IMSA Race 2017 Sahlen's 6 Hours of the Glen(IMSA @ Watkins Glen)June 29-July 2

[chernaudi]

I don't think that one midway up the Esses is sufficient warning of an issue. And that's given that racing cars, even those based on road cars, will slow down and react faster to drive inputs than a normal road car will.

If anything, the post should maybe be between T1 and T2 at the start of the Esses. Biggest problem with the Esses isn't the speed, or even the lack of run off room. It's that T3 and T4 are blind corners. IMO, the more time you can give drivers to slow down and prepare to stop, the better.

I also think that this could be a good argument for North American adoption of the slow zone approach, or maybe even the WEC FCY procedures. Granted, the ACO very rarely use slow zones outside of LM (even though each track in theory can use them, and the ACO even mark out slow zone sectors at every track).

I know that the ACO use slow zones at LM because of the three pace cars that they use for FCYs with pace cars, and them trying to avoid using them. I've also come to believe that the ACO will only use slow zones at shorter tracks if there could be a prolonged FCY period. But I think that the slow zone and virtual FCY are viable ideas for the US.

[Akrapovic]

There wouldn't have been time to implement a slow zone to deal with that accident. A slow zone isn't about the 1 minute after the initial incident - it's about the 5 minute cleanup time once the incident is finished and it's time for marshals to be on track. In terms of stopping an accident like that one, the only thing you can do is better flag signals.

Remember the race director didn't even have time to deploy a SC to stop that accident. Implementing a slow zone or similar would not have worked.

You can also do flag signals by light boxes. A human marshal is usually the best option, but a flag box half way up would also do. I don't think it needs ultra in-depth analysed. The accident occurred because drivers were unaware of what was coming. Make them aware of it, and the likelihood of that incident decreases. Flags are the best way of communicating to drivers, and they're cheap.

[chernaudi]

I agree that it doesn't need over analyzed, but the accident happened the way it did because other drivers didn't get informed in time of there being an incident already in progress. Simply put, the needed increased warning time. The Esses is a bad place because it's fast, narrow, and above all else, two out of the three corners that make it up are blind corners. In such a situation, you can call full course yellow, but unless everyone is told that the incident is in the Esses and be prepared to stop, even a local yellow won't do much good unless info can be conveyed quickly and with enough advanced notice.

The Steve Millen accident there in '93 was as bad as it was for Millen (who sustained serious blunt force head injuries that put him out of racing for 6 months) because of where he and the other car were sitting when teammate Johnny O'Connell drilled Millen at probably 150-160mph. Millen was stalled on a blind corner, and O'Connell couldn't take evasive action until it was too late due to being unsighted.

Sight lines in the Esses aren't that great to put it mildly, but like with expanding run off room, there's probably not a ton that can be done. Early warning is the best way to reduce the severity of what can happen. And that means, simply, having a flag or light box post closer to an area between T1 and the entry to the Esses. There's a lot of examples where something as simple as that could've saved some injuries, and a lot of wrecked race cars.

It doesn't have to be a perfect system, but even a flag/light box post between T1 and the Esses would probably go a long way as far as a 1-2 car incident turning into a pile up that collects half the field, even if there's a pack of cars involved. The Porsche Cup incident, there was probably no avoiding that quite a few cars would've been involved. But quite a few of the other cars involved might not have been if they got quicker notice.

[chernaudi]

At least in the WTSC race today, there's probably a smaller field that won't be as bunched up in the Esses except for the initial start and restarts.

[chernaudi]

On an actual race note, ESM went 1-2 in the morning warm up, while the #5 AXR Cadillac had a gearbox change done during the session.

Based on pace, ESM might be a threat if they can keep it together today, especially since they have both cars in the fight with Brown sitting out today and the rest of the season as far as prototype racing.

[RWill2073]

So, I have soccer going overtime on fs1, and fsgo is showing "your event will begin shortly" but also says at top of screen "this network is not included in your current television subscription". Now it pops up a 92nd shows the soccer on fs1. Jesus Christ how hard is this? Does anyone have a link?

[deggis]

imsa.tv feed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFfc95AkHc0

[fieldodreams79]

Holy nonsense in this thread and on the pitch. Confed Cup consolation match runs over. Where I'm staying has no FS2.

[RWill2073]

Holy ****, thanks deggis. I think that's the link I had but it wasn't coming up. Could this series be more inept getting this broadcast to its audience?

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Taylor in the wall broken rf!

[Akrapovic]

WTR out of contention. Things just got REALLY interesting.

Looked like the car was broken before he made contact too. VFR got clipped but continues.

[TzeiTzei]

I think Taylor had a bit of contact with Pla in the first corner.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

No carnage in gtlm,thank goodness

[fieldodreams79]

Uggg. I hate soccer now. Mostly Foxsports for scheduling and having this possibility.

Fox sports go blocking the feed and Deggis link is now broken. Complete garbage.

Did it go FCY for #10?

[Lagunaseca_4life]

No

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Uggg. I hate soccer now. Mostly Foxsports for scheduling and having this possibility.

Fox sports go blocking the feed and Deggis link is now broken. Complete garbage.

Did it go FCY for #10?

No. It happened in the esses but nobody hit the wall, everyone continued. #3 Corvette has also had a spin with no FCY.

[J Jay]

Silly me missed the start a recurring theme lately. What did Ricky do?

[chernaudi]

They won't set a record for most consecutive wins in a season in IMSA. That'll blow the race wide open, especially between ESM and AXR.

[Akrapovic]

Originally Posted by J Jay

Silly me missed the start a recurring theme lately. What did Ricky do?

Ran wide in the esses and hit the VFR car. But it's debatable if the car broke before hand or not.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Taylor had contact exiting turn one with pla after he ran wide.

[Akrapovic]

13 minutes in, puff of smoke from a Mazda.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Bmws 1-2

[chernaudi]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

13 minutes in, puff of smoke from a Mazda.

Should we be surprised with Mazda and AER?

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Uggg. I hate soccer now. Mostly Foxsports for scheduling and having this possibility.

Fox sports go blocking the feed and Deggis link is now broken. Complete garbage.

Did it go FCY for #10?

Deggis link working for me knock on wood...

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

13 minutes in, puff of smoke from a Mazda.

It wouldn't be too far fetched for someone at SpeedSource to have left their 4th July fireworks on top of the engine...