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Re: Course Safety?

To: autox@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Course Safety?
From: RacerRay52@aol.com
Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 10:31:09 EST
In a message dated 3/28/99 10:29:32 PM Eastern Standard Time, jwalter@ptra.com
writes:

<< Front wheel drive cars are unsafe under hard braking while attempting to
 negotiate a sharp turn, especially on "sticky" tires.  There is no place for
 them in Autocross.
 
 NOW THAT'S AN EXTREME VIEW. >>

     And then Eric Linhoff said that most mishaps are "driver error".

     There are many cars that can be autoxed that are easy to flip.
Since only a few among us drive as if they were clones of Juan
Manuel Fangio and the rest of us are mere mistake-prone mortals,
perhaps it would be a good idea to put some really plain, unmistakable
language in the rules about course design; language that prohibits
tight, compound turns at the end of  brisk straights.

     This is an amateur sport that invites anyone to come in and compete
with almost any kind of car. It should be as idiot-proof as possible. Even
if you have competed in 50 events you only have 3hrs. or so of
actual hammer-down running. Combine lack of actual seat time with the
fact that every course is different and you don't usually get practice to
learn where there might be hazards and you have a wreck waiting to
happen.

Ray Elliott

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