Thunderbolt Race Weekend

[JoeP]

You guys are nuts.  If someone pulled a stunt like that with me, and shunted me off track, I would discuss track etiquette with him using a baseball bat.

[bobt993]

Joe,  Probably would not enjoy racing then.  The two GTS4 guys that wrecked talked afterwards and seemed fine.  Darren and I talked to both of them.  If you race, you know it is not if, just when it will happen. 

[Darren]

bobt993 wrote:

Joe, Probably would not enjoy racing then. The two GTS4 guys that wrecked talked afterwards and seemed fine. Darren and I talked to both of them. If you race, you know it is not if, just when it will happen.

Agreed -- this is all part of racing, and it's true at any level. The 13/13 rules for some series help mitigate a lot of this. The 13/13 is essentially that if you cause an accident you are on probation for 13 months, and then if you have another one you are suspended for 13 months.

Some groups have 13/13 some do not. In Porsche Club racing all groups have it. But, always a but, I've never had more fun than bump drafting Todd Reid, or rubbing sides with the guy I was racing this past weekend in the Integra. Racing is diverse -- for people who want to keep their cars shiney, PCA racing is the thing, everyone has 13/13. If you want to be able to bump/grind then NASA or SCCA might be the thing.

NASA Mid-Atlantic does have a 13/13 race group which is the Autobahn group for spec e30, gts 1-2 I think, 944 cup, etc....

I'm torn -- I like being able to make contact and have racing incidents with no oversight in my Integra. I also don't want that in my Porsche, it's too expensive to repair!!!

[JoeP]

Don't mind me.  I think that 95% of today's "racing" is complete bullsh_t.  We often see professionals make moves with a 5% chance of success, knock out two other drivers, and nothing is done.  It makes great TV, but it is not racing.  To me, if you hit another car, you made a mistake.

Perhaps, this silliness is the inevitable result of making cars too safe.  No consequences.  If you tried that crap in a 1960's GP car, you died.

[bobt993]

Joe most moves are not deliberate contact.  Your going 11-10th out there and trying to keep up or stay in front of your competition.   It is kinda of like flag football vs full contact.  The added variable is intimidation and asserting a physical presence in what is your patch of track.  There is a lot more tactics being played than you think.  I have never hit another car on the car and made major moves to avoid contact.

Again,  I can understand why you don't like it or find it exciting, but for some of us it is one big adrenaline rush. 

[JoeP]

I better not race.  I've had contact on the Street while exerting "physical presence" with New York City taxicabs.  I would not respond well to someone tagging me at speed. 

I understand that things happen when running hard.  I object to stupidity and purposeful contact.  It is our version of fighting in Hockey.  It demeans a great sport.

[bobt993]

http://www.trackdaymag.com/Articles/Maki...s-to-Racin
g.aspx

Joe, great article that is explains the difference between racing and DE. 

[Darren]

If you took the aggression out of racing, it would be DE.  Racing is pure aggression.  Think about how different that is from DE!

Look at Bob's pass of Yonker at the start, that's it in a nutshell.  I wouldn't have let Bob back on the tarmac, I would have put my car into a place where he would need to hit me, hit the pit wall, or slow down.  And he's one of my best friends

Todd and I are really good friends also.  I told Todd one event "if you dive bomb me inside and try to steal the apex again like that, I will turn in and hit you".  I wasn't bluffing, I had the right to the apex and I wasn't letting it be stolen from me again!

This might sound strange, like why would you and your friends do this to each other?  Well, we're friends after the race, and before During the race we're competitors.

If people know they can bully you around they will do so.  You have to put the smack down.  It's sort of like playing "chicken"

[bobt993]

You would really hit me???? :X 

Your out of my will!!!!!

[ccm911]

Actually, Bob and Darren.....please avoid driving on my driveway...no offense, but my cars are pretty dent-free.