98NYFINESTVETTE

Today at E-Town a C-5 was making a pass down the 1/4. This Vette was one of the first few cars to go down track this morning. I heard Mr. Fry say "Oh, The Vette hit the wall - He hit the other wall" Well I jump out of my car and run around the wall to see who it was. Unknown to me who the driver was. He appeared to be OK, I saw him walking around the car at about the 330 mark. Who ever the driver was, I hope you are OK. The car can be fixed or replaced. This was a nice clean red C-5 with stock wheels on it. The Vette took a hard hit to the front and left rear, The air bags where deployed.

Geneus

Yep... apparently he was right behind me in the right lane, as I was the first one to make a pass in that lane this morning. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. I felt very bad when I got back in the staging lanes and they told me what had happened. I was talking to the owner just 15 minutes before (sorry, I just can't remember his name, although he told me the car only had an air box and LS1 Edit tune from Cartek, otherwise, it was stock) and he was telling me he only came to the track on a few occasions. The car did not look good at all after they towed it pass the stands.

WALLstAL

I am real sorry to hear that, glad the driver was O.K.

YO-EL

My professional eyes tell me "totalled

Tires were Pilot Sports.. Couldn't tell if they were the run flat style or the regular ones...

Glad the driver wasn't hurt..

Dr.Ron

Yeah, his auto shifted into 2nd, then the rear started sliding to the right (he was in the right lane). I guess he over-corrected and the rear came out on the left & sent him headed for the wall on the right. The front left quarter hit, then the left rear hit & he ended up facing the nose towards 7:00...The driver got out immediately & was obviously upset.
He was the 2nd car down the track in the right lane, Don was 1st. Don accidentally hit the button on his new James Bond anti-police chase rear oil slick delievery system...
Funny thing, the very next car to go in the right lane started to lose it towards the right at the same exact spot, but no one said or did anything....
Rob, sorry I didn't get to say hello. I did see you running your car. I had my 2 kids w/ me & it was tough to run them back & fourth thru the pits.
Ron

Harry7239

I heard the crash and checked it out about a minute later. I was working Go Karts at the time and he rolled to a stop just about equal to where I was at.

Tsab

That really stinks.

'06 Quicksilver Z06

Sounds like his active handling may have been off.

The Green Rocket

Over the years I have seen more than a few guys with limited to no experience taco their powerful street car at the drags. A few years ago at a WCCC event at Fontana while I was doing my burnout, the guy running before me totaled his C5 with a hard right front impact.

It always seems to be the same set of circumstances:
1) Powerful stock car like a Z28, Trans Am, Corvette.
2) Driver with no experience, or a super long time since last drag race.
3) Driver is all wound up and bound for glory on his first run.
4) Street tires break loose at one gearchange or the other.
5) Driver keeps foot firmly planted.
6) Now its really out of shape.
7) Driver gets out of it too late.

Probably THE most important piece of advice given at a driver's meeting is: once your wheels break loose down the track your run is OVER. No attempt at "driving through it" will ever result in anything good.

Thomas

WALLstAL

I was there on that sad day!

The Green Rocket

Yes Al, a very sad day. Because that was a competition event - NO insurance coverage! That pic almost makes it look repairable - but the whole frame was twisted sideways + moved up ~ 6" or so.

It can be very hard for someone who is full of racing excitement to let off the throttle and abort a pass. He kept the hammer down too long after second gear traction was lost.

I've always said that it is a good day at the track when I can go race and then drive away at the end of the day. If I make a personal best or go rounds in competition then that is a bonus! Kinda like gambling: you've got to know when to hold, and when to fold so that you can come back another day.

Thomas

Geneus

The front end damage to the car at E'town yesterday looks remakedly similar to the picture above. The car yesterday also suffered rear end damage. Like I said, not pretty.

jpee

I'm NOT flaming.. but the above statement is 100% true.... almost every time a "street" car 11-13 sec range looses it and hits the wall its because the driver did not LIFT When my daughter used to run my Vette she knew the #1 rule was if you spin get out of it NOW.. do NOT try to save the run!!

That alone has saved my car more than one time...

Dr.Ron

Looked like it as well...The rear came around left like a right full rudder command was given out by a ship's captain...That wouldn't happen w/ A/H on.
Ron

jpee

You may be correct... but IMHO if a driver has to depend on A/H to navigate the 1/4 (a straight run,) he should get a little more advice & experience..before going all out in a 12 sec car.

After all people have been racing 1/4 mile without A/H for 50+ years.. & even now I bet 99% of 10-11 & 12 sec cars do NOT have A/H ..

It is a good thing to have.. like traction control.. I love my TC on the street (especially wet weather) but turn it off at the track..

There has gota be some point where the driver takes responsibility for poor judgment or inexperience..

Example my daughter.. she started racing in a 15 sec. car.. and has driven 11 sec cars now, but she worked her way up the ladder.. I have the utmost confidence in her ability to do the RIGHT thing if the car should get out of shape..

'06 Quicksilver Z06

Dr. Ron and The Green Rocket, you guys are so right.

FWIW, I make it a point to run in competitive mode. I hear so many guys say "Turn traction control off" well this is only part true, if your car has "Competitive mode" sure enough traction control goes off, BUT ACTIVE HANDLING REMAINS.

This guy probably heard " turn traction control off, did so and had no active handling either.

If your car has the COMPETITIVE MODE option,..... use it!!!!!!

Also, I will take your advice to heart Red 96. I have "salvaged" a few runs which looking back, I MOST CERTAINLY should not have. I am now certain that had I been running in the "traction control off" mode, I would have hit the wall.

Looking at those runs, a few were made with 3.42 gears, high stall converter, and RUN FLATS. I know......stupid. But COMPETITIVE MODE made saving those runs look "easy". I won't be trying it again. From here on, the back end starts acting up, and I am out of it. Even with active handling.

J Z06

I wasn't there, so I can't say what happened, but I will agree with John Panuzzo. If it is in the least bit out of shape...get off it. It's always better to save it for another try than lift, gas, slide and potentially crash. We're not winning 100 million dollars per run here.

I'm glad the driver was un-hurt. This type of incident could happen to every one of us each pass.

Ranger

I've seen five "wall incidents" involving C5s. Every one involved a driver who had turned off Active Handling.

It continues to amaze me how many folks run with everything turned off. No purpose served but ignorance and false pride.

Many threads asking about AH at the drags STILL draw replies saying all-off is faster. BS.

Ranger

The Green Rocket

Red, its not flaming when you agree.

Things like traction control and active handling were never even a thought when I first started going to the drags. I thought that it was spectacular, and more than a little scary, when high powered cars would get out of shape. When there is no prize money or career wins on the line, it makes no sense to risk it all. Just lift, and then line up to make another pass. Corvettes have been successfully making dragstrip passes long before all the electronic driving aids were introduced.

If you ever go to a Corvette driving school they encourage you to drive WITHOUT the electronic driving aids. Because otherwise you will become too dependent on the electronics, and develop little skill.

Active handling will NOT save you instantly when you are sliding sideways after breaking the rear wheels loose going down the track. I know of a couple of people who have crashed on the street while goofing off. Maybe they overwhelmed the active handling with too many changes in front wheel direction - maybe they were complete idiots, bad results either way.

Thomas

98NYFINESTVETTE

Let me just say someething, I think some people are jumping to conclusions to the reason of how this car hit the wall. We must be open minded. Maybe there was liquid on the track from the previous car, MAybe this guys car leaked something - You get the idea.

I understand what everyone is saying about how a driver must know when to lift or when he needs to start with driving a slower car. All taken well.

Just my 2 cents