Entry into motorsport

[boxhead]

All good stuff to make people aware of the options.
Everyone's situation is going to be different (due to the varying nature of our cars).
So pick through everything you read and weigh up the best options.

I personally made the decision (about 2 years ago) that my Cobra was never built or intended as a race car, last event I attended was 2014 ShelbyFest, and I have not used it on the strip since 2014 either.
Hence I have looked at other forms of motorsport, with cars built for purpose.
The roll over I had in my TrophyKart showed me the importance of the right build and right gear.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sagjOmQKI0[/ame]

Doesn't look like much, but it landed directly on the roof, in a Cobra even with a hoop, it would have been pancaked.

[Treeve]

Whilst we're on the subject of WOT crashes, I have a mildly amusing story with no major injuries to tell.

Many years ago I lived in a shed on my sister's property just outside of sunny Mt. Isa. She drove a Maloo ute, and I drove a Moke. I got to live in the shed with the Maloo, which she wouldn't let me drive (which explains a lot of my dislike for Holdens).

She tripped over in the dark one morning as she was getting out of the house to go to work. Feeling a little sore, she jumped into her Maloo, started it up, and got a cramp in her leg. She dropped the clutch, punted the Maloo into the back of my Moke, then proceeded to push it across the shed floor and out through the colorbond wall of the shed. Traction control is a wonderful thing...

As I've stumbled out of bed, bleary eyed and half dazed at the sound of an LS3 at full bore at 5am in a shed next to my bed, I asked the seemingly obvious question:

"Why didn't you turn it off sooner?"

"Because I wasn't expecting it" (or words to that effect).

And this happened from a standstill - max speed was probably 15km/hr.

Sure, an inertia switch wouldn't have helped (because it didn't), nor would an oil pressure switch or anything else. Being prepared, knowing what to do and being practiced at it are some simple controls that you can and should make sure that you have in place.

Note that my sister has only ever driven manuals, used to race bikes and was still surprised at how quickly it happened. I'm glad she went the direction she did, because the other way was through a wall to the bed I was asleep on!

Treeve

[kyleb]

Being a pilot, we are constantly training for when or if something goes wrong. Actions then become muscle memory and less processing time due to shock.
How is this relevant you ask?
The time you have sitting in the car prior to getting out on the track is possibly a good time to run some scenarios through your head so that if something does happen then you may be semi prepared to react as quickly as possible.
Just my 2c worth but it may save your life !!

[spookypt]

Good story Treeve. Proves how it all happens so quick.

Pushing the keyboard you'd think
"cramp in left leg take foot off loud pedal or cramp in right leg push in clutch"
but it all happens so quick and I think when the car develops a mind of its own that in itself is shock enough to not think clearly.

Just goes to show that tracking cars is fun just like flying a kite (for some not me) but there's a very serious side to what we enjoy.

[snakesaway]

Thanks for all your input guys lots of good information there and lots of stuff I didn't think of. My car is old school mechanical fuel pump and carby. I guess my only real option is manual dash mounted switch and/or inertia switch to kill ignition and possibly a fuel cut off solenoid. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Andrew

[boxhead]

With mechanical fuel pump, your best option is ignition kill.

Originally Posted by snakesaway

Thanks for all your input guys lots of good information there and lots of stuff I didn't think of. My car is old school mechanical fuel pump and carby. I guess my only real option is manual dash mounted switch and/or inertia switch to kill ignition and possibly a fuel cut off solenoid. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Andrew

[Jaydee]

Funny story that happened to a friend that flies paramotors. The kill switch for the ignition is a short out type as used in 2 stroke engines. A nut went through the propeller and shattered it, throwing it so far out of balance that it pulled the throttle cable to wot and broke the kill switch wire. So there he is, being shook around so much that his vision was blurry with a screaming 2 stroke on his back trying to land. He ended up on the forecourt of a beach side cafe.
Lucky. When I used to fly I always had my hand on the throttle on take of. I had a rock go through the prop and instantly I cut the throttle. I wonder If a kill switch like on a jet ski would be a good idea in a race car.
JD