• Registered: 2011-10-15
  • Posts: 212

Topic: Diesel Exhaust problem

At the 24-hour CMP race there was a VW diesel that was relatively quick and about the same speed as our MX3. This led to a couple of instances where I was following the car closely for several laps at a time during both day and night stints. In my opinion there were two safety-related problems for anyone who followed this car for any length of time:

1. The cloud of exhaust when the VW was on the throttle was excessive and toxic to breathe. No other car exhaust affected me worse than the diesel. I've been behind the diesel Fiat and the amount of smoke isn't even close.

2. During the night stint I again found myself behind the same car and found a new safety problem. Our lights reflected off the excessive exhaust like we were driving in fog. In my opinion this is a truly dangerous situation (try driving 90mph on a foggy road with high beams).

Is there anything in the rulebook (or common sense) that relates to excessive exhaust clouds?

Peter St Pierre             #63 Hong Norrth "C" Supra
     5th Place: 2016 CMP Fall
     6th place: 2015 Autobahn 24 hour
     2nd place: 2014 CMP Fall : 17th place: 2014 CMP Southern Discomfort Spring
  • From: Raleigh, NC
  • Registered: 2020-01-25
  • Posts: 325

Re: Diesel Exhaust problem

When that's happening you should be telling the judges immediately so they can deal with it in real time.


Any vehicle can be Black flagged and pulled off the track for any safety reason the judges deem necessary. As soon as you got out of the car you should tell the judges what you saw

Former Captain
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  • Mr.Yuck
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  • From: Brookeville, Md.
  • Registered: 2013-12-09
  • Posts: 1,012

Re: Diesel Exhaust problem

bobnowoc wrote:

When that's happening you should be telling the judges immediately so they can deal with it in real time.


Any vehicle can be Black flagged and pulled off the track for any safety reason the judges deem necessary. As soon as you got out of the car you should tell the judges what you saw

This is what I was thinking. We were black flagged once because of an oil leak. It wasn't getting to the track but it did find it's way to the header and was making a nice blue cloud on corner exits.
Perhaps the team could modify the exhaust to exit up above the roof line or something.

"get up and get your grandma outta here"

4 Reply by MDG (edited by MDG 2020-12-22 09:03 AM)

  • MDG
  • Ripened Lemon
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  • From: Indiana
  • Registered: 2014-05-06
  • Posts: 142

Re: Diesel Exhaust problem

Nobody's perfect, your MX3 is painfully loud, the VW is painfully smokey, Rule 1.0 covers both, Rule 2.4 also covers both.

I don't think there's anything else in the rules, though at a night race maybe 6 years ago an aircooled VW got black flagged, I think they were winning class C. They "looked at it" as the judges suggested and went back out and won.

  • Registered: 2011-10-15
  • Posts: 212

Re: Diesel Exhaust problem

I wasn't aware that the MX3 was that loud. I'm functionally deaf when I drive and will share that with the car owner. Nobody likes loud cars.

If the exhaust situation arises again in the future I'll inform the judges.

Thanks for the feedback.

Peter St Pierre             #63 Hong Norrth "C" Supra
     5th Place: 2016 CMP Fall
     6th place: 2015 Autobahn 24 hour
     2nd place: 2014 CMP Fall : 17th place: 2014 CMP Southern Discomfort Spring
  • MDG
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  • From: Indiana
  • Registered: 2014-05-06
  • Posts: 142

Re: Diesel Exhaust problem

Another idea to solve #1, if you have or get a helmet with an air hose connection, you can get filters for the PM and CO that should help. I've wanted one of these for a while. I don't usually have issues on track, but sitting in grid for 10 minutes with a bunch of de-catted gross polluters usually gives me a headache. Full course yellows sometimes too depending on the car I'm following. If you want to drop a bunch of coin or you're clever you can make the system give your helmet cold air too cool

  • From: Seattle, WA
  • Registered: 2009-10-28
  • Posts: 2,110

Re: Diesel Exhaust problem

MDG wrote:

...de-catted...

Well, I see someone likes hanging out with the fancy new cars.

1982 MG Metro 1300: IOE 2015 Pacific Northworst GP, Longest Distance 2010 Cd'L Box Wine Country Classic
1980 KV Mini 1: Worst of Show and Fright Pig Supremo 2009 Concours d'Lemons
1978 H Special: Second-Round Elimination 2010 Lemons Pinewood Derby at Sears Pointless
1967 SAAB 96: IOE 2012 Pacific Northworst GP, Organizer's Choice 2022 Hell on Wheels California Rally