Someone sent me this link...pretty nuts.
http://www.pbase.com/atrltd/bric2005

as I said in OT, I was there, some of the best prepared racecars I've ever seen are in those piles... 14 cars "disabled" that happened at the start-finish, as the green was dropping.

apparently someone from row two tried to shoot a gap as a bunch of 600hp musclecars accelerated up the front straight to start the race following the pace lap... it was crazy...estimated at 100+ mph was what I was told.

apparently someone from row two tried to shoot a gap as a bunch of 600hp musclecars accelerated up the front straight to start the race following the pace lap... it was crazy...estimated at 100+ mph was what I was told.

This is the account from Rennlist:

"This is from the group 6 BRIC race of July 17, 2005. My understanding is that the pace car didn't control the field properly. Jim said that the pace car was going too fast and the lead group got separated from the middle group on the pace lap. The starter didn't give the green, but the middle group of cars, by now up to full race speed & trying to catch the lead group, couldn't see that, Nor could they see the lead group of cars, which by this time were off of the gas and slowing down. 17 cars received extremely major damage or were destroyed. Nobody died."

What a freakin' shame. I hit the Redman Invitational two years ago, and found the quality of most of the cars to be exceptional.

One of my friends runs a GS Vette in that class. I hope he wasn't out there.

One can only hope they revise the regulations soon.

One can only hope they revise the regulations soon.

What regulations need to be revised?

It just sounds like a big accident.

It looks like a big accident too. That doesn't mean it wasn't preventable.

Actually, read some of the comments on the site the photos are on. Apparently a Jag blew and laid down fluids at the start.

[edit] Nevermind, those in the field are saying differntly.

Wasn't there, didn't see what happened, but no matter what, if they're blaming the pace car, somebody's making excuses. They're blaming the flagman, too. More excuses.

The polesitter has control over the field and the drivers behind have a responsibility to maintain his speed and not race until the green flag flies. I heard also that there were some mid-field stragglers who were trying to catch up to the field after the last corner on the warm-up lap, because, you know, it's so hard to keep up with a 50 mph pace car speed in a 500 hp race car. These are the same guys who lag behind during a yellow flag period and make my head want to explode. :rolleyes

What a joke. Somebody (or somebodies!) must have been sleeping with their heads on their desks and drool coming out of their mouths during rudimentary race-car driving 101. More money than sense.

World's most expensive yard sale. :shifty

couple things... the pace car was going well over 50 IMO, when I saw him exit the carousell (sp?) he was going at least 50, pace car seemed to be hoofing it all weekend, it was quite hot, and keeping those cars cool can be a trick.

I would never described 17 cars as "destroyed" however, 4-5-6 likely were "destroyed" the rest were damaged enough to prevend them from continuing racing.

in three years watching this event, its the first time something like this has happened, if you figure 9-10 races per year, this is one in 28 or 29 with an incident in MY tenure as a spectator.

the rules are fine. this class and its enormous size and HP levels are obviously obstacles to overcome, but the field was spread WAY OUT on the pace lap (normal) but just as the rennlist post describes, it seemed like the lead group was spread way out instead of bunched up.

this is the first eye-witness account I've seen of what happened on the track. I know several of the cars in those piles quite well, and they are beautifully prepared and extremely well-driven.

I would not hesitate for a moment to call-out the pacecar, but it in no way excuses the fact that the second group of drivers needed to KEEP PACE.

I'm with Halfshaft. People who lollygag behind the pace car drive me nuts. It's a recipe for disaster. I'm not trying to Monday morning quarterback here either. I've always thought this. Shoot after about the first 4 rows of a Champ Car race they are often all strewn about. Sheesh.

As I hear/read more, it seems that the issue can be traced to just that, excessive space between cars. one solution would be to slow the pace car, but you still need people to keep up...

LOTS of money lost in that wreck, LOTS.

As I hear/read more, it seems that the issue can be traced to just that, excessive space between cars. one solution would be to slow the pace car, but you still need people to keep up...



That is what concerned me. The 2 packs of cars. Most of the drivers in the back of the field will simply follow the indications of the drivers directly in front and side of them.

ouch...
and you know thats probly all to blame on one guy
doh!

ouch...
and you know thats probly all to blame on one guy
doh!

Likely the same guy who gets in the left lane and guages his speed by the truck beside him, creating a pileup of traffic half a mile long on an otherwise empty interstate.

I am good friends with Brian Redman. I will contact him this week & ask for the lowdown skinny. I'll bet he is furious.

you think you can get him to sign a picture for me MM??? I've got a shot of him and McQueen from the filming of LeMans... McQueen signed it... need Redman's....

I didn't have the time to stand in line waiting for it.

you think you can get him to sign a picture for me MM??? I've got a shot of him and McQueen from the filming of LeMans... McQueen signed it... need Redman's....

I didn't have the time to stand in line waiting for it.


Yes, but it will take a while. He travels a lot, and we live in different towns. Contact me at maranelloman@gmail.com and I will give you details.

Here is the steward's view from that race:

"I was the operating steward for this race. The pace car did what was the right thing to do. We gave them instructions for each group. The two pole guys admitted to running up the hill at 5000 rpm in 3rd gear. The fifth place guy was racing well before the green flag and tryed to force his way between the wall and the car in front of him. He started scraping the wall and the guy behind him checked up and the car that hit him started to spin and then it was one after another into them. I am amazed that no one was killed. All the drivers except two had hans devices.

The green flag was in deed thrown. I red flagged the race with in 3 seconds of the green. Even with the red flag the drivers in the back just keep driving into the rear. The red was shown at corner 15(the walk over bridge). The drivers just did not pay attention. All drivers were forced to attend a meeting right after the incident. They were all yelled at. Interesting that in a few classes they are not allowed to pass until after turn 1 (Historic Gran Prix) and turn 3 for Can Am. One historic Gran Prix driver was banned from their series for life due to an incident in the kink.

I have to agree that the drivers in this group are some of the most agressive drivers I have ever seen. More distrubing to me were how many fist fights started after drivers started getting out of there cars. I feel that if they were able to get out they should have been happy they could even move after a incident like this.

I was very happy with how all of our crews came together to work in the heat. We had a steady flow of water for all the rescue crews, ambulance crews and wrecker crews while they were working in over 90 degree heat. What a great team.

Mike Engelke"

Wow, Seeing those pictures made me sick to my stomach. I honestly think I threw up in my mouth a little. Such great cars, such a great waste now.

On a lighter note at least everyone was okay

Yeah but...FIST FIGHTS? In a freaking VINTAGE event?

IMO, anyone involved in a fist fight should be banned for life from that sanctioning body.

All drivers were forced to attend a meeting right after the incident. They were all yelled at.



seriously busted out laughing at that.

excellent account from teh steward... those ARE the most aggressive drivers in the event, IMO (although Groups 8 and 4 have their share, none of them has even 200hp -- well MAYBE a couple group 8 cars). If they have "no pass" rules for some of the other classes, it surprises me that this one is not one of them.

You will never see me in that class I promise. (working on a deal for group 4 actually)

I can always get Redman to sign that thing next year man, no worries. but thanks anyway!

They were all yelled at.


:lol