Remember the Wreck at Sears Point (Infineon) on the IRL weekend that sent Will Power and Nelson Phillipe to the Hospital?
I raced there last weekend and you should see the BIG,Bright flasing strobe light's they have now to warn drivers that something is wrong over the hill at the exit of Turn 3A.
The lights (2 of them) are right in your line of sight as you come out of the dip at Turn 3 and start up the hill to turn 3 A.
The Corner workers/Flaggers turn them on for the Pace laps so we could see them and know where they are and they are Bright!
I'll always think of them as the "Will Power" lights.
To bad that like so many things in racing changes happen more as a Reaction to something than to someone thinking about what Could happen.
Were the Lights supposed to be used during the IRL weekend ? I read somewere that the Yellow FLAG was displayed for 5 seconds before the impact but no mention of a Light?
I read somewere that the Yellow FLAG was displayed for 5 seconds before the impact but no mention of a Light?
I don't think the lights are controlled by individual corners, right? I've only seen lights for FCY and assumed that all lights are controlled by race control and only come on when they go full course caution. Now, it would seem to me that each corner could control a light just for their corner. I think they do at T-Hill for the 25 hour, right? But I don't think they do at Infineon.
D.T. where did you read that Power had 5 seconds? Hadn't seen that yet and as you probably saw on Wind Tunnel, Power said he was very aware of that flag stand as it is a dangerous corner and he says he did not see any yellow at all. Anyway, 5 seconds should be plenty since he hit Phillipe 8 seconds after Phillipe was sideways; when the yellow should have been coming out. 8 seconds means Power was not out of T-2 yet, at least that's my guess; certainly plenty of time to look ahead and check the flag stand. So, while 5 seconds means the corner was 2 seconds late, it should have been enough for Power to have seen it. So..........someone was not paying enough attention.
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Ted/FM # 13
Shoe String Racing
On a Wing & a Prayer
They may have been using lights at IRL. Not sure. I am sure the flags were waving before Will hit Nelson. IRL has in car lights for full course cautions.
I was sent up to spot for the race to avoid any such problem. Fortunately after the first lap I basically just had to watch the race as there were very few problems, at least in that section of track.
After the Horse is Gone.
