12 Hours at the Point, Of deer and Miatas..... Options

[trackbird]

I went to the 12 hours at the point at Summit Point raceway yesterday (as I do every year). It was a good race with a very large turnout of spec miatas (and other neat toys).

One of the Miatas hit a deer coming through the carousel, there was a large amount of body damage and the windshield was destroyed. They pitted and pulled the windshield out of the car, pounded out the fenders and sent it back on track. A few laps later, the rear window blew out of the hardtop. I would not have actually thought the window could be blown out of the back of the hard top, but it did in fact come out. The driver said the car was much faster once both windows were out and that he could run flat out through some corners that he had to lift on before (but he also admitted that the car was slower on the top end).

And, a little while after that occured, we heard a very hard impact (but couldn't see it behind the concrete retaining wall). It turns out that a Miata spun coming out of turn 10 and a second miata hit him "almost square". Both cars were nearly destroyed (actually, I'm very sure they were destroyed). The one that spun had the tail light pushed into the rear strut tower (and possibly beyond) and the one that hit him had the whole nose mashed and the left front suspension was mangled (as well as the 1/4 panel and most of the rest of the nose). I was amazed at the damage (since they were both headed in the same direction, the speed differential was far more than expected). Both drivers were ok, we can thank safety gear for that. I'm sure these would have been very ugly in a true street car (or at an HPDE). I didn't take a camera, so I have no photos, but I'm sure they will turn up somewhere.

Other than that, a GT3 cup car (porsche) turned into the inside wall in turn one (at the end of a 3000 ft straight), but I got that info from one of the other GT3 cup teams, so it's not first hand. I'm not sure where the other GT3 cup car went, but it didn't stay long either. There were several cars getting body panels beat out on them throughout the day, but nothing too bad.

Other than that, we saw some great racing and there was not much real competition for the OG racing GT3 Porsche, though a few teams gave them a good run for a while.

I'm sure there's stuff I missed. Either way, be safe out there guys and I'll be at the event again next year (I've only missed the first one, I've been to the rest of them).

[CMC #37]

Cool! I have always wanted to attend the 25hrs of Thunderhill (ran last two years) and it has not worked out for me yet. This year it should and I will be there to support the CMC effort. Last year the Sam Stowell 4th gen Camaro did us proud, even got on the cover of Car and Driver! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif)

[rmackintosh]

...sounds like a typical Miata race... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)