ProCoach

To me, the best wheel to wheel racing is when I can trust the people I’m racing with to GO side by side through the corner, six to twelve inches apart, knowing they have full control of the trajectory of their car and know EXACTLY where the corners of their car are, as I do…

Gear Rower

I fully agree, but ya gotta know when and you gotta know who. Shoving the nose into every gap inevitably ends in tears.

There are a number of drivers known for excellent on-track awareness, and a few scoundrels for their tunnel-vision blinders and door-closing. Until you have these guys figured out, best to assume they haven't seen you and adjust your driving accordingly.

ProCoach

Where is the “thousand likes” button?

Gary R.

They should show the OP's video as an example of what can happen when you dive-bomb at all Rookies orientations...

ProCoach

I must have watched half a dozen through three dozen different Rookie Orientation briefings.... No shortage of source material.

winders

So true.

But, if you don't have significant overlap (in peripheral vision overlap) before the car you want to pass turns in, it's not "when" regardless of the "who".

tneocli

My coach taught me this lesson in the same corner two years ago and it always stuck with me when racing. I was overtaking a bmw m3 with a cup car. No incident in my situation, but he showed me how the best situation to pass in a corner is to get right up next to the car you’re trying to over take almost mirror to
mirror so they know you’re there and give them no option but to let you have the corner. Even if you were to rub (if he didn’t see you) the gap is small between the cars so the liability is small. The larger the gap the larger the liability. It’s called racecraft. It’s easy to go fast in a machine like a clubsport, but takes time to build good racecraft.

chrisc

I'm gonna be on an island here and expect the flames but I wouldn't beat myself up too much although do appreciate your ownership. I followed all of the comments but didn't see anything regarding situational awareness from the black car. Not too many years ago this would have been classified as a racing incident in one prominent amatuer racing organization. I've often been one of the slower class cars in multi class racing, especially enduros,& found that its a split between looking ahead and knowing what's going on behind me.

ProCoach

Actually, still is in a few.

Situational Awareness has declined in recent years, but still no excuse for a hail-mary, second-car dive bomb.

The only car that can see BOTH cars is the overtaking car…

chrisc

Just a little generational difference..I grew up in the showroom stock days, Don Knowles was my first instructor who was/is one of the best at executing what is now defined as a "dive-bomb". Back then it was defined as "filling the gap".

Frank 993 C4S

Fixed it for you.

winders

That was not just “a racing incident”. That was a bona fide dive bomb move that the OP should beat himself up over so he does not make that big of a mistake again. Any amateur racing organization that thinks that is “a racing incident” needs to examine their passing rules.

There is no way the driver of the black 914 could have foreseen what happened. This pass attempt comes from no where. Also no one has mentioned it, but OP probably goes off the track at exit if he makes the pass. He is going too fast and taking too shallow an entry.

People need to have respect for other people and their cars….club racing is not a video game.

ProCoach

That's funny!

I've known Don for a couple decades through NC Region-SCCA and when he retired to Pittsboro from his real job, got a chance to spend time with him. Very wise man. He turned me onto the importance of data, being one of the first to use it with the Valentine g-Analyst in 1987 and then the Race Technology DL-1 in 2001.

Capable of making decisions, usually the right one, in a fraction of the time most people take to do the same thing. Six time National Champion at the RunOffs, countless endurance racing wins, Firehawk, Koni and IMSA. Amazing man. Ruthless competitor.

More on Don. http://www.phoenixperformance.net/ro...dandy_don.html

chrisc

There was never a Showroom Stock race I was in that my car didn't leave with a Don Knowles "autograph" on a panel. Think he first coined the phrase "bump & run". The Porsche Pace Car for the 50th Daytona 24 is at PCNA/PEC Atlanta. It was autographed by the participants in the race. They asked me to take it around the handling course last weekend to put a few miles on it as it only has 445 and needs a litte exercise on occasion. Don Knowles signature as the Pace Car Driver is on the roof right above the drivers side door.

ProCoach

Showroom Stock in the late Seventies through early Nineties was a WAR! Lots of manufacturer support... Hence lots of "run over their mother to get to the checkered flag first" racing.

He was seriously impressed with that Porsche, too.