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WGI Races


EdNewman

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Thoughts on the start then double yellow in the Sunday Thunder race? I am amazed that there was not a wreck in the esses. Kudos for everyone keeping it clean in that wierd situation.

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I had to retire before the actual green flag due to overheating. Could someone explain exactly was going on after the pace car came in? Half the cars remained two abreast for a restart, but the pace was virtually full speed??

 

Michael

#59 GTS3

 

Thoughts on the start then double yellow in the Sunday Thunder race? I am amazed that there was not a wreck in the esses. Kudos for everyone keeping it clean in that wierd situation.
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hi there, guys!

 

i was crewing/coaching for the #49 ST-2 Fortune Auto Mitsu EVO (his first time ever at WGI), and i was standing high up in the bleachers directly across from the start/finish line stripe, so i had an excellent vantage point for the start. here is what i saw with my own eyes:

 

the first row was the WC GTO (on the left, i believe) and another big bad V8 car (a blue monte carlo maybe?). anyway, when the two of them reached the exit of T11, they ramped up and were GONE! i was watching the starter, and his hand never even twitched on the green flag; in fact, he was EMPHATICALLY shaking his head from side to side and trying to make eye contact with the front row (and i could even see his lips moving, he was screaming 'no no no no no'). and he never moved his shoulders or his arms, not even a smidgeon. he also was not displaying any kind of yellow or double yellow at this time. he was displaying nothing!

 

so, the front row basically decided to start the race with no flag of any kind. some of the cars behind them didn't want to go, and sort of lagged behind, but many of the cars behind them WENT, and there was alot of passing going into T1. it was almost like 'you better go, or you will get run over!'. the entire pack went by, and thru T1 and T2 and up the esses. still no yellow/double yellow. shortly thereafter, the double yellow came out. and then they had trouble getting the pacecar out in front of the GTO (which was leading at that time). oh, and the guy next to me had started his stopwatch and was continueing to take laptimes -- that double yellow lap was 'paced' by the GTO at a 2:19! i don't think that a VW passat (the pacecar) can get around WGI that fast! lol! it took them til the third lap to get everyone regridded up and ready to restart, and after that it was a good race til the Z06 crashed and brought an end to the race (long cleanup).

 

those were my direct observations, hope that helps.

 

todd

ReidSpeed

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I started 28th and by the time I was through T11 we were full speed and due to the kitty litter could see nothing. You are right about "run or get run over". My in-car video did show dbl yellow at T1, but by that time I was already inside and barely can see it on video....I didn't catch the yellow out until T3 and then was not sure whether it was due to a waved off start and due to a crash....chaos.

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With all that Speedy Dry flying around I just closed my eyes and floored it. Dunno what happened after that.

 

Seriously though, that was an odd start for sure.

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I started in 5th position on the inside of row 3. We came around the last turn and the leaders picked up the pace. I was watching for the green flag, but as we got closer the rear wing of the ST1 corvette blocked my view and all I saw was exhaust as everyone open up the throttles! My plan was to pass Jr in turn 1 and hold him off for the remainder of the race. I went to the inside and there was something happening. Was not sure what, but some of the cars congested to the outside. The Corvette rocketed up the esses and I followed. I get to the top of the hill and I hesitated for a moment after looking behind me and nobody is there! The Corvette stays at full song heading to the bus stop. So I decided to follow him. I had nobody in the pits on a radio to tell me what had happened. I thought maybe a car had an off and the yellows may be pulled in, so I stayed at full race speed following the corvette till we caught the pace car on the back straight. Then everyone came up demanding original grid positions, not a single file start. I wish I had someone in the pits with a our radio but I told Charlie (crew) that he should go watch the race at the esses since I was so close to the front that I would not need a spotter to see the green flag!! Then I radioed Charlie and told him were doing another start and to watch me pass Jr. again in turn 1!! Then after couple laps Jr. got blacked flagged for jumping the start, which he clearly did not. I had his # that day and was bummed out when they ruined our race. I do not understand why they singled him out for jumping the 1st start? after the second start which he did not jump from watching his in car video ....

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