Pensacola FL Sailing Blog – sailingnightwatch

RACE WEEKEND February 6, 2012

Before that, last Sunday at church our friend who is sailing in the Bahamas show up 2 rows in front of us. He was home to take care some business. It was great to see him and ask some questions. I could spend a day asking him questions.

This was the 48 hours of Sebring weekend. This is usually a great race. This year it was to big. To many entrants, to many people, to many cars on the track. The number of cars was unbelievable. The race class was divided into 3 groups of almost 90 cars each. As an example, in the Red Group, the fastest and presumably the best drivers, on parade laps and warm up laps the accordion effect caused by slowing for turns caused those at the back end to have to come at times to a complete stop. On practice races those at the lead were over a half lap ahead before those at the end were at the start line. The practice races did not have the cars grouped from faster to slower and therefore you had fast cars that were slow to grid trying to get through the slower cars on cold tires and breaks and some with the lack of knowledge of the track. Practice session one, blacked flagged on lap one because a car stuffed itself into the wall. Practice race to, same thing on lap 2. This does not include the cars off plowing the grass and only causing local cautions.

Similar thing were happening in the other race classes. Because of all the carnage, schedules were shredded and track times shortened.

The positive side is that all these cars mean the economy must be coming back. I have a suggestion. Next year have an early registration cut off date and then have a drawing of those who register to a keep the numbers at a manageable level. I have been at large events with half the number of cars in a race and its was still almost unraceable. Vendors. It was wonderful having the number of vendor there. But, they need to be placed off the main road at a very busy intersection. I spent my money with them and would find them no mater where they were located. It was at times dangerous driving through the people and there kids.

There was a tragic event that happened Friday evening when a 4 wheeler and a SUV collided at one of the intersections in the dark. The 4 wheeler driver had to be life-flighted out in critical condition. I understand from announcements that he was upgraded the next day. Yes there were all kinds of people speeding from 4 wheelers and other pit vehicles to haulers and motor homes. Yes we are all in a hurry to get the job done so we can go racing. The committee running the race has a challenge to come up with better set up on and off the course without coming up with a bunch of draconian rules that will rune one of the great fun events in club racing.

Us? We had clutch problems all weekend and ended up crashing out and going home early. It was a racing accident that officially was our fault. One is not to go down the track side ways where you collect other cars and get t-boned. Driver ok. Other driver pissed.

But he had no where to go and we were in the way. Still moving, just not in the correct attitude. No it was not a fun weekend.