SiHethers

Glad you're ok Andy. Hope the car makes a full recovery also

Simon

Andy.F

OK, couldn’t sleep, heres the story !

From the minute the track opened at 10:30, so did the heavens
Most of us sat in our cars the remainder of the morning, watching the track become more and more water logged.
Around lunchtime the rain stopped  the track however still had a lot of standing water throughout its length. Three cars had already spun off, one hitting the bonfire at the side of the track !
I went for an exploratory run in the LH lane and experienced lots of sideways action for the full track length and a time (and yes I was trying !) of 14.33 at 88mph !
Some time later I ran again, this time it was better, if you weaved to miss the deep water then most of the track wasn’t too bad, got a bit crossed up when changing into 5th just before the finish line but the braking area wasn’t too bad, no big puddles and I was stopping in time for the 1st exit no problem.
Still on low boost I started trying a bit harder to control the traction, still in the LH lane. The times were improving, 11.19 at 137mph with a very timid launch giving a 2.26sec 60’ time. Next closest at that time was Mikee with 11.3 IIRC.
I came in for a break and watched some of the other cars run. Mark pointed out that the RH lane looked like it had a drying line and suggested it may be quicker, especially as I could go straight instead of zigzag around the mini lakes !
I watched both Paul (Pavlo) and Mikee run faster again Iro 11.2, the track was obviously improving so I went for another run.
This time I tried the RH lane. Very wet on the start line but, as suggested it looked better mid track. As I staged, I looked across and there was Mikee in the LH lane, ah, a race at last I thought !
Mikee rocketed off the line in typical bang bang bang launch control style and immediately pulled a few car lengths on me. By mid track I was starting to pull it back, 10 lengths from the finish line and we were even. As I snatched 5th gear the car kicked its *** out a bit as usual, just a little puddle I thought, it will catch again in a moment, no need for a “comfort lift” I kept the foot planted (read red mist !) with a little bit opposite lock and crossed the line what must have been mm’s in front. (my side lit up on the start tree, that’s the only way I know this) however, all was not well, the opposite lock hadn’t actually done anything to line the car up, this puddle wasn’t so little after all…… I was getting further out of shape despite more lock and I had that ‘slow motion’ feeling which is not usually a good sign. My instinct was to keep some power on to pull me where the wheels pointed but there was zero traction front or rear and as I was heading straight for mikee ‘power on’ somehow didn’t seem like the right plan !
F*** I'm going to T-bone Mikee I thought as I tightened my grip on the wheel
Realising I was already way past the point of no return (read run out of talent/luck/bottle) I lifted off completely, at which point the car continued to float round in a big sweeping 180 degree arc to the left, straight towards Mikee. Somehow Mikee managed to slow up enough that I drifted around the nose of his car, facing backwards at some 135 mph. The cars were virtually touching nose to nose, I fully expected to see white paint on my bumper when checking later. I could see Mikee's eyes WIDE open as he peeled off slightly to his right. At this point I was on the brakes as hard as I could with my fingernails firmly implanted in the steering wheel mainly to brace myself against whatever I was going to hit.
Running through my mind was …its wet, I’ll slide, not flip over, ****, we’re not going down the middle of the track anymore, fek, why hasn’t it stopped yet, this is the edge of the track….Bang, hit something, bang hit something else, crash, door window comes in, eyes shut but we’re still travelling backwards and at speed, another bang, bounce, eyes open, mud flying, going sideways now, eyes shut again, don’t dig in, don’t flip over pleeeeze…………………............................. silence at last.

Andy.F

Eyes open…. Sky above, that’s a good sign ! Engine is off, no flames, or even steam that’s good too.
Try to open door…nope. Climb out missing window to meet ambulance man driving over towards me , give him the thumbs up.
Initial look round car, Oh FFS its F*****d, there’s not a panel undamaged (add lots of F and B words here) Consider throwing helmet at car but ambulance man is in the way !
Second look round car, hmm, wheels all on and still pointing the right way, still runs ok, wings are cheap, get a pair of carbon doors, Perspex windows, caged this time, maybe shorten it a bit, yea, AFP MY06 plan evolving faster than planned

Survey surrounding area….. 30-40 metres of wire mesh fence and (sturdy) posts flattened, lots of sheep **** but no sheep. Trevor turns up, checks I’m ok and then sets about working out how he’s going to build a new fence to secure the sheep in the field before he goes home ! Sorry Trevor, I didn’t mean it !

Back to pits, drives ok, met by lots of shocked faces, not least Mikee !

4 hr drive later we get home and watch the videos, what’s clear from the spray off the cars is that the RH lane was indeed much drier………..right up till the finish line where the car threw up a plume of water (see the spray in the 1st video where the white Celica in the RH lane crosses the line) ….. just a bit late with that observation I think

The 2nd video stops just as I get about 90 degrees out of shape.

Videos will be hosted in the morning, meanwhile some sad pics !




Before


After

RS Grant

Glad you are ok mate... Great description of crashing, I'm sure a few of us can relate to the "Slow Motion" stage!!

To be honest, for an off at 135 mph, it doesnt look too bad.


Cheers,
Grant

SiHethers

At least you can be thankful it stayed upright, and you weren't injured. Things may not have been so good had it flipped.

Shame there were no sheep in the field to provide a softer landing

Simon

Scooby-Doo

Main thing is your OK. It could have been so much worse. If you need a hand with plastic windows give me a shout.

marcymarc555

Thank god your ok mate.

Scotsman

iTrader: (3)

Great to read you're doing fine Andy.

As Grant said, from coming off at 135 I was expecting more external damage - hopefully you'll have her back to full health soon.

Your poor wife must have had kittens.

Richard.

marcymarc555

I think Andys scoob has held up really well if you take into account the circumstances, i mean 135mph is flippin fast.

Ralph Wiggum

judging from those pictures and your excellent and quite amusing description, have you considered journalism?

you look to be very lucky

glad no one sustained any injurys, which after all is the most important thing

best of luck with the rebuild

G00ner

Bitter/sweet story, interesting read and a happy ending.

chiark

Bloody hell Andy, like has been said before this gave me the shivers just reading about it. I'm so glad that you (and mikee) are OK and uninjured. It's a slight relief that the drivetrain etc is unharmed too - thank the deity of your choice that it didn't flip...

Roll cages do suddenly look a lot more tempting!

kip

Not good news but pleased to hear Andy is ok

Tidgy

thank **** your allright, ahh that slow mo bit, been ther done that myself, not the most plesent of experiances i have to say, i think sureal is best way to describe it.

have to say i agree that considering the 135 there is very little damage, i think you'd have been much worse off had it rolled, mine was totaled when i rolled it at 50mph so dread to think what 135 would have been like.

Scoob99

iTrader: (1)

Andy so sorry for you mate, but 2.26 secs to 60 But I am so glad you are OK it's not surprising your wife dropped the camera, oh and that slow motion feeling, don't you just hate that, All the best for the rebuild
Cheers
Colin

WUZ

iTrader: (14)

Colin, I think you might find that Andy was talking about his 60 foot time.

Andy - thank god your OK M8! How was Barbara afterwards, I have a feeling that she way have been shaking a little more than you! (Poor Thing!)

Pick up the pieces and move on M8, need to keep all those "blank cheque tuners" quaking in their boots!

Once again, glad to see your OK.

Russell, BHP Developments

Tasberley

i like ur thinking.... oppurtunity to make things a bit quicker

ex-webby

Andy,

Glad YOU are OK!

A car is something that can be rebuilt..... Your something that can't!

This is perhaps worth highlighting to everyone that ANY form of motorsport, can be dangerous and should always be given the respect it deserves (at what ever level).

Regards,
Shaun.

Gav

As already said, glad you ok and only the car damaged!

now just re-build it with carbon everywhere and you'll be even faster

Gav..

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

Just reading the recount of events made me brace myself in my seat at work so **** knows what you must have felt like!

Good to hear no injuries. I guess anything of this nature that you come out of Ok makes you stronger and maybe slightly more aware of what can happen.

Jolly Green Monster

iTrader: (4)

Holy Cow...!! just found out and read all this..

Glad you are okay Andy!!!

Simon

DreXeL

**** me!!!!!
Really glad you're OK mate, I can't imagine how scary that must have been.

Also glad the car is still basically in one piece, it could have been much worse.

The Zohan

Glad you are OK Andy!

VDubGav

135mph donuts :



Glad you got out if unscathed

Mantasport

Glad your ok Andy.

Seeing you do over 210mph there a few weeks ago had me thinking a roll cage would be a good idea.

But to be running the 1/4mile through puddles


Will be good to see the next generation of the car, shortened and lighter panels. But please put a cage in, if only for you good lady's peace of mind

Granby

iTrader: (5)

Second that , glad your OK Andy, brilliant wright up

Tasberley

yeah... cant imagine what ur other half was going through... personally have seen my other half have an accident from the car behind and it was horrible.... real feeling of being so useless to do anything...

oh well.. time to be thankful ur alrite and to look to the future.. bigger and better things.

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

Barbara was remarkably calm, once she saw him get out of the car, she was very calm all things considered, and just kept looking through the view finder on the camera to check on things.

Big respect to Andy, had to laugh when he said he was sat there thinking what he can now do to the car, now his hand has been forced, whilst waiting for assistance.

I have to say though, i was saying in the morning that i thought it was a bit scary, its all well and good Elvington running in whatever conditions, which i have liked in the past, but when there are cars of this calibre running, stronger safety checks need to be made, and tighter rules. We can laugh about it now, but it could so easily have been.

Seeing that yesterday, brough back memories of my accident, and has confirmed i will be fitting a roll cage to my car, and i now strongly believe that we should have some form of rules that state that once a car drops under say 11 seconds, it should have a roll cage fitted.

Once again Andy, glad your unarmed, and you live to tell the tale so well.

I look forward to 2006 and the sight of the AFP S5 SWB

All the best

Steven

Ennoch

I believe that in Iceland it is 12 seconds or under that forces a car to have a cage fitted. This can only be a good thing.

David_Wallis

I think there are some regs that apply at proper strips such as the pod, but I think it might be pro classes where you need the cage if your terminal is over 140..

David