Bad day in my BMW M3 at Roebling Road

It was the last session of the day and it ended badly. I've run MANY track events at Roebling Road Raceway over 10+ years and never had the experience I had this day.

On the second hot lap I was entering turn 3 no differently than any other time and prior to the apex the back end stepped out. There was no warning at all, the car just snapped to the left and before I knew it the front of the car was off the track and I was flying over the grass toward the berm on the outside of the track. Looking at the telemetry from my TraqMate system I was going about 100 MPH when I lost control; I scrubbed off some speed before hitting the berm at 60 MPH and experienced 4 Gs coming to a stop.

I heard later than another car had gone off track at the entrance to turn 3 and the belief is that they brought dirt or debris onto the track which I went through later. If you listen closing you'll hear the engine rev right at the point where the back end steps out, indicating the immediate loss of grip. I don't believe I could have avoided the off track excursion as I got no warning at all that the back end was going to break lose, and I was literally "going for a ride" once I was off into the grass.

Now I just hope Buddy can repair the damage...

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• BMW
• M3
• Roebling
• Road
• Raceway
• accident

[rhythmnsmoke]

Man, looks like that was one wild ride. I've ran there as well. I felt your pain after the verbal onslaughts came after the crash. Where is the car now?

[eph3911]

@rhythmnsmoke My M3 has been fully repaired, and improved in a couple ways. I've had it back out on the track a couple times this year and it's fully sorted again although I am not taking turn 3 quite as fast as I used to.

[rhythmnsmoke]

@eph3911 That's good then. Little more conservative in turn 3 now...:) Hey question, where did you get your extended rear view mirror from? I'm thinking of switching over to something like that myself.

[eph3911]

@rhythmnsmoke The wide square mirror I have in the car now was installed by my mechanic. Check out my Kablamo! video to see what happened to the original.

[eph3911]

Bazza - click on my username to see the full set of vids. The car needs a lot of work: initial damage report from my mechanic car is in. The whole front end is toast - bumper, supports, radiator, etc. Broken right lower control arm. Cracked frame member at right side engine mount. Compression in frame rail on right front side. Potential damage to right strut. And dust/dirt EVERYWHERE, but ...that should clean up easily.

[sandrochanturia]

chek your traectory at 3:35 .... thats why i think .. at last corne u had to sterring to much but u was at little bad traectory ..... sorry for bad eng :))

[grasmatas]

Shit that was nasty, lucky to walk away from that one dude.

[ben199four]

Nice car shame about the end 

[severrnijKGU]

damn, i didnt know that's what could happen coming over 3 pulling times in the 1 20's. that turn scares the shit out of me. glad to see you walked away from it.

[djtripp20]

Wow glad your OK. This track is right down the road from me.