Having an “off” as it’s known in the motorsports world is somewhere between crashing and simply placing a wheel off the track. What occurred today had more spectacular offs than we had seen all week.
Our agenda placed us at Carolina Motorsports Park in South Carolina at 8am where we were scheduled for two runs on the road course. The morning’s showers left the track quite slick. The slightly adverse conditions made one particular fast corner (taken by the fast guys around 100+ mph) quite precarious. An interesting problem in that the corner could be taken quite quickly, but a slight hump at the apex would unsettle the cars by unweighting the right rear and in combination with the track going slightly to the right would have the cars spinning before the driver knew it.
In the morning sessions there were three spectacular “offs”……a C5 Corvette, a blazingly fast GTI, and a 425hp Dodge Magnum SRT8. Luckily, each came away mostly unscathed…….though egos certainly bruised. Each car spinning and skidding sideways for at least 600 feet……..quite a scary deal going close to 100mph.
Also fortuituous was Sebastian’s first run, as the sun peeked out and the track was able to dry before he rolled on. Fast laps by the front runners were in the mid 5 minute range and Sebastian came in at 6:03……….good enough for our best finish yet at 19th!!
With our friendly rivalry still intact with Team Iran, it was important that we continue pressing. Nick has steadily improved from his earlier efforts and kept up with the middle of the pack with a 6:16. We’re in a commanding lead, but anything can happen.
Second run of the day and it was my turn to buckle in. All day as I studied the race line, I was particularly aware of the bump in the track that sent several racers spinning. In speaking with a few that had run earlier, I was convinced that the Lotus could handle it at full bore……….I couldn’t have been more wrong. Foot to the floor after a long straight and I was in 4th looking at 100mph as I crested the bump and absolutely lost the car. Spinning like a top and STANDING on the brake I saw the crash barrier once…….spin………twice……….spin…………thrice (bracing for impact)……..and a miraculous resting point about 30 feet from the barrier. Crap……..in my pants.
It was a near miracle that the car came out mostly unscathed and I had the one wit remaining to restart the car and get back on the track. I finished with a dismal 6:19, but I was happy to get a time and more importantly, not seeing the car ride away on a flatbed.
Not having much time to even recount the events, Sebastian and I packed up and departed for Spartanburg, SC (about 2.5 hours away) where the next event at the BMW Performance Driving School was being held. A very quick stop with a surprisingly large spectator turnout, this stop had one run and off for a 9 hour drive to Pennsylvania (our 16th state of the event). Sebastian did his usual thing and turned a good time netting us 29th for the event padding our lead a bit more, leaving Team Poland/Korea with an almost insurmountable lead over Team Iran.
It’s now 10pm and we’re still in this pillbox of a car; Sebastian’s hairy backed Polack ass is starting to stink again……….5 more hours to our destination where we’ll have 4 hours of sleep and off the track for our last road course at the famous BeaveRun.
Soooooo, you spun off the track, had to restart the car, AND still came in only 3 seconds behind Nick?!? You must have been CRUSIN!! Have (more) fun!
ReplyDeleteI was certainly 'cruisin', but beating Nick on a road course isn't anything to write home about. His car is so frighteningly fast that trail braking is a test of courage. His M3 is simply too much car for a limited skillset..........I'd certainly be terrified to drive that thing at the limit.
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