Dick
I'd suggest that speed differential is only part of the equation. Other
factors are:
a. The mass differential - ie mixing say 400kg FF's with 700kg + F5000's.
b. The technology - ie mixing wings 'n slicks cars with those with treaded
tyres.
Its in the interests of both promoters and competitors to get the mix right.
Over the last couple of years our main promoter in Sydney Australia - the
HSRCA - has insisted on gridding FF's with F5000 and big banger sports cars.
Prior to that we had been regularly producing FF grids of 15+. Today the
number has dwindled to half or less at some meetings. During the same
period the VHRR in Victoria - which has done a wonderful job of promoting
the category and given FF's their own races - has built fields of 25+.
As the guy who started the category in Sydney I'm obviously disappointed.
At a personal level things came to a head at Oran Park a year ago when I
beat some of the F5000's in the field in my Lotus 61 .... the same one we
took to Monterey in 95. Thinking about it afterwards - and particularly the
likely consequences of a spin and being cleaned up (by a 2 or 3 times a year
driver in a car much faster than him) - made me realise that sooner or later
we were going to have a very nasty accident. Just saying we haven't had one
to date in no way proves the counter-argument!
To explain the extent of the problem - Oran Park is 1.2 miles anti-clockwise
with a 700+ yard straight. The racing line remains on the right hand side
of the straight allowing a wide entry into the left hander at the end. In a
FF you can clear your mirrors exiting the corner onto the straight - check
your mirrors through the straight and at the end - and still turn into a
F5000 that has done a run down the left hand side of the very wide track.
Not good.
Anyway - I've voted with my feet. The Lotus is for sale and I'm having fun
racing my modern FF with our future F1 starts pending the likely acquisition
of a 1960's car.
There obviously needs to be some commonsense rules or guidelines developed.
Its OK to run FF, FJ and FV with clubman cars and lightweight sports racers
such as Lotus 23 etc. Its not OK to run the above with CanAm, F5000 or F1.
Its definitely not OK - and bloody dangerous - to mix sedans with open
wheelers or sports racers.
Where an undesirable mix is inevitable a couple of suggestions we have used
over here:
a. Do two separate starts. Get the faster cars away first and then 5 or 10
seconds later drop the flag a second time. If you insist on rolling starts
use 2 pace cars and keep them apart. This minimises the first corner
problem and ensures that the field is spread out when the faster cars start
lapping the slower ones.
b. Agree a local rule between the faster cars that they observe the
equivalent of a yellow flag rule when they're working through traffic. The
lead driver raises his arm - the faster cars stop racing and go through line
astern - they signal again to start racing after the pass has been safely
completed.
regards
Jeremy Braithwaite
Age & Treachery Racing Australia
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard E. Buckingham, Jr." <rebjrmd@ix.netcom.com>
To: "Derek Harling" <derek.lola@sympatico.ca>
Cc: "Vintage Race" <vintage-race@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2000 3:13 AM
Subject: Re: Speed Differentials
>
> Derek, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I am also opposed to grandiose
and
> all inclusive statements like these becoming conventional wisdom. I am
Race
> Chairman of SOVREN. We have run Group 6 as a mix of Formula cars and
Sports
> Racers for 10 years. I know of NO incidents that have been related to a
mix
> of open and closed wheeled cars. However, when we started doing this you
> should have heard the howls of protest--"you can't do that, it is unsafe."
> "It's never been allowed because it is unsafe." What finally allowed us
to
> institute this policy against the dogmatic naysayers was a look at the
history
> of racing in the Pacific Northwest, and we clearly showed that this
practice
> had been going on for years "in the era" i.e. at the SeaFair races. It
has
> now become accepted policy and no one questions it. As for your first
point,
> SOVREN unlike many other vintage racing clubs groups their cars by age and
> engine size as opposed to lap times or speed potential so we do have
fairly
> big speed disparities in many of our groups. I totally agree that the
danger
> of speed differentials or rapid closing speeds is the element of surprise.
> When the slow cars are cognizant that they are running with fast cars and
are
> watching their mirrors there is less chance of surprise, and when the fast
> cars drive responsibly by passing in "the usual places" and don't do bonzi
> (s?) late breaking maneuvers, overtaking the slower cars line at the last
> minute, then there is less chance of surprising (scaring) the drivers of
the
> slower cars. I always tell people that what we do is Gentlemanly Racing
for
> the "love of the sport." (I don't want to rehash that Corinthian thread
of
> last year again!) A Gentleman is courteous and doesn't want to have fun
at
> the expense of someone else. (Of course that doesn't mean you can't whup
'em
> "fair and square.")
> Dick Buckingham, Jr.
> Race Chairman -- SOVREN
> Past President -- VMC
>
> Derek Harling wrote:
>
> > Someone recently wrote:
> >
> > > With lower speed differentials, you lessen the likelihood of
> > > serious incidents.
> >
> > . . . . and if you don't take your car on the track you lessen it even
> > more.
> >
> > Seriously - if there are two racing "truths" that I think are far too
> > frequently believed they are
> > - big speed differentials are dangerous - and -
> > - mixing closed wheel and open wheel is dangerous.
> >
> > Bunk. Both.
> >
> > Big speed differentials are only dangerous if they surprise anyone. Use
> > your eyes, your mirrors and your brain and you won't be surprised.
> > Obviously that applies to both overtaker and overtakee. We have
mirrors -
> > use 'em. If you don't know what is going on all around you at all
times -
> > you shouldn't be out there. I still shudder at the comment heard many
years
> > ago while walking away from a drivers meeting - "I don't have time to
look
> > in my mirrors when I'm out there".
> >
> > Open wheel and closed wheel - dangerous? - why? Not as dangerous as
mixing
> > open wheel and open wheel.
> >
> > If you believe either of the above "truths" you're not thinking
straight -
> > please don't race with me.
> >
> > Derek
>
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