130 mph Cobra crash video

Cobra Crash Willow Springs, Short version 130 mph

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-9XSOM5eIo

and thanks to Nelson Ledges Road Course FB page for posting this.

That little roll hoop (and windsheild frame) work pretty impressively.

Incredible that he just walked away from it, but terrible that all that money got flushed down the drain. Great that he's alive to be bummed about it, though.

He should sell the footage to GoPro to recoup some of the loss.

Wow. Agreed that it's amazing that he walked away. Also interesting to see that at the 1:00 minute mark of the video how far his helmet is moving around his head!

Watching the license plate fly by the camera was crazy. Also, I'm sure I saw his hand hit the dirt during a roll. Would sprint car-style arm restraints work in a car like that, with only a single roll hoop?

Wow. Those belts look stupendously loose. And that hoop is positively tiny.

Yet I wonder whether the loose belts and lack of HNR actually helped in this case, because the driver's body was able to ragdoll deeper into the cockpit.

And Will, I believe at least some groups (forget if it's NASA or SCCA) require arm restraints in open cars now, even for certain track days (maybe Time Trials?).

Glad the driver is OK. Do have to wonder about the "tap tap" on the helmet from the worker...

That'll buff right out.

Sadly, his pants were total lossed.

peter wrote: And Will, I believe at least some groups (forget if it's NASA or SCCA) require arm restraints in open cars now, even for certain track days (maybe Time Trials?).

I have a friend who was big into time trialing (COMSCC in New England) and eventually ran Spec Miata. I know SM required the arm restraints--I can't remember if COMSCC did.

Cheap insurance vs. losing an arm or two. It was pretty disturbing to see them flaling around like that in the Cobra clip.

Quote from the comments on youtube: "Proof that God loves drunks and idiots. No racing seat, no cage, no arm restraints, harness barely tightened and a bunch of unsecured E36 M3 in the car that starts flying as soon as he begins to spin." All true. Also, he's lucky the rollbar never contacted the ground, he would surely been killed if it had. GoPro makes some tough cameras for sure.

So, what do we think it is? I am guessing the front universal joint on the driveshaft failed and the shaft dug into the asphalt launching the rear axle into the trunk.

Theories?

Maroon92 wrote: So, what do we think it is? I am guessing the front universal joint on the driveshaft failed and the shaft dug into the asphalt launching the rear axle into the trunk. Theories?

Sounds logical. Not sure if it was there on its own or via clean up, but clearly there are suspension pieces in the trunk in the aftermath.

Maroon92 wrote: So, what do we think it is? I am guessing the front universal joint on the driveshaft failed and the shaft dug into the asphalt launching the rear axle into the trunk. Theories?

If you look at the pavement really carefully behind him before it spins, it looks like twin tire tracks (ie - locked up rear axle). That would also explain the violent spin.

A driveshaft failure would have been an upward force initial move.

I am thinking the bracket that bolts the pumpkin to the chassis broke. When it did, it shifted everything to one side. theory

Maroon92 wrote: So, what do we think it is? I am guessing the front universal joint on the driveshaft failed and the shaft dug into the asphalt launching the rear axle into the trunk. Theories?

Was it a V6 Mustang driveshaft?

Isn't a Cobra driveshaft is about a foot long?

Wow, that's some pretty scary first aid - yank off the helmet?

Spinal injury? Here let me jiggle you.

A rear control arm or panhard separation could have caused this easily, its just speculation with seeing the chassis

spriteracer wrote: Quote from the comments on youtube: "Proof that God loves drunks and idiots. No racing seat, no cage, no arm restraints, harness barely tightened and a bunch of unsecured E36 M3 in the car that starts flying as soon as he begins to spin." All true. Also, he's lucky the rollbar never contacted the ground, he would surely been killed if it had. GoPro makes some tough cameras for sure.

I was wondering how the car passed tech with all the loose stuff in the cockpit.

question is.. was it loose before the accident? that is some serious G forces at work at a spin, flip, and slide from 130mph

Keith wrote: Wow, that's some pretty scary first aid - yank off the helmet?

I am sure they must have figured a guy driving an open car with no cage, loose harnesses, and arm straps who hadn't been killed in a rollover must be a super hero. They were just trying to un-mask him.

Wow. I wonder if that was an FF chassis. It doesn't really matter, whoever made the chassis it was tremendously strong to get him through that in one piece.

SCCA requires arm restraints in open cars for anything other than autocross. If he was running a non-SCCA sanctioned track day then I'm going to guess they were not required but as seen in the vid they are definitely a good idea. And that's coming from someone who hates the damn things.

I noticed the right side belt was an H style which is SCCA legal but again I don't really like them, they can be hard to get out of in a crash. Gimme separate shoulder straps any day. The driver's harness was not tight enough and there was no rearward head restraint (pad). Again, these may not have been required but are a real good idea.

There were 'titty beads' flying past the camera at one point. It is the responsibility of the tech crew to make sure the restraints are tight, the crap's out of the cockpit etc before sending a driver out onto a hot track. Someone was real lackadaisical about that (particularly given that it's an open car) and it's sheer luck this guy walked away.

And the camera is still working....

I've failed closed top cars in tech with improperly wrapped shoulder straps. That guy is 100% lucky the car dug in and jumped into the air when rolling, then bounced on its wheels hard enough that when it contacted the ground and continued to roll the "roll bar" and his arms didn't contact the ground. If that car had landed roof first...

Curmudgeon wrote: There were 'titty beads' flying past the camera at one point. It is the responsibility of the tech crew to make sure the restraints are tight, the crap's out of the cockpit etc before sending a driver out onto a hot track. Someone was real lackadaisical about that (particularly given that it's an open car) and it's sheer luck this guy walked away.

Actually, it is the driver's responsibility. The tech crew at some open track day events are non-exisitent. They are present at schools to help folks that don't know any better to make sure they read the instructions and so on but they usually are not thorough just because they have a long line of cars and a short list of checks to perform. They do it the evening before an event sometimes. When I instruct - I always look in the trunk and ask about mechanicals before I get in but that is for my own protection. When you go to an open track or test day - you are your own safety crew.

Most "smart" clubs will never write anything claiming to hold responsibility for anything they don't have to because a lawyer representing a member of a less lucky tool in a FF Roadster's family might bankrupt them when he breaks his fool neck.

1. Glad he's ok despite questionable safety gear etc.

2. Sad to see that much hard work get wasted (assuming he built the car himself) Hope he had a track day ins. policy.

3. Props for building / owning such a car and actually using it on the track rather than just cruise nights / garage decoration.

Heh heh heh heh heh, Curmudgeon said...tittie beads. Heh Heh Heh Heh.