracer where you can't see over the walls. Very claustrophobic.

 

+1

Best track in CA no question. Screw Audi for moving in, consuming track time, and making the paddock smaller.

First track day I ever did was at Sears back in 2000 on motorcycle before they had pushed the hill back in the esses. A rider went off there, slammed into the hill, and was choppered out. Despite that we continued riding.

Just because one guy makes a bonehead move doesn't mean the track is a death trap. Being safe there is a simple matter of dialing it back a couple points where necessary.

Besides, compared to the Nurburgring Sears is very safe.

 

Sears point is my favorite track in California.

 

Agreed. A total rollercoaster of a track

 

I never noticed them, really. Sears Pt. has better and safer runoff than most of the NW tracks I'm used to....

 

Well yeah, you guys have trees in your runoff areas

 

When I first read the thread title, I thought you meant turn 8, where most wrecks at sears occur.

I've never seen anyone wreck there before. It was a rookie mistake. We've all made them when we started out. Gotta make them to learn. Unfortunately, this driver made his at the wrong spot on the wrong track.

 

Most of the wrecks at sears are in 10. Then 9. 8. Much less so