The future of tracks

sun diego

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Spring Mountain had Formula one style lights instead of corner workers and flags. There were cameras spread around the course and a few skilled workers on ATVs spread around the course with fire extinguishers.

The big events at major tracks have skilled SCCA corner workers, but most club events have minimum wage corner workers, occasionally smelling of booze.

The lights are LED and really easy to see. They eliminate the need for concrete stations for corner workers at dangerous spots we can hit. The ATVs can apparently get to problems as quick or quicker than the old way.

They are still working the bugs out of it, and it is dependant on a good guy watching the cameras, but I was very impressed.
 

Dave Scott

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FYI, the cameras were not operational. It was just us + the ATV folks.
 

Paul Hawker

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Atv's would allow all the corner workers to mass where they would be needed, while carrying fire extinguishers, med supplies, communications, water etc. Could drive a wounded or shook up driver back to the pits instead of stumbling across the tracks.

Sounds like a big step forward to me.

Getting rid of the concrete protective pill boxes might be the best thing of all.

Friend of mine mushed up his car spinning off turn 9 at willow, and crashing into the safety vehicles stationed in the infield. Atv's can be parked out of harms way.
 

Dave Scott

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I will say this, as I have no skin in the game: I was asked to visit Spring Mountain on the way to Miller, in order to brief everyone what to expect with the lights & to judge whether we could race safely there. I judged we could race safely, as long as folks understood the limitations of the light system as it currently stands. And we did.

That said, I still believe having cornerworkers (preferably 2 per station) is the better approach for serious racing. They can react more quickly with flags, they can evaluate emergencies in seconds while an ATV might take 30 seconds to reach the scene, and they are immune to electrical failure or radio interference. The lights--and they are about to get much more sophisticated--are great for club tracks IMO, but professional flaggers are still best for serious & professional racing. You'll note that while F1 uses lights, they still use myriad flaggers as well....on every track.

Just my $0.02.
 
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sun diego

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Agreed. About 95% of the track events in the US are club events/HPDE. This can lower the cost for all involved and maintain safety. I'll take a good SCCA corner worker over lights and ATVs. I'll take lights. ATVs and cameras over minimum wage workers.
 

SCLSSRT10

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I was just at Spring Mountian with Viper Days. I personally didn't like the lights, I just like seeing the corner workers there in case we need them. Light can not see what happens when there is contact between racers and I have been in situations where the corner workes backed up my end of contact and I was found to not be at fault although looking at the cars and the video it wasn't clear but the input of the corner worker was clear and deemed not my fault. Plus if you have an onboard fire it might take to guys on ATV longer to get to you instead of driving to a corner station where a worker can get right to the car with an extinguisher faster.

So I agree with Dave Scott. Dave how about that I am agreeing with you on this one.

Yes they might be OK for club events but for a race PLEASE give us people in stations.
 

Dave Scott

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Hahaha! Steve, I suspect we agree a whole lot more, on a whole lot more things, than we disagree (or even realize). :D
 

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