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Re: Sticking your arm out when rolling over.

To: Jeff Cashmore <cashmo@spec-rx7.org>
Subject: Re: Sticking your arm out when rolling over.
From: Randy Chase <randyc2@home.com>
Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2000 13:57:04 -0700

Jeff Cashmore wrote:

> FWIW, at my road racing drivers school they taught us to let go of the
> wheel, cross your arms and grab your shoulder straps just before
> impact.  Not that I remembered any of it when I went off in T12 at Road
> America.  I think the idea is to save your thumbs in case the front
> wheels get jammed in a different direction and the steering wheel gets
> spun violently.

This makes more sense to me, but would be hard to implement. At a
ProSolo in Atwater a couple years back, I got into a little bobble at
the finish (me??).

For some odd reason, the car got really out of sorts and made the most
abrupt movement I had ever felt without hitting something. The steering
wheel was yanked very hard and I slammed into the harness. I ended up
with a sprained wrist and bruises on my body from the harness. I had to
explain to my skeptical wife why I had these marks on me. :-)

I could see how if my car had a higher CofG FOR THAT ONE INSTANCE, I
might have gone up on two wheels. Not a question of trying to save the
run really.

As it is, spinning off of Turn 8 at Willow Springs Big Track (approx
117mph), I would never have let go of the wheel. I want to control what
I can, even if it't not a lot. And yes, for that move, time did slow
down a lot. Other bonehead moves I have done were over before I knew
what happened.

Randy Chase (condiments to those who are staying out of the mayo thread)

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