MidAtlantic Drivers

#1

Some in MidAtlantic would like to see Autobahn qualifying sessions begin green.

Thoughts from MidAtlantic racers: http://www.nasaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=14896

Please post your position. Thanks.

#2

I like the idea; as someone mentioned on another board, it gives you options of going hard immediately or warming up. It also seems that it may make the qualifying seem less like a race, which would be a good thing.

Sasha

#3

Quailifying sessions need to start green, that way everyone is one the same page so you dont come through a blind corner to find a line of cars swerving, thinking they are on a yellow track…therefore you can be up to speed so that the first time you pass the timing stripe you have that lap as a possible fast lap…does that make any sense?

Al

#4

FARTBREF wrote:

[quote]Quailifying sessions need to start green, that way everyone is one the same page so you dont come through a blind corner to find a line of cars swerving, thinking they are on a yellow track…therefore you can be up to speed so that the first time you pass the timing stripe you have that lap as a possible fast lap…does that make any sense?

Al[/quote]

Yeah, makes sense. I think the track was immediately green at RA for qualifying and I thought it worked well.

Jon

#5

FARTBREF wrote:

[quote]Quailifying sessions need to start green, that way everyone is one the same page so you dont come through a blind corner to find a line of cars swerving, thinking they are on a yellow track…therefore you can be up to speed so that the first time you pass the timing stripe you have that lap as a possible fast lap…does that make any sense?

Al[/quote]

The real problem is driver stupidity (just no other way to describe it). It’s made clear at every driver’s meeting what the flag condition will be for qualifying. It’s been made clear MANY times that warming tires by swerving back and forth outside of your lane is not permissable and if you choose to "warm" your tires, you need to stay in your lane so that others who are not so inclined, can pass.

So many times, issues are caused because drivers are not listening at the driver’s meeting (I don’t care how many years you have been racing, 90% might be repetetive but that 10% is weekend specific and you miss it) or just don’t care. At nationals, someone decided that even though the track was green going out, they were going to pace the field, when I attempted to pass, this person tried to squeeze me into the grass. Just nuts.

Yellow or green, doesn’t matter to me. Only care that whatever it is, we start making it consistent.

#6

Interesting discussion. My first race was at Road Atl and I don’t think there was any mention in a meeting so I just went by the flags, hence, out lap was green (there wasn’t a yellow). Issue I discovered was that I got stuck behind a Legends car that decided to swerve the entire lap. Made it pretty freakin annoying… Couldn’t pass for half a lap or so. Other than that, made sense to me to go out on green (or should I say lack of yellow).

#7

I’d be happy to start green. Just make sure there is clear indication on pit road what condition the track is in as you roll on track.

#8

dherrington wrote:

There is a system in place for that - It’s called a "flag station" :woohoo:

So, basically, one can assume that if the flag station is not showing a yellow and some guy (like the legends car mentioned above) is swerving back and forth he is either 1) an ignorant jerk who doesn’t seem to realize that he is sharing the track or 2) (much more likely) is not watching the flag stands.

#9

erupert66 wrote:

[quote]dherrington wrote:

There is a system in place for that - It’s called a "flag station" :woohoo:

So, basically, one can assume that if the flag station is not showing a yellow and some guy (like the legends car mentioned above) is swerving back and forth he is either 1) an ignorant jerk who doesn’t seem to realize that he is sharing the track or 2) (much more likely) is not watching the flag stands.[/quote]

Right, but a standing green could help some people make the connection.

#10

mskeen wrote:

Absence of a flag is a green course.

Well, maybe it’s just my pet peeve, but we are operating vehicles at a very high rate of speed and in very close poximity to one another. Not knowing the flags or paying attention can have devastating effects and I for one would not like to be a recipient. NASA seems to be working hard at making the point that people are responsible for knowing the track conditions at all times. I had a guy slam on his brakes at a black all and almost caused a pileup (he later admitted to having a rookie "moment"), the horrible incident at SP a couple years ago with the Factory 5’s, (I watched at least 6 cars blow the red at 9 and the ones that blew it in 10 resulted in a horrific crash for one), guy in the flag meeting last season who didn’t know what the standing white was, the guy at VIR in the flag meeting who didn’t know what the debris flag was, etc.

This is dangerous stuff with potentially fatal consequences. I accept no excuses from others and accept none for myself. We’ve got to have our brain engaged when we get on the track. Period.

#11

See Chris’s answer in the NASA forum thread.
http://www.nasaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=14896&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=10

#12

The only point about having a flag at pit road exit is that on some tracks the first availble flag station on track is a long ways away. It is a simple thing to put a flag up at pit road exit to make sure there is no ambiguity as people roll on track, especially if we are doing something different (double yellow first lap) during practice sessions.