View Full Version : Horrible SCCA head on crash @ Lime Rock Park ... this makes me sick to my stomach
David Brand in the Lotus spun in the right-hander going onto the no-name straight.....next through were a few Miatas that were nose to tail, the first went left and the second had no place to go - BAM - head on into the Lotus! The SM Miata of Ken Payson got catapulted into the air and did a complete flip coming to rest on its wheels. Richard Cullen said he had a front row seat when the car went airbourne. I came though a few seconds later and it was like a war zone...yellow flags waving, corner workers frantically running and waving their arms....then the red flag quickly displayed.
They called the race with 6 laps left on the board in lieu of the accident. Both drivers were transported to medical and believe were taken to the local medical facility in Sharon, CT. Upon leaving the track we were told that the Lotus Driver David Brand was released with no major injuries (except to his wallet). As far as Ken Payson, I am not sure if he was released but indications are that he had suffered a broken neck or back (not a 100% confirmed report). Our prayers are with both drivers for a speed recovery.
http://www.racelabz.com/photos/lime/IMG_0559.jpg
http://www.racelabz.com/photos/lime/IMG_0555.jpg
The spin: (Fast Forward to 9:06 in) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So6Gwfd5STM
The horrific accident:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlHfGGgTVsc&feature=player_embedded
4DR_DB7
08-11-2009, 03:13 PM
imo the 2 miatas were focusing to much on winning the postion instead of the track ahead. they both had enough time to avoid. he was just sitting there like a pidgeon. Tough wreck, could have been a lot worse though. I saw a T-bone on 5th st. in North Philly today, lady went right thru a red light, it was pretty bad.
Is it just me or did no one slow down at all for the yellow?
imo the 2 miatas were focusing to much on winning the postion
I can see this 100 percent, but the Miata that hit the Lotus most certainly cuoldn't have even seen the Spun Lotus from his angle...remember you sit on the floor of those things, making forward vantage a minimum.
Is it just me or did no one slow down at all for the yellow?
That was perplexing to me as well, but it makes you wonder if the position of the corner station/worker was simply 'to late' for the spin?
if you look closely the miata he was following VERY close and hence did not see the yellow flag. He stepped out to pass and sure enough he hit the lotus head on. Consequences were a broken neck (will fully recover) however the cars are obviously done.
wil524
08-11-2009, 09:48 PM
That's a tough call though. The Lotus was pushing it too hard into the turn and unfortunately he spun out on the exit of the turn and ended up facing oncoming traffic with no place to go. The miata probably should have been paying more attention, but being right behind someone blocked his view. By time he saw it, it was too late.
teh DIRT
08-11-2009, 09:53 PM
wow, horrible crash. hard to watch.
I agree though, all racers have always told me, dont look at the road in front of your car, look at the road ahead of you. Could have been avoided if he was a little more aware. that being said, id have crashed to.
wow, horrible crash. hard to watch.
I agree though, all racers have always told me, dont look at the road in front of your car, look at the road ahead of you. Could have been avoided if he was a little more aware. that being said, id have crashed to.
It's ahrd to say
I've done plenty of track events, and even with the best training, even the best drivers get 'red mist' and often fall into old habits...hard to say which way to go. I watched it again, and it sounds like everyone 'let out' of the gas, but at that point it was to late...
Terrible situation, but just a reminder to those who do track days to be more aware of their srroundings.
teh DIRT
08-11-2009, 10:06 PM
yeah it just looks like a case of him being behind someone and not being able to see past (which is not his fault), then swinging out and boom.
Charged SVTF
08-12-2009, 01:22 AM
Holy ****. Thats all i got.
TROLL
08-12-2009, 01:40 AM
damn... glad to hear there will be a full recovery.
i really enjoyed watching the in car footage of the racing (not the crash) in that vid, its so intense... road racing is something i really need to get into more.
DPancoast
08-12-2009, 02:23 AM
wow... thats the craziest thing I've ever seen. God bless them all
NOPSTNS
08-23-2009, 08:40 PM
i seriously hope they are ok. but i watched the vid and it was pretty early on when you could see the lotus was facing the wrong way. imo the crashed miata guy wasnt looking ahead. coming out of big bend you have that little left hander as a setup turn and then the small right hander. you can see in the video the lotus facing you and the corner worker all from the setup left hander. at that point, the miata was right behind the other miata. THEN he went for the overtake (in a section under yellow) and crashed. simple case of tunnel vision.
thats a real shame and i hope they are ok. that wreck, like pete said, was hard to watch.
frosti108
08-23-2009, 08:53 PM
horrible. its crashes like that that make you appreciate safety requirements... thankfully they are both supposed to recover. if i were the lotus driver i would have immediatly backed up into the grass ...but anything we say here means nothing at all. what happened on the track is already done, we are just sitting here on our asses making judgements
That's a tough call though. The Lotus was pushing it too hard into the turn and unfortunately he spun out on the exit of the turn and ended up facing oncoming traffic with no place to go.
it looked to me like the lotus was maybe trying to tuck up the inside when the door was closed and he had to avoid the car infront of him. i dont think he spun due to pushing to hard, he was just trying to avoid the guy out infront of him ... just my opinion though
willthethrill
08-23-2009, 09:34 PM
the video is disturbing
the video is disturbing
100% agree. The outcome could have been a lot worse.
Honest_Bob
08-23-2009, 10:25 PM
:eek: Scary!
wheresmycar
08-23-2009, 11:14 PM
Damn!
Reminds me when I was about 3 car lengths behind a car on I-95 doing 65mph(?)
A car in front of the car right in front of my runs over a bumper lip and shoots it to the car in front of me.
The car in front of me dodges left. It flies to my passenger side tire. I drive over it and it rips my rear bumper corner as my rear tire shot it back out.
Can't do much in the split second the car in front clears your view. :(
Wait. Yes you can.
Follow so far behind and let everyone go around you.
max2k1
08-24-2009, 03:04 AM
Nasty... made me flashback to my accident
BlkWhtTSI
08-25-2009, 10:29 PM
Oh my god that is some scary stuff right there
Rotary Knight
08-26-2009, 09:29 PM
I just kept playing the crash over and over because its some scary ****.
The miata went from about 40-50 to 0 in less then 1 sec, the front of it went up in the air about 4-5 feet........
captainhook
08-26-2009, 11:36 PM
That was one wicked crash. As someone who has suffered a broken neck, trust me, there's absolutely no such thing as a "full recovery." Most victims suffer lifelong reduced mobility and chronic pain. Even if you are lucky enough to dodge both of those, like myself, it's not fun knowing you can never again ride a roller coaster or do extreme sports, etc. I truly feel for Ken. :(
tristatesentra
08-27-2009, 12:58 AM
ouch I hope both drivers are ok
boostedfury
08-27-2009, 01:17 AM
wow def hard to watch got my heart racing...hope everyone makes a full recovery and can race again(if they so choose)
grimm
08-27-2009, 10:41 AM
thats a horrible accident. I would have to think that ken did not see the yellow flag, he just saw the person in front of him letting up and saw it as an oppurtunity to over take, pulled around to pass and bam. either that or it's a really bad case of dumb luck. sees the yellow, pulls out from behind to see what the cause is, and meets it head on.
whatever the circumstances, i wish him a speedy recovery!
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