By Jim Brennan
I was going to open this post with something witty, but I really can’t top this video. It was located on the 24 Hours of LeMons Forums, and it shows you what can happen when you lose your cool and let your emotions take over.
Let me explain… This was very early during my time behind the wheel after spending an exasperating 3 hours in the pits trying to find a remedy for our failing kill switch (Blake will have more details later this week). Well after getting out in the track with the car handling better than ever, at speeds that were faster than last year, I was really getting into a competitive groove (Ok, I promise I will never say that again…). Things changed when a certain Black Regal came close to cutting me off (and after looking at the video, I now realize that it wasn’t that close at all) and I was pissed off.
Well, I began to push the Corvair harder to try and catch the car of my former team mates, and, well, I lost it. Lesson learned. Let’s go to the video…..
In closing, I want to offer my apologies to the Rust In The Wind NiSaab 300zx Aero Team for pulling this bonehead maneuver, to Team Angry for actually losing my cool, and to the rest of my team for losing time. Its a tough lesson to learn.
Jeff Glucker
Wow, that guy drives like a real douch… what's that? Oh… that's you?! Oh, well, I was just kidding…
Wow, that's a tight track. Reminds me of Altamont. The early wild-west days of LeMons at Altamont were fun – contact was not frowned upon back then. But I do prefer actual racing on faster tracks now.
It's hard to get over the red mist when another racer does you wrong. I learned this lesson in my first race, and have subsequently learned to control myself. As I remind my drivers, you can't win a race in one corner, but you can sure lose it.
do we know who the director of photography is? i have some suggestions for his mounting rig.
Yikes, glad it didn't turn out worse than it did. Were you able to make it back out on the track okay? What penalty did they give you?
I was OK, and so was the other driver. Judge Jonny asked me what happened, and I said it was my fault for taking the corner too hot and heavy. We just swapped drivers and we were back on the track. I guess honesty pays off!
Hell yes, honesty pays off! Especially with Jonny. It's amazing how much BS most black flagged teams spew once they get in front of the judges, and he just won't put up with it. Our only "black flag" at Capitol Offense turned out not to be a black flag – one of our drivers went four off and just pulled himself in. Jonny asked what he was doing there and Chris said, "I went four off." Jonny said "you didn't get flagged – thanks and go back out on the track." (or something like that.) I think we bought a lot of good will with that one!
We had some snap oversteer tendencies in the Wartburg. I ended up a little too hot in a corner and lifted the tiniest bit – the thing got really wonky really fast. Fortunately I was able to overcome instinct and get back on the gas.
The fact that watching that video actually increases my desire to run a LeMons car disturbs me greatly.
I have one more year on my MBA, at which point I assume I'll have loads of free time and companies will be throwing money at me. God I hope LeMons doesn't get played out/no one tells me the definition of a recession.
It's somewhat less terrifying when you imagine yourself there behind the wheel of anything that ISN'T a Corvair.
It really traumatised you, I see.
That's what I thought.
Oh how I was wrong.
I only peripherally pay attention to NASCAR any more, but this looks kind of similar to a recent video I saw of Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski going at it.
Yet, it's way better. For one thing, you turn right in addition to left. For another, your car looks better than the CoT.
For what it's worth, the Corvair had a scuffed/paint-smeared corner of its bumper and some minor, probably-buffable scarring to the quarter, and the 300ZX had a dent the size of a small cat in the rear quarter.
I reckon it's understandable that Team Angry got you, well, somewhat riled up, Jim. Nobody's perfect, especially on a racetrack (and you weren't the only one to spin the Corvair, heh).
I thought I had photos of the aftermath, but apparently I don't (or else they're well hidden).
That track is TIGHT.
I wish would could have a LeMons autocross… Uberbird vs Corvair.
All of my rage leaves when I get out of the car. I say terrible, terrible things to/about others around me while we're in the thick of it, but AFAIC, it's all fun and games and not really worth getting worked up about.
Getting super worked up about LeMons is kind of a silly proposition, particularly when (like us) you're just perpetually mid-pack. My highlights for myself are the occasional great saves or passes that I make, along with a few good 3-4 lap stints battling it out with some car we're competitive with (like a Mazda 323 or Ford Ranger).
You know what's funny…I don't get mad in the car. I have no idea why…
For the most part, too busy driving to spare the brain cells for real emotion.
After the Killer Bee went airborne, Free Range racing let me go out and have a stint in their MR2. (Yeay for the good guys!)
In my car I'm pretty mild mannered because you really don't have a lot of choice, lol!
The MR2 however was a decent performer and I really started to get into it. But then I got stuck behind that dang plaid Cadillac and spent the next hour getting blocked. He had the power to hold me off on the straights, and would then bully-block me on the corners, let the faster cars go by and then go right back to blocking me. For the first 20 minutes I was thinking "What the hell? What's the problem?" Then I suddenly had my very first episode of red-mist.
I remember getting so stinking mad at one point I was right on his rear bumper down the straight screaming obscenities that made me blush (and I'm an old sailor) while giving him single finger salutes in his rear view mirror. All I saw was Cadillac bumper.
I had to take a moment to breathe and re-focus. Once I calmed down I went back to riding their bumper and trying to pressure them into making a mistake (Never did) and had a great run!
Turns out the two teams were friends and they had no idea I was a guest driver in the car. They were out enjoying a great battle, which also turned out to be my best stint EVER. It was also a good learning experience about myself in real competition.
TTTO in action:
<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/4832110631_9e4300a68d.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="CRW_6990" />
I've got plenty of shots I should throw up! The car looked great out there.
In the third still you can see the rear camber start to go wonky. OK, Corvair experts: Would a 1964-style rear suspension have kept the car on the track?
I have to tell you that as the track and tires heated up, the cars handling improved dramatically. Later in the afternoon session I was able to pass a few cars, and actually went fender to fender with more than a few contenders in the corners. There were a few competitors who said what happened to the rolling chicane from last year… They were all surprised.
Has LeMons banned tire blankets yet?
Perhaps I should have offered to cuddle with it…
my bad….
first words spoken?
"Things changed when a certain Black Regal" – Yea… our Regal. Jim I was driving the Regal for Team Angry and if you think you I cut you off well then Sir… you've never been motor racing before. Sorry I ruffled your feathers though.
Well, that's what he said – it seemed close in the moment, but wasn't upon later inspection. He just got a bit heated.