2:00 of good, clean and close racing - MX5s

[Maxx]

Hmm, hope I dont live to regret posting this here but the MX5s got a bit of bad press earlier in the year for maybe getting out of hand and being too agressive. It's close stuff alright, like any one-make series but there has been some great racing in the series this year and I was fortunate to race with the guys this last weekend at Donington Park.

I post this short 2min video as I hope it shows the level of skill and respect between drivers plus it's a bl**dy good watch even if I say so myself and the 4 camera system shows every detail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoNAR7PTq5Y

The full race video(s) are also up on the same channel.

... and no, I wouldn't have made the move at Coppice unless it was the last lap >

Maxx

Edited by Maxx on Monday 1st November 22:25

[Graham]

You managed to find 2 mins out of the entire season.. blimey things are getting better


sorry but I couldnt resist..

[Maxx]

Graham,

If thats the worst comment I get I'll be very happy LOL

Just extracted that segment as I thought it was a good teaser. The races were 20 minutes and all of race 3 is on my channel with similarly good racing (Sheepinshly hides his head hoping that no-one spots the ridiculously optimistic lunge down the inside of Redgate .. it did work though).

Maxx

[sfaulds]

And even that included a last-lap lunge and contact! Impressive.

[Maxx]

sfaulds said:

And even that included a last-lap lunge and contact! Impressive.

Thanks

[Maxx]

You'll have noted where my right foot was at the point of contact I assume? I did all I could to avoid the contact (which was slight, not a dent or scrape on either car). I dare say had I been racing a vintage Ferrari or something I wouldn't have gone for the gap.

Maxx

Edited by Maxx on Monday 1st November 22:46

[The Moose]

I found it odd to see your left foot on the rest the whole time! I spend most of my time in my race car with my left hovering on the clutch (except for looooooong straights). I guess whatever feels comfortable!!

Nice bit of footage.

I don't mind if you smash a load of them up - can only make my road car increase in value!!

Cheers

The Moose

[mybrainhurts]

Maxx said:

teaser.

I was warming to you until you said that....

[deviant]

I enjoyed that video! I love the water and other junk sloshing around in the footwell!

As a novice I have to ask what the braking technique you use is all about....it looks like you dip the clutch and then brake?

[Maxx]

Deviant,

Hmm, it does look a bit odd. It's only when there is a downchange and the braking and downchanges are virtually simulataneous. I looked back at earlier races and I didnt do it to this degree. I was already asked on another forum why I sometimes didn't heel & toe. It was often the case, particularly defending into Goddards and Redgate that I needed to vary and modulate the brake pressure to fox my opponent and keep him at bay

There does seem to be a slight audio synch problm on that video as the 'snick' from the worn synchro between 3rd and 4th is slightly off.

Maxx

[Roo]

Looks like our rent a racer did quite well.

[Dave Brand]

Maxx said:

I did all I could to avoid the contact (which was slight, not a dent or scrape on either car).

. . . apart from not going for a non-existent gap in the first place?

[Maxx]

Dave,

Look a bit more closely, my initial move was a feint, to force the car in front to defend and compromise his exit. He does, but doesn't close the door completely so I come off the brake and go for the very definite gap. I am actually alongside (not my definition, the MSAs) just prior to the point of contact but the other driver is closing the door.

No problem, this is just close last lap racing, I did all I could to avoid the contact as did the other driver, neither of us pressed the situation. Had this been another popular race series, which shall be nameless but could be the biff, tap and crash championship, the driver in my position would have his foot hard on the gas.

Maxx

[Dave Brand]

Maxx said:

Look a bit more closely, my initial move was a feint, to force the car in front to defend and compromise his exit. He does, but doesn't close the door completely so I come off the brake and go for the very definite gap.

We could argue this until the cows come home, to no real advantage!;) I'd need to see it from outside the car to form any real opinion.

[quote] I am actually alongside (not my definition, the MSAs) just prior to the point of contact but the other driver is closing the door.

Which MSA definition are you referring to? To the best of my knowledge the Blue Book doesn't lay down any hard & fast rules on such matters.

[Maxx]

Dave,

Sorry, didn't want to turn it into an argument, enough of those on other PH forums just pointing out what I was actually doing.

The MSA 'guideline' is for officials (stewards/observers) but I think it's generally known about. I have seen it written down but that was back in 1990 when I trained at the Jim Russell School at Donington and we were fortunate to have a section which included understanding the job of officials etc. and had officials present (inc CoC) there to talk on the subject.

Essentially you are deemed to be alongside (on the inside of a corner) when the front of your car is level with the driver position of the other car (usually considered as half-way but the exact position is a judgement call by the official. In this instance the inside driver is considered to 'have the corner' and theoretically the other driver should 'give him room' and the inside driver can choose his line. I prefer to interpret that as both driver should give each other room as we both did at Redgate, Craners and Schwantz Curve.

Maxx

[Dave Brand]

Maxx said:

The MSA 'guideline' is for officials (stewards/observers) but I think it's generally known about. I have seen it written down but that was back in 1990 when I trained at the Jim Russell School at Donington and we were fortunate to have a section which included understanding the job of officials etc. and had officials present (inc CoC) there to talk on the subject.

Interesting - I've never seen any such guideline!

[quote]Essentially you are deemed to be alongside (on the inside of a corner) when the front of your car is level with the driver position of the other car (usually considered as half-way but the exact position is a judgement call by the official. In this instance the inside driver is considered to 'have the corner' and theoretically the other driver should 'give him room' and the inside driver can choose his line.

In real life things are never black & white. In my opinion a rule such as that is almost impossible to apply - every case has to be judged on its merits. While, of course, relative positions at the point of contact are a factor, what happened before the contact is crucial. For example, if you're "alongside" but obviously going too fast to have any hope of getting round the bend, should the other driver give way?

In the final analysis all contact is avoidable; however, in close racing it's going to happen. Sadly, certain "high-profile" championships give the impression that gaining advantage by making deliberate contact is acceptable.

[Maxx]

Dave Brand said:

In the final analysis all contact is avoidable; however, in close racing it's going to happen. Sadly, certain "high-profile" championships give the impression that gaining advantage by making deliberate contact is acceptable.

On this we most defintely agree.

Maxx

[Peter Punter]

Maxx

I'm sold. ;-)

[pw75]

So your citing this as an example of clean racing? Could you not of found anything better?

[lol1]

pw75 said:

So your citing this as an example of clean racing? Could you not of found anything better?

Bit lost with your comment pw75, Seemed pretty clean to me.
I have/and will again race against Malcolm and Ben with no hesitation of going into a bend 2 or 3 abreast (I hope I dont live to regret that comment)