Chuck, I also have been in a similar situation. A SRF car did not see me as I was preparing to make a pass on the inside of him as we went into a turn (or he didn't care). I had to hit the brakes or hit the dirt. After that day, I have vowed never to race in a group that has SRF's in it. I would rather pack my car back on the trailer and go home.
Richard ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chuck McAbee" <[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]> Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 6:25 PM Subject: [F500] SRF - F500 - FV Race Grouping Unsafe > 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! ***
