rec.autos.simulators

> I remember seeing footage from (I think) an F1 race from the 60's when a
> Mercedes (again, I think) disintegrated and the engine flew into the
> crowd killing 70 people.  I'm not sure how fast the car was going.

> There were no fences at that time and it looked like the crowd was right
> up against the track wall.

>      - F50 GT

> >>>For years, the worst wreck I ever saw at a race was Michael Waltrips
> >>>gate-removal trick at Bristol.  To see a car go from 120mph to 0 in
less
> >>>than a second and the whole thing disentigrate like a crash-mobile from

> > my

> >>>childhood (anyone remember those?), and to see him basically pop the
roof
> >>>off and climb out was, well, astonishing.

> >>>Now, I'm on the fence (no pun intended).

> >>>After seeing Kenny Breck's wreck at Texas this weekend, I may have to
> >>>re-consider.  It's a close call, though.

> >>>Kenny's wreck was definitely in the "There's NO way that guy is still

> > alive"

> >>>catagory.  Especially since his helmet was shoved into the fence AND
the
> >>>track on two different occasions.

> >>>I'm glad he got away with minor injuries (considering).  I've never
seen

> > a

> >>>race car spin like a top like that before.  Astonishing...

> >>>This was, for all intents and purposes, an airplane crash.

> >>http://espn.go.com/rpm/irl/2003/1013/1637489.html

> >>Pretty much sums up my opinion about it, though I'm not entirely
> >>unbiased on the matter. I f**n hate ovals. Now even moreso.

> > When I saw the footage, I was reminded of the wild ride Stan Fox took in
the
> > 1995(?) Indy 500. As someone who has grown up watching F1 and European
> > motorsport, and was only exposed to oval racing when Nigel Mansell took
up
> > Indycar in 1993, nothing prepares you for the sight of a car travelling
> > normally then disintegrating in the blink of an eye.

> > So what can we take from this incident? Well, Kenny is still with us, a
> > miraculous thing betrayed only by the fact that he has many difficult
weeks
> > ahead of him, and he'll get through it with the support and love of his
> > friends and family - and he will be a father. No other drivers were
hurt, to
> > say nothing of the implications were it a front-stretch collision.

> > ++
> > SP

>>I remember seeing footage from (I think) an F1 race from the 60's when a
>>Mercedes (again, I think) disintegrated and the engine flew into the
>>crowd killing 70 people.  I'm not sure how fast the car was going.

>Le Mans 1955?

> Also, the footage you saw was a re-enactment.  I've seen the same
> footage -- no footage of the actual accident exists.

> Jason

>Roger Williamson? I wasn't even born when that happened, and I've
>*still* had nightmares about it.

>>Greg Moore - California

>The only thing I saw of the Greg Moor accident were a couple of
>stills.  I never ever want to see a video of it.

>Worst with no serious injury would be either Tom Sneva's or Pat
>Bedard's.

>>>After seeing Kenny Breck's wreck at Texas this weekend, I may have to
>>>re-consider.  It's a close call, though.

>>Tom Sneva - Indy 1975
>>Stan Fox - Indy...1999?
>>Greg Moore - California

>>Eldred

>Gordon Smiley 1981 IIRC...

>   The Geoff Bodine truck disentigration(sp?) was a biggie...So was
>Waltrips...I still remember that Yellow Pontiac just stopping.  I haven't
>seen the Pryce accident..that I know of...but I also remember a sportscar
>accident, I think at Road ATlanta, where a driver spun on the exit of a
>blind corner and came to rest smack in the middle of the track facing
>sideways.  The next driver came round the bend at full chat and was greeted
>by the stalled car directly in front of him...no where to go, to time to
>brake....The worst part was the In Car camera...which was BEHIND the
>driver...and it was destroyed in the crash...That footage was horrific cuz
>you knew when the camera went the driver in front of it had to be
>mutilated.
>    Best news was he survived...but it took years of surgery on his
>legs...I know his name...but as usuall...can't think of it right now...
>I wanna say he was a Brit...but that would be guessing...can anyone else
>fill in the blanks...??

>>Roger Williamson? I wasn't even born when that happened, and I've
>>*still* had nightmares about it.

> I don't even know who he was...

> Eldred