Hi,

Anyone ever drive at the Summit Raceway Friday at the Track? How is it?

My biggest question -- what is it like with other people on the track? My fear -- I see on a daily basis every ricer, etc... feels they have to prove something by passing a Vette ... I am not worried about me, I am worried about others ... what is the danger of a collision?

Thanks

 

Well, anything can happen on a track let me list them for you:

Mechanical failures

Over driving turns, coming in too hot

In the Novice group there is NO passing allowed, but once out of that group there is a chance of banging fenders since passing is allowed. Ricers are not the only ones who think with have a brain trying to prove something.

I've seen fender benders in the pits, people get careless. No way to prevent that.

Now bring in driver skill into the equation. How much experience do you have? A simple run off the pavement on one side can kill you if you pull back onto the track and don't ride it out. Same thing going into the sand trap at turn one. If you are not going to make turn one, don't try to save by turn right. Keep your wheels staight and go into the sand trap. A few years ago a mustang driver in FATT came in too fast into turn one. He tried to stay on the track, but skidded off into the sand pits slightly sideways. His car rolled over a bunch of times. He went over the burm and landed on the other course pavement used for BSR training. Dude in my corvette club ran off the pavement slightly and pulled the car back onto the track without riding it out. He flipped his vette a bunch of times. He broke his neck, had to wear a hallow for a while. I know of guys that have done open tracked for years and nothing happened. But then they witness first hand how bad things can go wrong. On dude installed a full caged in his vette after seeing another vette driver get killed. The full caged could have prevented the drivers death.

I use to be part of a crew on a SpecRX7 team. I've seen many crashes at Summitt. I also know plenty of people who go to Summit, so I ge to hear about some of the crashes.

I am not trying to scare you, but you just need to be aware of the danger. Drive like you have some sense and you should be okay. Just make sure you life insurance that will cover you and your family if anything happens. If you can't afford to damage your car, don't do it.

Oh, you may want to have the mods move to to the racing section.
I'm not sure where you live but the Northern Virginia Corvette Club has many members that autocross and do open tracking. They have a web site, do a search on the name. They have meetings in Tyson corner.

Good luck and be safe.

 

It is more dangores in rush hour traffic then on the track. Best place to ask this question is in Autocross and Road racing section.

 

No sheet!

That does not mean the track is safe either.