Airborn or not?

[kcbhiw]

This is a picture from one of last season's autocrosses that I'd forgotten about. To this day, I'm still baffled as to whether the rear right wheel of this Miata was, indeed, in the air. The pic is deceptive. Honestly, as good as the driver is, I wouldn't put it past him to lift a wheel. For what it's worth, the driver of this car consistantly places first among some of the best MR2 drivers I've seen.

Here's the pic....

It's still a cool picture, nonetheless.

 

[zmepro]

hot damn!

 

[toucci]

yes, airborne. loook at the angle of the car... the left side would have to be waay bottomed out to do that if the right side were on the ground

 

[zmepro]

how do you get airborne on a flat surface...

 

[vodapas77]

No offense but it looks photo-chopped to me. The shadows and perspective seem to be way off. Plus where are the guys feet in the foreground? Cool pic all the same.

 

[kcbhiw]

how do you get airborne on a flat surface...

The surface at Turner Field is far from flat. That's what makes it interesting and fun.

No offense but it looks photo-chopped to me. The shadows and perspective seem to be way off. Plus where are the guys feet in the foreground? Cool pic all the same.

I promise that the picture is not chopped. The uneven terrain at Turner Field is yeilding that effect. You can tell by the "texture" of the blacktop up to the "cut off". Looking at it, though, I does, in a way look chopped, but considering I took the pic, I know it's not, hehe.

Ugh...if only I could find the 'landscape' shot of the area in which we hold the events, it shows the terrain quite well.

EDIT: BTW, he was driving through a slalom when this picture was taken.

 

[Natey]

Looks like he's driving the s*** out of that thing to me. Definately airborne.

 

[vodapas77]

The surface at Turner Field is far from flat. That's what makes it interesting and fun.

I promise that the picture is not chopped. The uneven terrain at Turner Field is yeilding that effect. You can tell by the "texture" of the blacktop up to the "cut off". Looking at it, though, I does, in a way look chopped, but considering I took the pic, I know it's not, hehe.

Ugh...if only I could find the 'landscape' shot of the area in which we hold the events, it shows the terrain quite well.

EDIT: BTW, he was driving through a slalom when this picture was taken.

Damn, that must be a hell of a crazy field to drive on. No wonder the thing is airborne. lol.

 

[jflo]

i think he's airborne...the amount of gap between the tire and right rear fender is what a miata would look like raised off the ground. it's kinda trippy how that cone is flying as well..

 

[kcbhiw]

Honestly, I'm amazed at this guy. I won't disclose his name because I haven't asked him if he's willing to provide it for public domain. Anyway, the guy was, at one time, an air force pilot flying and FA-18. He currently pilots a commercial jet-liner. With his previous and extensive military career, I'm willing to bet this man has no fear. I really wish I could drive like this guy. It's absolutetly amazing to watch him. He's very smooth and precise; much more so than the majority of the other drivers.

Anyway, back to the point....hehe. Is this driver a lifting wheel on a Miata during an autocross? It seems to me that the rear right is completely unloaded, yet barely touching the ground. Yet, again, the picture is very deceptive. I have NEVER seen a Miata lift a wheel at an auto-x event (I've only seen Miata wheel lifts at much more agressive courses such as SM and other road course venues).

However, though, it can create a rather interesting discussion (as already seen), heh.

 

[vodapas77]

In answer to your initial question before I threw things off course, I have to agree with everyone else, if the wheel isn't actually off the ground, it's very close to being because the tire is almost perfectly round. There appears to be little to no weight on it at all.