Let me preface my comments a bit, I'm not attempting to bait anyone or make
anyone look bad, I just think that perhaps the topic has not been fully
explored or as carefully examined as it deserves. Safety is a major concern
to me and typically it is the sole topic that will bring me from my lurk
mode. Race organizers have a responsibility to appropriately group cars, I
believe that speed differentials should be minimized. Should they be the
primary consideration? No, but I disagree with the statement that speed
differentials are only dangerous when they surprise the drivers.
I would venture to say that less of a speed differential offers less
potential risk. Multi-car accidents are typically caused by passing
maneuvers (many of them inappropriate, but this is only a related topic to
the differential discussion). Less passing makes for less potential for
incidents. Of course with racing, passing is the name of the game, but
having cars lapped 5 times in a 20 lap race just increases the chance for an
incident. Driver error is the major cause of multi-car incidents, putting
drivers in situations where errors will increase the likelihood of contact
makes for an increased potential for problems.
If possible, from the safety perspective, cars should be grouped by size
(visibility & weight are powerful considerations), potential lap times, and
by actual measured lap times. I agree that this is not always possible. I
think that everyone has seen situations where cars were inappropriately
grouped and thereby increased the potential of a racing incident. The size
issue is what I would consider a primary concern (witness the incident a few
years ago @ Summit Point between the BMW 3.0 CSL and the Chevron (B-16?)
that wasn't even as tall as the CSL's door handle), however increasing the
amount of passing does increase the chance of body contact, particularly
when the drivers are of differing abilities and experience.
LeMans is a fallacious discussion (professionals vs. amateurs). LeMans is
typically for highly experienced drivers, with a great deal of experience,
in superb physical condition and driving high dollar, immaculately prepared,
cost-be-damned machinery, this is not the race paddock that I see at vintage
races in the Eastern US... I know that everyone wishes to be one of these
drivers, but for most of us its just a dream!
Also I find it interesting that Derek listed this as a shake-the-head kind
of comment - 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". This is the lowest common denominator of
vintage driver and this is why speed differentials contribute to incidents.
Like it or not, there is always the chance that this guy is on the track. I
wouldn't want to knowingly put this guy on the track where a lot of passing
will take place. This is also why the big dollar cars have gone into hiding
and seldom come out to play except for the big shows.
Totally dismissing speed differentials as a potential contributing factor
doesn't make sense. Can various speed potentials be accommodated in a mixed
group of good drivers, yes. However, if I had a choice, I would not want to
race a 948 Sprite or FV on a track full of Trans-Am Camaros or FA's if I
could race against other cars with similar potentials on both the straights
and corners. I wouldn't be holding up the fast cars or worrying about some
Trans Am guy barreling down the straight @ 175mph while the Sprite is topped
@ 95. KE (0.5MV^2) in this incident would not be good for the Sprite driver
even with a cage...
This having been said, I agree with Derek that mixing closed and open wheel
cars does not increase risk so long as the size and visibility elements are
carefully considered.
Jackson Zimmermann
jzimmerm@albemarle.org
PS - I'm using Trans Am guys as examples of large, high speed, high weight
cars. I am not implying anything about any group of driver's abilities,
just that mixing vast speed differentials is not _that_ great of an idea...
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