[Wichita-SCCA] Auto-x finish gone wrong

[Rocky Entriken]

I fondly remember those as I drove in both street events. First one was real 
interesting, down Central in front of Century II where the street alternates 
brick and polished concrete. And then an asphalt 180 around a 
middle-of-street flowerpot at the far end. I had my tire pressures down in 
the teens in my slicks to get some grip, which was WAYYY too much grip on 
the asphalt part! A cop was shooting radar on us and got me at 54 mph on 
Central. Fun! That first year only "experienced" autocrossers were allowed.

Even at WSU with spectators up on the grassy knoll it was fun. I miss the 
Riverfest Autox.

--Rocky

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Greg Laws" <GLaws at cox.net>
To: "Wichita Region SCCA." <wichita-scca at wichitascca.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 9:10 PM
Subject: Re: [Wichita-SCCA] Auto-x finish gone wrong


> Yes.  The 1986 Riverfest event was the last of two street solo events 
> staged
> by the Wichita Region and one of the last few street solos to ever be
> sanctioned by SCCA.  It was held on four blocks of Main Street, just north
> of Douglas.  At that event the spectators were on the sidewalks with
> flagging roped from light pole to light pole so there was maybe a foot of
> distance between the curb and the flagging.  Children could easily duck
> under the flagging of course.  There were a few sections where the course
> actually used the curbing as the outside edge of the course.  I know 
> because
> I designed it.  With sidewalks full of families and with cars dancing at
> 10/10ths close enough to reach out and touch ... well, you do the math.
> Looking back I seem to remember that, as the event went on, the sidewalks 
> at
> the most obvious dangerous points tended to be spectator free, or mostly 
> so.
> Perhaps the individuals in the crowd were more aware of their danger than 
> we
> were!  This event was staged well before the advent of the Solo Safety
> Steward program of course.
>
> We weren't the only stupid ones.  In the same era the new sport of tractor
> pulls killed several spectators at different times when things exploded 
> and
> the crowds were too close.  Ditto with drag racing, NASCAR, and the rest.
> Most of the current safety regulations in organized automotive sports 
> arose
> as a reaction to something bad that happened.  It is a shame that that's 
> how
> things change but that's the way it works.  The trick for the rules makers
> is to retain the freedom and the thrill while avoiding the bad things.
>
> To quote Bruce, "But we were young and stupid and thankfully we got away
> with it as it was fun."  All true but for me it has sadly been a case of 
> too
> soon old, too late smart!
>
> By the way, Bruce ... I've been racking my brain trying to remember who 
> that
> very dedicated worker was; the fellow who almost got ran over by the 
> sports
> racer.  I keep thinking that it might have been you but I believe that 
> I've
> asked you about it before and you denied it.  Can anyone else who was 
> there
> remember the fellow's identity?
>
> Enjoy,
> Greg Laws
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "bbetting" <bbetting at southwind.net>
> To: "'Wichita Region SCCA.'" <wichita-scca at wichitascca.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2007 6:41 PM
> Subject: Re: [Wichita-SCCA] Auto-x finish gone wrong
>
>
>> Jim,
>> Greg may have been talking about the first Riverfests autox was down
>> town on the streets.  We then moved to Lawrence Dumott before we moved to
>> WSU.  Greg is right looking back we had great exposure to have something
>> very bad go wrong.  But we were young and stupid and thankfully we got
>> away
>> with it as it was fun.
>> Bruce (lost in Kansas) Bettinger
>>
>>
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>>
>
>
>
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