Street Racing/Open Track/Flings

[Roscoe]

Being assigned the job as Laison between Club Cobra and Club Cranky I am posting these recent thoughts from the Club Cranky forum:

Remember that these opinions are not my own....however I agree with them completely!

Boys,

I just love the fact that there is no Statute of Limitations on "I told you so's"
This type of behavior alway seems to take place whenever a crowd of show types is given a demonstration by an experienced "racer". How come they don't show all their driving skills at the track with other racers?
No mention of who the culprits were but we can make a good guess.
All of the shenanigans that went on at the Fling goes on at other large gatherings but when they are off street nobody pays much attention. A Cobra crashes on the street and it is computer talk for weeks, when a Cobra crashes or spins out on the track only the poor bastard who did it is concerned.

It's a shame that the Club Cranky members are just a bunch of wannabe racers and we don't get anybody to cheer or applaud us. We also don't get bystanders complaining about our behavior. We ain't many and we ain't few, we also ain't a bunch of Big A$$holes.
Lets get this event to Mid Ohio where 100 Open trackers will carry the bill for the entire track rental.There are plenty of us wannabe racers just waiting to sign up. This event is big enough now to be held at a proper location. Well staffed racetrack preferibly one with a good road course. Mid Ohio comes to mind. The additional cost of renting a track would be offset by the increased number of partisipants. If you have ever been to a SAAC convention you can just imagine the profits which are generated which would be turned into a huge donation at a fund raisng event. All good events start out small but there comes a time when you outgrow the original venue. I beleive now is the time.

Last weekend while the Flingers were stroking they're dicks on the streets of London Ohio, the Club Cranky members were also doing their thing at Summit Point WV. The following had incidents on the track while at speed, McFIA, McFEz, Cranky, McDiasio and not sure if McTerry spun out or if McMahon broke his cherry yet and finally spun out on the track.

So far no complaints from spectators. The point is we are all experienced open trackers and every once in a while we loose it and go off track or just spin in the middle of the track and nobody gets hurt. I don't know how much experience the Fling "racers " have but most likely not very much. Experienced racers don't do street $hit. This is the second year we have heard about this street stupidity and sooner or later somebody is gonna get hurt.
I only hope it isn't a spectator.

Mcwannabe,
Cranky
http://www.clubcranky.com/

[RACERAL]

Thats what makes this a great country.. you can do what ever you want to do..... I think......

[rdorman]

Waxer <> Racer

My thoughts

Street racing = bad news
Fling, done as instructed = reasonable and acceptable risk level
Fling, done beyond as instructed = unreasonable risk level
Bottom line = to each their own

Glad to hear there was some stroking going on at Summit Point as well!

That must be one FAST Grand Prix

Rick

[rdorman]

... I think this might be a long thread!

[Turk]

Remember when we were kids, and would decide we were not gonna speak to one of our friends anymore.?
There he was, standing in front of you, and you would turn to another friend and say...

-Tell him I am NOT his friend anymore.

The friend would turn around and say to the one you have decided not to talk to.
-He says , "he is NOT your friend anymore"

Reply would be something like.

Tell him, "I don't care".

You would then hear almost an echo.

He SAYS" he doesn't care!"..

It is just like that, isn't it? Childish way to deal with things.
Cranky couldn't be here, so I will post it for him...Signed Cranky!

Now this is is supposed to be mature behaviour and the author wants to be heeded. He makes some valid points, but he needs to say it himself, rather than someone else posting for him, I think Club Cranky and it's current occupants have a lot to say and a lot to bring to all.
To fragment this place to the point where others have to do their posting so that one may remain as CC FREE, is SILLY!

Tell Cranky we still love him!


TURK

Referring to those attending DVSFIII as "A$$holes, Lemmings, Dicks" will not enhance the position.

Hundreds who attended do NOT fit any of the above categories.

[Roscoe]

Turk,
Cranky does say it himself but over at the Club Cranky Forum. Go over and take a look. However, I have been elected laison for CC on CC and FFR forums.
Roscoe

[rdorman]

You don't have read the responses to him do you

Turk, you almost brought a tear to my eye

Tell Cranky that beleive or not, he is missed!

Rick

[klayfish]

Roscoe,
Elected?? Wait, where were the campaign promises and the bribes? It was a Joisey election, wasn't it?

Steve

[Roscoe]

So that means I can steal two million but build a park for my subjects....OOPS..I mean constituants.

Roscoe

[computerworks]

Moderator Note..

If this thread can morph into a productive and intelligent dialog, it will remain.

If it turns into a schoolyard brawl or gets personal... I will shut it down...

..and Roscoe can restart a new thread without an edge to it.

Ron
ClubCobra Moderator

[Roscoe]

OK, let us keep it on track...OOPS! was that a pun?

Roscoe

[rdorman]

'.. on track..' now that is funny!

Uh Oh! The Moderator has awoken! By the way, it was nice to get to meet you at the Fling. Sorry I didn't take more time to talk. Next year, assuming there is one, I am going to get a room at the hotel. Just missed to much.

'.. productive and intelligent..', isn't that asking a bit much of us!

In an attempt...... renting Mid-Ohio was again suggested in the Fling suggestion forum and has again been discussed. Problem for me is putting my car to that level of risk.

For those interested, Cobras ended 9, 19, 27, 29 and 34 on Saturday and 19, 24 and 27 on Sunday with Dan Elam taking the top cobra spot each time.

Rick

Why must we waxer vs. racer?

[Roscoe]

Rick,
Are you talkin to me? I was not at the fling. Maybe you were talking to a 'replica' of me.????

Roscoe

[rdorman]

The comments about the Fling where to Ron. At least I think it was the real Ron

Rick

[Roscoe]

Rick,
Can you explain "level of risk"??

Roscoe

[rdorman]

the magnitude of a possibility of the loss or injury considered in relation to an arbitrary reference value
Rick

Oops! You asked for me to explain, not define!

[rdorman]

I assume you are asking about my comment concerning level of risk at mid-ohio. If so there are a couple of factors for me. I don't have a roll bar. For me just driving on the street with out a roll bar borders on my personal risk levels. I am thinking hard about getting one. But this also keeps me from even considering any sort of wheel to wheel racing and high speed venues. Racing is a safe sport, just not in my car!

Another factor for me comes from my past involvement in racing. To much paint trading for my waxer to endure! Solo is as far as I am willing to go with my current setup.

Then of course you have to take into account driver qualifications in open track and even amatuer racing events. They vary wildly and like on the street you can not count on the behavior, skills or experience of the other drivers.

Of course, this didn't help "The following had incidents on the track while at speed, McFIA, McFEz, Cranky, McDiasio and not sure if McTerry spun out or if McMahon broke his cherry yet and finally spun out on the track."

Every one have risk threshold, if you will. An open track day at Mid-Ohio, as the track stands, is beyond the risk that I am willing to assume.

Explained?

Rick

[Roscoe]

Rick,
Well, no rollbar will prevent you from any open track event. However, there is no 'wheel to wheel' in open track events. They are strictly regulated and passing is limited. Worrying about paint is another factor. If you care too much about your paintjob then the track is not for you. Buy more wax!

All those McWhatevers who spun off sustained no damage to their cars, just some dirt and grass flying around.

Roscoe

[klayfish]

I think that is a great point that is being missed here. The term "racing" is being used in somewhat of a wrong context here. By open track events, it does not mean NASCAR short track fender rubbing. At open track events, especially in the novice group, passing is VERY limited. If you are a first timer, you will ride with an approved instructor who will guide you through the course. The novice groups are basically lead/follow format. Passing is allowed on long straightaways, and only with a point-by. i.e. the person being passed must signal to the car behind them which side they want to be passed on. That way, the passer knows where to go, and the passee knows they are being passed and where they are being passed. No surprise passes or bumps. As you get more experience, you move up in groups, but even still there, it is not fender rubbing "racing". Passing is regulated and strict rules are set. Sure, an accident can happen, and sometimes does. But that is true with any event.

Any Club Cranky member can tell you how scared I was to put my car on the open track for the first time last year. I was going to back out and was dragged kicking and screaming to Pocono. But once I understood what it was all about, I can't get enough of it now. It really is an experience!!

Steve

[Roscoe]

Steve,

I've noticed that even afer the few times I've been at the open track events it seems to have satisfied my need to 'punch it.' I find myself more disciplined on the street and have all but lost my need to show off a bit. I'm more into 'finding the line' on curves and ramps.

Roscoe