Ben Sale's white 1990 NA6

[beavis]

And when I was bleeding the brakes I was reminded of the brilliance of the speed bleeders, really make the process a lot easier..!

Oh hell yes, and speed bleeders also make it a one man job!

[bensale]

I put the orange wheels back on today in preparation for Winton on Sunday. I forgot how good the Dunlop DZZ1s are and how average the Federal 595s are... Feels like a completely different car with so so much more grip (although flat spots are annoying!!)

I also took the front lip off due to class rule requirements... I guess it gives me the opportunity to re paint it, after almost two years on the paint is starting to look a bit average. However, I forgot how much it did to improve the look of the car, it will be good to get it back on! I also gave the wheels a slight rubdown to de terracotta them... They still look average, but better and more orange again =) They'll either be re-painted or replaced with the next set of tyres.

[bensale]

So.... Winton was on Sunday...

It was wet... Very wet for most of the day... It looked like it was beginning to clear up as my group went out for our 3rd or 4th session. Thats when the day turned to sh*t for a few of us. I typically use this thread to praise the AROCA track events very loudly. However, yesterday for me was a bit of an exception.

About 2 laps Princey spun off when I came up behind him. He went off into the infield and got stuck. Initially yellow flags were waved, a lap later reds came out. 8 out of the 12 people on track at the time missed the first two flag points before slowing down and then pitting. The group of us who missed the flags, including me (at the time leading clubman class) Russell (leading modified) Randy (leading NC) and Brendan (leading restricted open) were called to talk to the Clark of Course where we were told to go home... Day over... Yes, we missed the flags and that is potentially a very big safety issue... However, subsequently we found out this was the 3rd time people had missed the red flag that day (including a whole group at one point). In those cases the competitors continued there day. I wish that we had been made aware of people missing the flag as being an issue... That so many of us missed the flags perhaps indicates something about the visibility of the points in which the 4 flag marshals are located... Also, as none of us purposely acted dangerously and included some of the more respected people who compete and pay a lot of money to enter I don't feel being expelled from the day was a fair course of action. I figure you have to cop something like this as I was very much in the wrong... But to me the crime committed doesn't justify to me the action taken against us, especially considering the precedent already set and the number of people involved in the incident. It was a very disappointing end to what was a shaping up to be a great day.

As far as the day itself... The car ran very well and at the time of the incident I was leading my class by around a second from Princey and then Lightyear behind him. However, as the track dried later in the day I'm nowhere in the final results. I was actually surprised by my competitiveness in the wet as my tyres only had one dry track day of tread left in them and the rears both had massive flat spots on the rear which were to the TWI's and kept on catching under brakes. So I was quite happy with the times, especially considering I was at a much bigger tyre disadvantage than I would have been in the dry.

I have some in car video coming, although annoyingly the one session the video didn't work was when I had a big slide off track after catching the while line which braking on turn in for turn two. Thanks have to go to the recovery crew on the day... They did an amazing job!!! A lot of people went off and had to be recovered after getting stuck in the mud. The speed they did this meant that everyone got extremely good track time, especially considering the conditions and the crazy number of entrants (108 I think)... I just wish I got to do the 3 extra sessions as expected...

[Hjt]

Clearly your state is to uptight, and since NSW mx5 regulations are evolving perhaps you should come join us Ben

[bensale]

Lol, it's not normally that bad... I've just had a very bad run the last two events...

I'll be up for the October 23rd event at Wakefield which is the interstate challenge =) And as Winton was wet my Dunlops have another day left in them so I will be in the clubman class too!

[Guran]

Jeez that's bad luck. Tough decision by the clerk of course. I guess he had been pushed into a corner and had to make an example. It's really bad luck it had to be you guys.

FYI, at the last supersprint at Wakefield, the clerk of course made a very vocal warning: ignore a red flag and he'd not only kick out the driver but would push for the maximum enforcable fine of $25,000!!! Needless to say, the red flags were strictly obeyed. So much so that our group pitted when shown red & yellow on Wakefield's lights system. It was only a warning for slippery surface but we weren't taking any chances! He hadn't said the red & yellow lights would be used.

[lightyear]

It would have been good to have one run together......... There is always next time. I am entering the vic supersprint in a couple of weeks at P.I. You should enter.
I think they must have made up there minds that the next person to fail to obey the red would go home because of the amount of times they have called people up for it.
It dried up enough to really enjoy the last 2 sessions. But some guy in a white box shape alfa drove like a $%#@ and had 5-6 cars behind him for most of the 2nd last session. I slowed down and let 3-4 cars past me and caught up in half a lap. I put up a vid with a your car in it on youtube.

[bensale]

Yeah, I can see it from his view point but I still think it was pretty damm harsh. I think it might have been good for them to stop the day for 5 minutes and have a conversation like that Guran considering it was happening regularly, or inform people as they headed out for there session. I think my next day will be at Wakefield as I can't do too many while saving for Europe. As much as I would love to go to PI again..!

I watched the video Dave, pity it ended where it ended but it was the first video I've seen of my car from the outside so I really enjoyed it!

Below is one from inside my car. I think the laptime is a 1.57.2, it's the fastest lap that I got in with the camera working. It was also the fastest wet laptime in clubman class... Coming into the right after the back straight you'll see the issue that I was having with rear brakes locking on the flat spots, but it didn't seem to cost much time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64G1PsqJTyY

[beavis]

I was disappointed with the COC's actions.

There was clearly an issue with the positioning or visibility of the flags.... why else would so many of us have missed it.
Honestly why didn't they use the electronic system? It's there for a reason.

None the less, here's me on the day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzCZINMRi_Q

[Okibi]

Wanneroo now has an electronic system but they remove the receivers and batteries so they don't get stolen and only use them for race days, perhaps it's the same at Winton.

[beavis]

Wanneroo now has an electronic system but they remove the receivers and batteries so they don't get stolen and only use them for race days, perhaps it's the same at Winton.

It's a safety feature, they should bloody use it.

[bensale]

I was also wondering why they didn't use the lights... A lot of the problem in my mind was due to the positioning of the flag points, two of the four they chose are out of the line of sight of the driver. Using the numerous lights around the track would help a lot. Interesting that at Wanneroo they render the system inoperative for all events bar race days. If they system is there for safety surely it should be made operational for all events.

Nice video Brendan! Was disappointed that for whatever reason the camera didn't roll when I had my off, would have been some good footage!

[Okibi]

The problem with Wanneroo is they don't have power to the flag points so I guess batteries need to be recharged, solar panels on the roof of the flag point would be a cool solution. The race track is due a major upgrade, perhaps running power is part of that plan. Looking back at your footage could you see the flags getting waved?

[bensale]

Thats a good point, I would assume Winton is the same as it's not a track where huge amounts have been invested in the facilities. Though if it is battery powered there is no reason that access to charged batteries could be part of the track hire providing that they are returned to the charger at days end.

I watched the footage from the red flag incident on the day as a number of us were in disbelief. One flag point I can't see on the video as it is so far out of line of sight. The one to the far left along the straight after the 3 tight corners on the back of the track was waved (I probably should have seen it despite it being out of the way but was busy with the bloody Elfin which couldn't go around corners) and the one on the straight before the esses at the end of the lap was being held static unlike the one at the start finish straight which we all saw.

[Guran]

In the interests of restoring the reputation of your members, it might be worth drafting a combined letter from the whole team to AROCA expressing your concerns about the visibility of the flag points, especially in poor visibility conditions. The lights system is designed to deal with these situations and perhaps there is a reason why they were not used? Red flags must be obeyed for serious safety reasons, but the drivers need to be able to see them first.