Quote:
Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy
Bit of a ridiculous thread no? 20 years ago you smoked everybody on the track. Fast forward and the box stock plane Jane 991 will smoke your car around the track. Seems like things have come full circle, I’m not sure why the animosity? Technology never stops, sounds like it’s time to evolve or find another venue. This is why vintage racing exists, eventually vintage cars can’t hang in the context of modern racing.
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But it ISN'T RACING. Its trackdays. In racing you either pony up or go home. Problem is that for a long time the trackday ecosystem was such that on a normal man's budget you could go out, learn something, have some fun, and if you dinged the car it wasn't the end of the world. The newer cars are where full on prototypes were 15 years ago, plus they have driver aids, so the average speed is well beyond the normal participants ability to cope with errors of judgement. Consequences for all concerned are on a different level entirely.
And I disagree that open passing is the answer. In a racing environment, sure. You have a cage, nomex, and fire suppression and a different level of risk acceptance. In streetish vehicles with a 50-70 mph speed differential the consequences for folks making an amateur mistake become lethal consequences. In racing, you accept that. The entire point of trackdays is a lower level of risk acceptance.
I don't think there are enough older cars and drivers to support a "vintage only" trackday environment, and I sure as hell know I don't want to be on the track with
novice drivers closing on me at those rates expecting a waveby that may or may not come. So, I'm not sure there is a solution other than the country club type environment where you can run pretty much at whim. Unaffordable for the majority here.