I just got back from a weekend at Watkins Glen with the Porsche club. The weather was beautiful and everything was going great untill the last run of the day on saturday. A signed off green student hit the wall hard at turn 5 going down into "the laces". He either died instantly or very soon after. It was a front impact in a boxter and the airbags deployed but it wasn't enough. Had he been wearing a hans device the outcome would have been much different. Saftey gear should always be your first purchase when you start tracking your car. I guess if its your time to go it might as well be doing something that you love.
Thats one bad thing about the glen there are not too many run off areas and the barriers are steel. Even thou they had made some improvements in the last year its still a non forgiving track.
That's terrible news... did they figure out what went wrong? Brake failure? Exceeding one's skills? Isn't it a tire wall that's at the turn turning into the laces? One year I was at the Glen, I saw a 308 in those tires... I heard the problem was a blown tire.... the car wasn't too badly damaged, and neither were the driver and instructor... btw: I don't think I've seen too many INSTRUCTORS with hans devices... the most I see normally, even at the instructor level, are the suit, gloves, helmet, cage, seat and harness... I've yet to see a Hans device.... FYI : http://www.stargazettenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050801/NEWS01/508010308
PCA doesn't have very strict requirements to my knowledge. I think they require a helmet and long sleeved shirt and that's it.
Additional info from the Rennlist... ----------------- I was there & know Erik's instructor very well. This was probably Erik's 5th or 6th event. He was in the lowest run group. He was a slower driver, but aware and not particularly aggressive. He had been solo'd before at prior events. This was his 6th half-hour session on the track, and he was just solo'd. He was entering the laces of the boot (turn 6) where it was surmised that he dropped 2 wheels off on the outside and spun into the tire wall/guardrail. The details are still quite sketchy as it was the first day for the corner worker, and as of yesterday afternoon, we did not hear from the driver who was immediately behind him. He was wearing a five point harness, and it was estimated that he hit the wall at about 80 mph. Erik was not in the best of health, and it is still unknown whether it was purely driver error, or some sort of seizure or spasm momentarily distracted him. There are many theories, and we may never know. From what I do know, Erik's instructor feels very badly, and is helping the family with arrangements. If I hear any more, I will post it.
that's true of most HPDE events... if they required more, they would lose like 90% of their clients...
Definitely a sad occurance, my prayers are with the family. I know it seems there are more and more of these type of accidents happening but I honestly do not think its due to any increase in the danger these events pose. Its more due to the explosive growth that "track day" events have enjoyed. Its still a relatively safe hobby. Yes, you need to be careful and having the best safety gear should be a priority. But still, HPDE as a hobby is far less dangerous than something like biking on public roads. People like to drive fast. Thats why sportscars sell so well. Its far better that they do it in events like this than on their own on public roads. Life is not a safe sport. The death rate is 1 per person. Everyone should try and be safe in all that they do, but the fact remains that nobody is getting out alive. Terry
I think that's only required with the faster drivers.... I've been to a PCA event and the only requirement was the helmet and long sleeves (and the shirt could not be yellow).
In PCA events (well...at least for the Metro NY Region), a helmet and fire ext. are required to run in all run groups except for Novice. Maybe other regions may have different rules, but I would think they are consistent across the board, but of course I could be wrong. Either way...condolescences to Erik's family.
Reisentoter region ran this event and yes they can make their own rules. For example, they can have professional corner workers (flaggers) or train their members to do the job. The criteria that instructors use for "graduating" a driver vary as well. Drivers Ed events can be dangerous but they can also be the safest way to enjoy a high performance car. Its too bad this fellow lost his life while trying to have fun.
Thanks for the clarification. I will be running Watkins Glen for the first time in late Aug. with the Metro NY PCA. Needless to say, this news is a bit disconcerting as I am also a Green group driver. Never would of thought something like this could happen in a "slower" run group.
The best things you can do are: - make sure your safety equipment/car are in excellent shape. There's nothing wrong with having more safety equipment than the rules say you need. - spend as much time learning from the instructors as you can; ride with them in their cars and vary the number of instructors you spend time with. - don't drive over your skill level; avoid the urge to go significantly faster in any given situation. Build speed slowly. Driver's Ed is all about developing control over the car and understanding your limitations. It can be safe and fun so don't let this situation affect you too much. Enjoy your next event.
Having run in PCA, BMW, and Ferrari evens at The Glen, Lime Rock, and Pocono, I would say that they are all run with saftey as number 1. I can also say that the FCA-NY does one of the best jobs. One of the reasons we are seeing shunts of any kind is the car / driver combo. As with any sport or activity, one does not come out of the womb with these skills. They take years of practice. The problem is that cars are so tech advanced that they help the drivers in so many ways. Trac Control, Stab mgt, Shift aids, ABS, etc will make a starting driver SEEM better, and a good driver SEEM like a pro. When my brother started off driving an E36 BMW M3 with every aid he was putting in great times and was getting very cocky. When he started using his E30 BMW M3 with NO aids, he started off a bit rough but slowly got better. He was finaly learning to be a better driver. In the long run he will be a much better driver by using the car as a tool, not as a crutch. The last car I tracked was my TR. No aids, poor brakes for this size car. I had fun seeing how smooth I could run, not how fast I could run. I have been at too many track event with guys who have never been on a track, and take out a 360 or a 360C and either they make it around the track very fast, but very rough or they go off the track or spin. I am not saying this is what caused the shunt at The Glen, but it may have been a factor.
Very tragic news. I really wish that the Hans Device would become a requirement. Though a little expensive, there is no price too high for safety. http://hansdevice.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.47/it.A/id.4097/.f
Uncertainly, with an additional $1k to spend on track events, making it a requirement would certainly end my big track days... (I'd have to make due with Autox... )
Considering clubs like the PCA fund most of their other annual events with the profits made on driver's ed events, there is money available to explore creative ways to provide HANs devices for a portion of their club members. It should be a requirement for Instructors to have their own and anyone driving in the hot run groups should have their own as well. But the folks who are in the green group - exploring whether or not track events are for them, should get a loaner device from the club. Just a suggestion, any thoughts?
Loaner Hans Devices are needed in order to keep track events alive! An extra $1k to spend on a Hans Device added to all the other $$ and risk involved in track events would surely turn a lot of people off. However, for someone who regularly tracks his/her car, a Hans Device should be required. Heck maybe tracks/clubs can even rent them out for the day and make money on them! Paying $50-$100 a few times a year is better than paying $1k for a product that many will only use a few times a year.
This is a really good idea... perhaps someone on FChat will be the entrepreneur who will have a "Hans device rental company" for rent for the various track clubs... maybe it should be me... Hmm... then I will be able to own a great Fcar like you guys!
