Dan Gamble wrote:
>
> Has anyone heard how Paul Krucke came out with his Scirocco. I didn't get a
> close look at it after the rollover. Is it fixable?
He sent this to our local auto-x list and asked that a
team.netter forward it on, so here goes:
As the world seems to be aware already, I rolled my 1987
Scirocco 16v
at the Solo II Nationals in Topeka Kansas this week.
After evaluating the car, and having 15hrs of drive time
back home to
replay the incident after the adrenalin stopped pumping--
here are the
details.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Coming through "Squiggle Alley" on the North course, I was
proceeding
as planned and hit my braking zone as planned in a straight
line
between cones #144 & #145. Car settled like normal,
proceeded with
easy to increasing throttle around cone #146 into the
right-hander.
Everything felt good, I was looking ahead to my setup point
for the
"Eve Turn" when with NO WARNING and a snap the car went
over. At no
time was I or the car 'out-of-shape'. My only conclusion,
based on
conversations with workers in that area from previous heats,
coupled
with the fact that it was the last run group on the last day
(read as--
deteriorating surface conditions), I hit a bad spot of
concrete, or
dislodged rock/concrete which hooked a tire THROWING the car
over. It
also did not help that that section was slightly off camber
with the
drivers side down. There was NO mechanical failure as
previously
thought, the damage to the right side strut area was from
the impact,
the spring pearch is perfectly intact.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
I was unharmed, totally scratch free! Thanks in part to the
Schroth
harness belts, and some good ol' strong German A-Pillers.
The car
landed wheels down. After a quick check that I was ok, the
car
started, and despite a bent shock tower and 10 degrees
negative camber
and 3" of toe in on the right side, I drove back to the
paddock and
onto the trailer I fortunately had.
The car is for the most part totaled as the frame is bent up
beyond
reasonable repair.
SPECIAL THANKS:
---------------
The following people helped get us trailed up, duct taped,
etc.
Barbara Krucke my Wife
Craig & Gloria Carr
Robert Christmas & Wife
Josh Hadler
Scott Hearne
Cory Strickland
and the corner workers who helped remove the windshield
and anyone else I forgot!!!!
Thanks again, and I am already looking for another vehicle
for NEXT
YEAR. I think I will stay away from a stock class VW with
stickey
tires and stock springs ~~shudder~~.
Otherwise I had fun, and the course designs were excellent.
Only wish
the concrete was in better condition.
Sincerly,
-Paul Krucke
1998 Beetle TDi
1987 Scirocco 16v ES#53 [Critical Condition]
1987 Jetta GLi
1963 Bug Ragtop-Sunroof
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