Integra FLYS through turn 5 at Road Atlanta

[DONYMO]

I'm driving and THE NSXNUT is riding copilot...we are in the last 10 minutes of this weekend's NASA event at Road Atlanta. This is the Instructor run group and this guy in an Integra wants to leave me in the dust (ha!) in turn 5, which is one of the most dangerous turns at Road Atlanta. Have a look...

Click here for Video

 

[NetViper]

Wow! Lucky guy!

 

[the nsxnut]

Yep, I'm in the right seat with my buddy Don (he needs a lot of coaching, you know ), and, in thousands of laps around Road Atlanta, I've never seen anything so crazy... I HAVE seen several cars HIT that particular wall, but never seen anybody get so severely out of shape and escape unscathed! It is really a treacherous place on the circuit, and we thought we were going to witness a catastrophe... the Integra gets COMPLETELY AIRBORNE, before spinning wildly in front of us, right across the racing line... Don does a clean, cool job of creating space for the guy... who, amazingly, got underway again with no apparent damage, other than one ruined pair of underwear...

 

[RP-Motorsports]

Same thing happened to me last two years ago in turn 1 @ Gingerman with a white ITR that lost it, and went sideways right in front of me. (he went damage free) On video, it is cool, because I was hunting him down for a few laps, then he goes off, and then immediately after that a Z06 pulls out in front of me, and I said "next" and went on hunting him down too! (which I did)

I was in my turbo integra, not the NSX.

By far, the best video ever to date, was back in 1999, I was doing about 120 down the straight @ Road America. I looked in the rear-view @ the start/finish, and noone behind me. I glanced @ pit-out, to see if I needed to watch for a merge. I then glanced at the brake markers which were approaching fast. (I had both windows all of the way down) Just as I was lifting off the gas for full brake, the Gulf Mclaren F1 went by my passenger window (full throttle) at about a buck 75!!!!!! I needed a new pair of undies after that. He caught me totally off guard, and he was fast as hell, and LOUD!

 

[the nsxnut]

Dude, feel free to comment on the topic of this thread, about an incident at Road Atlanta. Obviously, you've never driven there, since you lack any appreciation for the seriousness of this incident.
There was a lot more happening than just a car spinning in front of us... The driver narrowly escaped from getting a helicopter ride to a trauma center!

Getting passed by a McLaren F1 may be rare, but it's not life-threatening.

 

[VBNSX]

That is like WAY lucky!!

Did you get a chance to talk to the guy afterwards?

x

 

[RP-Motorsports]

chill "dude".

I started my reply with a story of an integra spinning right in front of me on camera. The F1 story was just an add-on. I know all about the dangers at the track. We see a minimum of 2 cars EVERY weekend at Road America that get totaled.

It would be a different story if he ACTUALLY did get a chopper ride, but he didn't. I see "close calls" all of the time. No big deal.

If his apex was any earlier, he would have turned right, and still missed the wall!

Learn to laugh at close calls, because if we cried at accidents, AND close calls, this would be a very depressing world.

 

[DONYMO]

ok, boys, let's not get nasty.

VBNSX : Yes, I did. He was kinda laughing it off, but it was that shaky "boy, I can't believe I did that and survived" kinda laugh. He asked me if I had it on video and gave me his business card so I could send him a copy. I *think* he's an instructor, and if that's the case, I'm shocked at how badly he executed that turn.

 

[nsxtasy]

Early entry/apex ==> Run out of track at track-out

 

[nsxtasy]

Just as I was lifting off the gas for full brake, the Gulf Mclaren F1 went by my passenger window (full throttle) at about a buck 75!!!!!!

Without a passing signal? Or was this a competition event?

 

[kenjiMR]

The driver seemed to be in over his head. Do you guys have different run-groups? I never driven on RA, so I don't know the line... but it looks pretty clear that he wasn't really on them either. Novices tend to lose concentration when there are faster cars in their rear view mirror. That guy was pretty lucky.

 

[Jeff A]

I was also at this event, and caught a different spin on video. Not quite as spactacular. I'll see if I can get it posted tonight.

Jeff

 

[DONYMO]

The driver seemed to be in over his head. Do you guys have different run-groups? I never driven on RA, so I don't know the line... but it looks pretty clear that he wasn't really on them either. Novices tend to lose concentration when there are faster cars in their rear view mirror. That guy was pretty lucky.

He was an INSTRUCTOR...or at least driving in the instructor group as an advanced-solo driver. Yes, NASA does have run groups...HPDE1 (beginner), HPDE2 (intermediate), HPDE3 (advanced solo), HPDE4 (instructor).

 

[Chris F]

He was an INSTRUCTOR...or at least driving in the instructor group as an advanced-solo driver. Yes, NASA does have run groups...HPDE1 (beginner), HPDE2 (intermediate), HPDE3 (advanced solo), HPDE4 (instructor).

He was HPDE3, not an instructor. Groups 3 and 4 must have been combined in the last group. NASA does that. I was able to confirm that's a Black Integra LS driven by Brian (maengelito on Honda-Tech). Only damage that I know of was his RF tire is missing a chunk.



-Chris

 

[the nsxnut]

Even though the spin across the line in front of us is quite spectacular, the truly scary part is really where he goes airborne off the right side of the track and comes within a hair's-breadth of striking the wall before hooking back across the racing line... he is leaving the track, airborne, at probably 70+mph.

 

[Chris F]

Even though the spin across the line in front of us is quite spectacular, the truly scary part is really where he goes airborne off the right side of the track and comes within a hair's-breadth of striking the wall before hooking back across the racing line... he is leaving the track, airborne, at probably 70+mph.

Definitely.

Having not been there before, it took me a few times of watching that to realize that he was practically hugging that outside wall (which was pinching in all the while) until he hooked back across.

At least he stopped off line, probably out of luck at that point

-Chris

 

[VBNSX]

I find it interesting to see how both:

1. He takes it so tight his suspension gets upset which causes the car to bounce..

2. Takes it early enough to pinch himself through the turn...

does this sound about right for the errors? I'm big on analyzing stuff... when I slid out on the South course on VIR I swear I didn't stop thinking about it CONSTANTLY for like.. a week.. (I still think about it occassionaly).

x

 

[DONYMO]

He failed to slow down enough for the turn.
His entry into the beginning of turn was too far left.
He accelerated into the turn after entering it from the wrong angle.
He ran over the inside curb.

 

[the nsxnut]

For Road Atlanta veterans, it is a big NO-NO to touch the curb at the apex of 5 (driver's left), and strictly VERBOTEN to early apex there... the consequences can be catastrophic!

Chris F, your observations are correct, the wall that is beyond the track out (driver's right) gradually pinches, closing right up to the edge of the track, eliminating run-off room. And, it's not really evident in the vid, but there is also ZERO room to go off driver's left, either. It is a miracle that he stopped on track; had he continued across to the left, he would've been clobbered by concrete also...

 

[NSXT]

Add one more error:

He was driving his mirrors.

Indeed, very fortunate not to have collected the wall.

 

[nsxtasy]

He failed to slow down enough for the turn.
His entry into the beginning of turn was too far left.
He accelerated into the turn after entering it from the wrong angle.
He ran over the inside curb.

Yes. In a nutshell, he entered wrong, and compounded his mistake by failing to correct.

A contributing factor is that this particular turn is a transition from a somewhat steep uphill entrance to a more gradual, almost level trackout. That means that the car "gets light" going through the turn, so there is less weight (force) on the wheels/tires. And, therefore, less traction, and less ability to make the car do what you want (turn, brake, etc).

For those in the Midwest who have never been to Road Atlanta - it's the same way at Turns 6 and 13 (both turns go under a bridge) at Road America.

 

[docjohn]

Better to be lucky ....As the saying goes.I agree he was driving his mirrors,plus all the other early apex stuff.I must say that the painted burm at track out is quite slick :wink: I almost tank slapped it there my first time at expo 00

 

[RP-Motorsports]

Without a passing signal? Or was this a competition event?

Not a competition event, and you are correct, no point. He came so damn fast. One second he was NOT there, the next, he was in front!

I am sorry for getting snippy, I would have added in a completely different way if there was an accident, and/or injury. Since he got lucky, we can all take a deep breath, study, learn, and teach.

Here is the car. I had to have my pic taken after that. What an awesome machine.

 

[nsxtasy]

Not a competition event, and you are correct, no point. He came so damn fast. One second he was NOT there, the next, he was in front!

That is absolutely inexcusable. The whole point of passing signals is that both cars know that they will be side by side, and know to keep out of each others' way. Without them, an accident is almost inevitable.

What a jerk! He should have been black flagged, and if he did it again, ejected from the event.

 

[Chris F]

A little color commentary from the Integra driver....


"4 wheels on the pavement does not suck. not having a supply of depends undergarments with my bin of track stuff also sucks. i felt pretty crappy there at T5 so i changed my approach to it which seemed to work until that last session. i was trying to push my braking zone back further and further, but i didnt want to do it on the gaters to the right, so i did it beforehand. that would let me be on the gas super early to get my weak ass LS up that hill while using the gaters on the left side to get some weight on that inside wheel. looks like i went on top of the gater instead of using the slope of it which upset the car big time. you can see me bouncing after i come off that. i was flooring it to try and push my car through the turn, but plowed like a linebacker into RJ's mom. as soon as i was in the gravel, i went two feet in and for some unknown reason didnt end up hitting anything. i cant tell if anything is bent or broken, but i dont hear any strange noises, the car doesnt pull to one direction, it feels fine when accelerating, coasting and braking and it survived an 8 hour car trip from RA to central va. thanks to don for getting the vid clip!"