| Author | Message | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1491 Registered: 12-2000 |
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| Mr. Doody (Doody)
Junior Member Username: Doody Post Number: 148 Registered: 11-2001 |
following up on rob's comment about life insurance, if you have never tracked a car and don't have life insurance make sure you get your insurance first and THEN track your cars. same goes for skydiving, base jumping, and anything else that "normal" people think is dangerous. doody. ps: glad you're okay, dude. | ||
| Nika (Racernika)
Member Username: Racernika Post Number: 409 Registered: 12-2001 |
I remember being at the track for a Ferrari day and watching the F-40 lose it it the negative camber of a corner........OUCH - that - tooooo much speed and cold tires. I do know that some insurance companies consider lapping days as driving schools and will keep you covered - but you have to ask. Sorry to hear about your race car - but like that old TV show - you can rebuild him.....and he'll be better (just not 6 million dollars) | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
Intermediate Member Username: Magoo Post Number: 2417 Registered: 2-2001 |
CHEER UP! This to shall pass. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1431 Registered: 12-2000 |
Race cars aren't generally insurable, streetable, or financable. 99.9% are out of pocket for everything. Your general health and life insurance is important for your personal insurance, but the car is on it's own. However, there are some specialty insurance companies that will insure your race car. This is usually only done at pro teams and they do it only for off track mishaps. | ||
| bruce wellington (Bws88tr)
Junior Member Username: Bws88tr Post Number: 60 Registered: 4-2002 |
rob, sorry about your mishap-glad your ok to talk about it,\question: how does your insurance company handle this as it was done racing, not daily driven on a regular street? thank you...bruce | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1430 Registered: 12-2000 |
Wife took it well. She's not taking it well about my plans to buy another race car and how much it will cost. I used the logic that I would miss the next 3 race weekends and because I'm not going, I will have that money to actually buy a new car. She wasn't aware of how much I was spending each race weekend before I told her. Now I'm in trouble either way. My mom is the one that's giving me problems. She doesn't understand the race car is actually safer than driving to work in the morning. | ||
| arthur chambers (Art355)
Member Username: Art355 Post Number: 378 Registered: 6-2001 |
When I started racing, an old salt told me, never put anything on the gird that you aren't prepared to throw away. At the time I was so stupid, I thought he meant me. Glad you're not hurt. Art | ||
| Tyler (Bahiaau)
Junior Member Username: Bahiaau Post Number: 222 Registered: 12-2001 |
Glad you're ok Rob. | ||
| Andrew (Enzo250gto)
New member Username: Enzo250gto Post Number: 34 Registered: 2-2002 |
To convert the video. Your camera may have come with software already. If it did not you will need a couple things. If your camera has USB or Firewire (firewire card needed) then you can plug it direct to the computer. If not you will have to use either the video out on the camera and plug it into your video card assuming the video card has video in. If it does not have video in you'll need one that does or you can get a vidcapture card which is made for the very thing you want to do (and will probably come with software). For software, if you can afford $600 get Adobe's Premier 6.0 its the best for consumer use. I know Microsoft offers software that captures video and converts it to .wma for online use but I do not know cost. | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
Intermediate Member Username: Magoo Post Number: 2412 Registered: 2-2001 |
Sorry it happened Rob. Bad question I quess, but how is your wife taking it? I can imagine my wife. Don't ask. | ||
| Edward G. Salla (350hpmondial)
Junior Member Username: 350hpmondial Post Number: 75 Registered: 2-2002 |
I'll say you are allright #1. You learned a cheep lesson #2. Pushed the envelope and lived to tell about it #3. ( WHEW,,, COULD HAVE BEEN YOUR 328) Like Bret said, even Shumi has cracked up a few, I wish he would send me the parts. | ||
| BretM (Bretm)
Intermediate Member Username: Bretm Post Number: 2287 Registered: 2-2001 |
Damn. It's good you're alright though. Just remember it happens to even the best. How many times had Schumi had an accident this year? | ||
| Michael N. (Man90tr)
Member Username: Man90tr Post Number: 497 Registered: 4-2001 |
Glad you are ok though. Sorry bout the car.  | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1428 Registered: 12-2000 |
Well, I'm back, but should of stayed home. My race car is no longer. Raced in the rain yesterday, car went off 1st lap, when I came around a few laps later and went off the same place there was now a 5,000 lb. wrecker there. In the wet and mud you're just along for the ride. I hit it so hard it moved it 90 degrees. I have the video, so I'll try to get it uploaded. Anyone know how to take video from a digital video camera and format it for PC? Any special software? Here's my description to the guys on the Spec. 7 message board... Well, I guess I'm initiated now. I just lost my first race car. If I race the rest of my life, I'm sure it will happen again. I guess better a SRX7 than a T-1 Ferrari. It was shaping up to be a good weekend at Hallett. SRX7's in attendance were myself, Barry Thomas, Hugh Ngh, and Jim Wise. There were about 3 other 1st gen's in ITA and our group had 35 cars total. Saturday morning practice went well in the dry. Scuffed some new tires in and by the end of session had refamilarized myself with the track after my 1st school a year ago. They didn't do times in practice, but I felt much faster than last year. Qualifying was in absolute pouring rain, so I switched from my new shaved Toyo's to my new full tread Toyo's. The car was running really really well with the adjusted timing. ;) Anyway, pouring rain, fogged up windows, and rivers flowing over several portions of the track. Cars cars everywhere, no less than a dozen different cars went off in qualifying. I managed to keep all fours on pavement and not spin out the entire session. In the process those Toyo's were awesome and I qualified 4 seconds ahead of the next fastest SRX7 and 9th overall in the ITE, ITS, ITA-C, SM, and SRX7 group. Race came early afternoon and it wasn't pouring anymore, but the track was still wet. I left the rain tires on. The start was clean, I held my position into 1, second place car left the track at the top of the hill and I went on the inside as he came back on. Although I had the inside, I gave him enough room to pull in front out of 2. I was still in 9th position. I had problems all day upshifting from 2nd to 3rd and it happened again. I couldn't find 3rd at all so let almost the entire field go by as I was coasting opposite the driving line trying to figure the shifting out. Finally I got back going again, but just used the open track to see if I could find some way to upshift. Went around the track at full speed as out of 2 is the only place I used 2nd. A few cars had gone off, including one in 11 (turn by the pit entrance). I was back up to speed and easily catching up and passing the back markers. Coming out of 2 this time I shifted a little more slowly and at a different angle and it hit 3rd perfect. So now I'm psyched and in the mindset to start catching up on the field. Coming into 11 I must of only missed my braking point by a few feet, tried saving it, almost did and then just drove it off like I always do. However, a week of rain, slick grass, and mud don't do much for traction and steering ability. It actually felt like the car started accelerating once off. Since the last lap the tow truck had come out and was within the tire barrier about ready to help that other car out. Unfortunately, the bad luck of the draw and the angle I happened to leave the pavement had me pointed right at the tow truck and I was just along for the ride. I managed to steer the car about 3-5 feet over as to miss the driver's door, but I hit the back end of the tow truck. The impact was so hard it moved the 5k lbs. truck 90 degrees. No one was hurt. While the tow truck only had a little yellow paint on it and no dents, my car is goners. The left front is crumpled in. Strut tower is bent, left front is about 2 feet shorter than right side, and the floor board is wrinkled. Everything but the tub, left front strut tower, radiator, front sway bar, hood, front end panels, and front left quarter panel should still be good. I'll keep the car and when I have a place I can work on it, I will then build a new one. In the meantime I will probably buy one of the ones for sale here in several months. I don't think so, but I could possibly be interested in selling this as it is. The engine is great '96 rebuild (108 hp warm, 113 cold), bolt in cage, nice race seat, good rear end, disc brakes all the way around, racing clutch, stainless steel brake lines, all panels still good except hood, front, and left quarter. Let me know if you're interested in making me an offer. I really want to build a car, but don't have a place yet. I could buy a car and get racing again quicker if someone buys this one. In closing, lessons learned... 1) It comes down to no one's fault but my own. I missed my braking point plain and simple. I probably let the previous situation of the shifting problems and wanting to catch up impact my driving. 2) Only my 2nd time in the rain, I remember being able to steer better when going off at TWS. I think the red Hallett mud/clay may have a factor in that. Anyway, don't expect to stop or steer much off the pavement in the wet. 3) Race tracks are built with safety in mind and thus big runoff areas and barrier to absorb the impact. 5,000 lb. tow trucks don't absorb impact too well. I'll race maybe the rest of my life, but I'll never forget this. My mindset before the incident was I hadn't been off all day, it was drier now, and even though there's a wrecker there, I would have an escape route to avoid it. Wrong wrong wrong. If ever in the same situation again, I'm braking more than early. 4) We run the least expensive class, but loosing a $5,000 race car still hurts. Note to self to race SRX7 the rest of my life. Save T-1 for the rich people. I'll miss you Yellow #12. You were a great car and took me through my schools and 6 good weekends of racing fun. | ||
| Mitchel DeFrancis (4re308)
Member Username: 4re308 Post Number: 484 Registered: 6-2001 |
I'll bring the KEG and party favors! Whatever you do, don't touch Robs 1/18 scale Ferraris!! | ||
| Ben Lobenstein 90 TR (Benjet)
Member Username: Benjet Post Number: 538 Registered: 1-2001 |
Rob is away, time for a HOUSE PARTY!!! either that or we turn those empty lanes between messages into a drag strip. -Ben | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 521 Registered: 9-2001 |
lol, maybe robs been reading the thread about negligent parents  He is the father of F-chat | ||
| Edward Gault (Irfgt)
Intermediate Member Username: Irfgt Post Number: 1033 Registered: 2-2001 |
Good! I am wanting to purchase some floor mats, Who has the best ones? | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
Board Administrator Username: Rob328gts Post Number: 1426 Registered: 12-2000 |
I'll be back late Sunday night. |