WHOA!
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From: Miami
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Joined: Oct 2000
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From: Davie, FL
I was thinking the same thing Kim, only for the driver of the car that made the video!
This was discussed in the Racing and Competition forum. One of the members there posted these comments by the driver of the car that made the video:
This was discussed in the Racing and Competition forum. One of the members there posted these comments by the driver of the car that made the video:
Turns out, the guy (Chuck Grafton) is on the Wash. DC SCCA autox listserve. Here is his account of the incident:
"Yes that was me driving my E30 M3 at the Mazda Driver's School at VIR on 19 June. We were in the B group and it was after lunch, most of the group had been signed off and I was out working on my line and smoothness. This incident took place on the front straight just past Pit Out for those of you familiar with VIR, just
before the braking zone for T1.
I had seen the Vettes and Vipers behind me at the Roller Coaster and Hog Pen areas prior to the front straight and let the lead Vette know that I'd give them the point by on the front straight. As we entered the straight I gave the first Vette and the second car, may have been an NSX the point by and noticed that the Viper and a second Vette were still behind me. I think that the Viper may have been a little out of shape coming out of Hog Pen and had fallen back a little with the Vette still behind him. I stayed off the normal line to give him the line and apex at the tree just at Pit Out which is a little kink in the tack.
I noticed that he was coming on strong and I gave him the point by just about the mid point on the straight well before the apex point. He still had plenty of time to set up for T1, although off line from the normal entry point.
The Vette behind him backed off and fell in behind me at this point. My speed was probably 110-115 at this point, normal for this part of the track for me. I can only estimate the Viper's speed, but based upon how fast he was closing on me, I would say he was probably closer to 130 or so.
All I can truthfully remember next was that I heard him along side of me, the Viper was still at WOT it sounded and next thing I knw he cuts across directly in front of me as you saw on the video. The Vette driver behind me told me later that he saw the Viper tap his brakes and then all H*ll broke loose! I think that he probably realized that he was carrying a lot of speed at basically the entry into the braking zone for T1 and was not on the normal line and figured that he could knock down his speed and move in front of me to get on the "preferred" line for entry into T1.
Problem was that when he braked and tried to move left at the same time, physics took over! I had heard that the Viper had had on "off" earlier as well, just a little too much HP to be throwing around, I guess.
So that was my fun, I'll have my seat cleaned off and be back at Fed Ex in a little slower, safer, and controlled environment."
"Yes that was me driving my E30 M3 at the Mazda Driver's School at VIR on 19 June. We were in the B group and it was after lunch, most of the group had been signed off and I was out working on my line and smoothness. This incident took place on the front straight just past Pit Out for those of you familiar with VIR, just
before the braking zone for T1.
I had seen the Vettes and Vipers behind me at the Roller Coaster and Hog Pen areas prior to the front straight and let the lead Vette know that I'd give them the point by on the front straight. As we entered the straight I gave the first Vette and the second car, may have been an NSX the point by and noticed that the Viper and a second Vette were still behind me. I think that the Viper may have been a little out of shape coming out of Hog Pen and had fallen back a little with the Vette still behind him. I stayed off the normal line to give him the line and apex at the tree just at Pit Out which is a little kink in the tack.
I noticed that he was coming on strong and I gave him the point by just about the mid point on the straight well before the apex point. He still had plenty of time to set up for T1, although off line from the normal entry point.
The Vette behind him backed off and fell in behind me at this point. My speed was probably 110-115 at this point, normal for this part of the track for me. I can only estimate the Viper's speed, but based upon how fast he was closing on me, I would say he was probably closer to 130 or so.
All I can truthfully remember next was that I heard him along side of me, the Viper was still at WOT it sounded and next thing I knw he cuts across directly in front of me as you saw on the video. The Vette driver behind me told me later that he saw the Viper tap his brakes and then all H*ll broke loose! I think that he probably realized that he was carrying a lot of speed at basically the entry into the braking zone for T1 and was not on the normal line and figured that he could knock down his speed and move in front of me to get on the "preferred" line for entry into T1.
Problem was that when he braked and tried to move left at the same time, physics took over! I had heard that the Viper had had on "off" earlier as well, just a little too much HP to be throwing around, I guess.
So that was my fun, I'll have my seat cleaned off and be back at Fed Ex in a little slower, safer, and controlled environment."
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