Thursday, May 27, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Respect The Car
Some Cars Require a Little More Attention
Article from S2Ki
Yes that’s right, the title for this post is RESPECT THE CAR. Not too long ago I was talking to the Manager of a Honda dealership at the annual Formula H Honda day in Middletown, NY. Rick the manager, owns a pristine Honda S2000 that only comes out on the nicer sunny days and stays indoors under a car cover rest of the time, but I digress. What caught my attention was the fact that Rick was talking about how the resale value of the S had dropped and in doing so was leaving him stuck between a rock and a hard place. Turns out he was increasingly being approached by parents that wanted to reward their teenager with a used S2000 and he was not happy with the idea.
I was taken aback. Why did this man have an issue with selling a car to someone that is at the right age to enjoy the car to the fullest? Come to think of it I’d have loved to own an S2000 when I was 17, I mean, who wouldn’t!. My doubts were soon cleared when he went on to tell me that one car ended up wrapped around a pole and the other came back in with a burned clutch not long after it went out the door.
Now those are not the only incidents and certainly not isolated issues. Stories abound our forum of owners (not all of them Hannah Montana’s peers) who have found out the hard way, that behind that seemingly unassuming exterior, the S2000 packs a nasty bite. Pay no heed to its feedback and it will gladly pitch you into the nearest ditch or wrap you around the nearest tree where it thinks you’d make for a fine tree-ornament.
The S2000 Talk forum has a dizzying array of such threads where owners post pictures of their wrecked (can I say past) pride & joy and lament the loss of pride and the pall of gloom brought about by overstepping their limits. This usually leads to either emphatic words of support or stern words rebuking the wisdom of the owner, all of which on an internet forum is considered fair play. Maybe taking a look at some of the destruction in the Official S2k Accident thread will help as well.
It leads me to ask the question of each of you – when you have invested so much (time, money, hard work at school etc.) into acquiring what is one of the truest and best sports cars out there, why would you throw it all away on a silly whim or to prove a point? I’m sure you would agree with me, that the sight of you driving around in your S2000 is way better than ghastly images of automotive destruction. Now factor in the loss of life and limb to you and others around you. Why? Is it because you have no respect for yourself and your achievements or you lack a respect for the laws of physics and lack a respect for your S2000? You have to ask yourself that question and figure out what your answer is.
The S2000 is akin to a finely tuned musical instrument. In the hands of a maestro it has the potential to create a musical masterpiece and will cause the audiences ears to bleed when in the hands of someone lacking the skill. That in no way means that you have to try and be the next Jenson Button in order to drive the S, but you must be aware of the laws of physics as they apply to automotive motion, the condition of your car, and a few general principles of driving.
The question now arises as to where one can acquire such knowledge. Well guys, you know all those old fogies that are either mean to you or offer you words of sympathy on the forum, you ask them. Several of these guys have owned the car for long, have participated in track events, instructed students in high performance driving or are auto cross gurus. S2ki is a resource of knowledge that is waiting to be tapped for the hungry mind that wants to be a better driver.
In addition to that, if you are hell-bent upon becoming a better driver, the next best thing for you to do would be to participate in a High Performance Driving Event or in an Auto Cross. Both these events have a novice class, where you would have an instructor riding shotgun, that will take you through the paces and help you get better and faster by understanding what you are doing right and where you are going wrong. Some of these schools also have classroom sessions for novices, where the laws of physics, importance of car setup, weight transfer, traction in the wet etc., all of which will go a long way towards enhancing your mental makeup to be a better prepared driver out on the street.
Doing drivers ed for a while, I’ve personally gained in that my aggression on the street is no longer an issue. Although I like to call myself a ricer (for driving a Honda) I refuse to challenge or get challenged by the moron that thinks he is Schumacher on the streets. I drive around the speed limit and have my fun while cornering (albeit the safe and correct way). My transitions between braking and acceleration are much smoother (than when I first started) and I ensure the car planted as I go around a corner.
Now that I’ve emphasized the importance of driver’s ed and probably have gotten some of you to open a new window to Google “Autocross for novices”, let me also state some principles that I think you should always bear in mind no matter what car you are driving:
1. Be aware of the tread depth, and rating of your tires. If you are running high performance tires, they may not be as grippy in colder early morning temperatures or when you are driving through monsoon weather.
2. Keep both hands firmly planted on the steering wheel at all time. The only exception is when you have to move your hand to upshift or downshift. Hands should be at the ‘10′ and ‘2′o clock positions at all times when you are out on the street except for situations where your speed is lower and you need to turn the wheel a tad more.
3. Be Smooth, gentle yet firm with your steering motion. Have a relaxed grip on the steering wheel and gently turn the wheel from side to side. Doing it harshly is only going to upset the balance of your cars and that mythical 50:50 weight distribution (legend has it that it can save your bacon from rampaging SUV’s, NOT TRUE).
3. Brake in a straight line, not while cornering. Get all your braking and downshifting done before you turn in to the corner. After braking your right foot is now resting (not pressing down) on the gas pedal. As you start coming out of the turn gradually get on the gas and increase speed as your car tracks out into a straight line. Remember its better to go slower into a corner and exit faster, than going too fast into a corner and never coming out of the corner.
4. Keep your eyes on the road and be situationally aware. Don’t focus on the guy in the Civic Si that’s trying to race you (that could be me, and you will lose ) or ogle at the girl in that Mazda 3 too long. The S2000 demands that you be aware of where it is you want it to go. Trust me this is one car that will instinctively follow your eyes without you having to do a thing. Now banging up against that Mazda 3 is not going to do you any favors with the girl, and a wrecked car is certainly not going to cut you any slack either.
5. If its raining, handle your S with kid gloves. This is the perfect storm. You driving a temperamental car (no VSA on the older cars) and the rain comes along. What do you do? Follow the above guidelines, take a deep breath and be as gentle as you can. More importantly click here and read this old post.
There is an oft used illustration at a lot of drivers ed events and I find myself thinking of it every time I drive and keep goading myself to be smoother all the time. They say to think that there is an egg in between your feet and the pedals. Push down too hard and you will have cracked the egg, and wrecked your S2000. The key is to be gentle and smooth with the pedals and trying to keep that imaginary egg from cracking. Will following the above make you slower, hell! yeah. You will be safer though and in time as you come to understand the car, you will get a feel for what it is trying to say, you will grow faster and what is more you will come to RESPECT THE CAR.
PS: I’m going to leave you with yet another grisly story. This is the tragic accident that befell two sixteen year olds in Bensenville, IL. With the S2000 having ceased production it is well on its way towards becoming a future classic. There is no saying if and when Honda will make another car like this. Our member Ralper, has started a project to create a registry of all S2000’s. I’m sure I speak for everyone else that’s older (not necessarily wiser) that we’d rather see all the cars and owners as statistics on the registry, than as an unknown, unheard and unnamed statistic in a local government accident database. This post is not because I’m trying to go all AAA on you guys, but to get you and your cars to stick around so we can all keep the legend of the S2000 alive.
Linke to Article
Article from S2Ki
"However because of the legacy and persona of this vehicle, it attracts a much more intelligent, car crazy, and ultimately higher echelon of drivers"
Yes that’s right, the title for this post is RESPECT THE CAR. Not too long ago I was talking to the Manager of a Honda dealership at the annual Formula H Honda day in Middletown, NY. Rick the manager, owns a pristine Honda S2000 that only comes out on the nicer sunny days and stays indoors under a car cover rest of the time, but I digress. What caught my attention was the fact that Rick was talking about how the resale value of the S had dropped and in doing so was leaving him stuck between a rock and a hard place. Turns out he was increasingly being approached by parents that wanted to reward their teenager with a used S2000 and he was not happy with the idea.
I was taken aback. Why did this man have an issue with selling a car to someone that is at the right age to enjoy the car to the fullest? Come to think of it I’d have loved to own an S2000 when I was 17, I mean, who wouldn’t!. My doubts were soon cleared when he went on to tell me that one car ended up wrapped around a pole and the other came back in with a burned clutch not long after it went out the door.
Now those are not the only incidents and certainly not isolated issues. Stories abound our forum of owners (not all of them Hannah Montana’s peers) who have found out the hard way, that behind that seemingly unassuming exterior, the S2000 packs a nasty bite. Pay no heed to its feedback and it will gladly pitch you into the nearest ditch or wrap you around the nearest tree where it thinks you’d make for a fine tree-ornament.
(Poor Rio Yellow :( )
The S2000 Talk forum has a dizzying array of such threads where owners post pictures of their wrecked (can I say past) pride & joy and lament the loss of pride and the pall of gloom brought about by overstepping their limits. This usually leads to either emphatic words of support or stern words rebuking the wisdom of the owner, all of which on an internet forum is considered fair play. Maybe taking a look at some of the destruction in the Official S2k Accident thread will help as well.
It leads me to ask the question of each of you – when you have invested so much (time, money, hard work at school etc.) into acquiring what is one of the truest and best sports cars out there, why would you throw it all away on a silly whim or to prove a point? I’m sure you would agree with me, that the sight of you driving around in your S2000 is way better than ghastly images of automotive destruction. Now factor in the loss of life and limb to you and others around you. Why? Is it because you have no respect for yourself and your achievements or you lack a respect for the laws of physics and lack a respect for your S2000? You have to ask yourself that question and figure out what your answer is.
(I feel bad for the car because she had an ignorant owner)
The S2000 is akin to a finely tuned musical instrument. In the hands of a maestro it has the potential to create a musical masterpiece and will cause the audiences ears to bleed when in the hands of someone lacking the skill. That in no way means that you have to try and be the next Jenson Button in order to drive the S, but you must be aware of the laws of physics as they apply to automotive motion, the condition of your car, and a few general principles of driving.
The question now arises as to where one can acquire such knowledge. Well guys, you know all those old fogies that are either mean to you or offer you words of sympathy on the forum, you ask them. Several of these guys have owned the car for long, have participated in track events, instructed students in high performance driving or are auto cross gurus. S2ki is a resource of knowledge that is waiting to be tapped for the hungry mind that wants to be a better driver.
In addition to that, if you are hell-bent upon becoming a better driver, the next best thing for you to do would be to participate in a High Performance Driving Event or in an Auto Cross. Both these events have a novice class, where you would have an instructor riding shotgun, that will take you through the paces and help you get better and faster by understanding what you are doing right and where you are going wrong. Some of these schools also have classroom sessions for novices, where the laws of physics, importance of car setup, weight transfer, traction in the wet etc., all of which will go a long way towards enhancing your mental makeup to be a better prepared driver out on the street.
Doing drivers ed for a while, I’ve personally gained in that my aggression on the street is no longer an issue. Although I like to call myself a ricer (for driving a Honda) I refuse to challenge or get challenged by the moron that thinks he is Schumacher on the streets. I drive around the speed limit and have my fun while cornering (albeit the safe and correct way). My transitions between braking and acceleration are much smoother (than when I first started) and I ensure the car planted as I go around a corner.
Now that I’ve emphasized the importance of driver’s ed and probably have gotten some of you to open a new window to Google “Autocross for novices”, let me also state some principles that I think you should always bear in mind no matter what car you are driving:
1. Be aware of the tread depth, and rating of your tires. If you are running high performance tires, they may not be as grippy in colder early morning temperatures or when you are driving through monsoon weather.
2. Keep both hands firmly planted on the steering wheel at all time. The only exception is when you have to move your hand to upshift or downshift. Hands should be at the ‘10′ and ‘2′o clock positions at all times when you are out on the street except for situations where your speed is lower and you need to turn the wheel a tad more.
3. Be Smooth, gentle yet firm with your steering motion. Have a relaxed grip on the steering wheel and gently turn the wheel from side to side. Doing it harshly is only going to upset the balance of your cars and that mythical 50:50 weight distribution (legend has it that it can save your bacon from rampaging SUV’s, NOT TRUE).
3. Brake in a straight line, not while cornering. Get all your braking and downshifting done before you turn in to the corner. After braking your right foot is now resting (not pressing down) on the gas pedal. As you start coming out of the turn gradually get on the gas and increase speed as your car tracks out into a straight line. Remember its better to go slower into a corner and exit faster, than going too fast into a corner and never coming out of the corner.
4. Keep your eyes on the road and be situationally aware. Don’t focus on the guy in the Civic Si that’s trying to race you (that could be me, and you will lose ) or ogle at the girl in that Mazda 3 too long. The S2000 demands that you be aware of where it is you want it to go. Trust me this is one car that will instinctively follow your eyes without you having to do a thing. Now banging up against that Mazda 3 is not going to do you any favors with the girl, and a wrecked car is certainly not going to cut you any slack either.
5. If its raining, handle your S with kid gloves. This is the perfect storm. You driving a temperamental car (no VSA on the older cars) and the rain comes along. What do you do? Follow the above guidelines, take a deep breath and be as gentle as you can. More importantly click here and read this old post.
There is an oft used illustration at a lot of drivers ed events and I find myself thinking of it every time I drive and keep goading myself to be smoother all the time. They say to think that there is an egg in between your feet and the pedals. Push down too hard and you will have cracked the egg, and wrecked your S2000. The key is to be gentle and smooth with the pedals and trying to keep that imaginary egg from cracking. Will following the above make you slower, hell! yeah. You will be safer though and in time as you come to understand the car, you will get a feel for what it is trying to say, you will grow faster and what is more you will come to RESPECT THE CAR.
PS: I’m going to leave you with yet another grisly story. This is the tragic accident that befell two sixteen year olds in Bensenville, IL. With the S2000 having ceased production it is well on its way towards becoming a future classic. There is no saying if and when Honda will make another car like this. Our member Ralper, has started a project to create a registry of all S2000’s. I’m sure I speak for everyone else that’s older (not necessarily wiser) that we’d rather see all the cars and owners as statistics on the registry, than as an unknown, unheard and unnamed statistic in a local government accident database. This post is not because I’m trying to go all AAA on you guys, but to get you and your cars to stick around so we can all keep the legend of the S2000 alive.
Linke to Article
Thursday, May 13, 2010
The value of good safety gear *from Grassroots Motorsports Magazine*
Fighting Fire
On December 5, 2009, I was buzzing around Thunderhill Raceway in the No. 19 Team MER Super Mazda MX-5 for NASA’s seventh annual 25-hour race. I was having a blast and had high hopes of defending our overall win from the previous year. World Challenge power and numerous other updates gave us one fast Mazda Miata.
At about the seven-hour mark, I was going into Turn 8 at approximately 105 mph when the biggest test of my life unfolded in mere seconds: My car exploded in a giant fireball. It was a test of every survival skill that I have learned to date, the culmination of all my learned instincts. Fortunately, I’m here to tell you about it.
Life Lessons
I come from an aviation background, and my father taught me how to fly at an early age. When I was 7 or 8, I remember my father helping me into the glider when I asked him a seemingly childish question: “Why do we need seat belts?”
His reply: “A seat belt is like a parachute; if you need it and don’t have it, you will probably never need it again.”
I don’t know where he got that statement from, but it stuck in my head as a lesson about the importance of safety gear. I believe it’s true regardless of the activity.
Hence, I am a big advocate of always wearing the right gear, which must be in perfect shape with no holes, no excessive wear, etc. I insist on a top-of-the-line three-layer suit, full-faced helmet, HANS device, gloves and full-length Nomex underwear: top, bottom, socks and balaclava. Note: In particular, nothing is worn underneath the suit that can melt or is flammable.
One of the great things about this sport is learning from all of the people I’ve met. Driving a variety of cars in different series, working with various teams, consulting for safety companies, and teaching at different schools has introduced me to valuable lifesaving knowledge. Everyone from the seasoned pro to the first-day student has taught me valuable lessons that allowed me to pass my test of survival.
The night before the race, as we were preparing the seating position and belts for the driver changes, I took a few minutes—as I always do—to familiarize myself with the fire system, belts, window net, kill switch, door handle and general layout of the car.
I learned to do this after years of listening to stories from veteran drivers who have survived some bad situations. Also, watching novices simply trying to get out of a car during a pit stop can show that this task isn’t as easy as it sounds.
In the SCCA’s World Challenge series, in fact, we have to do an exit test every year for every car that we drive. We get 15 seconds to go from race-ready and belted-in to outside the car.
I believe that I still hold the record for quickest exit at just under five seconds. That exit involved a bit of bleeding, but it prepared me for surviving what happened at Thunderhill.
From Bad to Worse
At Turn 8, the car started filling up with smoke and fumes. “Okay, no big deal,” I thought, “I’ve been through this numerous times.” I put down my visor and called the crew to tell them there was a problem with the car. I was just a few seconds away from corner station 9, where there was help.
Then, in an instant, a fireball erupted in the car. I thought to myself, “Wow, this sucks!” as I reached for the fire system’s pull handle, easily within reach on the left-side A-pillar. (Thank you, Jules.)
The flames were soon gone, the heat dissipated, and as I slowed down for the station I hit the kill switch. I was still thinking that the situation wasn’t a problem, as there was still manageable hope we could fix it and finish the race.
As I slowed down to leave the track and head for the corner station, my right hand reached for the belt release. At that same moment, BOOM, there was a big explosion.
In an instant there was intense, searing bright light, lots of heat, and amazingly dead silence. My eyes were forced closed, but I could still tell that it was incredibly bright in the car. The heat was so intense it was unbearable.
Houston, we now have a problem—a big problem.
I couldn’t see, I couldn’t breathe, and I am not embarrassed to say that at this point I was scared. For the first time ever in a race car, I knew without a doubt that I had to get out now in order to survive—right now!—or I was going to die. The heat started to hurt really, really bad—excruciatingly bad.
Learned instincts started to play out. I dropped the window net, but as I tried to get up I couldn’t, realizing I never undid the belts. I must have picked up my arm as the fire erupted from the middle of the car.
I released the belt with my right hand while I opened the door with my left. As I jumped out, I pulled myself out by grabbing the roll cage. At that moment, I had a profound thought: “Wow, that cage is hot.”
I was still in flames as I ran from the car, so I did the stop, drop and roll routine. (Thank you, Dick Van Dyke.) As I was sprayed with cool, refreshing water, I could finally start breathing again. (Thank you, safety workers.) I got a helicopter ride to the hospital, where I was treated for second-degree burns on both hands and my right arm. A few weeks of healing, and I’d be as good as new, ready for Daytona. I am one lucky duck! (Thank you, everyone involved in my care.)
Be Safe, Be Fast
I have told this story many times since that night, trying to emphasize the importance of having the proper safety equipment in good to excellent condition and having enough practice to make the procedures a learned instinct.
I cannot tell you what caused the fire. Fortunately this was a rather rare occurrence, but one that any driver should be—must be!—ready for at any time. If you look at the accompanying photographs or get a chance to see this equipment in person, you will have no doubt that the gear was essential in saving my life.
Think about what it takes to melt a helmet, yet the searing flames never penetrated my gear. My burns were all from heat transfer. If I were wearing an open-faced helmet or a simple T-shirt as some do when on track, I definitely would not have survived this ordeal.
Now, bear in mind that this was a new car with all-new components, built and prepped by a championship-winning team. I was wearing every possible piece of safety equipment, not just the required items. Everything was in nearly new condition.
I regularly practice my exits and I am tested at least once a year on my ability to get out of a car in a hurry. I have many years of professional driving experience and work with safety companies. I always familiarize myself with the car’s safety equipment before driving. (Ever forget to pull the safety pin on your fire bottle before a session?)
Remember, fire burns just as hot on a test day as it does on a race day, so wear all your gear. How fast can you get out of your car while blindfolded and holding your breath? Have you practiced fast exits? Are you ready? Please think about it. Be fast and safe, and always wear all of your safety gear.
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