Crash at VIR ALMS

[Ron Earp]

Porsche Goes Airborne - BIG CRASH - VIR - ALMS - Tequila Patron - ESPN - Sports Cars - Racing - YouTube

I was off racing at RRR and didn't see this in person but it is a heck of a crash. Some of you that have raced VIR might find it interesting.

 

[Fran Hall RCR]

That was a big one....saw it on TV

Made me shudder as we will be there in a couple of weeks....

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Damn, that looks painful. Glad no one was hurt.

 

[Jimmy P]

A brilliant testament to the strength of the P-car chassis and design. The more times you watch the video the more you see. Like the corner worker who has her/his back to the action and then turns to see the car heading straight for them and the camera man who obviously saw what was coming and deserted his post PDQ!! Can't say I blame him either. That must have been a shock! A question the track people will have to ask is: Do you think we need to relocate the corner worker viewing gazebo? It looks to be almost in a direct line to the apex of that corner. Glad to see everyone walk away though. WOW!

 

[Ron Earp]

Yeah, that's a bad area to go off. We're racing VIR on the 19th and the 27th. Team Stangwerks took a 1-2 finish at our SARRC SCCA Championship and VIR kicks off our 2014 season.

We hope to have good clean racing and no impacts that like one!

 

[Michel]

HO yes !!!
Have good race and be safe !
Eyes everywhere around watching crazy drivers around !!
Just let us know your result on the next ?

Bonne chance mon ami !!

 

[Malcolm]

Glad to hear it is all going well with the Mustangs Ron. Been a quiet year here racing wise.

One monster crash! Yikes!

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

Does anyone else think the white car shunted the orange one off? Because that's what it looks like to me.

 

[Tim Kay]

A brilliant testament to the strength of the P-car chassis and design....... WOW!

The very reason I spend most my track days with a 996 cup. The down side to having a cup car is it has made me feel oh so vulnerable in my GT40.

 

[Jack]

Does anyone else think the white car shunted the orange one off? Because that's what it looks like to me.

A bit more than a "friendly" nudge to take the line I'm afraid...

 

[Malcolm]

No. The white car was too close to the edge of the track compared to the racing line for that corner so was moving out to get closer to the racing line. At the moment of impact the white car is ahead so thought the corner was his. The other car was either in his mirrors blind spot or was expected to give him some room. In Spec Miata you are doing about 100 mph there so these guys must be way quicker than that. One touch and it all kicks off. Note the white car lost its rear wheel. It may have suffered a suspension failure in the collision phase of this accident turning the car more right. You wouldn't expect a spinning P car across grass to lose its wheels.

 

[Keith]

100 mph? Can they go that fast?

 

[Malcolm]

Yes.....eventually! Used to top out at about 115 mph on the long uphill back straight at VIR. 110 mph if it was dark and the headlights were up! But at that corner you began the fantastic esses at about 100mph.

 

[Keith]

That's quite impressive for an MX5 not exactly laden with torque. Is that the 1800? I would have thought the 1600 offered a slight advantage being 50lbs lighter and with more intake mods permitted (or should I say less restrictive than the 1800)

Sorry for slight thread drift but taking cover anyway.....

 

[Malcolm]

No 1600 but properly prepared. And an ace driver of course..... My current race MX5 is an 1800, normally aspirated at 220 bhp and weighs 840 kgs and is good for 140 mph. That is one I wold love to get back to VIR with.

 

[Glenn M]

No 1600 but properly prepared. And an ace driver of course.....

Very kind of you to mention me Malc!!

Those uphill esses were an awful lot of fun.

Glenn

 

[Jack]

No. The white car was too close to the edge of the track compared to the racing line for that corner so was moving out to get closer to the racing line. At the moment of impact the white car is ahead so thought the corner was his. The other car was either in his mirrors blind spot or was expected to give him some room. In Spec Miata you are doing about 100 mph there so these guys must be way quicker than that. One touch and it all kicks off. Note the white car lost its rear wheel. It may have suffered a suspension failure in the collision phase of this accident turning the car more right. You wouldn't expect a spinning P car across grass to lose its wheels.

After reviewing the video more closely, I must agree. No mal-intent evidenced. Probably just as you have described.

 

[Keith]

DeLeted. Going to think some more, if at all.

 

[Mike Pass]

Looks like another example of the inconsiderate crass driving we get today. These guys are lucky that the cars are so strong or the cost would be a lot more than needed to fix the bent metal. I hope they never get into one of the classic open wheel cars with no seat belts.
Cheers
Mike