Auto-X North-South Challenge(May 27-28)

[cody]

Originally Posted by sperry

...the shitty part of the weekend...

That's terrible. In a situation like this will SCCA insurance help him at all?

Godspeed Ed.

[Kevin M]

Originally Posted by Dean

The site is actually plenty large enough to not use the taxiways at all, and still make a 40+ second course. My guess is that National will not approve another course that uses the taxiways.

The problem with them is they are narrow and have a significant crown.

Due to the narrow width, there is little to do but slalom to reduce speeds, and slaloms are extrmely upsetting to cars. When combined with the off-camberness of the crown they can cause small mistakes to turn into high speed course exits in fairly random directions as we have seen.

IMHO the only way to continue to use that site safely is to stop using the taxiways, which is not likely to go over well with the general membership of the two regions.

You could continue to push wokkers further off the side, but that dosn't fix the problem, and the next incident may well be a roll over that could involve the loss of limbs due to open windows or worse...

Watching Allon slide maybe 40 yards through the dirt in his Corvette on sunday pretty much sealed it for me- I'm not going back if it means people have to work stations out on the runways. If Allon had somehow managed to be pointing in our direction, chances are Nick and/or I would not have gotten out of his way. I won't even go into the stupidity of his actions after that.

[Nick Koan]

Agreed.

I have to say, this was my first Hawthorne event, and I had a lot of fun when driving, but the feeling of danger (before and after Ed got hit) was much higher then normal as a worker.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by cody

That's terrible. In a situation like this will SCCA insurance help him at all?

Yes, it will. I am no lawyer, but assuming he is a member, I believe it will cover most to all of his medical, and lost wages...

From: SCCA/SCCA PRO Master Insurance Plan 2006 - Summary of SCCA Participant Accident Coverage

This insurance provides coverage at various limits for the following categories of participants that are
injured in event-related accidents at SCCA or SCCA Pro events.

SCCA/SCCA Pro Member
A. Coverage Participant Limits
Medical Reimbursement (Excess) $1,000,000
Loss of Work $100 per wk for 104 weeks with a 7-day waiting period

[SlickNick112]

I'm sorry to hear that guys, I was there two years ago when the last guy was hit. Not a pretty sight. I participated in an event yesterday with the Northwest Region SCCA, that was held at an old airport in Bremerton, WA. We had several high speed spins that resulted in cars off the taxi-way. Not a safe feeling when your work station is in the dirt/grass/mud.

[M3n2c3]

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

I won't even go into the stupidity of his actions after that.

Not even for the curious who were absent from the weekend?

And out of further curiosity, when was the last time someone got hit at Stead or Lovelock and what were the conditions?

[cody]

Originally Posted by Dean

Yes, it will. I am no lawyer, but assuming he is a member, I believe it will cover most to all of his medical, and lost wages...

From: SCCA/SCCA PRO Master Insurance Plan 2006 - Summary of SCCA Participant Accident Coverage

Good to hear.

[Kevin M]

Originally Posted by M3n2c3

Not even for the curious who were absent from the weekend?

And out of further curiosity, when was the last time someone got hit at Stead or Lovelock and what were the conditions?

Allon is Vegas region's Chief Safety Steward. At the beginning of the day sunday, at the driver's meeting (also saturday when we resumed after Ed got hit) he made an explicit point of telling us all not to try to save any big skids or offs we might have, becuase it only makes it worse. Swallow your pride and put both feet in during a spin, as you may have heard. Fast forward to the second run group on sunday, when he was running in his C5 vette. The course runs out one taxiway to where it corsses two others and forms a triangle that the course loops around. Saturday you go straight and go around clockwise, Sunday you turn right and go counter-clockwise- at his suggestion Saturday evening. during his third or 4th run, he screwed up by going straight (for the second time I believe), locked up the brakes, and plowed straight intot he dirt between the two taxiways. He slid along hte edge of the tarmac, and the car rotated about 90 degrees, then rolled back up on the tarmac. Now, the off is okay, that happens once in a while out at airport event sites, can't be avoided. But the stupid part was that he didn't even come to a complete stop on the tarmac, lit up the tires, and shot back down the right side taxiway. He went around it probably 10-15 mph faster than he had before, drifting most of the course, until he got back to where he was in front of me when I red flagged him. When I walked up to the passenger side window and told him to go straight back to grid, he spun the tires again and took off back down the taxiway. All after taking several minutes 3 different times that weekend to tell everyone else to "leave your nuts in the paddock" before going on course. So basically, he went off big, which as I said was okay because it happens. But he acted liek a total douche after that, which was doubly unacceptable given the fact he's his region's Chief of Safety. He probably would have managed to go off the tarmac again before the end of that run if I hadn't stopped him.

[bruspeed]

Lame^

[Dean]

Minor correction: Allon is only a director on their board, not a chief anything. Gene Rolfe was actually their Safety Steward of record for the event. Allon is a very vocal person who is very actively involved in the LV efforts at N-S. He may also be a safety Steward, but I cannot confirm that.

[Kevin M]

His jacket said "chief safety steward" or something like that.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

His jacket said "chief safety steward" or something like that.

I'm sure he does, and he may be, but that is not listed on their web site, and Dave told me Gene was their Safety representative for the weekend. I think Allon just like to be the center of attention for everything. Why else would you own a set of bright yellow sweats?

[Nick Koan]

And the bright yellow jumpsuit sure was nicer on the eyes then the short-shorts of the following day.

[dknv]

Originally Posted by Dean

I think Allon just like to be the center of attention for everything. Why else would you own a set of bright yellow sweats?

Because your girlfriend bought them for you (would be one reason).

[Joeyy]

Nick, why did you take the tape off your "E"?..

[Nick Koan]

Because the car got reclassed

[dknv]

Originally Posted by Dean

My guess is that National will not approve another course that uses the taxiways.

And, do we suspect this might be an issue with Lovelock as well?

Though my speeds were up there at Hawthorne, I did not feel it was dangerous on the runways, however, I do have that feeling about driving at Lovelock (partly due to going off there). But from the perspective of working the Lovelock course, I felt it was reasonably safe (using the hay bales that were set, what?, 50' off the course?).

[sperry]

Originally Posted by dknv

And, do we suspect this might be an issue with Lovelock as well?

Though my speeds were up there at Hawthorne, I did not feel it was dangerous on the runways, however, I do have that feeling about driving at Lovelock (partly due to going off there). But from the perspective of working the Lovelock course, I felt it was reasonably safe (using the hay bales that were set, what?, 50' off the course?).

Not to be elitist, but I don't worry about Lovelock because the Vegas drivers aren't there. I'm not saying the Vegas people are bad drivers, I just don't think they majority of them have high speed experience.

Like I said earlier, if they only drive at a tiny little course all season, then cut loose at Hawthorne, it's no wonder we have off's from their less experienced drivers. I bet that if we held the event in the Safeway lot across the street, not only would we have a safer event, we'd probably also lose to Vegas because we rarely run very tight low speed courses.

[dknv]

Originally Posted by sperry

I bet that if we held the event in the Safeway lot across the street, not only would we have a safer event, we'd probably also lose to Vegas because we rarely run very tight low speed courses.

Careful, don't give them any big ideas for next year. If there is a next year.

[Dean]

Lovelock is much wider, and while it is crowned, it is not as big of an issue because the added width permits more high traction room for errors, as well as permitting more offset manuevers to lower speeds if needed.

[sperry]

Shifting gears a little... there was talk about a certain AS Corvette driver threatening to protest Brian due to "not enough tread depth" on his street tires.

Just for the record, his "special edition" vette is a 1996 Collector's Edition... the last of the C4 Vettes:



You'll notice that the '96CE does not have a wheel arch extension over the rear wheels like our friend from Vegas. The fender flare was only on the Grand Sport Coupe... not the Collector's Edition.



Just thought it was some interesting information. And yes Brian, it's too late to protest him.

[NevadaSTi]

So, does this mean his car was technically not legal in AS?

[Kevin M]

Yep. One of many this weekend.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by NevadaSTi

So, does this mean his car was technically not legal in AS?

Yes, unless he can prove otherwise. It has to be a factory option on that specific model for that year, not just an option on a model for that year in stock class.

That's why for 02+ an RS can't run with any wing, a WRX can't run with an STI wing, a STI can't run without a wing, or a WRX wing.... All Imprezas, but No factory option for it means you can't do it. Dealer options are not permitted either in stock, so no 17" wheels on WRXs, etc.

Port installed options are considered factory, so short shifters on WRXes are OK.

[Kevin M]

Lousy example Dean, since the '98-'01 RS came standard with a rear spoiler.