Deer Strike at Summit Point

All you can do is have as much safety equipment installed and working!

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2fyhAW_B1bkN1lNVkh0QUNaLWc/edit

 

I have seen 3 deer crash videos there in the last 5 years. There have probably been more.

 

looks like a string of them at summit.

only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.....

 

I sorta understand why he stopped, given that he couldn't see out, but he should have stayed in the damn car. that just makes a bad situation worse.

 

If even ONE deer is saved, wouldn't it be worth it?

 

Bleh, this is what we encounter at speed.

https://scontent-a-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/36562_10151534343827808_1903277205_n.jpg?oh=964fe4b909ff3a5ef17e5a7992540ded&oe=544C5B5A

But here is another Summit deer at the same spot on main straight.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8FBxS-00xU[/ame]

 

That is a beast! Would be a bad day indeed to have one of these come through the windscreen!

Where was the picture taken?
Philip

 

ok, it's not a deer, but this critter decided to cross the track in front of me just as I grabbed 7th gear at the end of the back straight at Monticello.

Amazing how much damage a critter can do at 165mph+, in my case the splitter/bumper/radiator smashed. Worst part was cleaning all the blood and morsels out.

I was racing the 12 hour at Summit Point in a Spec Miata about 7 years ago. At night, the team called and said there was a deer down in Turn 1. The first lap, I missed it. By the second lap, someone had in fact nailed it and I almost lost it in the "liquid" - which then coated the bottom of a very hot car for the rest of a very long, hot stint.

I know Monticello Motor Club spent $ to have full deer fences - if I had hit a deer instead of a possum on this lap I might not be here. Makes one think...
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I hit a chipmunk yesterday at Road America! Thank God that's all it was

 

People have already been killed there by animals on the track.

Why is adequate fencing not possible? Is it that they sneak in via the entrance/exits?

 

They were on the service road.

Kai

 

I know.

but every single organization I've ever been on track with, anywhere, in any context, has said never ever ever ever ever get out of the car unless a) the car is on fire or b) you're instructed to do so by marshals.

he was out of his car before the marshals were on scene.

as Entropy mentions, animal blood and guts are very slippery, it would have been very easy for someone else to lose control and head their direction.

 

Keep those visors down!

 

Full face protection, even in a closed car...

 

I'm surprised how many very experienced pros don't keep their visors down. bad habit for sure (and I'm guilty of it too)

 

Agreed.

Kai

 

Some years ago a friend of mine hit a jackrabbit doing 80 in his M3* - ripped half the front spoiler off the car & left the other half just hanging there.


* HE was doing 80 - I assume the jackrabbit was doing 20 or 30.

 

It just seems odd that they haven't gotten a handle on this?

Someone was killed on a gokart there when the hit a groundhog years back.

That's a bit tougher as they can burrow ...

No Bill Murray jokes folks ...

 

Holy crap - were you in an actual race when that was snapped, or were you just cruising, checking out the course?

 

So you're saying we can't gopher broke?

 

There was a huge groundhog considering suicide by Spec Racer Ford at my last MARRS event at Summit. It decided not to try it, but it would have been a mess. It was in turn 7 on the right hand side.