Hey Chuck, I came around that turn after your "incident" and saw lots of parts scattered around ALL over the track. Came by to see you later and you had gone...Glad your ok...I hit a SRF that spun in front of me in qualifying-HARD. Almost broke my leg on the cross bar. Dan replaced both Master cylinder reservoirs and taped me up for the race (without a nose). Race went well because we were so far in front of the SRFs, until my belt started going- Then WENT- and LOUDLY! I was run off the track several times, but I'm used to it driving around Atlanta. Maybe we can run with the GT-1s next time.
Eric Hellerstedt ATL Region -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Sent: Wed, 16 May 2007 9:01 AM Subject: RE: [F500] SRF - F500 - FV Race Grouping Unsafe Chuck Excellent letter and I'm glad you escaped with minor injuries. I have not run into this race grouping yet in the Northeast but may in the future if something isn't done about it. at last weekend's Pocono dbbl regl I was talking with an SRF team and the driver admitted he couldnt see below the belt line of his car so anyone smaller coming up his inside might be in trouble when he turned in. I rented a SRF at Lime Rock in 2005 for a regl and the mirrors didnt seem to be too good at all. Hope you heal quickly and best wishes. Captain Eddie KBS F500 #64 >From: "Chuck McAbee" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: [email protected] >To: "BOD SCCA" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "SCCA Comp Board" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >CC: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: [F500] SRF - F500 - FV Race Grouping Unsafe >Date: Tue, 15 May 2007 19:25:42 -0400 > >The Daytona Classic National was conducted May 5-6 at Daytona International >Speedway. National Race Group One consisted of 36 Spec Racer Fords (weight >1670 pounds), 4 Formula V's (weight 1025 pounds) and 12 Formula 500's >(weight 800-825 pounds). While this race group may be permitted with the >letter of the GCR, it is patentedly unsafe if based on nothing but the >sheer physics of the mass of the cars involved. An SRF at 1670 pounds has >over twice the mass of an F500 at 825 pounds and 1.6 times the mass of a >FV. >In addition to the difference in mass of the cars, the size and body >dimensions of an SRF makes it difficult if not impossible for a SRF to see >either a F500 to FV that may be trying to overtake them, if they were of a >mind to look in the first place. In most of the events I have participated >in in my 19 years of club racing, SRF have either run by themselves or with >the other Sports Racing classes. > >Creating a race group of SRF-FV-F500 is an invitation to disaster, and >disaster nearly occurred at the Bus Stop at Daytona during the first >qualifying session, when I slowed and moved to avoid a competitor that had >been spun at the entrance to the Bus Stop, I (F500 #16) was rear ended by >an >SRF (#15) that, from the video, was moving at a speed that indicates that >he >was not paying attention to actions taking place ahead of him. It is >fortunate that I received no injuries more serious than a severely bruised >shoulder and back. However, had the impacting car struck a few more inches >to drivers right, the results could have been severely catastrophic. The >following link is to video taken from my car showing the severity of the >impact. > >http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u80/mmi16_racing/?action=view ><http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u80/mmi16_racing/?action=view¤t=20 >07DaytonaQ1Short.flv> ¤t=2007DaytonaQ1Short.flv > >During recent years Central Florida Region, despite numerous complaints >from >the competitors involved has seen fit to run SRF combined with the small >Formula cars F500 & FV. Central Florida Region is the only region in SEDIV >that has been running this unsafe grouping. This has caused many small >formula drivers to go elsewhere for their fun, where they can run in >relative safety with their own, similar sized, competitors. All the >complaints to Central Florida Region, to date, have fallen on deaf ears. > >So long as the GCR does not prohibit the formulation of wholly unsafe race >groupings, Regional race organizers will continue to put together race >groups that are a disaster waiting to happen. > > > >Chuck McAbee >Nat. Lic. 148167 >[EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________ FormulaCar Magazine - A Proud Supporter of Formula 500 The Official Publication of Junior Formula Car Racing Subscribe Today! www.formulacarmag.com or 519-624-2003 _________________________________ _______________________________________________ F500 mailing list - [email protected] To unsubscribe or change options please visit: http://f500.org/mailman/listinfo/f500 *** Please, DO NOT send unsubscribe requests to the mailing list! ***
