Club Arnage

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

A bit of a work for some bodyshops here. Lucky no one was hurt.

Hmm, my interest goes out to the number 4 car. Is that a replica M8a? 8)

Wow, that's a proper pile up. how did that happen ?  :o

 :'( There's some classic US iron rather damaged in that incident.

No 25 is a now EX Cobra.

I was there with fellow CA newbie Warlock.  We were on the backside of the track and were kept completely uninformed by the track announcers.  They announced rather emphatically that everyone needed to clear the pit lane immediately, but didn't let on as to the serious nature of the accident.  They initially said that only 2 cars were involved, and asked that no spectators make their way to the s/f area so that track personnel could maintain easy access.

About 15 minutes later, they announced that the race would be cancelled and the rest of the schedule would be moved back.  We couldn't figure out why 2 cars out of a field of 50 would necessitate cancellation, but soon found out why.  One of my friends has some shots of the aftermath that I'll post if I get a chance.  I'll have a bit of video, too (not of this wreck).

A bunch of fantastic old cars there, to be sure.  And that V-12 Ferrari, sigh....

Taken by a friend.  Please don't link outside CA.

(http://home.wi.rr.com/chop456/BRIC-CRASH-AMR.jpg)

 :o

Hate to say it but this is what happens when you let a bunch of people with alot more money than talent or common sense loose on a track with very powerful racing cars.
Fax

Club CArnage 

John - you said what a lot of us were thinking. Whilst those Muzzies and Camaros must be a bit of a handful on a course like Elkhart Lake, this Blues Brotheresque pile-up happened on the front staightaway.
All the pix need is a photoshop speech bubble saying, "He broke my watch!"

Brilliant Matt, that's just brought a whole load of memories of that movie flooding back.  Time to dig out the DVD.

More pics - these by Jamie Sanchez of Champweb.net

Complete album HERE (http://www.champweb.net/coppermine/thumbnails.php?album=83)

(http://www.champweb.net/coppermine/albums/userpics/10007/bric_21.jpg)

Steve Brown - take a deep breath.  :-\






(http://www.champweb.net/coppermine/albums/userpics/10027/bric_36.jpg)

 :'( :'(

There appears to have been some spectacularly bad driving going on. Maybe by people with more money than talent?

Anyway, as we all know "only a fool breaks the two second rule". They should read the Highway Code.

It looks as if the red 'vett and the yellow one next to it (Camero?) look as if they have vidio on board, should make intresting viewing :P

Matt, you pointed out something that I was thinking, how the f**k did they create that pile-up where they did?  There are about twenty other places on the Road America circut where they could have gotten into trouble (Canada Corner, the Carrousel) the long uphill pit straight not being one of them!
Actually the comment I made is borrowed from a guy I know who races a Lotus in the SVRA ranks.  He's been saying for sometime now that something like that was going to happen in the SVRA or HSR series.  Simply put, there are a bunch of guys out there who are enthusiastic as hell but SHOULD NOT be competing in the cars they are in.
Fax

The flagstand at the top of the hill is hard to see clearly from the track until you crest the top.  The drivers were to wait until they saw the green flag in order to pass.  Apparently either the 5th or 6th place car jumped before the green came out and attempted a pass in between the car in front of him and the pit wall.  He scraped the wall, turned back in towards the track and tagged someone's rear end, spinning them.  There are now 2 cars at rest in the middle of the track, which the remaining 40+ cars behind can't see.  The red flag was now waving from a position halfway down the hill, but the drivers are all looking straight ahead at the track, not seeing it.  2 by 2, the rest of the field crests the hill only to find a pile of cars in front of them and no way to stop in time.  Repeat x 10.

I didn't see it, this is the story I was told.

This pic is taken from the top of some bleachers at the bottom of 14 and isn't an accurate representation of what the flagstand looks like from the track surface.  It will give you an idea of how steep the hill is, though.  (Almost).

(http://www.autoracing1.com/Images/2004/CART/Elkhart/PitStraight.jpg)

From that account it sounds like a heck of alot of damage was caused as a result of a minor crash that then spiraled out of control.

Whatever, it does show that there are some lovely historic cars being raced. Hopefully all will be repaired, and ever those that are not will live on, maybe as two cars with the same id.

BTW. if yo look at the original post there are alot of comments at the bottom of the page from drivers, and people that witnessed the crash first hand.

Bobble, they look like dash mounted tachometers to me.

Steve, if you look closely it realy looks like at least the Corvette has a inboard camera mounted just under the rear mirror. Mentioning the rear mirror, I can't see why they need that when they even don't care what's in front of them.  ;D

Interesting pic there Chop.  Last time I was there in the seventies, the flagstand was drivers right and could've sworn it was further up the straight over the crest.  Lovely circut always.
Fax

The flagstand id farther up the track than it looks in the pic.  Also that is much  larger and steeper hill than it appears.

I know.  I have ridden my bicycle up it several times.   ;D

I like the Goodwood Revival's way of dealing with bad drivers. They are in the position of having an oversubscribed entry list so do not invite the dodgy drivers. In the drivers briefing they are warned that over enthusiastic driving will result in no invite for next year.

Apparently the SVRA (Vintage assn.) have a mandatory 13 month suspension for causing contact during one of their events, effectively forcing the driver to miss the next year.  This was not an SVRA event, so I don't believe that applies.

Does that mean Wille Green is banned this year for his effort taking of half the GT field last year, while a quick driver he ain't what he used to be & is overdriving now to try and do the times he did 20 years ago in the same cars.

Maybe Frank 'the w**k' Sytner will be spoken too as well, maybe the hardest driver in historics, caused more crashes IMHO than a gallon of oil on a wet track.