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RE: different racing experience

To: "'Dick Rasmussen'" <rasmussend@mindspring.com>,
Subject: RE: different racing experience
From: James Gunn-Wilkinson <jgunn@genoptix.com>
Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2001 08:12:20 -0700
I have driven the PIR (Phoenix International Raceway) oval (actually 2/3 the
oval and then back into the infield) in Spec RX7 and had no problems.

I can remember actually scraping my mirror on the wall at the exit to the
front straight at ~110mph -- that was a little hairy!!  You just have to get
used to the additional loading from the banking and the additional lateral
forces which occur as a result.


James Gunn-Wilkinson
San Diego
SS Z06

-----Original Message-----
From: Dick Rasmussen [mailto:rasmussend@mindspring.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2001 6:44 PM
To: Buddy Ahlers; autox@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: different racing experience


At 03:05 PM 6/5/01 -0700, Buddy Ahlers wrote:
>I just got back from driving my first banked oval
>today.    It was really
>quick.  I never thought I'd say it, but it was almost
>too fast.  Going down the back stretch, it was running
>about 103 mph and I got tunnel vision.  It was really
>weird.  It looked to me like star wars or
>something...everything going by way faster than it
>should.  Then I spun, and broke the darn
>starter...game over.
>
>Has anyone else ever had that happen?  

Not me . . . or I wouldn't still "be here". 

133 mph approaching NASCAR 3 at Lowes (aka Charlotte) Motorspeedway in a
Formula Ford with your butt 1 or 2 inches above the pavement and only some
whimpy fiberglass and some thin steel tubes between you and the wall is no
time for tunnel vision!!!


Dick Rasmussen
CM 85
85 Van Diemen RF-85 Formula Ford

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