Settlement regarding the Carerra GT deaths at Cal Speedway.
10-24-2007, 07:39 AM
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Settlement regarding the Carerra GT deaths at Cal Speedway.
This happened about a year ago. A Ferrari was entering the track (from pits) at a slow speed, an overtaking Carrera GT swerved to avoid him and slammed head first into a wall. The driver and passenger died.
There was gross negligence involving the CGT driver and most importantly the track. Porsche admitted negligence to a smaller extent (CGT has no active traction control).
Make up your own mind but I think a few lessons can be learned from this tragedy. First and foremost NO PASSENGERS with amateur drivers, which means pretty much all of us. We've all taken people out on the track but the liability for all is just too high. The track (and hopefully other tracks nationwide) learned an important lesson too about where they put the pit out and walls at.
At the risk of piling on the deceased (he had friends in here if I recall), he had spun out several times that day before this incident ocurred. Yet he decided to take on a rider and drive at top speed, I assume knowing that a car could enter the track at any time because of the flawed design of pit exit. Most 'lessons' learned on track you walk away from, not this one unfortunately.
I also wonder if a HANS device is a good idea in a street car (with 4pt harness of course). The traditional wisdom says no but I think it would've lessened the injuries in this case. The GT appeared to hit a wall head on at over 140mph. I used a HANS in my street M3 and I will continue to do so.<ul><li><a href="http://www.sportscarmarket.com/content/carrera">http://www.sportscarmarket.com/content/carrera</a</li></ul>
There was gross negligence involving the CGT driver and most importantly the track. Porsche admitted negligence to a smaller extent (CGT has no active traction control).
Make up your own mind but I think a few lessons can be learned from this tragedy. First and foremost NO PASSENGERS with amateur drivers, which means pretty much all of us. We've all taken people out on the track but the liability for all is just too high. The track (and hopefully other tracks nationwide) learned an important lesson too about where they put the pit out and walls at.
At the risk of piling on the deceased (he had friends in here if I recall), he had spun out several times that day before this incident ocurred. Yet he decided to take on a rider and drive at top speed, I assume knowing that a car could enter the track at any time because of the flawed design of pit exit. Most 'lessons' learned on track you walk away from, not this one unfortunately.
I also wonder if a HANS device is a good idea in a street car (with 4pt harness of course). The traditional wisdom says no but I think it would've lessened the injuries in this case. The GT appeared to hit a wall head on at over 140mph. I used a HANS in my street M3 and I will continue to do so.<ul><li><a href="http://www.sportscarmarket.com/content/carrera">http://www.sportscarmarket.com/content/carrera</a</li></ul>
10-24-2007, 08:26 AM
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Some orgs do.
At the very least he should've been brought in after every spin for a chance to cool down and to discuss what went wrong. I think after the second spin a warning should've been given...spin again and go home.
Would he be alive today if given warnings? Maybe, maybe not.
Would he be alive today if given warnings? Maybe, maybe not.
10-24-2007, 08:36 AM
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A full "off" at ACNA requires pit entry. As an organizer, I'd DNF someone...
who could not keep it under control.
Not lambasting anyone: I wasn't there. But I hope we all learn from this.
Sad.
Not lambasting anyone: I wasn't there. But I hope we all learn from this.
Sad.
10-24-2007, 08:49 AM
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I'd say yes
As a corner worker, and as someone who helped run race control during last summers ACNA DE here.
Its one thing to drop 2 off, or an easy 4 off, but spins and hard 4 offs should be aggressively controlled by the organizers on HPDE days. If you get more than one of those (spins or hard 4 offs), generally means the driver has something wrong, either in their head, ego or their car.
Its one thing to drop 2 off, or an easy 4 off, but spins and hard 4 offs should be aggressively controlled by the organizers on HPDE days. If you get more than one of those (spins or hard 4 offs), generally means the driver has something wrong, either in their head, ego or their car.
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10-24-2007, 09:22 AM
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There was virtually no passenger compartment damage and both died from basal skull fracture
so they definitely would have been better off with Hans.
Most who saw it or were involved in the investigation say Hans and harnesses would have had them surviving sans major injuries.
Mike S
Most who saw it or were involved in the investigation say Hans and harnesses would have had them surviving sans major injuries.
Mike S
