Looks like I am out now :( :( :( My vacation starts the next day and I am going to have to get some things ready on Friday. I am turbo bummed you guys & gals have a great time and take some pictures!

 

I agree - I find it hard to believe that the cabrio would have passed the required roll-over tests if the roll bars and A-pillars weren't up to snuff, but it's their track and their rules. Oh well, I guess I'll stick to Auto-X, unles someone knows of tracks that allow the cabrios to run on them.

 

Last year at the Classic event I thought I saw some ragtops. Maybe the rules are different when it is a private party

 

I will have to double-check, but I was pretty sure that BeaveRun let 'verts run at their "Flat-Out" Days.

 

When I first got my MC and started doing HPDEs with Phil Wicks in '05, the cabrios were allowed to run at Putnam Park AND at Mid-Ohio. Now, NO convertibles, or even t-tops or any open sunroofed cars can run. Especially insistent on this is BMWCCA and now many tracks are following suit, too.

 

(Sigh)...

 

Chuck, I'm still in...looking forward to a fun day . What time are you leaving Hooterville on Friday?:impatient

 

Well I'm sure she doesn't. I know I personally would not want to run at speed on track in a ragtop of any kind with no roll bar. Yes there is a roll bar at the rear of the MINI convertible & the A pillars are reinforced. Still not what I'd want to risk life & limb with.

If you feel strongly about the safety of the MINI ragtop call Nelson & talk with Kerrie or her husband & plead your case.

I tried, but seemed to be hitting a brick way as far as that is concerned. They are nice folks & have valid concerns about ragtops on track.

It is their track & they make the rules. Can you imagine what would happen if someone was injured in a ragtop?

 

Sorry you can't make it. Maybe next time.

 

During my last DE somebody in an 06 M3 lost it spun out and ended up on there side up against the armco they walked away might not have in a vert.

 

Classic paid big $$$$$ to rent the track for their customers use. They made the rules not the track. Classic also provided the insurance coverage for the event, more big $$$$$. I saw some very stupid stuff done at that particular track day, but it was Classic's call. They paid all of the freight. They were fortunate not to have had any insurance claims.

We are paying $120 for a full days track time. Quite a deal & we have to live by their rules. Which IMO are sound ones.

If you folks with ragtops have ever seen what happens to a car in a high speed roll you might feel different.

If it was up to me I'd say OK you are adults & know the risks. Your butt not mine. Sorry it's not my call.

 

Haven't even thought about it yet. Guess I will now. Let me do a bit of thinking & I'll PM you with a time.

 

Thanks for posting this good example.

Remember folks, we are going to be on a track. Things can & sometimes do happen, drive accordingly. Be safe!!!

 

I couldn't believe they'd let ragtops run without a bar. So I double checked for you.

Roll Bars / Cages

Mandatory for all convertibles

Functional factory and pop up roll bars are acceptable.

Does this mean a MINI vert can run? Best call & find out. My money is on no they can't.

 

IIRC, there have been verts running while I was running at BR. Of course, it may be like the Phil Wicks thing where they have since changed their minds. Dunno.

I'll be meeting with a rep. this coming Tues. about an upcoming event (keep your calendars open for the weekend of Oct 27!), so I'll be sure to ask.

 

Keep us posted. Is the upcoming event @ BR or Nelson?

 

Chuck, I love you man, but who's saying that we haven't seen it? Between racing motorcycles (I was licensed for two years and did several track events during my mis-spent youth in IL and WI) and developing photos for the OH State Highway Patrol for several more years, I've seen more high-speed hamburger than you can probably (or want to) imagine. Just because we drive cabrios and/or haven't had our MINIs out on a track (yet) doesn't mean that we are necessarily unaware of the hazards that exist. Would I feel safer with a true roll-cage directly over my (helmeted) head? Of course. Do I realize that "bad things might happen"? Absolutely.

Of course, all this is neither here nor there, as I don't feel strongly enough about this to try and "plead my case" to the track owners. I completely and totally agree with you that it's their track and their rules and I'm certainly not saying that I disagree with them making this sort of decision. Of course, they could easily have a special convertable indemnity waiver stating clearly that any harm that befalls a driver in a cabrio is the responsibility of the driver - hell, I've signed Little League vollyball waivers for my kids that sound like they're better at sheilding the facility owners than you're describing for this race track.

Oh well. I bought a cabrio for other reasons than to race. If I was obsessed with safety above all things, I would have bought another Suburban or maybe a nice, tank-like Volvo. I drive a frickin' MINI in a world of SUVs fer chrissake... risk is a relative term for people like us and smart people recognize that fact every time they put the key in the ignition...

 

I too saw some stupid stuff there and then was glad my mini was parked in the grass. I was very surprised nothing terrible happened.

 

Love ya too Matt. Like I said above ^ it ain't my call.

Wow, I never knew you worked with the OSHP. Sorry I've offended you buy assuming you haven't seen what you have. That wasn't my intention. Who knew?

You & I both know waivers are worthless once a good lawyer gets his teeth in one.

 

Thats very interesting that you guys saw some stupid stuff, I must have gotten pretty lucky with my run groups- I was actually surprised that everyone seemed to be behaving themselves when I was out there. What kind of stuff did you see??? (no need to name names or point fingers, just wondering what was going on)

Jason

 

Jason, some of the stupid stuff I saw was cause by the organizers of the event.

First was the fact it was called a race. It went downhill from there.

You had people with lots of track experience running with people with zero experience. You had people running with bicycle helmets & one fellow in a batting helmet. There was zero tech. None! People were blocking, people were passing in no passing zones. People forgot to use their mirrors.

The only instruction came from a very helpful Reed Kryder who happened to be there & stepped up to help. Some folks never even bothered to go hear what his years of experience racing at Nelson could teach them.

I'm very glad Classic did this for their customers, but they need to reach out for some help so it can be done in a safe manner. Doing it safely would be just as much fun for everyone. I know the folks at Nelson were flabbergasted by what they saw.

 

Actually, I worked at Cord Camera out on the east side, and the Highway Patrol brought us about a dozen rolls of film a week for printing. We had to curtain off the photo lab during these periods because the processor was visible through the viewing window, and the stuff that was rolling through the cutter/sorter was definitely NOT the kind of thing that you wanted people to see. We had to send the staff to lunch and have them printed by the lab manager.

They might do all their own processing by now, but after doing that for a while I definitely changed my opinion about Patrol cops - those guys aren't screwing around with drunk or reckless drivers, and given what they have to deal with I'm glad they aren't.

As fr the Classic event... I was sort of jealous when you were talking aout it to me, Chuck, then I heard what went on in here. Wow. I'm amazed that they let people onto the track, private event or not, without a certain degree of training and a certain class of approved safety gear. The first time I rode a motorcycle on a track I had to sit through 6 hours of training and then pass a test before they'd even let me put my leathers on.

 

This will be at BR. We'll post more details in a few weeks.

 

OK here are the folks that are going so far.....

kimoz

jasonsmf

welshmenwillnotyield

CHKMINI

Crashton

Anyone else coming? Spectators are welcome & passengers are allowed if they are over 18.

Should be a fun time.

 

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I wrote about payment yesterday. They replied, cash or personal check only. Also, they require you to wear a long-sleeved shirt, long pants and closed-toe shoes [no sandals], in addition to your helmet.

I'll be getting there around 9 or so. Are we all parking together?