by "v8corvairpickup" (v8corvairpickup)
Published 02/12/2017 at 20:43
by "v8corvairpickup" (v8corvairpickup)
Published 02/12/2017 at 20:43
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STARS: 1
Sad to see news like this. A person out for a fun time on a private track crashed. Many of us would love to have a chance to have a track day experience and I guess this is one of the risks.
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"Nauraushaun" (nauraushaun12)
02/12/2017 at 21:06, STARS: 2
You gotta wonder what they hit! Tracks are relatively safe, as are road cars.
"Cash Rewards" (cashrewards)
02/12/2017 at 21:11, STARS: 4
There was a story a bit back where the ride along instructor was killed at one of these. Turns out, to get more use of the tires, they were running the track backwards. Track was not set up that way, and they hit something that was protected from cars when running the proper direction
"FTTOHG Has Moved to https://opposite-lock.com" (alphaass)
02/12/2017 at 21:15, STARS: 3
Yep that was the one at Disney World in 2015. Coincidentally also a Lamborghini. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-disney-crash-instructor-cause-death-20150415-story.html
"McMike" (mcmike)
02/12/2017 at 21:19, STARS: 1
I have never heard of this place before. (MAP)
Do they do anything else besides the driving experience?
"slipperysallylikespenguins" (slipperysally)
02/12/2017 at 21:21, STARS: 1
Thats terrible. I’ve done experiences at Exotics Racing and Dream Racing in Vegas and there was little to no risk if you do as the instructor states. Speedvegas hasn’t even been open for a year and they already have a fatal accident, not good. I believe the other two have a completely clean record and have been operating for 4+ years now.
I would imagine either the driver went rogue or there was a serious mechanical failure. Speedvegas has the longest straight of these driving experiences at 1/2 mile so someone could do some damage if the brakes failed or they panicked. They also seemed like the least professional outfit last I looked.
"slipperysallylikespenguins" (slipperysally)
02/12/2017 at 21:21, STARS: 0
.
"Nauraushaun" (nauraushaun12)
02/12/2017 at 21:26, STARS: 2
I do remember that. And there was another time there was a bulldozer in the track area after a previous crash (ie. at a site known to be prone to crashes), they continued the race and someone else crashed into it suffering brain injury.
Tracks are safe when used as designed.
"NJAnon" (NJAnon)
02/12/2017 at 21:39, STARS: 1
You don’t have to guess. That is a risk for all oppos. The link didn’t give any details, but yeah if they were going triple digits and the rookie was fishtailing or got loose....
"CTSenVy" (CTSenVy)
02/12/2017 at 22:09, STARS: 1
I think the company used to have a driving experience where you could take cars out as a group to red rocks park. You would stop and switch cars with other drivers two or three times depending on how much to paid. They quit that when they opened the track.
I don’t think they use the track for anything else, they didn’t want to schedule around other companies.
"tromoly" (tromoly)
02/12/2017 at 22:13, STARS: 0
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"v8corvairpickup" (v8corvairpickup)
02/13/2017 at 08:17, STARS: 0
I’m also not sure about using the track for any other purpose. I used to see the road trips and even though they were on the public roads, they didn’t keep it to posted speeds. The group pulled out ahead of me one time and they were gone in a flash even though I was going 70.
"v8corvairpickup" (v8corvairpickup)
02/13/2017 at 08:18, STARS: 1
One would think that they’d remove all the hazards prior to allowing cars back on the track.
"McMike" (mcmike)
02/13/2017 at 08:36, STARS: 1
Correct with the backwards track info. Never run a circuit backwards.
http://jalopnik.com/omg-were-they-running-the-circuit-backwards-according-1697442869
"McMike" (mcmike)
02/13/2017 at 08:40, STARS: 0
That’s Jules Bianchi’s accident in the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. The corner was under a local yellow as they were retrieving the Sauber (black bar).
It was very common in F1 to remove cars that were not on the circuit with machinery under a local caution. They don’t do that anymore. No equipment with out a safety car or a virtual safety car.
"StingrayJake" (stingrayjake)
02/13/2017 at 09:32, STARS: 1
I’ve driven the Speedvegas track and it’s incredibly unlikely they were driving the course backwards. From the pictures that have circulated in the news and social media, I can tell the crash happened at the end of the front straight right after a right-hand chicane.
I’ve read that the car went off the track, the driver lost control and spun when it re-entered the track, and they hit the wall on the right-hand side of the track. A tire wall protects a section of the wall immediately to the right of the chicane and the pictures indicate that they did hit tires.
Below is a screencap of my on-board video showing my car midway through the chicane. You can see the tire wall lining the concrete wall in front of me.
There’s also a decent amount of run off on either side of the chicane so it’s unlikely he lost control from going off track. This is purely speculation but I’m guessing he was going too fast going into the chicane and lost control, possibly from hitting the kerbing?
"StingrayJake" (stingrayjake)
02/13/2017 at 09:36, STARS: 0
At least when I was there last year, the driving experience was the only thing they did.
"McMike" (mcmike)
02/13/2017 at 10:00, STARS: 0
After reading another one of these stories, it makes me wonder why anyone would want to be an instructor for people like this.*
Has to be terrifying.
*Meaning people who are not interested in racing/driving dynamics/or race craft. Seems some of these these joy riders are folks who want to get the most out of their $699.99 and drive fast right NOW.
"StingrayJake" (stingrayjake)
02/13/2017 at 10:06, STARS: 0
The terrifying thing is that it’s totally a mixed bag of what you’re going to get from these instructors. A lot of times they’re actually pros or up-and-coming amateurs but some are a bit more sketchy simply because they need the money. And from what I understand they don’t get paid that well.
I hesitate to say this but, the instructor I had in my Corvette was wonderful. He gave me specific instructions for everything. Told me when to back off and when to go. The on-board video malfunctioned so the company offered me some seat time in a Ferrari to make up for it and put a different instructor in the car.
From what I’ve gathered, this second instructor was the instructor who died yesterday. I don’t know if his expectations of my ability were high after I had already done five laps on the track, but he gave me far less input as we went. My own overconfidence then led to me taking a turn too fast, misunderstanding his command, and ultimately putting the rear wheels off on gravel. I mostly blame myself, but I couldn’t help but be frustrated with the instructor’s confusing reaction and lack of instruction up to that point.
"McMike" (mcmike)
02/13/2017 at 10:29, STARS: 0
Would it be safe to say that the ones that are babysitters are likely the ones that would rather keep a customer happy and not pull the plug if they’ve got a wannabe hotshot in the driver seat?
Also makes me wonder if they should have all the customers answer a questionnaire. If the answer to “What are you hoping to get out today’s experience?” resembles anything like, “I wanna go fast” might be a good indication of how it’s going to go.
"StingrayJake" (stingrayjake)
02/13/2017 at 10:47, STARS: 0
Which one are you referring to as a babysitter? The one that gave me more instruction? I don’t know that he would be the type to let me go crazy
Watching my on-board I know there were a couple spots where I wasn’t totally safe (took so long to turn in on a late-apex corner that my right wheels were most definitely over the outside lines and later bumped the kerbing in the esses), but I also know that my best lap time was still 6 seconds slower than at least one video I’ve seen on YouTube from another customer. I probably limited myself more than anything.
At the same time, I also think that instructor was being more helpful and was giving me instruction on how to get more out of the lap. You’re more likely to push if somebody is giving you the confidence to do so. The second instructor didn’t do that so much and I wonder if being more reserved as an instructor might keep people from pushing too hard.
However he was annoyed that I was missing shift points (the first car was the first semi-manual with paddles that I’d ever driven) so we switched back to automatic part way through a lap. He then asked if I wanted guidance on going faster (I said yes), so I was pushing a bit harder when I had my little off.
"McMike" (mcmike)
02/13/2017 at 10:51, STARS: 0
I wasn’t necessarily referring to any of your instructors. I was suggesting that maybe the guys that are just there for the paycheck might be afraid to cut the experience short if their driver wasn’t listening or showed signs of being unsafe.
"StingrayJake" (stingrayjake)
02/13/2017 at 10:55, STARS: 0
Oh yeah for sure. These instructors get tips a lot and, while tips weren’t straight up requested, I was more or less told that tips were an important part of their income.
I was awkward and didn’t know how much was appropriate. I ended up offering him a paltry amount. The instructor tried to turn it down and it was terribly awkward but he ultimately took it. I didn’t offer to tip the second instructor because I was mad about the incident.
Point is, if you’re there for the paycheck and want a better tip, you’re probably going to let a guy get away with some stuff. You’re there to help them have fun. More fun = better tip.
"Nauraushaun" (nauraushaun12)
02/13/2017 at 20:56, STARS: 0
Yellow is good, but I guess it didn’t help. Real shame.
"McMike" (mcmike)
02/13/2017 at 21:33, STARS: 0
I think the Sauber was being removed just
before
a flag station, so the flag waving above the scene was green. His pace was back up as he approached the scene.
Sad. Those cars can withstand so many Gs hitting anything out there... Just not tractors. RIP Jules.