altiain

iTrader: (3)

NASA was running an event at TWS this past weekend on the 2.9 CCW configuration. An Evo running with the advanced HPDE/TT run group turned in early on Turn 1 where the banking transitions to the infield road course. He caught a ripple in the pavement and the car slid off to the outside of Turn 1. He managed to straighten the car up, but there is a shallow drainage ditch about 80 yards off of 1, which he hit head on at about 80-90 mph.

Surprisingly, he managed to limp the car home the next day. Even more surprisingly the camera he had mounted on the bumper not only recorded the impact, but it was recovered and still worked!

Here's a link to the bumper cam video.

For reference, my mostly stock RX-8 on RA-1s hit 122-126 mph indicated by the turn in point at the end of the front straight. The white Type R seen early in the video was a good match for me in straight line speed down the front straight. The Evo was estimated to be doing ~150 mph when he turned down - way too early - off the banking. Spotter said that there was a good four to five feet of air under all four wheels as he exited the drainage ditch.

Just a reminder not to drive over your skill level out there. Keep it shiny side up!

rotarygod

Did he flip the car or did the camera come off?

I've been up there several times and it always seems that the awd guys are the craziest (least talented). I've seen several occassions where the awd saved them from certain doom in a bad line. This guy had several places where his line wasn't all that great. You can see the darker areas from tires where the proper line is and crosses all over it in a few places. It's also a bit odd where and when he likes to get on the accelerator not to mention where he shifts. He's not terribly consistent. The car is fast in a straight line and from what I saw that's the only place. Whatever that black car was in front of the Integra was, it pulled away hard!

dbright007

Holy crap!

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

that's a lot of open pavements there, looks like a pretty fast course, not many 2nd gear turns?

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

oh yeah it would've been cooler if we got some actual airborne footage :P

Ike

If only us AWD guys were as talented as you and the rest of the RWD guys

SouthFL

He's turning in too early and plowing out of most turns throughout the entire vid, leading up to the misjudged end result.

altiain

iTrader: (3)

There are bad drivers in all configurations, RWD, AWD, and FWD. I merely posted the video to remind people not to get in over their heads (or their talent level) at a track day. At least the Evo went home under its own power - another car went home on a flatbed.

I will say, however, that the unique capabilities of the rally cars seem to get a lot of people in trouble. They won't drive themselves, but the combination of better than average power and great traction can cover up a lot of mistakes, allowing owners of these cars to pile on a lot more speed before they run out of talent than if they were in something like a Miata or an RX-8.

expo1

Yep
One almost took me out at Pocono two years ago and all I was doing was waiting on the grid. https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-racing-25/almost-got-my-car-wrecked-pocono-raceway-89291/

CosmosMpower

The camera flew off at the end and flipped I believe, the car didn't.

StrokerAce

+1

That ditch is a well known issue at TWS. Can't believe he was staying so low on the banking and turning in so early.

altiain

iTrader: (3)

Yeah, the camera flew off of the intercooler grill. The car did not flip, although spotters reported that it had "several feet" of air under all four wheels before it landed.

devildog1679

This happened at Road America, 3 weeks ago. Trashed his EVO cause he thought he should hang with the big boys in the advanced group. This goes to show it's not about the car it's about the person driving it. Coming out of the Kink, I was behind him closing in. By the time I came up to the brake markers I saw the corner man start waving the yellow franticly. I knew what had happened, I hit the brakes and cruised through the kink, I have the after math on video. Any closer and I could have had the accident on video as well. According to the corner worker his rear end went onto the grass on the left while exiting and he committed a no no and lifted witch upset the balance of the car, he then slung shot to the right wall, bounced off that and went head on into the left wall. The rear was busted as well. Turns out he wanted to be in group B (Advanced) because he thought he was a great driver, sorry but he was not, turned out it was his third track day . There is no reason why I should be catching up to someone in an EVO if they are a great driver. He was there with a buddy in a M3 who by the way also sucked cause I passed him right before the accident.

Senna

THANK GOODNESS for him. I thought he rolled the thing because it kinda looked like he tried to save it instead of accepting that he overcooked it and allowing the car to settle and recover in a straight line.

Sorry to say this but after you've run at Laguna Seca that track looks like a big piece of sheet!! No wonder he was all over the place--trying to find markers/reference points would suck at that place.

Senna

Damn, watched it again. He should have had an instructor in with him. He was missing apexes from the start. High powered car, unfamiliar track, and inexperience. A bad combination. He probably completely lost the line because the dark car pulled away which he was using as a reference. It's easy (when lacking experience) to get caught up in watching the other car in front of you instead of driving the track yourself.
My experience with NASA is that they really depend on you to use your judgment in choosing which group to run in etc. When you mess up though they're on your ***. And deservingly so.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

but it was oh-so much fun ...

SouthFL

altiain

iTrader: (3)

With the resolution of the camera and its mounting location (low on the intercooler grill), you get a distorted view of both the track surface and the reference points. There are actually good reference points for all of the major corner combinations, and the surface isn't nearly as bad as it looks from 8 inches up.

Texas World Speedway is a very fast and fun track to drive. On a decent lap in a mostly stock RX-8 on RA-1s, my average speed over the entire lap is in the 83-85 mph range. Laguna Seca is on my list of "tracks to drive before I die", though.

Senna

LOL!! Must be England with those tan lines. Or lack thereof.

Senna

What are you hitting on the straight at TWS in your 8?

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

already got that checked off my list hehe

expo1

Then move east to drive at Watkins Glen

RX8Maine

Stated by an STi driver at an autocross: "I just throw it into the corner and let the AWD sort it out." He hadn't done any track days but was confident the car would make him a hero in that arena as well.

Having done my first HPDE's in an STi, and now using the RX8, I can say that I had learned some really bad habits despite wanting to learn how to drive properly. I was sloppy as hell the first time I drove the RX8. It was actually embarassing. I am now driving better and the RX8 far more rewarding. I am sure I could turn faster laps in an STi than my RX8, but only because of the experience I have had in the 8.

CnnmnSchnpps

iTrader: (1)

Wow.. just wow...

Ike

Guys overestimating their talents is an issue at many trackdays. I've seen so many guys go into an advanced group because they think their car is so fast. The sad reality is the last person that should be in an advanced group is someone that thinks their car is too fast for a beginner or intermediate group and wants to prove that's the case. An inflated ego, lack of driving skills, a high powered car, and something to prove is a dangerous combo. Sadly there are a lot of guys with modded Evos that have WAY more car than talent, but that's the case with any car that has similar capabilities. On the flipside there are some incredibly talented amatuer drivers like Mark Daddio out there tracking their Evos as well.