MSR-H Turn 17

I'd even propose for NASA TX to pay Mr. Mitchell for his time. I couldn't see it taking more than an hour to move the tires and wall section back. Two people at $20/hr would put you at $80 to move the wall. Charge NASA TX $300 and increase the entry fee by a few bucks (less than $5).

I personally would gladly pay the difference to have the added safety margin. (Considering I could pay that $5 many times over for what it is taking to fix the car...)

Just an idea to ponder. Clifton, can you respond to acknowledge my idea.

I think it is bullsh!t to pay someone for their time to get "their" facility ready for an event.
Repaving crappy sections of the track, replacing the soap in the restrooms, moving tires and a wall, sweeping up the pit area: these are all things an owner of a facility should do to prepare for an event. :roll:

Mr Mitchell said "...It reduces the speed in 17, in either configuration people maximize the width of the track running out against the wall, the new configuration reduces the speed..."

Perhaps this might apply to champ cars and a very small number of club racers who have no regard for their car or safety, but it certainly did not apply to me, or most of the people I saw racing there - in our group or any other!

I found very little advantage, but lots of potential pain by using all the available track with the old turn 17 config - so I used to track out so that I was parallel with the main wall - which meant that if I did over cook it a little, or lose grip, I had plenty of wiggle room before I hit the wall. With the new configuration, we have lost our wiggle room completely. Any momentary lapse of concentration or change in grip from the previous lap IS going to end up with cars into the wall.

If the config remains as it is now, I still say that NASA TX can and should investigate the possibility of artificially giving us some wiggle room back by changing something at that corner such as a line of cones? (note I said investigate - I don't know for sure if it will work or not, but it is worth considering).

Quote:

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SCCA raced on it in November and preferred the new configuration.

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I'm afraid unless our series has SCCA in it, whatever we say or request will fall on deaf ears.

Yep. SCCA is a part owner, so they get what they want.

Race Director Cowboy hat on:

I am listening very carefully to all of the suggestions made by this group. Some ideas are better, or more feasible, than others. One tricky part about moving the wall is that MSRH doesn’t offer multiple configurations with different rates. Flags and cones are something that NASA Texas will consider for the next event, as well as, mentioning it in the Drivers’ meeting. :oops:

I do like this statement from Mr. Mitchell - "In either configuration, 95% of contact has been when a car goes off the track between 16 and 17 and pulls directly back on the racing line with no consideration of their fellow drivers. This is exactly what happened at the NASA weekend. This is also the reason, we have no issues when we have professional racing teams testing, even in large numbers like last Fri and Sat. When a driver went off in 16 and 17, they either continued to the pit lane or if they did pull back on the track it was well off line." This is something all racers should consider.

I don't like y'all hitting the wall either. Trust me on this one, we ARE looking out for the safety of our racers.




Sideways Cowboy hat on:

p.s. Tire walls are real stubborn about filling out BC reports.

p.p.s. Can you feel the love so close to Valentines day?

I must be just stoopid and inexperienced or something, but unless you have spun to the inside, can someone please explain to me how you can "pull back on track well offline" if you have run off at 16/17?

Yes you can and should stay well off the wall out of 17, but you have to cross the line somewhere if you come back on track, so if you are tracking mud, you are still going to make it slick somewhere in the corner?

I have a solution that should work for everyone inlvolved.
Screw Houston and their rice patties. It is a WIN WIN

I am sure when we are "professional" racers then we will stop hitting their walls. I know when I build a track I will be anxious to see the pros drive really close to my poorly placed walls. It works for NASCAR, why not for a "country club" race car"
It should at least get the spectator count up. I know everyone wants to see the carnage.
This is all still, so ridiculous. I want to look away but I cant!
I dont care about angles and BS, if people are hitting the damn wall then move it. We are lucky that more people were not tangled up at once, and hurt.

This is not city traffic. We are not discussing the difference between a circle and an intersection.
Sure, I like circles because glancing blows are much better than T bones.
This is totally different. They have room to move the wall back and they refuse to do it, based on their "professional" opinions. Never before have ten racers hit the wall in the old placement. Sure it still sucked (terrible engineering)but nothing like it is now.
I might agree if there was one or two hits; BUT TEN? C'mon, are you guys serious. Ten bad drivers who wont ever make the pros?? GIVE ME A BREAK>

<angry>




:twisted:

See the attached letter which was emailed today.
Please remain professional on this matter as it will be much more effective!

-=- Todd

Thanks for doing that Todd... Had a good time today, just wish we could have spend more time watching the races.

I really would have liked to see that race finish out without the T17 incidents, would have been a great finish with those guys swapping position four or five times before the incidents. Very sad.

DD