Mazda Rx8 (driver) poor judgement

[protojason]

Hard Crash Grand Am Porsche 250 John Pew

Links to Liveleak : http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=24d_1333520285

I'm not a regular spectator of motorsport, but I spotted the rx8 (in no small part due to the nifty flames at the exhaust while trying to get out of the grass at around 00:44 secs.---good ole rotary engines)---screweing the ford driver.

Summary: basically the rx8 driver lost it on a turn, spins to the grass, tries to get back in the race with not enough clearance for the other drivers racing the corner, and one (ford ?) has to ditch to avoid a collision.---into the other (soft) side of the track.---Sudden stop due to bogging into the turf. RX8 drives off.

-J

 

[Jaleik]

Seriously I would think that RX8 driver would be installtly DQd for doing some s*** like that. Who the **** would drive right across the track like that with cars coming.

 

[subspeed6]

I'm not a regular spectator of motorsport, but I spotted the rx8 (in no small part due to the nifty flames at the exhaust while trying to get out of the grass at around 00:44 secs.---good ole rotary engines)---screweing the ford driver.

Summary: basically the rx8 driver lost it on a turn, spins to the grass, tries to get back in the race with not enough clearance for the other drivers racing the corner, and one (ford ?) has to ditch to avoid a collision.---into the other (soft) side of the track.---Sudden stop due to bogging into the turf. RX8 drives off.

-J

Note the bold and you can see why. The caution was out for that corner area so all cars should have slowed in the area because of an incident there.

As far as getting back into the race after a spin-out, I can see that but trying to apply force to ground in the grass in those cars is touchy at the best. Have you ever tried it?

Seriously I would think that RX8 driver would be installtly DQd for doing some s*** like that. Who the **** would drive right across the track like that with cars coming.

Maybe you should meet these RX-8 drivers so you can what you say here to them in person, yes? They are coming to Homestead soon and I can hold your hand while you meet Team Sahlen; and then you can say what you said here to them in person.

Edit: I bet I could even get you a free ticket for that too..

 

[Jaleik]

Maybe you should meet these RX-8 drivers so you can what you say here to them in person, yes? They are coming to Homestead soon and I can hold your hand while you meet Team Sahlen; and then you can say what you said here to them in person.

Edit: I bet I could even get you a free ticket for that too..

Is that supposed to be intimidating or something? Taking it a bit personal are we? This was a stupid move either way you look at it and it could have ended much worst.

 

[Perro del Sol]

Do not judge based solely on what you see on tv, there was a lot more that took place that you do not know about.. Track condition, track was like glass and all of the teams were having issues with grip. The night before massive thunderstorms came through the area, so much so, that they black flagged the final practice. The car went off track and while exiting had little traction in the wet grass and it took alot of rpms to make it out, once out of the grass, the car stalled and the DP car took evasive action and the splitter buried itself in the wet rainsoaked grass. If you have ever gone off track in rain soaked grass that it easier to exit by going straight as opposed to trying to angle out. I know this because I have had to do it at Mid Ohio. I was working the pits for Sahlen.

 

[WillD]

Instantly DQ'ed for getting back on track...?

It was an unfortunate racing incident. As Marlon says, without a ton of rain and wet grass there is a good chance that the DP continues on through the grass and everything is all good. If you watched the telecast live, when they interviewed John Pew after the incident he wasn't overly upset and didn't blame the Sahlen car for what it was doing. It's just another racing incident and anyone who knows anything about racing would realize this.

 

[Perro del Sol]

Is that supposed to be intimidating or something? Taking it a bit personal are we? This was a stupid move either way you look at it and it could have ended much worst.

He is not taking it personally, the OP is a fan of Grand-AM and knows the crews and the teams personally and has worked in the pits for them as well as a volunteer. There is an whole different perspective behind the wall and on track for those who do HPDE's and Wheel 2 wheel racing. Is it a possibility that the John Pew missed the yellow flag that was waving and did not slow down enough, possibility but it did not happen, as Will stated John did the only thing he could do, was to go off track to avoid contact. Unlike NASCAR there are no spotters advising drivers about traffic etc and the sooner you get back on track, the less time is lost.

 

[Jaleik]

Im not saying anything about how he gets off the grass and all of that, I understand how it works. The part that I think was not very smart is between the time that he got back on the track and decided to cross it. I guess it was incredibly bad timing and from his point of view he might not have seen the incoming car. Im talking about at 52seconds in.
And im not trying to start s*** with anyone as clearly its not worth it and props to the mazda drivers for doing well so far.

 

[Perro del Sol]

Im not saying anything about how he gets off the grass and all of that, I understand how it works. The part that I think was not very smart is between the time that he got back on the track and decided to cross it. I guess it was incredibly bad timing and from his point of view he might not have seen the incoming car. Im talking about at 52seconds in.
And im not trying to start s*** with anyone as clearly its not worth it and props to the mazda drivers for doing well so far.

The car stalled after getting back on track.....these cars have a sequential gearbox and after revving the 3 rotor really high to get back the track they some times hesitate and/or stall.......

 

[WillD]

And that corner is blind he can't see approaching traffic... nor could the MSR DP see him until he had crested the hill (as was evident from the in-car replay).

 

[subspeed6]

Edit....

Is that supposed to be intimidating or something? Taking it a bit personal are we? This was a stupid move either way you look at it and it could have ended much worst.

Nope, nope, and I am sure others have explained this ad nauseum.

Offer still stands for Homestead, but I am sure you won't show.

 

[Jaleik]

Edit....



Nope, nope, and I am sure others have explained this ad nauseum.

Offer still stands for Homestead, but I am sure you won't show.

Clearly im not going to drive all the way down to homestead for this.

 

[subspeed6]

Clearly im not going to drive all the way down to homestead for this.

Then keep playing arm-chair backseat driver while the rest of us support these Mazda race teams in person from being a fan to assisting in the pits for them.

As Perrodelsol said, I've worked the pits and assisted the Mazda teams. There is a lot more going on than you see on TV.

Have a nice day.