LI - interesting video. The Miata driver definitely was out of line when he hit you. You should have protested him, and then shown the video. He nails you and then passes you. They always ask in any contact (in control), is there a change in position.

Was there contact in the downhill? Doesn't look like it in the video - again, he should have backed off, SRF looked to have the turn.

To those of you sending letters to the Club Racing Board, remember to use the form on the dedicated web page for this: www.crbscca.com.

I've done a few enduros with a mix of SRF, Miata, and other door slammers, and from my point of view there usually is mutual respect. I guess in a sprint format that goes right out the window, leading to this enormously disappointing thread. SRF's are immensely safe cars on their own, but mixing them with taller cars just so the other cars can get an extra run group is the height of bad judgement.

Of all the other classes of cars that I recall sharing the track with where all seemed to get along was when we used to be combined with FV. Lap times are within a couple of seconds of each other and the sight lines are equal. I don't know how the open wheel drivers felt about being with our heavier and closed wheel drivers but I really can't think of an incident between the two groups. We typically used split starts so there was little overlap, again due to the similar lap times. The interesting thing was that once FVs and SRFs got around each other they could sort out the lap as those skinny-tired little buggers could out corner us and we could out run them on the straights.

Today F500 is usually grouped with FV and I'm not sure what theeeeey'd do with them. When I've been around them during morning warm-ups they corner better and are faster enough than us that they seem to get through and out of the way quickly. Any opinions out there?

As a previous FV driver I can say with certainty that pairing SRF and FV is a bad idea as the cars are completely mismatched under racing conditions. Also unless you have experienced it you can't image how big a SRF looks when you are in FV. Plus there is a visibility issue in the SRF as FV's in most instances are barely taller than the side pod of a SRF and the racing is every bit as intense. This fosters racing accidents as the perception by many SRF drivers is that we are faster than than FV. Unfortunately that isn't always so as there are plenty of fast FV drivers that can post lap times damn close if not faster than the fastest SRF drivers.

Yesterday I wrote a letter to the CRB asking them to review and set clear mandates relating to class groupings and starting procedures when dissimilar cars are grouped together before someone gets hurt. I would hope all of you voice your own opinions to the CRB on this subject.

Jim Regan
SRF #862

I like running with SM the best.

They are a bit slower, so we can get around them quickly without goofing them or us up.
They have excellent situational awairness because they race close like us.
I can see them and they can usually see me. (I try to make myself visable)
They are 600 or so pounds heaver but that is closer than a lot of other cars.
And my favorite reason is that they aren't always blowing up and spewing all sorts of stuff on the track

In the video, it looks like not being able to see was the most direct cause of the crash.
In a SM grouping I can pass them almost anywhere on the track and don't have to have my sight blocked for very long if at all.

My collection of thoughts on the subject, in no particular order, are as follows:

1) You can always check the event information long before you register. If you don't like the car groupings, don't sign up. I have opted out of a couple of races recently in which SRF was grouped with a variety of door slammers. I simply had no interest.
2) The problem of running with heavy cars is likely to only get worse in the medium term. SCCA seems to be doing everything they can encourage more production-based cars and classes. At the same time, the cost and uncertainty of the powertrain change over for SRF appears to be dampening interest in our class (my perspective is based on prior posts on this forum). No doubt, there will be "stranded" 1.9L cars and reduced fields for the next several years. It will take some time before our new and improved powertrain helps to rebuild the fields. So while all this is going on, SCCA will have little choice but to group SRF where they can (which will be even trickier with "new" SRFs and "classic" SRFs at different horsepower and speed levels).
3) The Kink at Road America is needlessly dangerous. It is a nightware for club racers who are concerned about safety. As a CENDIV driver, Peter J's accident has taken a psychological toll on me. I have signed up for and cancelled two entries at RA, including the Runoffs. I just can't equate the risk and reward of running with all those concrete walls. Perhaps I'll man up next year.
4) Perhaps I'll run a door slammer next year. The Tom Brown incident forces that type of consideration. At 6'4", my head and neck are definitely in harms way. When the "tall man" roll hoop extension was made mandatory, Enterprises or SCCA should have forced the addition of diagonal bars from the top of the new roll hoop to the existing diagonal bars. It would have been an easy and valuable upgrade as long as new tubing was being added. It is still something that should be considered and could incorporate or support a proper head containment system (as opposed to the somewhat flimsy Butler head wings or roll bar padding that is too low).
5) If you run a Butler seat and are the least bit tall, the shoulder belt mounting in an SRF is dangerously wrong. In my car for example, the belts mount to the firewall about 6 inches below the opening in my seat back. In a heavy frontal crash, I fear that the seat back would simply fold over. I am taking to steps to bolt the seat back securely to the car in order to provide the seat and shoulder belts more support. The real fix, however, is to weld a horizontal cross bar at the correct height behind the seat to mount the shoulder belts. I have looked into the "ladder" device approved by SCCA, but it does not come close raising the belts enough. As a result, I believe this device has had a very low take rate amoung drivers. If I am to remain in the class, SCCA will need to approve a better solution.
6) I have heard compliants about the safety of the fiberglass seat from those who have crash tested it. Perhaps a replacement is in order. Also, we should have a full containment seat option. While I like my Butler seat, it is just a basic aluminum circle track seat and technology has come a long way in the last few years. This is another fight to take up with Enterprises and SCCA.
7) It occurs to me that I should start a new thread focused on the safety of our cars as opposed to the safety of running with door slammers. See you there.

Regarding point 4) in my prior post, it is clear that new diagonal tubes were part of the tall man kit. However, they seen to only provide structural support to the extended roll hoop as opposed to providing any meaningful head/cockpit intrusion protection for the driver. That remains an unmet need.

I was part of the downhill incident. I was completely alongside if not a bit ahead of the miata at turn in. I got a bit loose and we had minor contact but it was enough to send him off. The driver in question was running for the championship in Continental Challenge the next weekend at LRP. I talked to him and he was ok with what happened after he calmed down. He realized I had the corner. That being said, when we get lapped by GS cars in a Continental race we normally don't fight like that for a corner. His response was he was in first and was trying to not lose ground on the miata behind him when I passed him. He said I should have waited til the straightaway but I had a full head of steam out of west bend and he even drove me into the grass going down the hill. Why he did not back off I don't know. I had no issues with any miatas that weekend as I am always patient when working traffic like that. But sometimes that's how it goes, I caused both cautions during that race and for that I apologize to the shortening of the race. The first one I am thankful that Tom was ok. I spun in left hander after being driven into the grass by someone that I expect didn't see me. I always pride myself on clean racing but that was one race I'd like to forget.

For video #1 (SRF car ramp video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBvnuiKlzCg

Take foot off brake & TURN!

Like this guy... http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 5Pxh8p4ew#!