9.3.16 - PittRace Crash

I chose to upload the whole lap because my mistakes start early in the esses (turns 7, 8, 9, and 10). Basically, I carry too much speed through the esses which takes me offline. I turn in for Turn 11 at about 2/3 width of the track, reducing the room available for track-out on exit. I also fail to recognize that I'm way off line and need to reduce speed. It becomes obvious that I won't stay on track so I straighten the wheel somewhat and get out of the gas. The grass was still damp from the morning dew and offers zero traction. I run basically parallel to the track for a bit with no throttle and very minimal steering angle to the right. The car doesn't change direction at all. As the track bends to the right, I go both feet in and yank the wheel to the right to avoid a head-on collision. Thankfully the tire barrier is pretty forgiving though it bounces the car partially back on track.
The banging you hear is me hitting the shifter in an attempt to engage a gear and drive off track. The whole drivetrain shifted and the car is stuck in neutral. The shifter won't budge.
First, this is 100% my fault. Driver error, plain and simple. That said, I think some things contributed to this collision. The car was understeering and I was getting some vibration under braking. It just didn't feel right and I should have listened to the car and pulled off. This was my first time at the expanded Pitt-Race and probably my second time taking Turn 11 with any real speed. I missed the apex for Turn 11 in previous laps so it seemed, having hit the apex this time, I would have ample run-off room even with poor track positioning at turn-in. I also didn't account for the additional weight of an instructor.
That brings me to my last point. I took another human for a ride at 57mph into a tire barrier. That's unacceptable and I need to exercise a great deal more caution whenever I make it back to the track. Thankfully nobody was injured.

[@artcar914]

I was the other Human. Everyone misses an apex now and then. The trick is to respond as soon as possible to it, and make a small adjustment as early as possible which makes a pretty small overall affect on the lap time while still keeping you on the track. A tough lesson, but a lesson none the less. I bet you respond much better down the road. Good luck with finding a donor car. And hope to see you out next year. And by the way..... I am very thankful you got the car turned around before we hit. I had guessed the impact speed was 30-40mph. No way did I imagine it was in fact 57mph. Wow!

[@scottm4267]

Thanks for sharing this. We can all learn from each other. Sorry that it happened to you.

[@rbpeirce]

I thought 7-10 looked okay. That's about the speed normally carry on PSSs. The problem was too much speed and an early apex at 11.

[@johnpesaturo2822]

Agreed, sometimes it's the little things ...
That one RH curbing took the load off the suspension and took the RH tires off the ground and it was all over ...
You would assume everything is good but everyday cars just don't have the downforce to make up for little mistakes at speed ...

[@rbpeirce]

@@johnpesaturo2822 I completely forgot I commented on this. I've actually done that myself altho not recently. There was, and probably still is, very harsh outside curbing. Hit it and you're in the grass.

[@2fast520i]

Hate to see it crash