Pikes Peak crash

[herr_oberst]

Ol' Smokey set a PP record a couple of years ago, fastest diesel.

Here she is, getting rolled. Glad the driver is OK, it's a shame to see a labor of love wadded up like this.

[masraum]

that did not look like a fun ride. Glad it didn't end up worse.

[Steve Carlton]

Looks like he deliberately turned too hard into the corner, hitting the embankment. I wonder how that happened.

[Seahawk]

It looks like the snow pack was a saving grace.

The drive up and back is great even in a minivan!

[Scott Douglas]

Looks like he was trying to slide into the turn but the backend didn't break loose like he planned on it doing.

[Dantilla]

That, my friends, is why a roll cage must pass a technical inspection in order to compete.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

Looks like he deliberately turned too hard into the corner, hitting the embankment. I wonder how that happened.

Well, there wasn't much steering input but obviously he drove right into the rocks. From his view the snow hid the rocks until it was too late. Cutting the corner expecting to clip the snow turned out not as expected. He also seemed to begin his line from the right edge to the inside line pretty early, but I've never been there, don't know that turn and we didn't get to see much.

That little pile of rocks has to be respected me thinks.

[manbridge 74]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

Looks like he deliberately turned too hard into the corner, hitting the embankment. I wonder how that happened.

He hit the embankment because that’s the involuntary reaction to having no brakes. We had a few of our dealership guys on the hill that day supporting Zwart and Donohue and that is what they heard.

[Jeff Higgins]

According to the driver's own comments (accessible by clicking on the "read more" button in the video description), he had lost the brakes. Pedal went to the floor, and as a result, his pants leg caught the gas pedal. The weird throttle modulation is a result of him frantically pumping the brakes while his pants leg was thus hung up on the gas pedal. The big rally style handbrake was linked into the main braking system, so pulling on it did no good either.

He says he knew there was no way in hell he was going to make the corner without somehow trying to scrub speed. He put it into the ditch on the left in an effort to do just that. Didn't work out as planned, obviously, but he goes on to say that missing the next corner (which would have been inevitable at that speed) would have had far worse consequences, with a much higher drop-off until his first hit down the hill.

The driver made a split second decision that probably saved his life. He does a great job of running through what happened and why he did what he did. If you read that first, then watch the video, it all becomes quite clear. He didn't miss the corner, he wasn't trying to hang the rear end out, he wasn't trying to drift it, none of that. He did, in fact, deliberately turn too hard into the corner. He also leads into the description by saying PLEASE READ BEFORE COMMENTING! (his caps, not mine).

[Rusty Heap]

that makes my spine head butt feet toes hair hurt.............been there in tick tock slow speed brain during a roll over...........you can only just ride it out. And DONT put your forkin hand arm out the window to "Brace" yourself.

[Zeke]

"...but I may attempt to resurrect it to a street truck."

Glad he was unhurt but there is a statement I cannot quite grasp. Is he saying he might salvage the drive train? Who knows.

What makes a brake pedal suddenly go to the floor? I'd have to guess he hit debris and broke a line. As far as we have gone with technology there is no way to know this?

I never saw his hand leave the wheel. I did hear the motor overrev as he went off.

[ted]

Originally Posted by Zeke

What makes a brake pedal suddenly go to the floor? I'd have to guess he hit debris and broke a line. As far as we have gone with technology there is no way to know this?

I'm sure they know what failed already.
I've experienced a brake bleeder valve fail and a front caliper O ring fail.

[slow&rusty]

Wow scary....

That cage did a fantastic job!

[FPB111]

That wasn’t so bad…the airbags didn’t even go off.??.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by fpb111

that wasn’t so bad…the airbags didn’t even go off.??.

lmao!

[911 Rod]

Originally Posted by FPB111

That wasn’t so bad…the airbags didn’t even go off.??.

I'm sure something inside him went off!