Somebady Had A Rough Day At The Track!!!

[LuckySnake]

Re body.

[TAHOE GT]

So, I broke out different parts of the video. They may or may not be any better quality. I tried.

 

 

Here is the first part at full speed. Two mistakes here:

First, I missed the checkered flag, so I was driving harder that I may have if I had seen it.

Second, I didn't brake on the uphill to the turn, so I carried too much speed into the next braking point and didn't scrub-off enough. I had been braking on the uphill, but didn't this time - Brain Fart, I guess. A very expensive brain fart.

 

 

This clip is the slow-motion of the rollover.

[Grabber]

Greg,

 

Are you OK physically? Did you get hurt at all?

 

Sorry this happened.

[TAHOE GT]

Greg,

 

Are you OK physically? Did you get hurt at all?

 

Sorry this happened.

 

I'm OK. A little neck strain from when my helmet left the camera frame. My low-back took a beating on the landings, but it's OK. No concussion. No scrapes. Minor bruise on my left shoulder from the harness. All in all, I feel pretty fortunate, physically. Emotionally, well...not so good. I've been in mourning all week.

[rdiaz89]

[WILDTHANG]

So, I broke out different parts of the video. They may or may not be any better quality. I tried.

Here is the first part at full speed. Two mistakes here:

First, I missed the checkered flag, so I was driving harder that I may have if I had seen it.

Second, I didn't brake on the uphill to the turn, so I carried too much speed into the next braking point and didn't scrub-off enough. I had been braking on the uphill, but didn't this time - Brain Fart, I guess. A very expensive brain fart.

 

 

 

Greg,

Don't feel too bad about missing the flag. It is easy to get caught up and it doesn't look like you were alone. When I 1st saw your video, I could see missing the checkered while trying to negotiate traffic. Plus the flagmen at 14 and 12 didn't appear to be trying to slow anyone down, they looked like they were just standing there and the two guys ahead of you heading towards 9 looked like they were charging hard.

[LuckySnake]

I'm OK. A little neck strain from when my helmet left the camera frame. My low-back took a beating on the landings, but it's OK. No concussion. No scrapes. Minor bruise on my left shoulder from the harness. All in all, I feel pretty fortunate, physically. Emotionally, well...not so good. I've been in mourning all week.

I'm glad your OK. Thanks for sharing your video. Hope you can get that drive train in a nice donor body.

 

Blayne

[rdiaz89]

I think instead of the jokes, the comments should run more along this line. I happen to also know that this guy is a great man and it was unfortunate for him to lose his car like this. It could happen to anyone, no matter how experienced you are or how GREAT your car handles! Just this weekend, I saw a Z06 completely lose it! Everyone should just be glad that the guy is doing fine and that he is being a great sport by sharing his experience with everyone, knowing that he might get flamed or hated on.

 

 

 

Couldnt agree with you more brother!

[mikspny]

Tahoe, get a new one and get back on the track. Drive with Hooked on Driving and get a coach in the car. I know you were running the track backwards too....was that your first time? I drive on track days and race that track all the time...the safest one to learn. There were freinds of mine that heard about the red and white GT500 incident in turn 9 and thought it was me (as that is the color of mine too). I quit coming to this site because of all the talkers....you are a driver. Two more days on the pitty pot and go get another car....keep on driving a Shelby Mikspony #48 ITE SCCA

[TAHOE GT]

...I know you were running the track backwards too....was that your first time?...

 

Yeah, it was the first time at TH and also the first time with the GT 500. I'll be back at the track. Whether or not I can get another GT 500 if this one isn't fixed is questionable. We'll see.

[sprint200]

TAHOE GT

 

Glad you're okay!

 

With no head&neck restraint, any impact could be bad.

 

I think about the possibilities everytime I hit the track....I chorded a right front tire one weekend and didn't check closely enough between sessions. I'm fortunate it didn't go down in a highspeed turn.

 

Please stick around! I miss your knowledgeable how-to's.

[Super Snake]

NO WORRIES. I GOT ENOUGH SH!T TO DEAL WITH TO FEEL HATED ON.

Look at it this way, it's gallows humor. There are probably a lot of people on this board that are happy it wasn't them. There are also a lot of people on this board who will never drive their cars as they were intended. I'm glad someone linked my CAFORDS.COM post. It saved me the trouble of putting it in here.

RE: The carcass - on the way home from the track I was scheming on how to install the drivetrain into my '65 coupe. I'll no more about what'll happen later today. I'm pretty sure that the car is totaled, though.

 

To say they very least, the rollover was totally UNEXPECTED. I expected to slide off-track and damage some plastic. I guess that's why we prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I had a great time on Sat. and Sun. and yes, I was running in HPDE2 as I had graduated from HPDE1 after my third run on Sat.

 

If someone can host a 4.5 GB QT movie, I've got better footage from that whole session. The Shelby was a blast to drive out there, and really easy to modulate the power. I ended-up chasing a 2006 ZO6 off of the track when we hit 140 on the front straight and he missed his braking point because he was watching me in his mirror. (His words.) I guess he couldn't take his eyes off of that stunningly beautiful Red/White GT 500. I made the corner, though missed my braking point because he went straight. I started to follow him, but realized that just wouldn't do, so I turned left instead.

 

And yes, there were no rock chips on the lights or bumper when I got it home.

 

Just glad your OK

[TAHOE GT]

TAHOE GT

 

Glad you're okay!

 

With no head&neck restraint, any impact could be bad.

 

I think about the possibilities everytime I hit the track....I chorded a right front tire one weekend and didn't check closely enough between sessions. I'm fortunate it didn't go down in a highspeed turn.

 

Please stick around! I miss your knowledgeable how-to's.

 

I'm thinking that the next time I hit the track I will at least wear a neck roll. An incident like that really puts safety in perspective. As an adult I no longer think of my self as indestructible, but I really never considered the possibility of a serious incident at the track. I have since been disabused of that particular notion.

[regalt87]

Tahoe, glad your ok, Im not sure of the insurance status or fate of your car. My past experience from owning a body shop tells me they will total it. If for some reason they refuse to pay at all, and your stuck with the car as it sits, I have personally repaired a few and have seen many repaired that looked just like yours. There are shops out there that do heavy collision work and rebuilds. Many don't advertise to the public as a body shop because they make 4 times more by purchasing late model wrecks and repairing and selling them and not messing with insurance companies. Some of these guys are really good. Just a thought, sorry to see this and best of luck.

[rpretzel]

Holy cow, Tahoe! Glad you are OK. That track doesn't seem fair (safe) to me. A sharp corner right after the rise. The car is already light from cresting the rise, and then you have to take a sharp turn. Not nice at all.

 

I apologize if this was already answered, but what track was it?

[TAHOE GT]

I apologize if this was already answered, but what track was it?

 

Thunderhill in reverse. I've heard others say that Turn 9, where I rolled, is rough going the other direction, but not nearly as bad. Prior to going to an HPDE event, I was thinking that TH would be a better track for be to learn on as there is a lot of real estate around the track for run-off if I really screwed-up. My home track is Sears Point, and there are some serious hills and walls that one could run into if I lost control of the car. Now, I'm thinking that I should've run there first, since I do have experience at that track in other cars. Oh, well. You know what they say about hindsight.

[1badsho]

Really it's amazing at how well the car held up even though it has significant damage.

 

But check out that passenger compartment - very good change everyone left alive.

 

People bash Ford for making these cars heavy (myself included, I would also like a lighter GT500)

 

But obviously they are structurally sound - and if it saves a life (or two) it's well worth it.

 

 

 

reason when driving on a road course u never ever have 6 point harness installed without a full roll cage ... it wont allow u to move which means if there was a passenger his head wouldnt be in great shape

[1badsho]

NO WORRIES. I GOT ENOUGH SH!T TO DEAL WITH TO FEEL HATED ON.

Look at it this way, it's gallows humor. There are probably a lot of people on this board that are happy it wasn't them. There are also a lot of people on this board who will never drive their cars as they were intended. I'm glad someone linked my CAFORDS.COM post. It saved me the trouble of putting it in here.

RE: The carcass - on the way home from the track I was scheming on how to install the drivetrain into my '65 coupe. I'll no more about what'll happen later today. I'm pretty sure that the car is totaled, though.

 

To say they very least, the rollover was totally UNEXPECTED. I expected to slide off-track and damage some plastic. I guess that's why we prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I had a great time on Sat. and Sun. and yes, I was running in HPDE2 as I had graduated from HPDE1 after my third run on Sat.

 

If someone can host a 4.5 GB QT movie, I've got better footage from that whole session. The Shelby was a blast to drive out there, and really easy to modulate the power. I ended-up chasing a 2006 ZO6 off of the track when we hit 140 on the front straight and he missed his braking point because he was watching me in his mirror. (His words.) I guess he couldn't take his eyes off of that stunningly beautiful Red/White GT 500. I made the corner, though missed my braking point because he went straight. I started to follow him, but realized that just wouldn't do, so I turned left instead.

 

And yes, there were no rock chips on the lights or bumper when I got it home.

 

Just glad you werent hurt Tahoe .... keep us posted and dont be a stranger !

[Super Snake]

1

[YZD263]

Sorry about what happened to your car, but glad that you are not hurt. That's what's really important.

[TAHOE GT]

I was thinking about harnesses, today. If I had had a harness on,, instead of the stock belt with the CG-Lock, I might have much worse neck injury. I figured that the shoulder-belt loosened enough to allow my upper body to move around and not transfer all of the force to just my head and neck. When you watch the slow-motion of the roll-over, you'll notice my upper-body moving, as well as my head. No matter, I'm fortunate to not be more seriously hurt.

[moabman]

That looks like a really nasty turn anyways - hidden with reverse camber = nightmares

 

Just a question - Did you have your brakes on when you went off track? Looks like it but looks can be deceiving.....

[Bogey1222]

So, I broke out different parts of the video. They may or may not be any better quality. I tried.

Here is the first part at full speed. Two mistakes here:

First, I missed the checkered flag, so I was driving harder that I may have if I had seen it.

Second, I didn't brake on the uphill to the turn, so I carried too much speed into the next braking point and didn't scrub-off enough. I had been braking on the uphill, but didn't this time - Brain Fart, I guess. A very expensive brain fart.

 

 

This clip is the slow-motion of the rollover.

 

 

Glad you're ok. But D--, that had to hurt. Not to mention the car!! Too sad>>>

[TAHOE GT]

That looks like a really nasty turn anyways - hidden with reverse camber = nightmares

 

Just a question - Did you have your brakes on when you went off track? Looks like it but looks can be deceiving.....

 

moabman, I went both "feet in" (full clutch and full brake" when the tail came around.

[sprint200]

moabman, I went both "feet in" (full clutch and full brake" when the tail came around.

That's what I've heard in every class I've been through..."if you spin, both feet in". That way the car should continue to move in a predictable manner, so the cars behind you can avoid you.

[SSGT500]

Tahoe, thanks for having the guts to post and discuss this. Glad that your ok. I have a similar GT500 that I race at Road America. I learned a couple of things from the discussion of your crash that I can apply to my driving. I am really surprised that it flipped on you. I would have thought, as you did, that all you would have done is kicked up some dirt and bent something. Could you tell me what tires you were running and at what inflation pressure?

[TAHOE GT]

T Could you tell me what tires you were running and at what inflation pressure?

 

SS, I was running the stock tires. I my inflation was 40/40 cold. That was up from the day before at 36/36. I've wondered if that contributed. It may have, but I seriously doubt the contribution was significant. Excessive speed played the overriding factor.

[carnut]

Glad to hear you ok.

 

:happy feet:

[SSGT500]

SS, I was running the stock tires. I my inflation was 40/40 cold. That was up from the day before at 36/36. I've wondered if that contributed. It may have, but I seriously doubt the contribution was significant. Excessive speed played the overriding factor.

 

I ran 37/37 cold on stock tires. I saw that another member ran 32/32 at Sebring. Next time I plan to try 37 front and 35 rear. I hope everything works out for you.

[sprint200]

I ran 37/37 cold on stock tires. I saw that another member ran 32/32 at Sebring. Next time I plan to try 37 front and 35 rear. I hope everything works out for you.

I currently run Hoosier Cup tires, so that's not applicable; but try running six laps and coming into the hot pits and check the pressures hot. When I ran the OE tires, I tried to keep them around 37psi hot. The cold pressure will vary depending on the humidity, etc. I've had the best luck on the Hoosiers at 39psi hot.