In a message dated 12/18/01 7:26:35 PM Central Standard Time, rocky@tri.net
writes:
<< IMHO, it is a safety issue. The safest finish is a full-throttle straight
line. Second choice, finish on a curve, but still in a WOT situation, not a
braking or lifting situation which upsets and/or unbalances the car. Full
throttle does not mean 60 mph. It can be full-throttle at 20 mph depending
on the prior corner. The point is to have even the most rank novice able to
be under full control with his car not unbalanced.
>>
I usually don't comment on the list anymore. I got tired of the firestorm of
personal "Hate Mail" I received. However on this topic I'm going too. I think
Rocky
is right on this one. There is no reason for a screwed up finish. I don't
worry about
whether its an issue of "Is it fun" or not? I drive a March Sports 2000. It
has a very tight pedal area or footbox. Its easy to have a problem especially
if you are pressing
a finish on a tight course. I had a situation last season at a local event
that could
have been a disaster. I crossed the finish line at at full throttle at the
top of second gear(67 mph) approx. I got off of the throttle quickly and
tried to apply the brakes.
The shutdown area was short and a little bumpy. Everything would have been
fine
except instead of hitting only the brake pedal, I hit the brake and the gas
at the same time. The toe of my driving boots slid up and got hooked in an
opening above
the pedal box that forms part of the cars "Tub". For a second the harder I
pushed
on the brakes the more the rear wheels broke loose. I finally
realized(Instinctivly)
to rip my foot back and take another try at hitting the brakes. I just
barely(about
20 feet from the curb) missed doing some serious fiberglass damage. The course
was setup on old asphalt that had lots of oil spots on it that contributed to
the problem. I'm not the best autox driver by any stretch but I'm not a new
guy either.
I remember asking the new guy doing the course that day(It was his first time)
"Why is that kink right after the finish"??? He told me "Thats so they have
to slow
down" I realized that day that this was a bad plan to say the least. I bet
the KnuckleDragger remembers this one? He walked up to my car and said "Man I
can't believe you didn't hit the curb"!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mike(Of course I have it on tape from inside the car)B. 99cm
/// autox@autox.team.net mailing list
///
/// To unsubscribe send a plain text message to majordomo@autox.team.net
/// with nothing in it but
///
/// unsubscribe autox
///
/// or try http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
///
|