The Rough Times of Racing! The RX-7 Accident

So September 10, 2000, I am ready for racing.  We had two cars, Mazda RX-7's.  Our numbers were 86 (Alex) and 87(Me).  The First year we raced at Firebird International Raceway.  I do not remember my first race but I know that I finished just a head of Alex.  Our next race was May 5, 2001.  I remember it being very hot and that there was about 6 cars in our ITA (Improved Touring A) class.  We made it through practice and qualifying with no incidents.  I had qualified about 2 second faster than Alex that day, and I was starting a row ahead.

The race started, and I got a pretty good start.  I was a head of Alex, but he was nipping at my heals.  By about the 5 or 6 lap, I missed a shift point coming out of the tower turn and this allowed Alex to get around me.  It took me a lap or two to get back into a good rhythm, and to get Alex in my sights again.  As I was going do the front straight I noticed that I had been giving the faster cars are coming up, so let them by.  I went into turn one with a BMW passing me on the right.  My plan was to follow the BMW through 1 and 2 turns and by that time he would be passing Alex and so would I.  But as we came out of turn 2. Alex saw the BMW coming and started to go off track.  His car fished tailed a little and it looked like he was going to spin out, but he car hooked and started down the track.  I saw what was happening and I moved to the bottom of the track to avoid.  My plan did not work.  I was hit in the right door.  The car moved to the side but I kept control of it and made the turn for turn 3.

All I could think at the moment was, "Damn he just hit me."  But I had to process what the car doing.  It did not act like a tire was down and all of gauges reading normal.  I made around the tower turn and into the pits to my waiting father.  By them I think the worker at Black Flag, had told him what had happened.  He came to my side and I ask him to check out the damage.  He gave the thumbs ups and I went back out to the track.

Our family was watching from an area were they could not see turns 1 thou 4.  So I appear with all this damage on the right side and my sister could only think of what I did to her husband.

For me, the track was at full caution.  I got around to turn 2 and here was this mangled RX-7 sitting in the middle of the track.  I did spot Alex with a worker with his helmet off, which was a good sign.  The race remained under caution for a few more laps and we finished up the race.  Pulling into inspection was Alex's car.  His car was totaled.  I came in with car that had the right side door caved in and a broken shock tower.  They hand out awards and I had qualified for a four place trophy (a paper weight).   This meant that we had a summer of dismantling one car and building a new one.

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