geerookie

Not all Corvettes, just those of us who found a wall
My C5 went into the wall drivers side first out of turn 6 and a ZR-1 went head-on into the wall between 8 - 9. It seems there was another 2 incidents with Corvettes but I can't remember the details.
All walked away with minor stuff to the human and MUCH lighter wallets due to the machinery

The Porsches were also having a tough weekend, I know one went out of the toe of the boot and found the tire wall and another caught on fire in turn 9. The report was the fire system didn't work and the driver couldn't get out. Everyone survived but the driver in the fire did get some burns.

I didn't post anymore details because I don't have all the specifics and I'm still trying to get all of the parts of my car home. I'll post some pictures when I get the car home and have some time. I know a few guys were there snapping pictures so maybe they can post. If anyone has video from behind I would love to see it still trying to get all the data together to see what caused the incident.
As for me, other than the broken parts, Watkins Glen is a blast to drive and I was having a great time until this "little" incident after lunch. I was there for Fri. - Sun. and this happened Sunday.

Also, A very BIG Thank You! to Brian for the use of the trailer and Mike and his wife for towing the trailer and helping me get the car home!

Z06_BluByU

sorry to hear of everyone's misfortunes!

L98Terror

Glad everyone made it through OK, sucks about the cars

shakedown067

Wow, sounds like a busy weekend for the corner workers. Glad everyone made it out OK.

geerookie

OH! And one other thing.......
I WILL NEVER GO OUT IN MY CAR ON THE TRACK WITHOUT A HANS again. I wish I could wear it in my students cars.

I felt the HANS stop my head from going any further forward. It was the weirdest feeling and you could hear the tether locks snap in your ears. I remember thinking...."that is the best $750 dollars I've spent on this hobby because know I know I wouldn't have to recover from whiplash! I was rearended once and it took months to full recover and this hit was MUCH harder than that.

geerookie

That it was! Most came back on the rollback.....I can only think of one that got towed in.

Short-Throw

Thanks for the constant reminder that safety should always come before performance. Glad it was only metal bent! Was it a cold day?


Mike

95jersey

Hope everyone is OK, the GLEN demands respect for sure. The more years I run there, the slower I find myself going (if that makes sense). I remember back in the day taking that place ***** out, now I just try to enjoy the technical portions of the track and focus on having fun.

V8 Juice

Sorry for the damage, glad all survived with minor bruises. Did the accidents happen in the morning sessions? Thanks also for the HANS advice; it is a nuisance to put one on so I don't always bother since I don't plan on any incidents in this run...

geerookie

Friday was so cold when I can off track after 15 laps I couldn't get my tires hot enough to pick up a pebble in the pits. Saturday was great in the afternoon, about 70 degrees and sun. Sunday was not too bad, I think it was around 60 or 65.

geerookie

Most were after lunch. I think the fire was before lunch.

I "WAS" the exact same way and I almost didn't put it on, on this run because I was "Just going to take a few laps"

BrianCunningham

Bill Dearborn

I didn't see the initial part of the accident as I was coming down the chute behind another car but just as I started to turn in the yellow flag at the turn exit started waving and then I saw his car sliding backwards along the right side guardrail throwing dirt onto the track.

In the garage I listened in on a conversation about the guy whose car caught fire. The car was so full of smoke he couldn't see to release his belts and other safety equipment to get out of the car. The sense of the conversation was that we should probably get hooked up in our cars and then put on blindfolds and practice getting out so we know what to do when we can't see. Made me flashback to the story Boris Said was telling at the July Trackmaster's event about being in Lou's car when it caught fire at Long Beach.

Bill

AU N EGL

rumor has it the Saturday night party was fantastic.

geerookie

The later you stayed the better it got...people who will remain nameless dancing on tables where the tech line used to be!

AU N EGL

Yah I read on NASA-NE about some of that table dancing and you tube video soon ??? ??

Short-Throw

Bill,

It's great advice!

Every time I get out of my car I close my eyes, unfasten the harness and get out. I can do it from a fully strapped in position with window net engaged consistently in just under 3 seconds. I was taught to do this from a few pro racers.

Mike

Falcon

Another problem with the Porsche that caught fire, as though he needed more problems, was that the rollbar padding prevented the fire control pull handle from being able to be fully deployed. No one tested the positions after installation.

Another thing that came up during the racer's meeting after that happened, is that the aluminum lines that connect to the fire bottle corrode on the inside and it is a good annual procedure to disconnect the lines at the bottle and pressurize the line and blow it our since it won't work if crud in in there when you really need it. One guy said that is why he only puts hand fire extinguishers in the cars he builds and maintain.

That new ZR1 that went into the wall during Sunday's race was mangled. The driver was lucky he wasn't hurt. Hats off to Joe and the guys at Phoenix for building a very strong ZR1 (C6R clone).

geerookie

Added some pictures.

Vicious-Z06

I was there with Dave from American Racing Headers and we had a great time. The Zr1 did look great. We left on Saturday late afternoon so we missed the party and the crash.

I'm glad everyone is OK. It's a shame about the guy in the track prepped zr1.... The car did look amazing.

Once the sun came out we were FLYING around the GLEN.