Hey Slinger, you ok? Sh-- happens in life, and especially when you're having fun. Don't be hard on yourself by second guessing what you could or should have done. You're doing this to have fun, so keep it fun and safe. You know how I feel about safety, especially at the speeds you and others (yes you, S-Driver!) are doing. Let me know how I can help.

schao

 

Thanks for the wise words, schao.

I am fine. A little sore from the impact. May have sprained my foot from the bracing. During the course of this summer, I have been already talking to HMS about a roll bar and some good belts. When the car comes back next year, I am putting that in.

 

Good belts?? Were you running stock seatbelts? Harnesses are worth their weight in gold if you need them.

I’m glad both of you are okay, it’s all part of playing on the track. Hope to see ya’ll soon one day.

Mark

BTW... orangecrush03@gmail.com

 

This was a bad weekend for Minis at LRP …what you didn’t hear, but Mark already knows (hence the “both of you”), is that the day before I put my Mini into the guard rail on No-name straight. I have spent a lot of time the last two days and sleepless nights trying to figure out what happened.

I was going straight (well, a very slight bend to the left), doing fine. WOT, 3rd gear. Next thing I know, I am sideways heading for the Armco. Faster than I could say Oh-Sh*@T, I hit. Air bags in the front went off, spun once and stop facing the right way down the track…

No idea what happened. Nor could my instructor say. He thought things were going really well. No indication that I put wheels off the track but at first that seemed to be the most logical explanation. But as I said, there was no indication of going off and there was no indication of hitting anything at that time that would have caused a big dent in my right front rim (noticed later).

After a lot of thinking about it, I believe that when I hit the edge of a concrete rumble strip at the right bend elbow earlier in the straight (it is not a “straight” straight) I damage the right front tire and rim (big dent in the rim). Then the tire lost air, went flat and the rim dug in on the slight left bend a few yards down the track…sending me into the left side guard rail.

The car did what it was designed to do, stock seat belts too, and saved my skin as well as that of my instructor. WOT in 3rd is about 80 plus…you get the idea of how hard I hit. My biggest pain is a big bruise on my putt. Car, not so good. TMS for the track tires from now on.

No pictures at this time…Slinger, if you took one of my car, you could send it to Mark also? Mark, you have my email if you want to comment back.

 

Wtf........

Something was in the air boys, this is just weird.

 

It gets "better"...or continues...
The next day I am in my Wife's Mini and I almost get T-boned by a woman in a minivan running a red light, long after it turned. I saw her coming and "just knew" she wasn't stopping so I stopped for her...didn't even look at me when I blew the horn.
I can't make this up.

 

<making notes>

DO NOT RIDE WITH Eddie....

 

I've always maintained that the most dangerous part about track days was getting to and from the track on the public roads. After this weekend, I may need to raise the 'threat level' of the track.

 

Sending the pics in a little while.

 

I think I need to improve my Karma
happy thoughts
happy thoughts
car is back in the garage thoughts

 

Eddie.....did you capture your wild misfortune on tape?

Also, Suan - save the pics - like to see them next time we meet up.

 

Yes and the camera and mount survived but I have not had the nerve to look at it yet. The camera in my head needs to fade first

 

Slinger...saw your car today...doesn't look any worse than the problem the MPG car had at WGI a couple of years ago. Hope you can fix it.

Mine is a total loss...Insurance has not said "no" yet so I am still hopeful for a settlement. I looked closely at it and the engine has been pushed in the firewall and is probably broken.

I appreciate all of the encouraging words from everyone. But I have taken a close look a my tracking experience, as short as it is, and what I have accomplished and I will have to say that I have achieved my goal. 10 years ago I would have never thought that I would be doing almost 130 on a race track and now I have done that...

I also must look at what the Fates are telling me...Each successive problem that I have had has been progressively worse than the one before it. This last one was pretty bad. Actually, really bad. On this one, the Fates saved me for another day. But the Fates are also telling me something. So for now it is time to find a new Mini and that will only be an everyday driver. I will keep in touch and will probably watch a few events with this great group of people.

In the mean time...be happy, be safe

 

Wow, for some reason I got the impression that your incident was not as bad as Slinger's...

Guess I was wrong. How are you getting your insurance to possibly cover this? PM me if you'd prefer...

 

Is that even possible?




Mark

 

Oh, Mine is a LOT worse. Slinger pulled the front grills off (his FMIC is still good) and dented the sides and back. Very repairable - I think. I pushed the engine into the firewall and broke it. The front is not aligned with the back, the gas peddle is no longer attached to the floor and my watch flew off. Overall the car is about a foot or 2 shorter than it was . It is worse than OC's rearrangement of his front end.


Sometimes it doesn't hurt to ask, speak nicely and have the dealer yell at them when they get the facts mixed up (Keeler has been really supportive). Really I don't know yet if they are going to cover it. I am working on it and they have not yet said no...

 

OC's rearrangement? Man, I've missed something here..

John - sorry about your MINI and glad you and Suan were'nt hurt. VV and I will now have to carry the flag??

 

I thought insurance covers track accidents unless they are timed events. FWIW, I'm on the waiting list for SCDA's next event at Lime Rock a week next Monday. We'll see what Hurricane Irene has in store for us...

 

It used to be that insurance companies covered track events that were labelled as a driving school (thus DE events)

As the economy gets tighter, many insurance companies are ditching that provision. Hope he gets it covered.


No, just this...

Surely you saw that... it’s been a few months.


Mark

 

Depends on the insurance co., but like I've been preaching, Liberty Mutual guarantees coverage of track days for bmwcca members. Dan's WGI accident few years ago was covered by his insurance, don't know what co., it was comparable damage to Suan's, maybe slightly less.

I'm eyeing SCDA's September LRP date. And then MoHud's Oct.22.

 

Never saw that thread, but man - nice work!

 

Thanks bud, was looking at the dates... this weekend makes about a year ago that happened.

Mark

 

Working on a new Mini...S with JCW suspension ; Highclass Gray with black top and mirrors...Sorry OC...no orange for me

 

Send me your headlight and tailight trim rings and I’ll paint them for you to match your car....


Mark

PS. For free....

 

Heading back to Lime Rock Monday with Ian running Int. 2, as the event was officially sold out. Irene should be history be then.