holy crap

that was scary

 

There's a significant kink (to the right) in that part of the straight... I would guess that the back end started to step out to the left, and then a panicked over-correction set up a sort of tank-slapper with the rear end now sliding out to the right, than shot the car off to the left.

 

Notice you DO hear tire screeching sounds. :

 

I have seen this happen several times before during races but they were guys way in front in different classes.....panick to not lose the car and shoot across the track .They usually end up collecting others. I really can appreciate the pucker factor and that it can stay with you for a while.

 

The Viper in the movie did not hit anything, and that was after skidding between 1/8 and 1/4 MILE. The rear came out while passing the E30 just prior to the bend (if I recall) in the straight. An EXCELLENT sources indicated the "overhead break" occured due to an abrupt transition back to the line by newbie in the Viper. The poor instructor along for the ride was one of the most experienced in the event, and did not have any way of foreseeing the near catastrophic error nor have any time to react once the "snake" decided to turn into the world's fastest lawn mower!

The second Viper was another one that got "up close and personal" with one of the barriers.
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.
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Why was a newbie in the B group? I've been going for 3 years and they just put me in B my last outing. My car is a lowly Turbo 2, which might have something to do with it.... Though last time out I was passing everyone except the vettes until I blew my engine

My closest call at VIR came when I was coming through the first set of esses onto the mini straight, and a truck belonging to a corner worker came sliding down the embankment... would have ended up in front of me but it hit the back of the tire wall along the inside.

 

it happened to me a few months back, I wasn't as lucky as the guy in the bimmer....

http://russmarshall.com/albums/crush...shed_crush.wmv

 

The viper is scary.. NO DOUBT.

Myself... the 2nd Gen NUKING the 1st gen above... thats Just horrible.. MAN... just when you thought you could safely pass someone on the outside.. BAM... guess not.
I think there is a reason a (Prolly) ITA car is passing a ITS car..... THe ITA driver is better... and this is shown by the 2nd gen drivers mistake.
Its just a shame your car was nuked so hard because of his mistake.

 

That sucks, sorry to see that. Everytime I see a video like yours I wonder what has possesed me to build a one off widebody.... I suppose I accept the risks, or I would not be moving forward with my project. Had you driven against that driver before? It's tough to know everyone out there, but there are certainly people I just steer clear of literally. Carl

 

that could have really hurt. good thing no did get hurt, guess the viper driver learned a little about his car.

 

Hey another thing that might have happened to him was that the got to anxious and nailed it coming out of the pits and came across. That is where pit out is and it appears right at the point where he was supposed to be merging.

 

Viper vid: OMFG close call, I like Jeff's delayed reaction afterwards as he kept driving.

Russ's wreck: OUCH!

 

that was the hairiest ish ive seen in a while. one minute i think boring then bam scared the ish out of me. good vid damn good vid.

 

Ouch..ummm guess he forgot that he was on the inside getting to the left hander?Did he not see you on the outside?
I have been off over by that pit entrance before.... on the old track.Scaaarrrry!
Hows the head restraint device? looked a little loose...but I havent used one ...yet.

 

The M3 driver posted the following at the Miata forum:

Here's a bit of eye witness info from the man in the cam-car

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes that was me driving my E30 M3 at the Mazda Driver's School at VIR, Grand East Course on 19 June. We were in the B group and it was after lunch, most of the group had been signed off and I was out working on my line and smoothness. This incident took place on the front straight just past Pit Out for those of you familiar with VIR, just before the braking zone for T1. I had seen the Vettes and Vipers behind me at the Roller Coaster and Hog Pen areas prior to the front straight and let the lead Vette know that I'd give them the point by
on the front straight. As we entered the straight I gave the first Vette and the second car, may have been an NSX the point by and noticed that the Viper and a second Vette were still behind me. I think that the Viper may have been a little out of shape coming out of Hog Pen and had fallen back a little with the Vette still behind him. I stayed off the normal line to give him the line and apex at the tree just at Pit Out which is a little kink in the track. I
noticed that he was coming on strong and I gave him the point by just about the mid point on the straight well before the apex point.

He still had plenty of time to set up for T1, although off line from the normal entry point. The Vette behind him backed off and fell in behind me at this point. My speed was probably 115-120 at this point, normal for this part of the track for me. I can only estimate the Viper's speed, but based upon how fast he was closing on me, I would say he was probably closer to 130 or more. All I can truthfully remember next was that I heard him along side of me, the Viper was still at WOT it sounded and next thing I know he cuts across directly in front of me as you saw on the video. The Vette driver behind me told me later that he saw the Viper tap his brakes and then all H*ll broke loose! I think that he probably realized that he was carrying a lot of speed at basically the entry into the braking zone for T1 and he was not on the normal line, not comfortable with that and figured that he could knock down his speed and move in front of me to get on the "preferred" line for entry into T1. Problem was that when he braked and tried to move left at the same time, physics took over!

I had heard that the Viper had had on "off" earlier as well, just a little too much HP to be throwing around, I guess. Rumored to be a Hennessey Prepared car.

 

damn that guy got lucky

 

Holy ******* cow that was about as close as it gets

 

wow. that was close...love the reaction of the camera man. lol...i think i would've pulled over and let my heart slow down