Quote:
Originally Posted by flashburn
Or you could just screw it in if you need it. Not like it would take more than a minute to do.
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On the chance that you are in a situation where you can't get to it, it's better to have it already in when you leave the pits. You don't want to have to leave your car if you're stuck/broken on or just off the edge of the track to screw your tow hook.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skeeterbop
I personally wouldn't buy one unless i managed to lose the included one. I also noticed in the thread that was linked by Waizz, someone mentioned needing it for Autocross and closed circuit events. I understand needing it for closed circuits with tire walls and various other barriers but why for autocross? From my understanding the only things that are a concern are cones and i don't see why that needs a tow hook. I have yet to do Autocross but i would like to get started when i return from deployment. This has me slightly confused.
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You don't need one in Auto-X. Auto-X circuits are set up in parking lots. If you go off and/or your **** fails, the track workers (usually drivers from the other group) will just push you back to the pit area. It doesn't take much to push a car across a parking lot.
On a road course, if you wreck your car, break it, or end up stuck in the kitty litter (the pebbles in the runoffs that is supposed to slow you down before you hit a barrier) track workers are going to have to flatbed your car back to the pits. You may be 2 miles from pit lane at this point. They have to do so as quickly as possible because there are other people on the track. The tow hook makes for a quick and convenient mounting point to drag you out of the litter and onto the truck so that you get off the track ASAP and everyone can get back to racing.
Occasionally you'll see people driving around with permanently affixed tow hooks. Some of these owners do track days. Some of these owners want people to think they do track days. Some of these owners like to have a place to hang a dirty stuffed animal. All of them will have, at some point, bashed their shins on them while working on the car, assuming they work on their own cars. Food for thought.
You want to buy one? Fine. Leaving it in while you're driving around on the street, ESPECIALLY if you never do track days makes you a ricer.