First track day of the year yesterday up here in the Northwoods. Went out with the Milwaukee PCA at Blackhawk farms near Beloit WI.

First session in Group III, advanced group generally incident free, a Z06 money shifted (4th to 1st?) going into turn 7 (got me how she did this) blew the engine dumped oil on the track. Plenty of smoke yellow flags out immediately shouldn't have been much of a problem, paraded by without incident. Well some dufus from Chicago in a GT3 apparently wasn't pay much attention came barrelling in to the corner laid on the brakes heavy hit the oil spun himself into tire barriers around the corner workers station and missed the Z06 by about 2 inches. 1 session gone and about $40k to $50k in damage. Another dufus also from Chicago in another GT3 over cooked a corner went off and ripped off his front bumper. I use dufus because both these guys thought there were indy car drivers, ya right. What a first session!

Third session of the day we had someone decided he should be able to navigate the carousal without touching the brakes and just using the throttle. I am not sure how many of you have been to Blawkhawk but the speed build in a car of reasonable hp, 996 would qualify, from turn 1 to the carousal would make this technic a non-starter. Nontheless he tried and the result was of course predictable, a sideways off right through the grass into the embankment and trees, maybe $20K. Another session blown.

All in all 2 out of 4 sessions blown, scratch 2 GT3s, 1 996 and 1 Z06. Incredibly there was not one off by a Group I or Group II driver all day. Shows you that brain farts can happen to any of us.

Have any pics of the GT3s or know any of the guys? I know a few owners from Chicago, some good, most not so good.

Mike

Hey MAB, it would have been nice if you had actually talked to me about what happened to me at the track. I am the driver of the Z06!

For your information I was in third gear at the time, making your special definition of the "money shift" seem like you must smoke some really good weed !! I was not shifting and the RPMs were not near the red line. All I heard was a pop, then instantly a ball of fire and then I did two 360 turns, ending up in the grass in front of the flag stand. AND then, the GT3 you described actually did hit me, doing minor damage to my car--no two inch miss. What I saw first were the two tires rolling by right before he hit me. I remained strapped in my car. The other driver did not--getting out while the track was still live. Fortunately he was ok too. What was found later was a sheared connecting rod bolt and bits of aluminum block. The engine had about 10k miles on it and I had run it with Midwest F Body at Road Am two weekends prior and with NASA at BHF the weekend prior. I had previously tracked my M Coupe and rarely our shared '03 M3 and my year round daily driver, my '02 M5.

So there LOL Next time, just ask me! I'm actually a friendly person.

Anita

First track day of the year yesterday up here in the Northwoods. Went out with the Milwaukee PCA at Blackhawk farms near Beloit WI.

First session in Group III, advanced group generally incident free, a Z06 money shifted (4th to 1st?) going into turn 7 (got me how she did this) blew the engine dumped oil on the track. Plenty of smoke yellow flags out immediately shouldn't have been much of a problem, paraded by without incident. Well some dufus from Chicago in a GT3 apparently wasn't pay much attention came barrelling in to the corner laid on the brakes heavy hit the oil spun himself into tire barriers around the corner workers station and missed the Z06 by about 2 inches. 1 session gone and about $40k to $50k in damage. Another dufus also from Chicago in another GT3 over cooked a corner went off and ripped off his front bumper. I use dufus because both these guys thought there were indy car drivers, ya right. What a first session!

Third session of the day we had someone decided he should be able to navigate the carousal without touching the brakes and just using the throttle. I am not sure how many of you have been to Blawkhawk but the speed build in a car of reasonable hp, 996 would qualify, from turn 1 to the carousal would make this technic a non-starter. Nontheless he tried and the result was of course predictable, a sideways off right through the grass into the embankment and trees, maybe $20K. Another session blown.

All in all 2 out of 4 sessions blown, scratch 2 GT3s, 1 996 and 1 Z06. Incredibly there was not one off by a Group I or Group II driver all day. Shows you that brain farts can happen to any of us.

Hey Anita, glad you found this thread. I saw the cross-post on M5board and certainly hoped someone would set the record straight . . .

That stinks about the motor. The question is will Chevy warranty it?

We picked up the Z06 last fall from someone from the Atlanta area. The engine was rebuilt/modified by Lamar Walden. It was a stroked 383 w/ 450hp/450tq at the wheels. It had all forged internals. It just grenaded, no warning. The motor was a beast, it was very powerful. Now to figure out plan B -- the replacement.

ddl - Sorry to hear. Thats a sure-fire way to ruin your day. Good luck with the fix.

Can we avoid calling people that make mistakes on the track dufuses and other condescending remarks? This thread is a great example of how no one but the driver really knows the whole story. Even if the story was true, I've never met a person who has NEVER made a mistake, young or old, noob or experienced, so I dont think looking down on anyone is warranted.


Just my $.02. Everyone drive safe.

thats what happens when people think they bought talent with thier fancy car. I think they deserve it maybe they will drive a honda accord for the rest of thier life. I think there should be a drivers test you should have to pass in order to be able to own cars like that.

People make mistakes but that is ridiculous. far to often you see some rich guy at the track with his fancy car going around teh track at speeds that are way over his driving ability, he gets praise from the instructor because hes going fast and seemingly doing well and then he tries to push his fancy car harder and since these cars obviously will take whatever you give them you can get in way over your head. and it can happen very quickly. and then boom you ruin a $7800 bumper.

We picked up the Z06 last fall from someone from the Atlanta area. The engine was rebuilt/modified by Lamar Walden. It was a stroked 383 w/ 450hp/450tq at the wheels. It had all forged internals. It just grenaded, no warning. The motor was a beast, it was very powerful. Now to figure out plan B -- the replacement.

Hey Anita, so you went Chevy afterall. I know you were talking about it last fall. Look out for the little black sedan this year, she is at Zimbrick getting a whole lot more goodies on her and a TC Kline DA suspension.

Sorry to hear about the misfortune, nobody should challenge your ability to drive. I am suprised MAB doesn't know who you are your no stranger to the track.

thats what happens when people think they bought talent with thier fancy car. I think they deserve it maybe they will drive a honda accord for the rest of thier life. I think there should be a drivers test you should have to pass in order to be able to own cars like that.

People make mistakes but that is ridiculous. far to often you see some rich guy at the track with his fancy car going around teh track at speeds that are way over his driving ability, he gets praise from the instructor because hes going fast and seemingly doing well and then he tries to push his fancy car harder and since these cars obviously will take whatever you give them you can get in way over your head. and it can happen very quickly. and then boom you ruin a $7800 bumper.

Pot meet Kettle :rolleyes

Pot meet Kettle :rolleyes


Seriously. After his rant last week following his penalized behavior at VIR....well, 'nuff said.

Hey Anita, so you went Chevy afterall. I know you were talking about it last fall. Look out for the little black sedan this year, she is at Zimbrick getting a whole lot more goodies on her and a TC Kline DA suspension.

Sorry to hear about the misfortune, nobody should challenge your ability to drive. I am suprised MAB doesn't know who you are your no stranger to the track.


Hey Jim,

Where have you been? We missed you at RA with MFBA!!

Congratulations on your article in the May 2006 issue of Bimmer!!! Page 85 for those of you who haven't seen it yet! Took my copy over to Zimbrick the other week and left it there for a bit so everyone could check it out.

See you at the track (as you fly by me like usual)!

Anita

Pot meet Kettle :rolleyes

???? this went right over my head

Pot meet Kettle

Excellent thread!!!

Anita - You probably don't know who I am, though I used to troll the M5 board religiously (same name "Murphy" over there). That pretty much stopped when I got the E30, which now takes most of my attention. Sorry to hear of this incident. Things happen & unfortunately the gossip chain in the pits goes into action very quickly. Glad, though, to hear you were not hurt. Cars / engines can always be replaced!

Glad it wasn't the M5!

Steve

Hey Jim,

Where have you been? We missed you at RA with MFBA!!

Congratulations on your article in the May 2006 issue of Bimmer!!! Page 85 for those of you who haven't seen it yet! Took my copy over to Zimbrick the other week and left it there for a bit so everyone could check it out.

See you at the track (as you fly by me like usual)!

Anita

She was in for major surgery so I missed the first event. I'll be up at PCA Milwaukee on the 15th though. Thanks for the Kudos on the article, next stop is Roundel or European Car once the package is all finished.

The point of the post was not to demean your driving. The how of the blown engine was not particularly relevant. I had no reason to believe the “how” that was relayed to me was incorrect, apparently it was and I apologize for describing the event incorrectly.

The point of the post was of course much broader. First cars break and it can be expensive, second bad attitudes lead to bad events, third bad things happen to even the best of us. In otherwords the unexpected happening at a DE that can cost cash or physical injury. All of these circumstances were held out for our inspection at last Wednesdays DE. First, a blown engine without driver intervention. Second, driving like a dufus. (It has been suggested that the use of this adjective is harsh. If you all have a better adjective for someone who drives over their head, ignores yellow flags and smoking cars and manages on off into the broken car, then GETS OUT OF THE CAR, you let me know.) Finally, a driver who has always exhibited safe and competent conduct on the track has a costly off.

The day provided a variety of lessons for all of us to learn from.





Hey MAB, it would have been nice if you had actually talked to me about what happened to me at the track. I am the driver of the Z06!

For your information I was in third gear at the time, making your special definition of the "money shift" seem like you must smoke some really good weed !! I was not shifting and the RPMs were not near the red line. All I heard was a pop, then instantly a ball of fire and then I did two 360 turns, ending up in the grass in front of the flag stand. AND then, the GT3 you described actually did hit me, doing minor damage to my car--no two inch miss. What I saw first were the two tires rolling by right before he hit me. I remained strapped in my car. The other driver did not--getting out while the track was still live. Fortunately he was ok too. What was found later was a sheared connecting rod bolt and bits of aluminum block. The engine had about 10k miles on it and I had run it with Midwest F Body at Road Am two weekends prior and with NASA at BHF the weekend prior. I had previously tracked my M Coupe and rarely our shared '03 M3 and my year round daily driver, my '02 M5.

So there LOL Next time, just ask me! I'm actually a friendly person.

Anita

(It has been suggested that the use of this adjective is harsh. If you all have a better adjective for someone who drives over their head, ignores yellow flags and smoking cars and manages on off into the broken car, then GETS OUT OF THE CAR, you let me know.)


Not to be picky, but I think that as-used, "dufus" is actually a noun, not an adjective. :devillook Been a while since grammar class, though. :redspot

This isn't unusual...the NASA events around me always have carnage in the first session of the weekend which is generally instructors. I would guess the greenest of the greenies are the safest just because they're so damned scared. When you start getting complacent is when bad things happened.

And I'll support the 'dufus GT3 owner' statement (not to say all gt3 owners are dufus' of course). The salesmen tell them that these are the same cars the pros drive all over the world. This may be true but cutting a check doesn't automatically make you Wolf Hentzler or Robin Liddel.

Not to be picky, but I think that as-used, "dufus" is actually a noun, not an adjective. :devillook Been a while since grammar class, though. :redspot

Actually a noun would not be used to describe an attribute of something, the name of which would be a noun. If the persons name was Dufus that would be a noun. In this context the word was used to describe thus an adjective.

an adjective cannot come from Chicago. Only nouns can, IMO. Give me an adjective that came from Chicago area.

So.. how much will it cost to replace the Z06 engine?

GT's are cool nonetheless.

... I would guess the greenest of the greenies are the safest just because they're so damned scared. When you start getting complacent is when bad things happened.


Aint it the truth.

First I want to apologize for any confusion that resulted from me posting under my husband's log in!! What happened was a fellow member on another board notified me that there was a post on this forum indicating I had "money shifted" and gave the quote of the post. I found this forum and the post and then found my husband was logged in. I didn't have much time and was unsure how long the member sign up process would take, so I went ahead and used his. I had forgotten he might receive notifications of responses to posts which is how he knew what was going on here. Anyway, since you invoked my presence here:D:D I got my own log in!!

It's great to see some familiar faces over here like brahtw8, Murph and Jim M3!!! Thanks for your help!

edhchoe: Sorry we haven't decided exactly which direction to go as far as engine replacement yet.

MAB badgerbimmer: I'm guessing you know how rumors love to fly about incidents like the one's you describe in the thread you started. That's why I try to be careful to identify items I post as my personal accounts, second hand stories, or rumors or whatever. We can get pretty excited when things like this happen, I know. I even apologized to the event organizers (Randy and Ron) for the trouble and for the lose of track time the other drivers experienced. I'm assuming we will cross paths again at some track? I don't know who you are--but I will find out, then find you and we can talk, okay? Either that or you can find me. I would love to straighten out the person who mislead you. I'll be the one in the subtle LS Blue M Coupe for awhile!!:D :D :D

PS You can read the full and boring account of my version of what happened to me on the M5board, here (sorry I don't have "permission" to use hyperlinks), m5board.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=71808, but you have to promise if you fall asleep you won't snore! LOL

Anita