Scoob99

iTrader: (1)

Trust me to get it wrong

flat4

Have the price of AFP remaps doubled overnight?

Andy.F

Thanks to all you guys/girls for the positive replies, pms, texts etc.

I think Barbara coped really well on the day, she also done well not to hit me last night when I went 'tut' as the video went off target just as I spin out

I agree with Steven regards the safety aspect though, I'm sure I had a vision of his cars flattened down roof as I shot backwards off the track.

Having had 'incidents' in my earlier days i know just how bad it can be at half this speed.


The Videos.....

First one shows the dry-er line on the RH lane, right until around the finish line where you can see the Celica start to kick up the heavy spray.
In the LH lane, my car in the braking zone had less spray than mid track.

http://www.nevetas.com/movies/crash/1.wmv


This is the one where I 'go for' Mikee at the top end !

http://www.nevetas.com/movies/crash/2.wmv

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

2nd link is not working Andy

That picture of your earlier days looked horrific.

Edit to say, it is working now.

Granby

iTrader: (5)

looking at the conditions there is no way the cars should be running (in my opinion)

DreXeL

I agree with Granby, I really don't think they should have been allowing 10second cars to run in those conditions.

Not a dig at you Andy, more the organisers.

Andy.F

That was the track much clearer than early in the day !

Granby

iTrader: (5)

Gav

I agree Granby, for cars of that power it's far to wet

Andy.F

Yes, I know, looking back on it we were mad/stupid/deserve what we got .....but having travelled 250 miles, paid to enter, car fit to go, rain stopped, track clearing up.....seemed like a good idea at the time.

flat4

it was proper monsoon conditions till late afternoon, i didn't think it was that dangerous when i did my runs but i had proper road tyres, you did start to aquaplan though after about 1/8 of a mile braking was the scariest part i thought

Mantasport

Oh for an in-car camera setup

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

"Talk to me Andy!"

"I'll hit the brakes and he'll fly right by!!"

"You're gonna do WHAT?!!!"



Good job it's almost christmas and you can get a few new pair of underpants cause I would think you may need them!

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

That could have been so nasty if the two cars had connected, if either of you had connected in the drivers door you wouldn't be here!! I'm glad that everyone is ok and the car is repairable

David_Wallis

Andy, Im getting some prices on cages, want me to enquire about a discount for quantity

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

2nd vid: Looks like you'll go to any lengths not to lose to another scoob

On a serious note though, you and Mikee are very lucky to get out unhurt. You should IMO have safety equipment fitted (cage+chute). Paying £45 for a RWYB and they dont prep or dry the track . FFS the official drag venues charge half that and will give you a fully dried and prep'd track, and will put your safety first.

Bob

ustolemyname??stevieturbo

iTrader: (1)

People cannot blame the organisers alone. Common sense should tell people that running cars with that much power, and what are essentially slicks, in the wet, is a recipe for disaster. Even on road tyres, I'd have been very dubious about running if I had went, especially when people point out others had already spun off that day !!!

I think in Scandanavia, Aus, and the US, if you run in the 10's you do need a cage of some sort. Not sure what spec of cage though..

In all honesty, I hope they never enforce that here for road cars, as I hope to be there very soon, and dont want a horrible cage in my car. Having to remove trim, destory dashboards etc isnt something I want to do.

But I guess with the performance some cars are now achieving, its a necessary evil to put such safety measures into place.

I think its only when cars are hitting 150+ terminals, that chutes are required in the US.

Granby

iTrader: (5)

Won't be long then the way Andy F's car is improving (apart from yesterday)

anyway 135mph backwards ain't bad

flat4_ire

[i know if i was hitting those speeds id want a cage of some sort..never know when ur gonna roll at 145mph Glad you're ok though Andy

Jamo

iTrader: (23)

glad your ok mate!

I must admit to tutting when the camera wandered away. sorry

could have been very bloody messy mate, you did well to walk away! get that car well caged up for next time!

jamo

harvey

iTrader: (48)

The outcome could have been worse and fortunately there are no large obstacles around the 1/4 mile at Elvington, no trees, just a bonfire that someone else was unlucky to hit and the fence that Andy ran along and probably arrested him to a certain extent. My heart went out to Barbara before we saw Andy out of the car. Fortunately there was nothing to flip it over. If it has accelerated Andy's next project then good has come from it.
I saw two cars spin off already and just like Stevie said above, you cannot blame the organisers. They laid on a "run what you brung day" and it was up to each individual to assess the hazards and decide how suitable their car was for the conditions at the time. Motor sport can be dangerous, is very competitive and sometimes the red mist takes over when with hind sight, discretion was required. Obviously for some RWB cars, the speeds achieved on road tyres in these conditions were never an issue. I did one top speed run and decided not to do another because of standing water. Had the event been cancelled it would have penalised the majority who did not have the phenomenal performance of Paul, Andy and Mikee.
The nature of the construction of Elvington is such that standing water will always be a problem if there has been sustained rain. The runway was made from concrete slabs and in time they settle, each one slightly differently, so where two slope together, even marginally, there is standing water and when the rain stops it is still there. There was one such puddle at the end of the right hand quarter lane.
Had it been a competition, Scooby Shootout or TOTB there is no way the organisers would have proceeded.

Roll Cages. Again, like Stevie says they make a daily driver a real pain. Surely it is up to the individual to decide if they need or want a roll cage. Many people do not want a cage in their car simply because the daily driver would no longer be that.
The Subaru has a very low centre of gravity so it will not normally turn over on a flat surface. The cause of them turning over is usually sideways movement into a kerb, verge or ditch. A roll cage would have made no difference to Andy or any of the other cars that spun on Sunday and I think the percentage of ROAD cars that roll over while drag racing is very small in relation to the number that get into difficulty.
Why impose restrictions on guys enjoying their daily driver on a week-end. Sounds like New Labour to me. You want a roll cage you fit one but leave the rest of us alone.

BTW. I got the trophy for "Max Out Fastest Speed" using normal Vredstein tyres.

Andy.F

I now recall you telling me that earlier in the day Harvey, if only I didn't have the memory retention time of a goldfish !

Paulo P

iTrader: (42)

Join Date: Jan 1970
Location: Worlds fastest Impreza 9.81@147.5 and 210.2mph forwards, 135mph backwards Apexi Power FC- way to go!

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

Harvey: I would have to disagree. Yesterday for example they struggled to clear the standing water off the strip (Avon Raceway) and called the event off as a result. I looked at the track and thought it looked okay for me to run on. Had I been given the choice I probably would have run (conditions were nowhere near as bad as Elvington - as track had been partially prepped). I was a little disappointed at the time but I now think the organisers made the right call.

IMO it is the responsibility of the organisers to ensure they do as much as possible to ensure the safety of those that attend. That's why the proper venues don't let people run unless the track is fully dried, cleaned and prep'd.

Your car may be okay to run in the wet but you cannot control the car next to you. This is why it is the responsibility of the organisers IMO.

Also, the likes of Avon, Pod etc spend £££s preparing the track (drying, cleaning and gluing)so that it is safe to run. Elvington charge twice as much but don't even clear the standing water?


Bob

ustolemyname??stevieturbo

iTrader: (1)

But with Avon and Pod being fixed venus, they have the facilities for drying the track.
So I guess from the above statement, the organisers do have a much greater responsilibity. They dont know each cars performance ability, or its drivers. So in such conditions, stopping racing until it has tried out would be sensible.

For Avon and SP, they also wouldnt have the same track hire costs that would be incurred at Elvington in order to run the events we all love, as they are dedicated fixed venues. No idea of true overhead costs for each though.. I think at Elvington though, for a RWYB day, you normally get a lot more runs than at SP due to lesser numbers..

Holding them at this time of year is a gamble, but if the people who prganise them continually lose money due to the weather, then they might stop having them altogether.

Does anyone want that ? If you see rain, and pay on teh day, I guess its a loss you will just have to suffer in order for such events to continue to take place.

ex-webby

Dont forget that the surface that is at Avon and Santa Pod is like a sheet of ice if there is rain on it, so they have to be extra careful in those types of conditions.

Regards,
Shaun.

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

By no means was what i said above a direct criticism of Trevor and the team of Straightliners, Andy is just as much to blame as anyone, by is own admission.

Whilst you hope you apply common sense in these instances, you also hope you have someone outside the box who may apply it for you should you fail to see sense. I was told by several people not to do a top speed run at SSO, due to the wind, and wet surface at the top of the runway, did i listen, did i ****, and ended up having a brown trouser moment.

We all should have told Andy not to run with those tyres on, etc. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

I was amazed yesterday, in what was the worst conditions i have seen at Elvington, to see the marshalls having to tell people to put their seatbelts on!!! Credit to the Marshalls, but how fecking stupid are some people.

Whilst i hear what you and Stevie say with regard to the implementation of roll cages, i also think your being semi blinkered because you perceive your cars to be every day cars, whilst in most peoples cars they are not.

When you achieve a 10 second quarter, and are pulling in the region of 135mph + at that point, sun, rain or snow, i still think you need a cage. We have been talking about this (not necessarily on the BBS) since scoobyshootout this year. Seeing Andy's incident, made my mind up for me in my case.

All it takes is for something silly/simple to happen in your everyday roadcar when it achieves a 10 second quarter, and boom we have a catastrophy. Proactive rather than reactive IMO.

I personally think the fence that inflicated a lot of the damage, save the car from doing far worse things whilst out of control. My own accident happend on the cusp of changing from 4th to 5th near the limiter, and once it went sideways that was it, the tyres dug in, and it flipped into a barrell roll.

It may be hot air, and over reaction to some people, but i think the boundaries of road car racing have gone beyond sensible IMO, and i think we should all think about what nearly happended yesterday.

Andy.F

Good point Bob. If Mikee had totalled his car due to hitting or avoiding me when I was in his path then I would have been gutted.

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

Bob got across, one of the things i was trying to say above.

Out of the 2 people involved yesterday, Mikee looked the worst affected mentally IMO.

Andy.F

Excellent points in your post too Steven.

Problem comes when it get really competitive and there are no regs to control the cars/conditions.
Say you are chasing a time barrier such as 11's 10's whatever and you are a few tenths away. If a cage costs £500 and weighs 40 kg are you going to voluntarily fit one when it will slow you down. 40kg has about the same effect as 20bhp on a big power car.
Thats why we would need regs for it to work.

Andy