Share your embarrassing moments at the track
05-28-2011, 06:21 PM
#61
Race Director
Member Since: Sep 1999
Location: Loaded like a freight train, flyin' like an aeroplane!
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CI 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11 Vet
CI X-XI Blind Cart Auto-X Champ
CI VI Autocross Champ
CI VIII Autocross Champ
CI VIII Cone-killin' champ
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
I did something very similar in December at Drivinhard's house. We were having a few cold beverages and trying to help Val (Locovette) diagnose a no-start issue on his newly-caged C5Z.
Wanted to hook up a fuel pressure gauge so I used my empty beer bottle to catch the excess fuel. Well a few minutes later I decided to take a swig of "beer". Sam Adams 93 octane winter brew doesn't taste so good
Wanted to hook up a fuel pressure gauge so I used my empty beer bottle to catch the excess fuel. Well a few minutes later I decided to take a swig of "beer". Sam Adams 93 octane winter brew doesn't taste so good
05-28-2011, 06:24 PM
#62
Race Director
Member Since: Sep 1999
Location: Loaded like a freight train, flyin' like an aeroplane!
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CI 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11 Vet
CI X-XI Blind Cart Auto-X Champ
CI VI Autocross Champ
CI VIII Autocross Champ
CI VIII Cone-killin' champ
St. Jude '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
Another drivinhard story. He gets me signed up for provisional tt last weekend. First session out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdc8EZ4JM-w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qdc8EZ4JM-w
05-28-2011, 09:54 PM
#63
Melting Slicks
so wet that I ran on my street tires, 
05-29-2011, 04:53 AM
#65
uh, I was 'camping' at an HPDE event at Barber and I was the only one, and apparently no one told the grounds keeper, and the sprinklers came on and wet me through the vents in my tent at about 4:00am in the morning. 30 minutes later, after I'd already run out of my tent in my underwear and thrown spare race tires over the offending sprinklers, the opposing set of sprinklers came on to wet me down worse, and I ran out of my tent wet and in my underwear one more time to move coolers in front of the last set of sprinklers.
I asked the organization that I was running with (PBOC) to tear up the $50 camping fee check that I'd paid earlier.
I asked the organization that I was running with (PBOC) to tear up the $50 camping fee check that I'd paid earlier.
05-30-2011, 08:53 AM
#66
Race Director
When I was crewing in the 80's, I don't think we ever went to a race that we didn't create some kind of embarrassing moment, for ourselves.
Around 83, we were running the Corvette at Pocono in the Double Nationals. As is typical of Pocono, a heavy rain was starting, at about the same time the GT-1 race started. Around the third lap, the stewards red flagged the race, to allow everyone to switch to rains. All 3 of us on the crew wore glasses, and the only thing we had to change tires with, was an electric impact gun (old style with a cord, not a battery).
I was changing the fronts, and the other 2 guys were doing the rears. The right sides went on without a hitch, and I had no problems with the left front (other than the pit marshal repeatedly unplugging our gun, because he was afraid we'd be electrocuted) but the guys doing the left rear, lost 2 lug nuts. The stewards, and our driver, were throwing a fit, because they were holding the restart for us. Between the dark skies, the deep rear wheels we used, the rain soaked eye glasses and the long wheel studs; the guys had managed to double nut 2 of the studs.
To top it all off, we had no defogger in the car. The race restarts, the windshield fogs up and Jerry can't reach it from the seat to clear it. He's following the tail lights of the car in front of him, to get around the track, but apparently the driver in front of him couldn't see either. 2 or 3 laps after the restart, the 2 of them come down the straight, miss turn 1 for the infield, and continue right on out toward NASCAR turn 3.
This one I did all by myself.
We were at Watkins Glen for the 85 Trans-Am. In the first morning practice session, we went out and for some reason, had the wrong rear end gear in the car. The car was up against the chip, before the end of the straight (this was back before they added the "bus stop"). We brought the car in, I went under, pulled the quick change cover, swapped out the gears, and sent him back out to finish the session. Unfortunately, in our hurry to get back out before the session ended, I'd somehow managed to put the same gear set back in the rear!
Around 83, we were running the Corvette at Pocono in the Double Nationals. As is typical of Pocono, a heavy rain was starting, at about the same time the GT-1 race started. Around the third lap, the stewards red flagged the race, to allow everyone to switch to rains. All 3 of us on the crew wore glasses, and the only thing we had to change tires with, was an electric impact gun (old style with a cord, not a battery).
I was changing the fronts, and the other 2 guys were doing the rears. The right sides went on without a hitch, and I had no problems with the left front (other than the pit marshal repeatedly unplugging our gun, because he was afraid we'd be electrocuted) but the guys doing the left rear, lost 2 lug nuts. The stewards, and our driver, were throwing a fit, because they were holding the restart for us. Between the dark skies, the deep rear wheels we used, the rain soaked eye glasses and the long wheel studs; the guys had managed to double nut 2 of the studs.
To top it all off, we had no defogger in the car. The race restarts, the windshield fogs up and Jerry can't reach it from the seat to clear it. He's following the tail lights of the car in front of him, to get around the track, but apparently the driver in front of him couldn't see either. 2 or 3 laps after the restart, the 2 of them come down the straight, miss turn 1 for the infield, and continue right on out toward NASCAR turn 3.
This one I did all by myself.
We were at Watkins Glen for the 85 Trans-Am. In the first morning practice session, we went out and for some reason, had the wrong rear end gear in the car. The car was up against the chip, before the end of the straight (this was back before they added the "bus stop"). We brought the car in, I went under, pulled the quick change cover, swapped out the gears, and sent him back out to finish the session. Unfortunately, in our hurry to get back out before the session ended, I'd somehow managed to put the same gear set back in the rear!
05-31-2011, 03:02 PM
#67
Le Mans Master
Mike Newlander beating my mowing record at Autobahn! 
Watch out VIR!
Jim
Watch out VIR!
Jim
06-01-2011, 08:32 PM
#68
Safety Car
Wrench in the engine bay falls out on track (making parts falling off car sounds) Check.
Loading car on to trailer without ball secure (drove the tongue into the tailgate) Check.
Nobody's posted these yet.
For my first race car I was running a '68 Vette in EMRA and was considered the "slow guy". I'm not a mechanic but I did most of the work myself and usually went to the track alone. The last race of the season I brought a friend along. After the first session he says "It just doesn't sound crisp, let me have a look at that thing". Turns out the secondaries in the carb weren't opening. I had run most of the season with a V8 2v! I wasn't the slow guy anymore.
Maiden voyage of the GT1 car. Trailer 4 hrs. to The Bridge. Back the car off the open trailer and it just keeps going. Turns out the upper link on each side of the 5 link suspension sheared off the fitting in the caliper on both rears. This sent brake fluid on all the cars behind me from the GSP to the LIE. Who knows how many paint jobs that was? Back to the shop to drill/tap (and plug) new/old fitting location.
Start of a SCCA student race at Moroso in WPB. Just before the green, I want to pull myself up in the seat. I grab the wheel and give a little pull. My butt fits where I want it but now I've pulled the column APART! And they're throwing the GREEN! I thought it would be a good idea to use the colapseable steering column. After a few pushes, I get it back in (while cars are passing me on either side). Back at the shop I drill a small hole with a thin pin to keep it together but that would bend under impact.
Loading car on to trailer without ball secure (drove the tongue into the tailgate) Check.
Nobody's posted these yet.
For my first race car I was running a '68 Vette in EMRA and was considered the "slow guy". I'm not a mechanic but I did most of the work myself and usually went to the track alone. The last race of the season I brought a friend along. After the first session he says "It just doesn't sound crisp, let me have a look at that thing". Turns out the secondaries in the carb weren't opening. I had run most of the season with a V8 2v! I wasn't the slow guy anymore.
Maiden voyage of the GT1 car. Trailer 4 hrs. to The Bridge. Back the car off the open trailer and it just keeps going. Turns out the upper link on each side of the 5 link suspension sheared off the fitting in the caliper on both rears. This sent brake fluid on all the cars behind me from the GSP to the LIE. Who knows how many paint jobs that was? Back to the shop to drill/tap (and plug) new/old fitting location.
Start of a SCCA student race at Moroso in WPB. Just before the green, I want to pull myself up in the seat. I grab the wheel and give a little pull. My butt fits where I want it but now I've pulled the column APART! And they're throwing the GREEN! I thought it would be a good idea to use the colapseable steering column. After a few pushes, I get it back in (while cars are passing me on either side). Back at the shop I drill a small hole with a thin pin to keep it together but that would bend under impact.
06-01-2011, 10:34 PM
#69
Racer
Somewhere I have a garage door opener laying off the track surface at CMP, and I have deposited a couple of jacking pucks at various places at VIR
BTW my previous drive through the washout ditch story was with EMRA
If you look real close at the picture (below) of my car in GRM at the 2010 Track Car Challenge at VIR, you'll see a tow strap left over from the trailer hanging from the front cradle. That's what you get for 1 hrs sleep
Last edited by drivinhard; 06-01-2011 at 10:45 PM.
06-20-2011, 01:25 PM
#70
Le Mans Master
My apologies to the guys that heard me whine about this all weekend, but I just had to share this embarrassing moment.
After leading the Saturday ST2 race this weekend at Rd Atl, I had a Mustang running me really hard any chance he got close in traffic. I didn't really understand why he was doing that, but had a good time racing with him anyway. He managed to get by me twice in the race in traffic, but I was able to get back around him both times and pull away with ease. With 2 laps to go in the race, I had an ABS failure that caught me by suprise in T7 and nearly threw it off track. The Mustang went around and I tucked him behind him deciding not to race with him any longer and put it on cruise control since I had such a big lead on the rest of the guys in my class.
Here's the good part. It turns out that he was in my class all along and I didn't even know it (no class stickers on his car).
I placed 2nd.
I'll post the video as soon as I can get it uploaded.
After leading the Saturday ST2 race this weekend at Rd Atl, I had a Mustang running me really hard any chance he got close in traffic. I didn't really understand why he was doing that, but had a good time racing with him anyway. He managed to get by me twice in the race in traffic, but I was able to get back around him both times and pull away with ease. With 2 laps to go in the race, I had an ABS failure that caught me by suprise in T7 and nearly threw it off track. The Mustang went around and I tucked him behind him deciding not to race with him any longer and put it on cruise control since I had such a big lead on the rest of the guys in my class.
Here's the good part. It turns out that he was in my class all along and I didn't even know it (no class stickers on his car).
I placed 2nd.
I'll post the video as soon as I can get it uploaded.
06-20-2011, 01:42 PM
#72
Melting Slicks
My apologies to the guys that heard me whine about this all weekend, but I just had to share this embarrassing moment.
After leading the Saturday ST2 race this weekend at Rd Atl, I had a Mustang running me really hard any chance he got close in traffic. I didn't really understand why he was doing that, but had a good time racing with him anyway. He managed to get by me twice in the race in traffic, but I was able to get back around him both times and pull away with ease. With 2 laps to go in the race, I had an ABS failure that caught me by suprise in T7 and nearly threw it off track. The Mustang went around and I tucked him behind him deciding not to race with him any longer and put it on cruise control since I had such a big lead on the rest of the guys in my class.
Here's the good part. It turns out that he was in my class all along and I didn't even know it (no class stickers on his car).
I placed 2nd.
I'll post the video as soon as I can get it uploaded.
After leading the Saturday ST2 race this weekend at Rd Atl, I had a Mustang running me really hard any chance he got close in traffic. I didn't really understand why he was doing that, but had a good time racing with him anyway. He managed to get by me twice in the race in traffic, but I was able to get back around him both times and pull away with ease. With 2 laps to go in the race, I had an ABS failure that caught me by suprise in T7 and nearly threw it off track. The Mustang went around and I tucked him behind him deciding not to race with him any longer and put it on cruise control since I had such a big lead on the rest of the guys in my class.
Here's the good part. It turns out that he was in my class all along and I didn't even know it (no class stickers on his car).
I placed 2nd.
I'll post the video as soon as I can get it uploaded.
06-20-2011, 02:42 PM
#74
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Jul 2004
Location: Mississauga Ontario
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Mosport last week ...
Connect radio wires to helmet - Check
Start video camera - Check
Get all harnessed in - Check
Door still wide open and out of reach - Check
Connect radio wires to helmet - Check
Start video camera - Check
Get all harnessed in - Check
Door still wide open and out of reach - Check
06-20-2011, 03:11 PM
#75
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Feb 2002
Location: Union KY
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Garage story ...
My very first race I show up at Mid Ohio on Friday around 6:00 and am delighted to see an open space in front of a garage. So I pull into it, unload my gear and even get out a few chairs. I'm sitting there relaxing with cold beverage. That's when the owner of the garage I'd parked in front of showed up to ask me what the hell I was doing in his space!
Lug nut story... I was racing at IRP in 2007 and was rushing to get tires on the race car a freind offered to finish torqueing them while I suited up. He asssumed I'd done the rears (they were snugged to about 2 ft/lbs). On the white flag lap (running in P2) the RR came loose and I abruptly met Mr Concrete barrier.
Hood (sort of) story ... At Mid Ohio I'm whistling down the back straight when I hear a weird sort of "ping/wham" sound and suddenely see a thin "bade" sticking out between the hood and the fender. Turns out it was the dipstick that I'd left laying on the engine. Somehow it met up with the fan belt which propelled it through that very small crack at astonshing speed.
Cire
My very first race I show up at Mid Ohio on Friday around 6:00 and am delighted to see an open space in front of a garage. So I pull into it, unload my gear and even get out a few chairs. I'm sitting there relaxing with cold beverage. That's when the owner of the garage I'd parked in front of showed up to ask me what the hell I was doing in his space!
Lug nut story... I was racing at IRP in 2007 and was rushing to get tires on the race car a freind offered to finish torqueing them while I suited up. He asssumed I'd done the rears (they were snugged to about 2 ft/lbs). On the white flag lap (running in P2) the RR came loose and I abruptly met Mr Concrete barrier.
Hood (sort of) story ... At Mid Ohio I'm whistling down the back straight when I hear a weird sort of "ping/wham" sound and suddenely see a thin "bade" sticking out between the hood and the fender. Turns out it was the dipstick that I'd left laying on the engine. Somehow it met up with the fan belt which propelled it through that very small crack at astonshing speed.
Cire
06-20-2011, 03:16 PM
#76
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Feb 2002
Location: Union KY
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Garage story ...:o
My very first race I show up at Mid Ohio on Friday around 6:00 and am delighted to see an open space in front of a garage. So I pull into it, unload my gear and even get out a few chairs. I'm sitting there relaxing with cold beverage. That's when the owner of the garage I'd parked in front of showed up to ask me what the hell I was doing in his space!
Lug nut story...
I was racing at IRP in 2007 and was rushing to get tires on the race car a freind offered to finish torqueing them while I suited up. He asssumed I'd done the rears (they were snugged to about 2 ft/lbs). On the white flag lap (running in P2) the RR came loose and I abruptly met Mr Concrete barrier.
Hood (sort of) story ...
At Mid Ohio I'm whistling down the back straight when I hear a weird sort of "ping/wham" sound and suddenly see a thin "bade" sticking out between the hood and the fender. Turns out it was the dipstick that I'd left laying on the engine. Somehow it met up with the fan belt which propelled it through that very small crack at astonshing speed.
Cire
My very first race I show up at Mid Ohio on Friday around 6:00 and am delighted to see an open space in front of a garage. So I pull into it, unload my gear and even get out a few chairs. I'm sitting there relaxing with cold beverage. That's when the owner of the garage I'd parked in front of showed up to ask me what the hell I was doing in his space!
Lug nut story...
I was racing at IRP in 2007 and was rushing to get tires on the race car a freind offered to finish torqueing them while I suited up. He asssumed I'd done the rears (they were snugged to about 2 ft/lbs). On the white flag lap (running in P2) the RR came loose and I abruptly met Mr Concrete barrier.
Hood (sort of) story ...
At Mid Ohio I'm whistling down the back straight when I hear a weird sort of "ping/wham" sound and suddenly see a thin "bade" sticking out between the hood and the fender. Turns out it was the dipstick that I'd left laying on the engine. Somehow it met up with the fan belt which propelled it through that very small crack at astonshing speed.
Cire
06-20-2011, 11:15 PM
#77
Instructor
Member Since: Jul 2002
Location: jax fl
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Running a 24 hours of lemons race with a 4 door Saab, half way through my stint i hear a banging noise. Assume it is a tool left in the back somewhere until i see something out out of the bottom of my helmet. The fire extinguisher is loose rolling around in the front passenger side floor. Under yellow I swerve back and forth to catch it and place it in the back rear passenger floor. Safety pin gets removed in the process, race goes green and two corners later the car fills with FE dust. I drive off track and get black flagged. The driver after me battled the dust that continued to swirl in the car like a sandstorm.
06-21-2011, 08:42 AM
#78
Drifting
My HPDE run group at VIR several weeks ago was black flagged for a car off the track. I pulled into the hot pits to wait it out in the 90+ F heat. I rolled the windows up, cranked up the A/C and put my visor up. A few minutes later we reentered the track.
The first thing I noticed was my power was way down. Fuel lock? That never happened before on my C6ZO6. Oh sh$% - A/C is on. Oh crap, the windows are up! I'm surprised I wasn't black flagged. OK cool, I'm back in business, pay attention to what you're doing! So, I'm on the tail of this NASCAR lookin' race car that's been passing me all day and I get a point-by on the bridge straight. I make the pass early and then I start to wonder if I put my visor down. This is very important since I wear contacts and don't wear sunglasses under my helmet. I should also mention that my vision is about 20/400 in both eyes.
So, to check the vision position, I reach up with my right hand and go to touch the visor with my index finger. Slight bump and my finger goes straight into my right eye and knocks my contact out. So now I'm going about 120 into turn 7 ( I know, I'm a wimp) I have to slow down since now I'm driving w/ one eye and I finally get the traffic past me after South Bend. I limped back to the pits thinking that I probably do have just enough time to drive back to the Sleep Inn to get a spare contact lens.
Fortunately, once parked in the pits, when I removed my helmet, there was my contact lens.
Jim
The first thing I noticed was my power was way down. Fuel lock? That never happened before on my C6ZO6. Oh sh$% - A/C is on. Oh crap, the windows are up! I'm surprised I wasn't black flagged. OK cool, I'm back in business, pay attention to what you're doing! So, I'm on the tail of this NASCAR lookin' race car that's been passing me all day and I get a point-by on the bridge straight. I make the pass early and then I start to wonder if I put my visor down. This is very important since I wear contacts and don't wear sunglasses under my helmet. I should also mention that my vision is about 20/400 in both eyes.
So, to check the vision position, I reach up with my right hand and go to touch the visor with my index finger. Slight bump and my finger goes straight into my right eye and knocks my contact out. So now I'm going about 120 into turn 7 (
I know, I'm a wimp) I have to slow down since now I'm driving w/ one eye and I finally get the traffic past me after South Bend. I limped back to the pits thinking that I probably do have just enough time to drive back to the Sleep Inn to get a spare contact lens.Fortunately, once parked in the pits, when I removed my helmet, there was my contact lens.
Jim
06-21-2011, 11:42 AM
#79
Instructor
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A new race driver I have been coaching mistook the last lap white flag for the checker and slowed down and pulled into pits, one lap early. I do not think he will ever make that mistake again.
06-21-2011, 02:44 PM
#80
Melting Slicks
I've only done a few events so nothing too terrible yet...
Showed up at my first ever HPDE with loud overpowered C4 drag car. I forgot the swing out bars that are part of NHRA spec roll bar. I got to inspection and in desperation asked if I could please run without them. I got this funny look and a "I don't give a ****" response. I'm sure the guy thought I was being "that guy" at my first HPDE..."I hope they let me set the new track record without my full safety gear"
I was afraid since I had the bar, the attachments had to be there. In hindsight though, pretty dumb question considering the lack of anything in the other 50 cars in line.