* BIG vintage race crash

[Craig 930 RS]

This is from the group 6 BRIC race of July 17, 2005. My understanding is that the pace car didn't control the field properly. Jim said that the pace car was going too fast and the lead group got separated from the middle group on the pace lap. The starter didn't give the green, but the middle group of cars, by now up to full race speed & trying to catch the lead group, couldn't see that, Nor could they see the lead group of cars, which by this time were off of the gas and slowing down.
17 cars received extremely major damage or were destroyed. Nobody died.



http://www.pbase.com/atrltd/bric2005

[techweenie]

That's pretty depressing.

[widebody911]

Originally posted by Craig911
http://www.pbase.com/atrltd/bric2005

As an aside, people who create web pages with grey text on a black background need to be taken out back and have their eyes gouged out with a spork.

[djmcmath]

But why a spork, sire?

[Saintly]

because it's blunt and it will hurt more...

[kach22i]

Terrible, now show me a grid girl to make me feel better.

[MikeSid]

Originally posted by kach22i
Terrible, now show me a grid girl to make me feel better.

As long as it's not a "vintage" grid girl....

[motion]

This poor guy... not only is his car destroyed, but his manboobs are on display for the whole world to see.

[cstreit]

The crash was horrific. I was actually the 1st or second driver to make it through unscathed. There were so many incredible cars destroyed in this wreck that the group won't be the same for a long time.

The BRIC Group6 was notorious for big incidents and I can't remember the last time that one didn't happen. I'll never run BRIC Group6 again after surviving this. Soooo damn lucky...

[motion]

Chris - Yikes! Glad you made it through OK. Any in-car camera footage?

Any experience with these guys?

Naperville Motors/Naperville Mazda
2363 Aurora Ave
Naperville IL

They have a car I'm interested in and am wondering if you've heard anything... good/bad... about them.

[cstreit]

Thanks Rich,

No video of that one... Honestly I'm not sure I could watch it again, I was right behind it all and it's still got me a little spooked. Probably one of the biggest crashes in US history I would guess....

I don't know the place, but could probably zing by and eyeball a car for you if you need it.

Chris

[Rick V]

That SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[motion]

Chris - Thank you for offering... I may take you up on that. Going to do a little leg work first.

[Blanco]

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by cstreit
Thanks Rich,

No video of that one... Honestly I'm not sure I could watch it again, I was right behind it all and it's still got me a little spooked. Probably one of the biggest crashes in US history I would guess....

I don't know the place, but could probably zing by and eyeball a car for you if you need it.

Chris

So what happened? I understand the lead pack braked upon seeing the red flag on the false start but, how does the following pack not see cars stopped on the track?

I don't know if its my Autocross background or what, when I recently did a DE a Corvette ate in in turn 2 on the outlap from the pits. (I predicted it out loud as I was the third car out and the Vette and a M-3 were racing down the front straight on cold tires) I saw it long before my instructor did and started to slow in anticipation. He advised me to gun it and blast around the corner. I pointed out that a lot of dirt had been thrown on the track and that it might be better to take a high line and slow down. Remember, I am the student.

The way I was instructed was to look at the track about 20-40 feet in front of the car to hit the perfect apex points. I felt more comfortable looking throught the corner to the exit then down the track as I exited.

I have to wonder if a a lot of Road racers do not look very far out in front. It seems silly to me to see a pile up like that on a straight away. Totally avoidable, unless I am missing something.

[cstreit]

Jim,

I think it was really an accordian effect.

The 1st row or two were rolling to the start and started speeding up as often happends with most long straight starts. The starter probably saw how strung out the field was and prepared to throw a late flag to allow the field to bunch up. (No chance of that though, we were sooo strung out). When they saw this coming they lifted slightly. The cars further back in approximately rows 3-8 were hustling to catch up and on the gas. They needed to slow and the accordian effect takes over.

(ie one car lifts, next one brakes a little, next brakes a little more, guy in back is hard on the brakes). At that point it's speculative but someone got loose whether through contact or trying to avoid through steering, or was jumping the start. They were all so close and full out that chaos was inevitable at this point. Cars started caroming off walls and each other and people got hit and lost control.

Visibility was nil at that point and a few cars racing from the back after the green fell couldn't slow in time and hit the pack causing the pileup. I saw that right infront and next to me. The orange corvette (the less damaged one) was immediately to my right and just tapped the last car. I was able to brake a bit better and get slowed, plus was on the less busy side.

The pictures show the mess AFTER some cleanup. When I went through it was much worse. I wanted to stop rather than go through but there were 25 more cars behind that I didn't want on top of me.

[Racerbvd]

Very sad indeed

[Jay H]

I was there that day. Very lucky noone was seriously hurt. Hats off to the Road America safety crew. They had the track cleared in an hour.

Lots of finger pointing and different views of what happened in the link originally posted under the pic in Craig911's first post. Some of it is interesting...