I'm a little sore but OK. Pretty sure the Armco at the track is fine.

Incredibly Mary wasn't phased at all. She saw the whole thing from pit lane and thought it was spectacular. Wish I could say the same.

Lucky no one else became involved or it would have been a mess, as the car did a 360 on the track after impact, then slid about 500 ft before stopping on the other side of the road. I actually never stopped trying to maintain some level of control.

The car will be in hospital for a while. Buckled the rear trunk floor & broke the transmission bellhousing among other things.

Pictures to follow soon.

Someone who was following me got it on video, can't wait to see it.

A slow as dirt, clueless Mini driver squeezed me off the track. We had a 20+mph speed differential & he never saw me AFAIK. From what I heard the guy packed up and went home right afterwards. Probably scared the shit out of him.

I don't think he belonged on the track anyway. His qualifying time was 23 sec slower than mine, on a 1.5 mile track. 10 sec slower than the next car.

In only two laps I qualified 7th overall with a 1:04.6. Barely even warmed up the tires.

Sorry to hear that Chris. Glad that you are OK.

It's a shame about the car. But, you wanted to make some 'modifications" anyway, didn't you?

Glad you're OK. People bitch about SCCA safety requirements for the cars but it saved your ass. Sounds like the guy in the Mini should have been black flaged for being too f***ing slow.
Now you got something to do over the winter.


Paul

Indeed Chris. Glad you're ok.

Chris

Glad to hear you're OK. Shame about the car

I've been on both sides of that one. The one who caused it and the unlucky guy in the wrong place at the right time. It was being a fault that was the hardest. Maybe the other guy had the same thought I did. "If you aren't safe you don't belong out there."

Dave

Chris,
Sorry to hear of your accident.
Maybe you can consider that you're
lucky to be okay.
Lucky the car is repairable.
Lucky to have a wife like Mary.

Ya, what they all said Glad you came outta this one A-OK.
Try to get the video & see if it can be posted here. I'm sure everyone wants to see it.
(living vicariously) bruce

Chris,

Glad you're ok. Bummer about the car...

Darn man........Sounds like a good time to rip the engine out and do a "Little work"

Yes Joseph, I am Lucky! That is my semi-secret nickname - so don't tell anyone.

I tend to believe that everything is connected and happens with a purpose. I am not wallowing in self pity or depression over this. The purpose for this occurrence (my part at least) will become apparent at some point.

Also I don't consider it an accident. It was a crash. Accidents happpen to people who are not responsible for their actions.

I was planning to disassemble and reassemble the entire car this winter anyway, but didn't expect to do any chassis or body work. One part that is ruined which I don't have any spares of is the halfshaft. It's an early 911 axle I think, 6 bolt CV. I don't know a lot about the various combinations available either.

This engine will get rebuilt with no further upgrades, and become the test engine for some oil system mods. I have plans for 2 more powerful engines as well.

Motor racing is a dangerous sport. Crashes are part of it. They are very exciting for the spectators, but really suck for the guy who has to pay for the repairs.
Glad to hear that you are OK. It seems like you have a good attitude about everything. A year from now you will look back on it all and enjoy telling the story.
(ask me how I know)

Yikes. Crashing is no fun at all (says the girl who caught big air when she drove her 356 off a five-foot embankment at 40+ mph). Glad you're ok! Cars can be fixed, much as it sucks to have to do so, but there is no replacement part for you.

Chris, ditto on the glad you are OK. The axle you have is not that early; the ones on my '71 911 are 4 bolt. I don't know when they started with the 6, but it seems like with the 915 trans. That would be '72-on.

Damn, Chris!! Sorry to hear about the car, glad to hear you're ok.


Maybe you can make that illegal rear bulkhead modification now

Glad to hear you are OK!

Jerky Mini drivers!

Glad the car is not a total loss

I work with a guy who went to the runoffs....I have to ask him how bad it looked. Glad you are ok. Now get to work making it better, stronger, faster...wait, that is the 6 millon dollar man....hey, just like racing! ....herb

Seems strange but I was enjoying myself already on the way to the medical facility for a check up. Then when it came time to load the car on the trailer I used equipment that I had prepared for such emergencies, ie. winch and power supply, which made me feel good in a way.

Here are the first pictures.

Next

Next

and

Thanks for the pep talk!

I plan to waste no time getting to work on it The PO of my house embedded chains in the garage floor to tie down a car for frame straightening. They may come in handy now.

Ouch! Looks painful.

So glad to hear you fared well, metal bends back.



Sorry man.


M

Glad you ok. That looks like it was a nice tub. You have your work cut out for you.

Glad you are ok.

This picture is a bit ironic.

Glad you are okay. Accidents are always humbling - but you'll always get over them. Keep at it and good luck with the repairs.

Fiid.

Looking at the rear trunk, There is no reason to add a rear camber truss. It looks like all damage is to the trunk floor.

Anyone want to trade a camber truss for headers????

Chris, First off glad your ok.

Secondly. I have some early 911 halfshafts/cv's, and drive flanges...

Let me know if your interested....

btw I just had an interesting off at LRP went off track right just after the uphill. My car got really "light" rotated a bit, landed.. I did some offroading till I got back on track

Thanks Tim,
I am interested in parts that are compatible with my current system. I'll measure and photograph the axles to verify.

The uphill at LRP is tricky. A somewhat early apex is typical because of the compression caused at the base of the hill, late in the turn. I don't like to have much steering input or sideways momentum near the top of the hill, and it's best to be nearly a car width away from the left edge of the road. That is the location of my first spin at Lime Rock many years ago, and like you I went to driver's right.

Chris, glad to hear you're OK. LRP is more like the Merritt Parkway with a few less exits than a righteous race course with run-off zones. At least they don't let trucks out there (OK, maybe a stray Cayenne)... Don't forget to thank the guy that built your roll cage . Where'd you get squeezed, top of the main straight?

You probably cured that guy in the Mini of any further track fantasies, but I'd be inclined to fault the steward(s) who let him out there in the first place. The guy was out of his league, and that's what the "adult supervision" is supposed to look out for.

That rear fender picture could be your new PCA 'Challenge' ad.

More crash damage pics:

and

also

lol

it was just after the rumble strip ends from the diving turn.

Good suggestion!

OUCH......glad you made it out okay....

If you need a side shifter housing, I have one that is yours just for the price of shipping.

Here's a pic of the axles. The CVs are 100mm dia x 30mm thick. So far the only obvious damage is the broken CV at driver's inside.