big time race crash...

[rattlsnak]

maybe a repost,. but wow, serious carnage here..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DrMNoSwANQ

[austin552]

Ouch! Hope that guy was okay.

[David]

I remember the pictures when that happened. The video is a LOT more dramatic!

[Zeke]

The 2 guys (or more) that stopped are the smart ones. When anything like that happened in my karting days, the only reason to proceed was that the karts did not have on board starters. And then it was sometimes wiser to push back to the pits. Guys that drive by something like that are just plain stupid and are thinking like some kind of gawking gladiators. We expect that in NASCAR, not in SCCA.

I, too, hope all was well except for the cars. Didn't sound good when the guy called for an ambulance and a helicopter.

[HardDrive]

At 1:52, you can see a yellow Camero in the 3rd? row. It sure looks like he started it.

Terrible, just terrible. I hope everyone was okay.

[austin552]

Did he stall out in front or what?

[930LDR]

I was there (not in car) and the aftermath was disgusting. So much valuable metal destroyed. Fortunately no one was killed. I was walking up along the grandstands at the start finish about 30 seconds after it all unfolded.

[pwd72s]

Terrible footage...saddened me to see beautiful cars torn up.

[emcon5]

Here are the photos of the.....incident.
http://www.pbase.com/atrltd/bric2005

Read the comments for a lot of opinions on what went on.

[MMARSH]

Originally Posted by milt

The 2 guys (or more) that stopped are the smart ones. When anything like that happened in my karting days, the only reason to proceed was that the karts did not have on board starters. And then it was sometimes wiser to push back to the pits. Guys that drive by something like that are just plain stupid and are thinking like some kind of gawking gladiators. We expect that in NASCAR, not in SCCA.

I, too, hope all was well except for the cars. Didn't sound good when the guy called for an ambulance and a helicopter.

Not sure I agree Milt, with all the emergency vehicles on scene. Those cars stopped in the area would just get in the way, Better for them to get out of the way, so EMS can go to work

[cstreit]

Holy crap here we go again.

Milt, with all due respect you weren't there and are completely wrong. The cars absolutely SHOULD NOT HAVE STOPPED. See the white 911 make it through? That was me. That was me with 45 3000# plus American Iron cars coming up behind me at 120MPH with no visibility as to what ***** they were about to run into.

You came over a crest and all you could see is smoke, and dust, and flying shiny bits. Do you see the Firebird that smashed into the pile last? He was right next to me on the start. WHy did he hit the pile when I didn't? 911 brakes. So now I have 45 more of him coming up behind me. Do you think I'm going to sit there and get bashed which was an absolute CERTAINTY? Hell no. When I drove through the wreckage there were car parts falling on my car. I needed to get out of the way for the other 45 cars coming up over the hill.

Can you imagine those 45 cars coming up over the hill and seeing even more cars backed up? There would have been more than 17 cars destroyed and likely a LOT more injury.

So what REALLY happened?

1. The pace car took off like a shot. I was in row 12 and NEVER saw it. He spread the field out so car the cars at the back of the pack had to go 9/10ths to try and close up the grid.
2. The leader cars didn't gather up the field, making it worse.
3. The starter waited untill the last second to start the race. THe lead cars had to back out in order to not cross the start/finish before the green waived. But we ALL new that no matter how spread out the field was, there would be no waive off. Why? because they NEVER do, the schedule was more important than anything else at the BRIC.
4. Once the leaders backed out you had an accordian effect. The "causing" driver had to dodge in order to not hit the guy in front, he tagged another car into a spin, and all hell broke loose.

Speculate away but I was there. I was the first car to make it through that wreck, it happened RIGHT IN FRONT OF me. I know 100% that I did the right thing by moving out of the way, both for safety and emergency vehicle access.

[cstreit]

I see the video has been taken down already. I have it on DVD.... Will not post but I'll show it to anyone over if they want to see...

[pwd72s]

why would youtube drop the video? Oh...maybe lawsuits still pending?

[legion]

I was waiting from Chris to chime in. I remembered that he was there.

[emcon5]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

why would youtube drop the video? Oh...maybe lawsuits still pending?

Youtube didn't pull the video, the guy who uploaded it did.

[Zeke]

Chris, you drive through the carnage if you wish. If the cars that stopped were well back (as they seemed to be) then that's where they should have stayed. When the track went red, they could back up to the pit entrance when the race director allowed them.

Agreed, if you're in the way, or in near proximity, you need to move on. That would be for 2 reasons: to clear the immediate area and to show the emergency crews that you don't need their attention.

I stand by what I said. Too many drivers crusing by picking up debris in their tires.

[cstreit]

Milt,

When I stopped I was basically tight in the middle of it and figured better clear the way.

I think I get what you're saying.. The cars that had already stopped by the side, then driving thru before the emergency vehicles got there... Yes, they should have stayed there, agree with you there...

The debris field and number of cars that you can't see in the pics and vide were pretty long though, so there were probably 6-7 of us stuck in the middle of the carnage undamaged.. SO I'm not sure how many might have driven through that didn't need to...