6376vette

Doesn't matter what the circumstances are. Doesn't matter where second place is. There is absolutely no excuse for intentionally wrecking or making any type of contact with any car regardless of speed, position, or ego. Let the leader by. Fine. You ruin the fun for everyone when you start wrecking other cars. Again maybe our track is different but we have black flagged leaders before for intentionally pushing other cars. If you're good enough to be up front in a race then you should be good enough to pass clean even if the line is not given to you. Being fast doesn't mean you are a good racer or a good friend to the others you are racing with. Being clean and respectful means you can handle yourself and your car.

avs

iTrader: (2)

There are many good viewpoints expressed here, and i think the specific track conditions make a difference. in nitro onroad i was taught to 'be predictable, drive my line smoothly and the overtaker will get around me', while the indoor electric tracks the custom was to get off line and let the overtaker go.

part of this is the relative speed of the racers, in 1/8 it is pretty amazing how much faster some people are, while in electric are speeds arent' that far apart.

The other factor is the track width and the racing line. On carpet the groove is relatively narrow compared to the outdoor track where the whole surface gets blown and sprayed. the line is still develops but it is wider with more choices.

To me the correct answer is what is customary at the track you are at.

Chaz955i

iTrader: (5)

What works at your track isn't always the template for anyone else's track. If your crew gets a kick out of re-racing everyone they lap then good for them. Other tracks it is the three corner rule which is usually not a problem if the announcer does a good job letting lappers know the leaders are coming through. At these tracks respect is a two way street and for the most part it works fine. For those that think they are going to compete with the leader when going a lap or more down they can plan on getting moved off line. Good communication and setting expectations is key in either scenario.

hairy

iTrader: (1)

So if you can't pass me cleanly then you'll just punt me?
Do you blame others for your problems also because if you can't pass me cleanly it is not my fault.
What do we tell the new comers? HOLD YOUR LINE DON"T TRY TO MOVE OUT OF MY WAY< OR WE WILL SURELY WRECK.....oh but in the main go ahead and move out of my way, 'cause you see it's the main I am in the lead.
GET REAL folks!

bencason

iTrader: (3)

Yep, I've been taken out by people that think this way.

I'm an average driver who usually takes a corner wider than a "fast guy" so there are plenty of chances to get by me cleanly. That is why they are "fast guys" and I am average.

BUT, sometimes when I really concentrate, I can run 4 or 5 corners in a row as tight as anyone. If that gets me punted, I've been known to get annoyed. Usually, I'll just shrug it off. IF someone annoys me often enough though, the next time that "fast guy" wants by, I'll do everything I can to block or punt him. I'm not proud of over-reacting like that but what goes around, comes around.

I race for fun. I enjoy close racing and don't need to win at any cost to have fun. I know the folks I race with and "hold your line" works for all of us. When the announcer lets me know a leader's car is coming, I'll make sure it can get by quickly. Likewise, if I hear from a racer on the stand that he is coming up to lap me, I'll let him by. As for the "3 corners and I punt you" racers, I've gotten older, I don't get annoyed as easily but I still believe in "what goes around...".

LloydLoar

iTrader: (20)

This thread makes me very happy to be racing with the people that I do (CORRC). Everyone here knows that moving over to let a faster car pass during qualifying benefits you both far more than attempting to hold the other car off, and we all know that if you are getting lapped you are off pace (and we have right around 9 second laps).

6376vette

I agree with you and I have no problem moving over for a faster car especially when getting lapped but I still stand by my statement concerning contact. Intentional and the key is intentional contact is unacceptable under any circumstance. Ever wonder why some people quit racing? Its usually because they're tired of getting hit every time someone goes to pass. If you can run up front you should be able to pass cleanly. I was about to quit racing because vta became a bash fest on the track. Instead I tried a faster class that was centered around clean driving and it is so much more fun and competitive. Driver skill determines the finishing order not who can bully their way through the field. Some of the "fast" guys need to remember their cars have brakes and some on the slower guys need to remember that some of the "fast" guys don't know what brakes are. From what I have seen you at very correct about the respect aspect of racing but some of the faster guys need to remember to give some respect too.

Rick Hohwart

I thought it was two turns. Oops!

It is not necessarily an intentional punt. It is as simple as making a riskier, more aggressive pass than you might if you were passing for position.

Chaz955i

iTrader: (5)

On most points I don't think we are that far off. That said if a person gets forcibly moved off line because they won't let faster traffic through, and they aren't bright enough to pick up on what is happening or why it happened so it doesn't happen again what can you do? It really is about working together and as I said, at my track the announcer does a great job telling everybody the leader coming through and for the most part our racers do a really good job sliding over and letting them through. Done correctly the time cost to either is negligable and everybody has a good time. Typically I'm the guy moving for faster traffic so it isn't like I'm a fast guy that has a problem with lappers as I typically am one.

bertrandsv87

iTrader: (2)

I've had leaders trying to punt me wreck themselves ! Who's laughing now....ahah.... Leaders need to know when to pass! My Car being on the heavy side does not get punted easily , and sometimes the leaders try to punt people they don't like on purpose.... In my neck of the hood, any leader that don't apologize for heavy unnecessary contact will sure be thrown Off the driverstand ....ahah....

locked

iTrader: (1)

I'm surprised there are so many people who think it's okay to "race" the people who are lapping them. They are already ahead of you, by a lot. You are now going a lap back, so get out of the way. If battling for position, clean passing is required. If they are just coming up to lap you and you are aren't giving them enough room, don't be surprised if there is some contact as they go by, intentional or not.

CarbonJoe

What I've seen all too often is that the slower car moves over to let the faster car by, decides to "tuck in" right behind the faster car to follow their line, and subsequently T-bones the faster car at the next turn. This necessitates the faster car to go through it all again in another lap or so, once the distance lost due to the T-bone is made up.

6376vette

Im surprised there are so many people who think pushing and wrecking someone else's car is ok.

Chaz955i

iTrader: (5)

Guilty as charged. LOL!!

6376vette

But not everyone who is a slower car is an expert driver. A lot of times they are rookies trying to learn. The experienced driver should go around cleanly and not wreck the other car so guys don't go home wondering why they should come back.

Typically I am the guy that is doing both. I understand that this is a two way street of respect. When I am lapping someone I go out of my way to make sure it is a clean pass and I never get frustrated if someone doesn't yield. I also am more than willing to pull over when I am getting lapped. If I ever got intentionally pushed off of the line (and I have) I would be having a friendly little conversation with that driver (and I have) if it continues it usually turns into a much more heated conversation and all of the racers and the race director gets involved. (And it has) but this is just an advanced form of the communication that is necessary for everyone to have fun. Don't punt others if you want others to keep racing. its no fun racing yourself.