One of those days at Time Attack...| Grassroots Motorsports forum |

HiTempguy Dork
6/14/11 11:52 p.m.

We have a Time Attack series that doesn't require licensing and newbs are allowed to run. Runs groups are normally pretty good, lots of seat time, and the track is fun.

This was my buddies second ever event; I've tried to teach him well over the years, but until recently he had very little time besides the occasional auto-x/rally-x to actually RACE a car. He was pretty quick his first time out on a non-timed HPDE on the same track.

So fast forward to Monday evening; he got put into the "slow" run group. And by slow, I mean 85 second laptimes where he was setting 73's consistantly. I present to you evidence of his frustration (I was in the stands watching, I nearly started yelling I was so frustrated for him). On his first 15 minute run, he did not get a single clean lap due to this civic, a porsche cayenne turbo (50 year old guy wearing Affliction t-shirts, dear god), a supercharged foxbody on s00per skinny bfg t/a's (LOL!), this civic, and a Porsche 944 turbo with PREVIOUS lapping and autox experience. You are only allowed to pass on the back straight. The civic was literally doing under 80km/h in this picture (on a front straight where it should hit 120km/h with ease).

The only words to describe this would be "fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

ZOO GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
6/15/11 6:29 a.m.

I am curious to know why he was in the "slow" group. I've organized many a lapping day and have always asked people to speak with me if they feel they are in the wrong run group. I want my participants to run where they are comfortable, for safety reasons.

Frustrated drivers in slow run groups present a safety issue. Did he speak with the organizer?

iceracer Dork
6/15/11 9:27 a.m.

I groups I have run wth, they use a passing flag, if they see that you are being held up. Had that happen with a Corvette at Lime Rock with my ZX2SR. Then again to me with a 944 that wasn't fast enough to pass on the straight but was quicker in the twisties.

HiTempguy Dork
6/15/11 9:58 a.m.

ZOO wrote: Frustrated drivers in slow run groups present a safety issue. Did he speak with the organizer?

Yes, and I actually take issue with the way the organizer handled it (somebody who I have raced with before). He said flat out "no", and that they would send him out at the front of his run group... so he was able to get a couple of clean runs in in his 2nd and 3rd go at it.

It did work out well in the end, but if he would have been held up in the 2nd running of his group, I would have had a word with him. Best not to step on somebody's toes unless you have to...

We do have a blue flag on the front straight signals let the car following by on the back straight, but when there are 5 super slow drivers on a 70 second course, it doesn't really make a difference. He actually passed 4 of them at once because they were all bunched together facepalm

wbjones SuperDork
6/15/11 7:03 p.m.

iceracer wrote: I groups I have run wth, they use a passing flag, if they see that you are being held up. Had that happen with a Corvette at Lime Rock with my ZX2SR. Then again to me with a 944 that wasn't fast enough to pass on the straight but was quicker in the twisties.

LOL at that .... most of the time I'm given the move over ('91 CRX) but I've yet to get any help when I'm sitting behind someone... guess the corner workers figure I've just been passed