IMSA Race 2016 Rolex 24 at Daytona

[Artur]

376k watched the FS1 coverage on Saturday and 430k watched it's Sunday coverage(the highest rating of FS1 on Sunday).

IIRC, last year the peak was just 300k

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by Artur

376k watched the FS1 coverage on Saturday and 430k watched it's Sunday coverage(the highest rating of FS1 on Sunday).

IIRC, last year the peak was just 300k

As it should have increased. You got a source for this? I've always been kinda interested in these numbers.

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by Ephaeton

As you're the second to postulate this, let's observe:

• We have had plenty of FCYs (some, comic, such as the one for the "believed to be" stopped Ford that fled from its tow vehicle).
• We have had plenty of replies to this thread.
• There were not "a LOT" of people attacking each FCY
• In fact most FCY-talk is post-race, related to one incident, and we're mulling it over collectively, no surprise there's a couple of pages of talk about it now.

If the FCYs weren't so ludicrously too long there would be a lot less discussion. When attending live there's no commercial and trip to the fridge to fill the space.

[TF110]

That's about the only positive to these long fcy's. I got time for a b/r break, a snack, check scores from ball games etc. without missing any action.

[Matt]

FCY's didn't seem too long while one was at the track. Then again, we pretty much always used that time to just bullshit and talk to one another about whatever.

[Artur]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

As it should have increased. You got a source for this? I've always been kinda interested in these numbers.

http://sportstvratings.com/kentucky-...-30-2016/4435/
http://sportstvratings.com/nfl-pro-b...-31-2016/4439/

[Maelochs]

Re: too many FCYs----mentioned amny, many times before. In this race I'd guess there weren't too many ridiculous FCYs (IMSA hasd been getting better) and when there were a lot of FCYs, most of the venom was directed at the PC class, which an even more (or less?) popular whipping boy.

Regarding numbers ... and a lot about this race: It seems sports car racing might be viable in North America after all.

After a pretty big lull between 2008 and 2016, it seems finally things are starting to line up---decent action, decent BOP, more exposure, better coverage (I cannot see why anyone would watch on TV when Hindy was live with no commercials *(but then, I don't know if he was broadcasting while FS was.))

This is Sort of what I had hoped NASCAR money and NASCAR management would do for the sport.

Hopefully it won't take another three seasons to get the 2017 cars worked out.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by Matt

FCY's didn't seem too long while one was at the track. Then again, we pretty much always used that time to just bullshit and talk to one another about whatever.

I find it both ways at the circuit. The ones right after a restart make me want to throw something at joeb, cause it's usually his fault or a Mazdas . The others can be a relief in the long races, where I can find a shady spot (or dry) and do as you say, or relieve oneself, get another beverage, cook, whatever and not miss a bunch.

Originally Posted by Artur

http://sportstvratings.com/kentucky-...-30-2016/4435/
http://sportstvratings.com/nfl-pro-b...-31-2016/4439/

Cheers.


Probowl?

[ATLFalconsFAN]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

Most annoyingly about this whole situation is that I know that while we can all agree now that an FCY should have been thrown for that, but I guarantee you that if IMSA had thrown it right away there'd be a LOT of people trying to claim it wasn't necessary. To far too many fans, all FCY's are unnecessary until something like this happens.

Honestly, I would have a very hard time understanding how someone could make a case for being upset at a FCY with a stalled car, on the racing line, in a blind turn, with literally dozens of cars having to scatter to miss it. I for one would have not taken issue with it.

[BullMan]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

While we can see the the flag post just before and to drivers left waving it is what was happening at preceeding posts that would be more important. Was there a yellow prior to turn 1? The other thing is the PC car's rear lights were not working prior to impact but had been earlier. I don't believe it is a good thing to depend on radio messages as I have experience of poor radio communication at times and you need a back up.

There was a flagger just up from the beginning of the wall separating the pits and turn 1. There was a blinking yellow light past the stalled car.

The light on the flagger stand at s/f was green, and one of the lights in the fence in the tri-oval between the line and t1 was green.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by Obizzz

Which is pretty much what everyone should do during waving yellows but noone does it.

No one does it because that's NOT what should be done. Stacking up cars rapidly is an invitation for disaster - if the situation requires people to slow to a crawl to safely avoid it, a full-course caution is what is required, NOT a local yellow.

What if it had been personel working at the track?

Then there would have been an FCY. Even the dumbest of race controllers knows to throw an FCY when there's personnel in the middle of the racing line around a blind corner.

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by Maelochs

I would say that since so many cars did get by the stalled PC, race control was justified in thinking a local yellow was enough.

If race control had called for FCY, there would have been just as many people complaining about that on 10-10ths as there are because there was no FCY.

None of really know what's up with the radio ... but we can all be pretty sure Andy Meyrick did not Want to hit that or any other car. He had a decent shot at the overall win. I have to assume he didn't know the car was there and didn't see it in time. I don't have a clue why he didn't seem to even try to avoid it ... But I am not ready to start flinging blame and calling tor beheadings. Unfortunate incident, to be sure.

I don't think the fact that so many cars got by the stalled PC is a good argument. Every car that went by was a hold your breath moment. I mean, I had time to process all of the following thoughts: Uh oh, a P2 is done. Ok, it's just a PC. Uh oh, he's in a dangerous spot. Wow, that's six+ cars that have almost hit him. Man, there's more! I hope no one hits him. Where's the FCY? I hope it's not one of the leaders that ends up hitti--------BAM.

I mean, numerous cars got by extremely lucky to avoid him, but it was inevitable that something was going to happen if he didn't get going real quick. Of all the BS times FCY's are thrown, I don't see how anyone could have argued this one.

I'm sure Meyrick deserves blame. But so does race control. So do all the other cars that went by dangerously fast, luckily without hitting the PC. It could have been any one of them.

Is there any possibility that it was because Meyrick was in the DW that he couldn't avoid him? Would that car have trouble making as quick of an evasive movement as a normal car?

This would have been a great time for a code 60, wouldn't it? Why can't they adopt that for all these instances where a car is temporarily stranded, to give them time to (safely) get going by themselves first, while maintaining the racing gaps and not artificially closing up the field? For this instance, the time when the Ford was rolling to a stop only to get going as soon as the tow truck got to it, but after the FCY was thrown, there was a real suspect FCY early on, too, I think again for one of the Fords. Would help preserve some of the endurance qualities, instead of turning it into 20 or so sprints.

Finally, the drivers aren't giving race control much choice in throwing so many FCY's. Local yellows mean nothing nowadays, and Hindy touched on it multiple times. If the drivers would obey the local yellows better, maybe they wouldn't have to throw so many FCY's for safety's sake.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

People have noted there was an illuminated flagman waving a yellow, but have not acknowledged that said flagman was in a poor spot - way off to the left, farther away from the racing line than the vast majority of flagmen, while going into a blind corner. It's simply not as easy to see as the Monday morning drivers would like to believe.

At the time and having seen the footage again, I don't think the track marshal was that visible. He's not standing under the light but to one side. There were a few near misses but I think that's down to the various drivers not realising there was a dangerous situation, until almost the last second and not down to the marshal waving the flag.

I think Meyrick could have been unsighted, due to the height of the D-Wing and the canopy covering the cockpit and he appears to be going a lot quicker than the other drivers, as he approached the PC. This could suggest he didn't see the yellow. Also the PC's rear lights were off.

[Rcz]

Maybe they should have some very large monitors flashing yellow saying "CAUTION STALL CAR" by any blind corner.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Rcz

Maybe they should have some very large monitors flashing yellow saying "CAUTION STALL CAR" by any blind corner.

Good idea.

[CyberMotor]

1. It is the track's and sanctioning organization's duty to provide as safe a racing environment 'as possible'.

2. I've been in the small pit area down near pit box 1 and turn 1 that allows a photographer to squeeze in and shoot photos (with flash).

3. The experience of coming in over the banks at maximum speed and then coming into a blind turn 1 with flashes going overloads the senses on most humans.

4. At a track that is so technologically advanced, there should be a special Turn 1 danger indicator light that is outside the standard NASCAR light setup to warn drivers of an incident in the blind corner that is at the end of a very high-speed section. IMO

[joeb]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

I find it both ways at the circuit. The ones right after a restart make me want to throw something at joeb, cause it's usually his fault or a Mazdas

Hey unless i somehow manage to get my mazda on the track I can't be held responsible!

[carbsmith]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

It's simply not as easy to see as the Monday morning drivers would like to believe.

Right so where did you finish this weekend?

He passed two flagmen (the first of which is hardly far from the track) and had yellow lights installed outside the corner in clear sight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb-BGFZKeVE3#t=10m25s
Actually they're right where the Deltawing ended up.

"Blind corner" has nothing to do with it either, there was a line of sight to the PC from before the first yellow flag, which is some 3-4 seconds from the accident scene. Best of all the car in question wasn't even on the normal racing line to start with, he straight up would have missed it if he hadn't reacted.

[FormulaFox]

Originally Posted by carbsmith

Right so where did you finish this weekend?

He passed two flagmen (the first of which is hardly far from the track) and had yellow lights installed outside the corner in clear sight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb-BGFZKeVE3#t=10m25s
Actually they're right where the Deltawing ended up.

Thanks - Your video actually proves my point. Yes, those yellow lights are in clear sight... They also WEREN'T ON when it was a local yellow only.

Also, the presence of flagmen waving yellows DOES NOT tell a driver where a car is on the track. Once again, if you don't know what's coming you have to slow to a near stop to be able to reliably avoid it, and if that's necessary for all cars to avoid it at all then a full course caution should be deployed.

"Blind corner" has nothing to do with it either, there was a line of sight to the PC from before the first yellow flag,

False. The wall on the inside blocks vision around the corner at the entry point past the halfway point. The stopped car was just past halfway - in the blind section where it could not be seen while setting up the entry.

The video you linked actually makes it abundantly clear just how difficult it is to see around that corner.

Best of all the car in question wasn't even on the normal racing line to start with, he straight up would have missed it if he hadn't reacted.

False again. No, the PC was not COMPLETELY on the racing line, but it was partially blocking it.

No matter how you slice it, a full course caution should have been thrown LONG before Meryick was in the same zip code as the stalled car.

[Obizzz]

Originally Posted by FormulaFox

in the blind section where it could not be seen while setting up the entry.

Yes, this is the only relevant point to look at. If you spot it after the normal braking point it's already too late.

[Bcarr6]

Sorry if this has already been asked or said, anywhere we can catch the full race videos, with RLM commentary?

IMSA post their vids on youtube but with Fox commentary which has nothin on RLM

[Akrapovic]

The yellow lights are in sight, but apparently cannot be operated independantly of one another, since NASCAR doesn't do local yellows. So whilst these yellows are in clear view, they were (according to witnesses and commentators), not yellow during the incident. The yellow flag on the inside of the pit lane (that we see on the videos of the crash) will be visible AFTER the stalled car is, so what use is that?

The entire reason we have light boxes is because they are easier to see than flags, and unlike flags, are lit by default. So they stand out. And race control was unable to use the light boxes due to technical limitations? That's hardly good is it?

Whilst the accident is Andys fault it is still down to race control to be able to control a race and give the appropriate signals at any time in any place, and make the correct call to stop these incidents happening. A yellow flag on the inside of the pit lane, which was hidden by a wall during the entry of the corner, and leaving the car there for that long is not the appropriate signals, and is not taking reasonable precautions to avoiding an accident.

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Bcarr6

Sorry if this has already been asked or said, anywhere we can catch the full race videos, with RLM commentary?

IMSA post their vids on youtube but with Fox commentary which has nothin on RLM

I don't know where to get the full race with RLM, but that is strange that the version IMSA posts online has the Fox commentary since the stream during the race on IMSA.com is with the RLM team. Must have something to do with the broadcast deal.

[nasportscar]

Data analysis http://nasportscar.com/bens-analysis-2016-rolex-24/

[Matt]

I really hope we see a GTD team show up with a Z4 at some point, I miss that sound.