I don't know whether to like this post to support you and acknowledge that I'm following your story or leave it un-liked cause obviously don't want "like" your wreck.To say Nationals went to plan would be a massive, massive understatement. I'm sure those of you who were at Nats are likely sick of hearing about it, probably as much or more than I am talking about it. Just got home, back fatigue is really setting in, but I'm going to hunker down and put this post down now that I've got internets.
off to a great start
Had a great car all year, really starting to find her rhythm, and in the 2 months I had my pc, I don't know how somebody could mathematically put in more laps on that f***ing track. When I wasn't simming it, I was stalking the competitors social medias, watching friends with similar setups videos there as well, so there was reason I was quiet during the NASA SoCal 3 month heatbreak, I was preparing for war. I'd lost 35 pounds, with the car coming in at 3590 with me in it, 15 under my 3605 that I used to run at.. but could be fixed with fuel as an extra 0.1 comes at 3601+, for safety. I had flown my Mom in from the east, rented an RV, and we made our trip up. For those who saw me noticing that I was dressed like a clown (moreso than normal), well, one of the bags that we forgot was my clothes, so I was wearing Walmart's hottest fall fashions. Besides, I'd just run around in the suit the whole time, so no big problem. Finally made it up Tuesday night, and was I believe the first occupant in the Lake Bed Paddock, which was a different and really nice change of pace.
Wednesday morning was going out with NCRC, my plan was to go out easy, and try to balance the simmings suggestions vs the real thing, and not sure who was out with me, try not to show too much of my hand, migrating traffic and getting good runs at a few turns here and there. Being half deaf and having mufflers now, I was also trying to get the tones right and my rhythm down.
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Kept bumping into traffic, and near the end of the second session, I put together perhaps the worst lap of my life. I have played this lap over in my head for the last 5 days, almost down to each hand and foot gesture. Grabbed my 2nd gear for turn 11, something I had been able to do with like 10% success since I thought I had lost it way back in February's Willow Springs event... but then f***ing flubbed 3rd coming by the hotpits.
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the worst lap of my life, the last lap of hers
Flubbed another one out of 2b, then realize it's me thinking too much, it's the prototypes that I can't see with the new halo seat which is yes, now blocking the usual over-shoulder mount. I saw them exit 11 when I was just going over into 1, so I figure they made up that gap, especially with these goofs, might as well take it in, try to fix mirrors, grab some lunch, and clear my head. I point Chin by.
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you too, Croiset, at least I caught your big bubbly thing
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alright, cleared, let's get a nice 5, 6, 7, 8, and coast it after a quick shot out of the corkscrew.
Nope, another flub. I do gestures so that when I'm scrubbing video, I can quickly find the places I'm signaling to my future self. Not happy now.
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Braking at the stripe, I had a nice hard brake, a little chirp as I was right at threshold, weight shifts forward, big brakes come alive and I'm do.... oh f***, lost pressure and I punch the floor.
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pump pump pump, please no, pump pump -- nothing. I did not know at the time, but my front right inner caliper bleeder valve had loosened enough, blown/melted the cap off, and was spraying fluid on the inside of my wheel, and perhaps between the rotor and pad.
I can barely afford to fix the Stripper, much less the Stripper AND another car. I guide her right to just clear him... and in that moment decide a side collision into the tires gives me the best suvivability when compared to a head on collision. Grab the wheel, hard left, pull the e-brake, and welp, adios, it's been a fun one.
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and just like that... she's gone.
got sideways, across the pavement, right side into the sand, kept rotating, so now I'm looking at the flagger and car, rear-3/4 impact, roll onto the tire wall, flip staight up in the air, land on the roof, roll down the hill a few times, and land like I tell all my students, shiny side up, sticky side down.
All I kept hearing through the pits was people talking about how they just have to get that famed corkscrew shot for marketing purposes, because, it's not like somebody can tell if you're doing 15 vs 55 anyhow, but at long last! Our corkscrew shot!
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(Thanks Jordan Sideris for the shots)
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Honestly wasn't there for the photos anyhow, I was there to win. Went to the hospital after a few ladies kept begging me to, and found out after some CT scans that I had some spinal fractures, and guessing a 4 month recovery time, lifting nothing heavier than 10# the whole time. So, not listening to the doctors, went back to the track and cheered everybody on, watched some great racing, lent my transponder, put some faces to names from some of you fine folk here, and some of the other TT2 fam. I also got more hugs in those 3 days than I probably had over the first half of my life, and I'm not even a hugger. Team TMO did pretty darn good out there, and Team NASA SoCal did too. I know a few of you were pulling for me, and I'm sorry to have let you down, but, at least I have a chance to try for another one.
Yet, despite all of that, NASA Nationals 2022 were fantastic, with them really upping their game, trying to highlight some of our stories and racing, heck, had I not wrecked, you would have seen my dumb mug with Karla Pestotnik, and how we must have co-ordinated our hair, jeans, and shoes in advance. (Narrator: They didn't.)
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2 Regional TT2 Championships and a couple of records will have to do. Hopefully you enjoyed her story, because I certainly enjoyed writing it.
We now return you to your regular broadcast, already in progress.
Either way, so so glad you're ok dude. It definitely makes one hell of a story though.
I showed this to my wife (she's a physician assistant) and she said do not take that back injury lightly. Take it very easy and rest up. Cars can be replaced but you only get one spine.