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Talk me into trying again? or go away!


cvedral

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Allright my first HPDE went horribly bad. While i am sitting in the class a viper, I think group 2, hits the wall and is totaled. My wife see's this and is now chewing her nails. My first time on the track, only maybe my fourth lap ever,(in a car) i was black flagged for not following the "racing line" and not waving past the faster car (he was out with the wrong group) The instructor sitting beside me, great guy btw, is saying "WTF" are they talking about your fine. I am thinking, am i really that bad? My second session made it a few laps before another red flag, another crash. I pull in and park to find my wife crying hystericaly. It was time to go home then. So much for my 53 birthday present from my wife.

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I've found it easier to leave the wife at home. Last time I took her I wrecked (hope your wife isn't reading this). She flipped the f* out, and hasn't been back to the track since. You just have to convince her that you have done all you can do to ensure your safety on track (and you should). If going fast is in your blood there is no thrill like being on a race track at speed. Do everything you can to get back out there. I got 2 way comms in my car b/c the wife said her biggest problem during and after my wreck was not knowing what was gong on, she could see the car but not me. Now that I have these dang radios she doesn't come anymore.

 

I don't think anyone here needs to convince you to come back up and give it another try, you know you want to . Nobody gets it 100% right their first time out, or their 5th or there 500th. Just go w/ an open mind to learn, listen to your instructor, have fun and you will be fine. If you get black flagged make sure you find out why and talk it over w/ the race director, seek him out, and figure out ways to make sure that doesn't happen again.

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It has been my experience in the past years, cars at DEs are totalled for two reasons. One, the instructor wasn't accurately accessing how 'close' to the edge the car or driver was, or something went horribly wrong either in track conditions or car prep.

 

99.9999% of the time, these things come off without a hitch. I can tell you NASA runs a great program, and the instructors are the best at gauging ability of a car or driver. If you listen, and you realize THIS IS NOT A RACE, then you will be fine. The object is to learn, not to abuse car,tire,et. all.

 

And if the wife wants to come, let her. Sometimes wife's don't understand, and for those it is better to be left at home, if they can be entertained, so they aren't just worried 24/7. Book her a day at the SPA on Saturday, and come out for another go. HOwever, if she insists, let her, my wife was a pain, till she realized (after about 5 events in the sweltering heat) that things are as safe as possible, and most of the time nothing goes wrong. Now, she seats at home worry free in the a/c waiting on daddy to come home. (making me a sandwich )

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I have been working safety for NASA for several years. Don't over drive your talent and you will be fine.

 

My opinion is, you have a better chance at wrecking on the street than the track.

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I debate telling my wife about the bad incidents, especially the fatals, but I think it's fair for her to know that ours is a risky sport regardless of how safety-conscious we are individually and collectively. But she also understands that the risk is part of the fun. I don't think she's ever witnessed a wreck on the track in person, partly because she has her hobbies and going to the track does not interest her... Thankfully she has never asked me to stop, or to abandon my goal of building and piloting a race car.

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I debate telling my wife about the bad incidents, especially the fatals,

 

How often do the fatals happen? Hopefully not in HPDE.

 

You got my worried and I am only 35 and single.

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Thanks for the replys. I am gonna give it another try. My only concern is the other guys on the track and that NASA officials keep them under control.

Charlie

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Thanks for the replys. I am gonna give it another try. My only concern is the other guys on the track and that NASA officials keep them under control.

Charlie

 

It's the right decision Charlie. As was mentioned, driving on the track in MANY cases is a whole lot safer than driving on the street where signals and signs can often be ignored, and where people are doing a million other things in their cars BESIDES driving. Learning to drive your car smoothly on a racetrack will make you a better driver on the street, and hence better able to keep your wife (and any kids) safe while going out to get groceries.

 

If that's not a compelling argument, I don't know what is!

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Thanks for the replys. I am gonna give it another try. My only concern is the other guys on the track and that NASA officials keep them under control.

Charlie

 

It's the right decision Charlie. As was mentioned, driving on the track in MANY cases is a whole lot safer than driving on the street where signals and signs can often be ignored, and where people are doing a million other things in their cars BESIDES driving. Learning to drive your car smoothly on a racetrack will make you a better driver on the street, and hence better able to keep your wife (and any kids) safe while going out to get groceries.

 

If that's not a compelling argument, I don't know what is!

 

A very good point. My track days have shown me what is and what isn't possible to do in my street machine.

 

The normal unpredictable nature of other drivers may cause you to have to make a sudden move you normally wouldn't have to. If you don't know how your vehicle will respond at the extremes, you may make a bad situation worse.

 

Regarding serious injury, it has happened, even deaths have occurred. Thankfully in my 7 years working EV, I have never seen that.

 

I again will point out, your safer on the track than on the road. Never seen an HPDE student with a phone to his ear while on track

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No, I was referring to racing. I'm not even not even aware of any injury crashes in HPDE...

 

Sadly I am aware of a couple fatalities from DE type events on the past year and 1/2 or so.

 

None of them have been in NASA, but don't fool yourselves to think it can't happen. Sadly it does.

 

The thing to remember is that folks that drive on road courses, be then DE, TT, or race are a realtivly small community and word travels when it comes to serious incidents. Therefore unlike on the regular roads when multiple crashes occur daily in every persons home town, these rare cases make alot of news to us. So in some sence more spot light is put on them making thing appear more frequent for a time anyway.

 

So ever driver needs to understand that at any time something could happen. However there are ALOT of things that are to your advantage on a race track at you just don't have on the street. Some of these help to prevent incidents and others are there to help after one.

 

Still I'd rather be broadsided in my race car at track than on the street by a 6000 SUV driven by some woman putting her make up on while I was only wearing 3pt belts, shorts and no helmet miles away from any medical attention.

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or the way over cautious drivers who dont care for anyone else out there. just today i was driving my delivery truck and right in front of me a serious accident was narrowly avoided because some lady in a toyota SUV decided to stop in the middle of a highway to let me pass before turning, even though she had MORE then enough room to. a very large truck came up behind her at about 55 with less then 400 feet to stop... in that size truck thats about 400 feet too short... he BARELY missed her... people need to learn to check their mirrors. for faster people, emergency vehicles, and the like... *sorry for the ranting, street drivers verses those whove had some track experience are VASTLY different drivers and it gets to me sometimes...*

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Charlie - what region are you in?

 

... and don't forget to take your wife for a ride in the 'Touring Lap' session if it is available. She may understand better.

 

I took one lady for a ride in our instructors session, at speed (~7/10s), and she thoughouly enjoyed it. Told her husband, a friend of mine, '... now I know what all the excitment is all about. Just be careful out there, and have fun.'

 

Glad to hear you're going to keep trying.

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Thanks again for all the response guys. I am in Florida, live in Daytona beach last 10 years. For a little history of myself i have raced motorcycles for over 30 years from motocross, flat track and on to road racing. Bikes i know, cars just got me to the races. Its been almost 2 years since a fall exiting turn 9 at Roebling road almost took my life. Racing has been my life but nerve damage now limits the use of my right arm and hand. I cannt ride much less race anymore. Thought i would give cars a try so i bought a honda s2000. I talked my wife into the track day at Moroso thinking it would be fun. Wrong. My wife was there the day i got hurt. She freaked out with all the people crashing cars, a viper, camaro and porshe 911. That was just by the second session. It was time to go home. Well i'll sneak off to another track day, just without my wife.

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Allright my first HPDE went horribly bad. While i am sitting in the class a viper, I think group 2, hits the wall and is totaled. My wife see's this and is now chewing her nails. My first time on the track, only maybe my fourth lap ever,(in a car) i was black flagged for not following the "racing line" and not waving past the faster car (he was out with the wrong group) The instructor sitting beside me, great guy btw, is saying "WTF" are they talking about your fine. I am thinking, am i really that bad? My second session made it a few laps before another red flag, another crash. I pull in and park to find my wife crying hystericaly. It was time to go home then. So much for my 53 birthday present from my wife.

 

NASA HPDEs are a mess. They've got cars from the race classes running with the groups. Why, I have no idea. They're finished with the race and now have nothing better to do?

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NASA HPDEs are a mess. They've got cars from the race classes running with the groups. Why, I have no idea. They're finished with the race and now have nothing better to do?

 

When and where was this?

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NASA HPDEs are a mess. They've got cars from the race classes running with the groups. Why, I have no idea. They're finished with the race and now have nothing better to do?

 

When and where was this?

 

This was at one of the Willow Springs events. Even Ryan Flaherty himself was driving a Honda Challenge Civic balls to the wall in one of the lower HPDE sessions. He even complained about drivers not knowing how to drive and holding him up during the download session. WTF!

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NASA HPDEs are a mess. They've got cars from the race classes running with the groups. Why, I have no idea. They're finished with the race and now have nothing better to do?

 

When and where was this?

 

This was at one of the Willow Springs events. Even Ryan Flaherty himself was driving a Honda Challenge Civic balls to the wall in one of the lower HPDE sessions. He even complained about drivers not knowing how to drive and holding him up during the download session. WTF!

 

That doesn't sound like something Ryan would say or do in a "lower HPDE" group. Sorry, but I'm calling B.S.

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I think Ryan Flaherty got his panties in a bunch because he was trying to race against another car that was very fast but got held up by slower drivers. I thought HPDE isn't a "race".

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That doesn't sound like something Ryan would say or do in a "lower HPDE" group. Sorry, but I'm calling B.S.

 

Then why was Ryan even driving in that group, and why was he driving a Honda Challenge car? In other sessions there were cars from other race classes as well.

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NASA HPDEs are a mess. They've got cars from the race classes running with the groups. Why, I have no idea. They're finished with the race and now have nothing better to do?

 

When and where was this?

 

This was at one of the Willow Springs events. Even Ryan Flaherty himself was driving a Honda Challenge Civic balls to the wall in one of the lower HPDE sessions. He even complained about drivers not knowing how to drive and holding him up during the download session. WTF!

 

That doesn't sound like something Ryan would say or do in a "lower HPDE" group. Sorry, but I'm calling B.S.

 

I too find this very difficult to believe...

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[quote name="test

NASA HPDEs are a mess. They've got cars from the race classes running with the groups. Why' date=' I have no idea. They're finished with the race and now have nothing better to do? [/quote]

 

Often these "race" cars have a different driver/s in them.

 

Or that race driver is doing some testing(shakedown) that isn't SAFE to do during a race. But never have I had one of them do any kind of a move that wasn't safe to me! Other students I have stupid stuff but not race drivers.

 

If you were uncomfortable with something done on track, then discuss it during the download or talk to that person afterwards. No need to bash anyone here.

 

Ryan F. is one of the most generous nice's people at the track. He in no way wanted to scare or belittle you. Just an FYI

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NASA HPDEs are a mess. They've got cars from the race classes running with the groups. Why, I have no idea. They're finished with the race and now have nothing better to do?

 

When and where was this?

 

This was at one of the Willow Springs events. Even Ryan Flaherty himself was driving a Honda Challenge Civic balls to the wall in one of the lower HPDE sessions. He even complained about drivers not knowing how to drive and holding him up during the download session. WTF!

 

I sure that did not happen. I personally don’t see why you would come in here and lie about things that didn’t happen on the track. For some reason you have an agenda to trash both NASA HPDE program and Ryan.

 

NASA HPDE program is great program for people who want to get into motorsports and Ryan is VERY professional both on and off the track. NASA's HPDE is very safe and it's safey record speaks for its self.

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NASA HPDEs are a mess. They've got cars from the race classes running with the groups. Why, I have no idea. They're finished with the race and now have nothing better to do?

 

 

A mess huh? Well for one thing, any race class car thats running in HPDE 2 is either a fellow HPDE 2 level driver like yourself OR its an instructor. Why they are there doesnt concearn you. Your job is to go out there to gain experience and learn to drive, right?

 

Even if your fears were true and this was a racer who just completed his race, wouldnt you feel safer with an experienced racer on the track with you? id say that the racer is taking the bigger risk being on the track with the group 2 drivers more than the later.

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I'm not familiar with the specific incident being discussed, but I've had my share of experiences with drivers in a group not understanding or agreeing with the "rules of engagement" for the group. Those have been race car drivers out for a couple of laps, usually not an entire session, or another driver who has been more aggressive than expected.

 

As far as I know, no one has ever pulled a move on me with the intent to scare me.

 

You will have more fun on the track if you just understand that you will sometimes be "dive bombed" and are prepared to handle it. You will be pleased how much your driving skill improves.

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