Crash- Tirewall defeats Porsche 944 at Thunderhill

[FlightlessLobster]

Turning on your windshield wipers didn't help?

shame.

[FlightlessLobster]

Turning on your windshield wipers didn't help?

shame.

[bmcgwier]

i like how you leaned to the right and you slide left and then hit the wall, when i race dirt track and that happens i would lean to the left to prtect myself. i can see why you lean right but that speed is to much to brace for, hope you are doing better. do you have a racing seat, or standard seat?

[jessepainless]

Early apex, it looks like. Bummer.

[jason6229]

ehh crash didn't lok that bad... I love Porsche 944's though. I'm only 15 but I'm getting one for my birthday!! :D

[SNYDAMAAN]

oh my gosh me too!!!! But i just turned 16 a month ago and I'm hopefully getting one for Christmas!

[sopleyearl]

Post a pic of the aftermath I'm assuming the car was trashed?

[tegrnracng]

Steve,

Enjoyed your "crash" again. Hope all is well.

Mac

[stevebarnette]

You gotta hate the ol' over correct!

[chubstheclown]

Looks like you were doing 90mph at the apex as opposed to 70mph during the first lap. Unless your 944 is seriously modified, I don't think you can take turn 1 at 90mph under any circumstances. Glad you're alright.

[milano61]

His first entry into Turn One was out of the pit lane, not at the end of the long straight leading into it, thus he was going only 70. As mentioned in previous comments, he committed too late and had to increase steering angle and loads past traction limits, causing an oversteer condition. But his track position was such that he couldn't correct quickly and he ran out of track. Once you're in the weeds, pray (or cuss) and brace yourself. Cars have rolled over here. Coulda been much worse.

[chubstheclown]

Uh... you might want to look again. The crash happens over two and a half minutes into the video. He drives the length of the main straight, and then moves over into the pit exit lane (as one should, in order to get the best line into turn 1). When he begins to turn, the on-screen speedometer clearly indicates that he is travelling at over 100mph (lower right of the video). When he starts losing traction, the speedometer indicates 90mph. When he hits the dirt, he is doing 80mph.

[chubstheclown]

Yes, he is doing about 70mph in turn 1 at the very beginning of the video when he enters the track, but the crash doesn't occur until the second lap, two and a half minutes later.

[milano61]

Yes, I know it was his second entry into Turn 1 at 100 mph. Read my comment carefully.This driver is not some noobie at Thunderhill who is driving a car that is not carefully prepped. He is driving at the limits of traction. A few feet at these speeds translates into an improper line which is very hard to recover from. I have driven Thunderhill in a prepped Miata. Those tires are placed there to prevent cars from proceeding up the hill sideways at high speeds, preventing rollovers.

[zanick]

bummer.

got that turn a little late, not by line, but by commit.you have to be pulling your max g's at the apex , not after and that got the car all bent out of shape. too bad there were the tires out there. that really looked painful. glad you are ok!

[badbob91]

Ouch, by the speedo, when you hit the grass you were doing 70, which means you probably hit the wall at around 50+ Are you ok?

[disturbo96]

I was ok. The helmet and neck brace did their job. The car was going about 80 when it left the track and hit the wall 400 feet later at a bit less than 50-- there's not much braking available when you're on grass. The car was damaged but has been repaired and will hopefully soon be back on track.

[odd12345]

for some reason my first comment didn't work. just wanted to say that the crash was TOTALLY BRUTAL and glad you're ok!

[badbob91]

Well im glad your ok, that was a pretty brutish hit. Hope the car didnt need to much repair.

[MOMOf333SP]

ouch, looks like a good hard hit. were you stiff the next day?