Re: Whose SSG ACR wrecked in Ohio today? MINE
To answer all the speculation - That was my car. Only 6 parts need to be replaced. It will be back on the road next week. I am shocked at all of the discussion and bantering about, speculation, etc. To end speculation about "who", "what", "how" the car ended up backing up into the tire wall, here are the facts.
1. I was serving as one of the key instructors at the event. I have over 24 years racing and track experience at the pro level. (So NO, I wasn't driving over my head.)
2. I was on my cool-down lap coming in off a relatively slow (1:16-17 lap times) run before lunch.
3. The car immediately snapped spun in turn four (Oaktree) at the apex. No warning, a complete mystery as I was light on throttle application at the apex of a left-hander setting up for entry to the carousel.
4. The tire wall saved my car and my butt with very little damage - however "ramping" backwards up the wall caused the front splitter to break as it pushed into the ground. (Naturally the most expensive part!) The rear diffuser panel is fine. Only about six parts need replaced, nothing mechanical or structural was hurt.
5. Our Chief instructor, the SCCA track steward and I surveyed the skid marks on track and were baffled by the fact that we saw a 20' long black skid mark from the inside left tire before I hit both feet in to stop. Why only the front left was skidding so severely was a mystery to all of us at the time, as I was on the throttle, I had no idea what happened ...That is until we dissembled the front brakes. What we found was a large, deep gouge in the inside of the front left brake rotor, and a huge gouge in the corresponding inside left brake pad. Something very hard and very nasty lodged in the brake caliper. With all of the corner loading on that inside front tire, it was the worst thing to happen at the worst possible time and place. Had it happened on the straight it would have dis-lodged pulled slightly to the left and off to the races without any issue.
Because I slid backwards up the tire wall (like a ramp) I felt literally no impact physically. I run an ACR-X race car, a Ferrari Challenge car and Daytona prototype and always wear a HANS devise. This was my street car, I was going relatively slow (for me), and I did not have my HANS on, so fortunately the backwards slide was a God-send, so were the tires. All the black tire marks cleaned off the paint without even a scratch using a non-abrasive bug and tar remover.
To address the insurance issue. Yes, I have insurance - good insurance - I have 28 collectible exotics on the policy. Will I make a claim? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! With only a couple grand in damages, it would be stupid to risk the premiums rising on all 28 cars on that policy.
Here are the lessons learned: 1. I felt like I really failed my 65 students by being the one car to crash that day. 2. I learned that it wasn't my fault, rather "Sh!* Happens!" It can happen to anyone, anytime, street, track or on the driveway. 3. I did not have any stainless mesh protecting the intakes for the brake ducts. With all the debris on a track, you need protection. So my pride is hurt a bit, and my wallet a little, but we move on. Tomorrow I head to Mid-Ohio with my ACR-X. Today, I am installing new brake cooling debris mesh to protect the rotors!!
This should end all of the speculation. END OF STORY.