Sean F

After a great Saturday during the sprints, 1st in class in sprint 1 and 2nd in class in sprint 2, Sunday ended with me getting wrecked. Below is the video. It happened on lap one of a 90 minute enduro. It was just plain crazy and stupid for two guys to come together in the esses during the first lap of a race that long, but that’s what happened. You’ll see in the video from the start all the cars involved. The yellow 101 car is the car that will spin after contacting the 113 car. You’ll see 101 on the grid inside and in front of me. After the start, you’ll see 113 coming shooting by me on the inside (light blue car). In front of me is the 85 car that I will shortly wreck. The 101 and 113 cars are nose to tail up through the esses. Coming out of the esses – right at the curbing on the right after the crest, the 101 car drifts back to the right instead of holding his line and contacts the 113 car who was up against the inside curb. The 101’s right rear contacting the 113’s left front. That sends the 101 spinning. It’s difficult to see this on my video, but it’s very clear from the video in the 85 car which we watched with the stewards. Keep in mind we’re going 90mph + here. It all happens very quickly. As the 101 car spins, I lift waiting to chose a line in case the two cars shoot back to the right, there’s no way for me to stop in time. Meanwhile, the 85 car that is directly behind them to my left is on his brakes hard with nowhere to go. The 101 cars stuffs into the armco on the left and the 113 car carries on down the straight. At this point, I’m back on the gas and staying right to pass the incident. I think I’m in the clear when a red 944 turbo shoots up past me on the right side, tagging me and sending me head on at full throttle into the 85 car. The impact was significant. I hit him at an angle, my left front to his right side. I feel very fortunate that I did hit him at that angle to absorb some of the energy. If I didn’t hit him, I would have gone head first into the armco at over 90 mph. This could have turned out a lot worse for me.

Obviously, I’m a little angry about all this. Those two coming together in the esses on lap 1 of a 90 minute enduro was just foolish and why the red 944 was screaming past me on the right at that speed with the spinning cars in front of us is hard for me to understand.

BTW, for any of you who are on the fence about getting a head and neck restraint watch what my head does in my rearview mirror when I hit the 85 car. There’s no doubt in my mind that my Hans prevented a neck injury.

http://www.vimeo.com/1105939

Veloce Raptor

Video is protected/private--can't view it.

Sean F

sorry, first time with vimeo....try now

Phokaioglaukos

Sean, sorry to see that. Hope you are really 100% ok.

Veloce Raptor

WOW.

Looks like the 101 (yellow) got 2 wheels in the dirt after the T1 track out curb, then was way offline entering the esses, then may have tried to come back on line (drivers right) w/o seeing the 113 in his blind spot. 113 then tagged him. Amazing to see how fast the red 944 was going there with all the spinning ahead. Glad you weren't hurt.

Wreck Me Otter

Yikes.

However, I agree 100% on the H&N restraint. I hit a concrete wall at Mosport at speed and at a slight angle off of 90 deg and didn't even have a sore neck.

DrJupeman

Wow, wow, wow. That sucks for all involved. How did the yellow car spin up front, was he tapped or simply lose it? I was shocked to see you collected by the red car on the right, it looked like you and Steve were doing a good job avoiding the chaos to that point.

Sean F

yeah, that's actually what I'm most mad about. we were all going to get through it okay. so much for taking care of each other out there.

Veloce Raptor

Considering it was AFTER the last part of the esses, checking up would have been relatively simple & safe for him.

Sean F

He drifted over into the 113. You can see it very clearly from the 85 car video. He knew he was there, he was there all the way up the esses. The 113 car held his line...101 came back to the right and into the 113.

Veloce Raptor

I think I saw on the video what might have happened--see post #5.

Sean F

Yup, I think he took it as a pass opportunity

Sean F

I feel bad for Steve in the 85...he did a great job and never saw it coming. He has a crazy code brown video. After the wreck, he's in the middle of the track facing traffic as it splits around and by him.

Sound familiar VR?

DrJupeman

Roger that, I re-watched (about 10 times) and think that's what happens. It'd be interesting to see the video from Steve (#85).

I'm glad no one was hurt. Accidents in the esses can be dangerous (so fast!).

So, how many thirteens issued? I'd say two look deserved...

chrisp

saw a lot of issues with the yellow car this weekend.