[DeTomaso] NPC: End of my racing season

[Sean Korb]

Ooo... actually I wasn't driving.  It was Vern Mclendon, and I am/was
chief mechanic.  Coincidentaly, it happened right in front of me.  We
were in the hot pits, and we were fighting for second (which was
really strange since we were behind mid pack all season until now).
Another car had flipped previously and tempers flared, but the race
continued.  As Vern got through turn 3 he tried to keep it together on
the outside line.

We're pretty sure what happened next was the strut bolts on the old
Geo Storm pulled away from the knuckle.  The rear right wheel tucked
under and the car launched into the air, flipping halfway when the car
next to him caught the trunk and flipped him another 360 degrees.  It
all looked like it was in slow motion.

Vern said he was still driving when he noticed the car wasn't handling
well (just got airborn) and then he just watched.  Not really waiting,
just tucking in.  His first words were "Am I on fire?".  Our crew
chief and Vern worked as one from there.  "No, you're not on fire.
Pull your window net down so everyone knows your all right"

Unbuckling the belt and falling onto the roof sounds like it was
pretty painful.  Vern emerged from the car to raucous cheers.

After looking at the car, it looks like dirt tracks can really mess
things up.  Even if we hadn't flipped, all the rubber was wallowed
out.  Total loss, but I'm a big fan of that roll cage!

sean

On Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 10:30 PM, michael at michaelshortt.com
<michaelsavga at gmail.com> wrote:
> Too Cool,
>
> Glad that you are OK, you can always fix the cars.
>
> and best of all you have video and a story for life.
>
> That's Racing!
>
> What was the cause of the start of the incident?
>
> and do you remember it,
>
> was it like mine always are, like in slow motion is skipped frames, sorta
> like image, skip a beat, image, skipm a beat, image
>
> Except for the expense and the rush of wiggling all your fingers and toes to
> see if you're  knowing you;'re OK...
>
> Man, I miss it.
>
>
> I almost forgot, the dead silence while you are airborne, no road feel, no
> nothing, almost surreal
>
>
> Michael
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 10:21 PM, Sean Korb <spkorb at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Our circle track racing season for #76 came to an abrupt end a couple
>> of weeks ago.
>> Go to the 3:00 mark.
>> Look at the left hand side of the screen and don't blink.
>> It comes quick, like a thief in the night.
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWmUouMRNHY
>>
>> Everyone came out unscratched, though a little sore.  It's a little 2L
>> 4 banger class, so its a reminder:  keep the shiny side up (unless
>> you're driving Pur Gold and then keep the *shiniest* side up).
>>
>> --
>> Sean Korb spkorb at spkorb.org http://www.spkorb.org
>> '65,'68 Mustangs,'68 Cougar,'78 R100/7,'60 Metro,'59 A35,'71 Pantera #1382
>> "The more you drive, the less intelligent you get" --Miller
>> "Computers are useless.  They can only give you answers." -P. Picasso
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>
> --
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Michael L. Shortt
> Savannah, Georgia
> www.michaelshortt.com
> michael at michaelshortt.com
> 912-232-9390
>
>
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-- 
Sean Korb spkorb at spkorb.org http://www.spkorb.org
'65,'68 Mustangs,'68 Cougar,'78 R100/7,'60 Metro,'59 A35,'71 Pantera #1382
"The more you drive, the less intelligent you get" --Miller
"Computers are useless.  They can only give you answers." -P. Picasso