Der Gasser

[Brian Minkin]

In response to Sandor's suggestion of including a tech Q&A section in Dergasser I believe that the person who will be stepping up to the tech position on the exec for 2007 will be more then happy to answer members questions on this forum and in Dergasser.  This is something Tom and I have wanted to do and it has been slowly coming about.  More news once the slate for 2007 is presented. 

[sandor]

wellardmac wrote:

sandor wrote:

wellardmac wrote:

I hadn't seen that, why? I know about the accidnet, but why would that take out the show?

Clarkson, Wilman. et al, voiced their decision to not continue the show without Hammond -

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/s...69,00.html

so it will all hinge on his recovery.

Thanks for the link, I hadn't seen that. I tend to agree with their sentiment. It's a great show and a lot better than it was before the format change.

Looks like Hammond wants to go on TV from his hospital bed...

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news_detail.html?sku=470

[Wellardmac]

Pretty cool! I really hope that they don't kill the show. I'm glad to hear that he's ready to get the show going again.

[Nick]

Some of my better students first learned basic car control/dynamics through auto cross.

 

RTR used to regularly provide skid pad education with DE.  I believe that driving on a skid pad as well as driving on a track in the rain provides valuable experience.  There is no substitute for seat time.  As drivers experience different situations (taking corners on oil slicks, having their windshield pop out at 100mph, etc.) they gain valuable lessons that can not be fully learned in a class room.

[Phokaioglaukos]

jakp993 wrote:

I grew up in Buffalo, NY. My 1st car was a '71 Camaro V8 that I couldn't afford snow tires for. I got very good at driving sideways

However, even with that experience, my first track event was quite an eye opener. I felt I had time to react in the snow. I was completely caught off guard by how fast a mistake was punished by my '91 Toyota MR2 on the track! Plus, I suspect almost all of my snow based oversteer conditions were caused by over application of the throttle, not lifing in a corner.

Jack's point deserves an underscore. Sliding at low speed in the snow or wet is really not the same as sliding in the dry. The dynamics are similar, but the speed at which events occur is radically different.

[Wellardmac]

Nick wrote:

Some of my better students first learned basic car control/dynamics through auto cross.



RTR used to regularly provide skid pad education with DE. I believe that driving on a skid pad as well as driving on a track in the rain provides valuable experience. There is no substitute for seat time. As drivers experience different situations (taking corners on oil slicks, having their windshield pop out at 100mph, etc.) they gain valuable lessons that can not be fully learned in a class room.

It would be nice to see more of an education element with AX. It's a great learning experience and the instructors in hand help in an informal way, but a structured session would be really nice. On my last session Steve Mankowski took a couple of runs with me and it helped tremendously.... if only for switching on a few lights (figuratively!). It would be nice to have a "learning track" in one of the sessions where the car is designed to safely be run it the edge of control.