[scubynewbie]

That was pretty sweet, but i looked like it sucked for both drivers, especially the Civic

[813_05_STi]

I bet there was a fight after that ****

[Black-STi]

This a post on NASIOC from Gary Sheehan the driver of the WRX and his comments on what happened in the video:

You can view the original link here: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1025164

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GarySheehan<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> vbmenu_register("postmenu_14136148", true); </SCRIPT>
Scooby Specialist

Member#: 2450
Join Date: Sep 2000
Chapter/Region: BAIC
Location: SF Bay Area
<!-- -->Vehicle:
2005 SPEED WCGT STi
Easy Street Red & White


OK, so there are now two video hosting websites hosting video from MY website that are taken out of context to make it look like I got mad at another driver and deliberately crashed him off the road. And if you know anything about these video sites, thousands of people view these vids!

I've found 2 forum threads (one here on NASIOC) that link to these videos saying I deliberately crashed another driver. I've gone on both sites and clarified that these videos were used inappropriately as well as explained there was no ill will between me and the other driver.

I'd like to ask a favor of the folks here in Motorsports forum. Any help you can provide in attacking these slanderous videos in your travels would be much appreciated. I've got a feeling threads will be popping up in forums all over the place. The last thing I need in my career is people thinking I have no respect for the lives of the people I race with!

Here's what I'm up against:
http://www.grassrootsmotorsports.co...der=asc&start=0
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=1023042

Here is the response I have been putting up in forums:
Wow. I never guessed in-car racing video would be bastardized like this. This video and the two videos posted seperately on YouTube have popped up everywhere. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to have my reputation attacked like this.

These are in fact videos from two different races, hence the different camera views and different scenery. Most tended to ignore these inconsistencies so they could jump on the "bad driver" bandwagon.

The cars in the video are a Subaru WRX (not STi), driven by myself, and a Honda Civic driven by Neil Vanni.

The first video is at California Speedway. Neil Vanni (in the Honda) had so much more power in his car that he just popped out from behind me and passed me like I was standing still. I threw my hands up in the air because I was frustrated that the rules had crippled our WRX so much and had given the Hondas so much that our car was completely uncompetitive. There was no anger towards Neil or the Honda. Neil made a perfectly clean pass on the straight and I never even had to change my line. Neil continued on up to race with Tom Lepper in a Honda Accord. The Hondas finished 1-2 and I finished 3rd. End of story. Absolutely NO anger towards any drivers.

The second video was at Reno-Fernley Raceway recently after it had opened. The configuration of the track back then made it VERY difficult to pass. Neil had been in front of me in the lead of the race for a bunch of laps and I was contantly looking for a way to get past. Slower traffic always brings the potential for a pass and this was no different. As Neil and I approached the Miata, Neil caught the Miata with bad timing and had to brake slightly. I had more room, didn't brake, and popped out to the left in an effort to use the Miata as a pick, trapping Neil behind the slower car and passing both of them at the same time. Unfortunately, Neil didn't check his left side mirror and pulled out around the Miata. I tried to give him room, but I ran out of road on my left and Neil kept coming across, contacted my right front with his left rear and began to spin counterclockwise as we left the track. Also unfortunately, the infield of Reno -Fernley was like the lunar surface Neil's wheels sunk in and his car barrel rolled about 6 times before coming to a stop. My car was damaged, but I was able to continue. Neil had his bell rung pretty good and his car was completely totalled. But he came out of it without any serious injuries, which is truly the most important part. Neil was pretty upset with me afterwards, as it's my responsibility to make a clean pass. But it's also his responsibility to check his mirrors prior to making a drastic move like that, and in speaking with him after the crash, he said he had checked his right side mirror to see where I was behind him, but never checked his left side mirror as he never expected me to be up there. Ultimately it was truly a racing incident.

Neil and I have competed hard against each other in the past and have had a few situations where there was contact, damage and angry words. But don't for a second think that any of the contact was deliberate or vengeful! We are racecar drivers and we need to be looking out for each other's safety out there.

Thanks for you help!

Gary
Sheehan Motor Racing
www.teamSMR.com

[Mongoose]

Woot yeah, I guessed correctly, lol sorry just had to post something after Gary described things pretty much the way I envisioned it in my head . If it was me driving the WRX I would have done the exact same thing, but unfortunately I have no real racing experience.

Edit...BTW, no I don't want a cookie lol.