NSXDreamer2 said:
John, I've only driven PIR once and been there only speculating twice. I heard the track will get as slippery as a ski arena as soon as rain drops, and with the many concrete walls at the front and back straights, can it really be the safest??
Absolutely. IMO there is a lot more run off room. With the festival curves in place, starting from Turn 1, pretty much through 1A forward through the entire back section up until around 5 there is very healthy run-off room from the edge of the track to the tire wall given the average speeds through those sections.
In the few incidents I've personally seen there over the years at events I've attended, depending on speed and circumstance... most never even leave the asphault particularly in B and C groups- if they turn the car around at average HPDE lapping day speeds.
Most common is a turn around in the festivals as Heather and Mike did their first times out, or at the exit to turn 8, and worst case I've seen a novice or two entirely miss the braking zone at the end of the back straight, shoot through 7, stop or run the grass, re-enter the track, leave again then arrive on the other side just shy of the tire wall.
The worst two incidents as I recall seeing from last year was a totalled Mustang fish tailed by a novice in C1 in the wet and hit the wall edge backwards, and a crushed Nissan Z front fender on the tirewall out of turn 9 getting onto the straight.
Of course, that is limited perspective, I'd have to inquire with Pat, John, Colby, or Eddie whom are attending the open lapping events near every week now for a current list of incidents from 06'. I'm sure their are others.
However, in general aside from watching the Porsche bumps and aggressive passing on the back straight, and maybe not getting all too gun-ho on the front section into 9... I've always felt good there; perhaps aside from maybe not having the latest greatest crash barriers PIR is about as safe as a modern track gets. Excellent run-off, good visibility, minimal 5' elevation change, good grading, well maintained, quick access to area medical/trauma, etc...
Mind you this is entirely contrary to Pacific Raceways... which while a little more fun at times... offers inconsequential run-off room, trees, elevation changes, bad location for area medical, far worse grading, challenging visibility, debris from the surrounding environment, shading and moisture from trees making some areas harder to dry out... they have literally lost millions of dollars in cars there over the years and their are few places whereas if you just totally lost it carrying healthy speed that you wouldn't total out an NSX. The current schema was a quick fix, and is slated for future investment/over haul in the coming years per their NASCAR ambitions.
Since most of us are not driving little club racers, and it doesn't really take a whole lot to total an expensive NSX out to begin with.. personally I like to edge on the side of caution while I am there, or just take the S2K if I can instead. I have respect for that track.
But more pressing than losing a car out of pocket, I've pulled off for emergency mechanicals on the back section at Pacific and I honestly don't think anyone would have noticed if I was having a heart attack out there. The corner worker stations simply don't have the best visibility over the entire race surface at Pacific, and I think over the long haul it has showed in the passing behaviors, and incidents in some areas.
All that aside, any plans to come out to PIR in late Oct per the updated schedule? It would be cool if maybe we could get a few together for one last day out for the end of the season..
