Spins are usually caused by a build up of oscillations un corrected (like in
any slalom) and/or having the car on edge and doing a sudden change (like
brake or let up off the gas as most do at the finish). Combine that with
the enthusiasm of a finish, and you get more spins than normal :-). When I
design courses, I usually try to protect the finish lights, by placing a lot
of distance from the last element and the timing lights. In your case you
didn't have the room to extend the timing lights further down, so to protect
the lights more, you would have needed to reduce or remove the final slalom.
Saturdays course had the same problem in the final turn as it took you right
out to the lights.
In any event, I completely enjoyed the courses both days :-)
---JCG
----- Original Message -----
From: Ron Bauer <ronbauer@aa.net>
To: Kevin Stevens <kevin_stevens@hotmail.com>; <autox@autox.team.net>;
<ba-autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2000 11:29 AM
Subject: Re: NorPac Divisional Course question
> I wasn't one of the people spinning through the finish, but I did have the
> back a little loose.
>
> Basically, if you took the turn right before the slalom, the slalom was
> pretty fast. Add this to the fact that it was only a three cone slalom
and
> that allowed you to go pretty deep into the last cone. Problem with that
is
> that if you got too late, there was the potential to do something drastic
> (big steering input, complete lift off the throttle) that would cause the
> back end to get loose.
>
> I can't speak for Ken (BTW, it's funny to see the SS spin and take out the
> timing lights both days..... ;-) ) but the S2000s are VERY tail happy
cars.
> Add the above information from the previous paragraph and there is a big
> liklihood it could happen. Annie and I are getting her car set up so it
> isn't so tail happy, hence the reason I was only somewhat sideways (man I
> love rear wheel drive) vs. spinning!
>
> Ron (thanks for a fun weekend) Bauer
> Y2K S2K
> Team Butt Heat
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kevin Stevens <kevin_stevens@hotmail.com>
> To: autox@autox.team.net <autox@autox.team.net>; ba-autox@autox.team.net
> <ba-autox@autox.team.net>
> Date: Tuesday, June 20, 2000 9:53 AM
> Subject: NorPac Divisional Course question
>
>
> >Now that everyone has had time to get back to work and delete those
> annoying
> >voice messages...
> >
> >I was thinking on the way home about ways I could have improved on
Sunday's
> >course, and one thing that stuck out was the elan and glee with which
vast
> >numbers of AS (and other) drivers went spinning through the finish.
Since
> I
> >was just plodding grimly through there, I was curious as to how y'all
> >managed to get going fast enough to spin? I don't really need tips on
the
> >spinning itself, but the going fast part seems to elude me. I *thought*
I
> >was getting off the turn before the slalom pretty well, but apparently
not.
> >
> >Ken Mitchell, Andy McKee, any of the host of thousands have any input?
Not
> >you, Arie, breaking bits off the car in order to spin doesn't count...
> >
> >KeS
> >________________________________________________________________________
> >
>
>
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