SILVERnSLOW

iTrader: (3)

Thank god they were wearing Hans!

Balrok

iTrader: (15)

Totally worst case. Low to the ground, driver left lean looking at the outside of the corner, dove inside meeting a staled lotus aka launch ramp. Thinking maybe .05 seconds between his maneuver and the impact. Along for the ride at that point. Still curious though how his neck got broke....because the neck is technically the most protected part of the driver if it's all hooked up right. Normally the hands/arms or feet/legs break because the fly around the cockpit banging into steel when you go air born. Hoping to learn and maybe improve our setups based on the results.

Turbo Kyle

iTrader: (33)

Wow, glad they are alive.

Robevo RS

iTrader: (16)

they shouldn't have to have a Hans?
i thought it is a mandetory already in any kinda of road race or circuit and rally already.
Or maybe wasn't tight enough...

r.m.s.

iTrader: (26)

Robbie I believe he was simply saying thank goodness that they are wearing them now.

That footage is very raw, bone chilling to watch, it's a real comfort to hear that they will be recovering fully.

Smike

iTrader: (8)

The SM had no chance there, pull over to get a run on the SM in front and wam.

Glad all drivers are OK.

delongedoug

iTrader: (20)

The real scary thing is that could have easily happened in an HPDE where safety gear is often at street car levels. Nothing about that crash is "Oh, that's because it was racing. That wouldn't happen at an HPDE." Terrifying stuff.

lolwut

You think so? I can't imagine 2 cars being as close as those 2 Meotters battling for position like that in a HPDE. Cars don't tend to draft each other and swing out from an inch off the others cars bumper in HPDE situations.

But yeah, scary video. I read the comments first, so I knew to expect a crash, but it was still quite shocking to watch.

Smike

iTrader: (8)

Ah, ya we do. Coming off a sweeper on the tail of someone, pointed by, I would swing by carrying my speed.

lolwut

I guess that's your prerogative... but I tend to drive a little more conservatively in HPDE situations.

And I can't imagine the car in front given you a point by when there is a backwards Lotus in the middle of the straightaway.

Balrok

iTrader: (15)

Oh ya it's required, i was refering to maybe it wasn't tight enough, or his belts weren't on top and strapped tight, or or or, lots of things could have been wrong, just curious as to what. It could also have been the landing impact on his *** with a low padded seat and a shock wave ran up his spine and ended up releaseing at the neck, happens a lot in football.

But on the HPDE note, there are the run groups that your allowed to pass in the corners or even get up them in the corner and wait for the pointby so you have the momentum. However, i'd agree that ~50% of the time you wouldn't be THAT aggressive with your draft being you wouldn't be in a race condition. Some cases that would have been black flagged. Depends on the people/group involved.

Smike

iTrader: (8)

Correct. Talking advanced run groups here. I would never want to see a novice doing that sort of overtake. But it does happen in HPDE - so that danger is there for sure.

Ill add too, depending on the event/day, the advance/usally pro groups do not always have to point by either.

Sales@IveyTune

iTrader: (12)

Glad to hear everybody was ok!

Nasty crash, very unlucky!

Sam

delongedoug

iTrader: (20)

I've only done a few track events and have been in a "point by's are recommended, but not required" event. If you're directly behind another car and pull out to pass, there's no way you could have seen through him to see the car in the middle of the track. I agree there's less chance of it happening due to the less aggressive nature of HPDEs, but it's not a situation that would only occur in an advanced group race, which is scary to an HPDE'er like me.

lolwut

Understandable. We do not run enforce point bys in our advanced group... although it is up to the driver's discretion, and ~30% still do.

I was simply addressing your specific comment "Coming off a sweeper on the tail of someone, pointed by, I would swing by carrying my speed. " ... The odds of you being pointed by in a situation like that are negligible.

Yes, situations like this could happen in an advanced HPDE run group... hell, I guess any run group. Anything can happen on the track.

But, I think saying that a situation such as what happend in this video could have "easily happened in an HPDE" is a bit of a stretch. There would have to be a very specific set of circumstances to allow this type of accident to take place in HPDE; ie: 2 advanced drivers practicing lead/follow, passing without using point bys, drafting/driving in a very aggressive manner. Could it happen? Sure. But most HPDE organizations do their best to ensure things like this don't occur.

And if you are a novice driver and are running with an organization that doesn't enforce point bys, you may want to consider taking your business and track time elsewhere. Open passing has no place in novice/beginner or even intermediate run groups. That leaves far too many variable open to chance, in the hands of drivers with limited experience.

My $.02