The "in car video" from a "what the heck" moment at Willow Springs this year
 

Back in October Pete Tryce and I were up at WillowSpings Raceway, WSIR, near Lancaster/Palmdale for the West Coast Racing (aka Pantera Club) weekend.

Had a great Saturday. Me enjoying some new M/T S/R's on my car, and Pete a fresh 426 Windsor and new Nitto 17" tires in his car.

Sunday...enjoyment...?...not so much. The video pretty well covers what happened.

This is the "short version" of the "in car video"...there is a full length version at you tube.



Cobra Crash Willow Springs, Short version 130 mph - YouTube

Not clear whether the right lower control arm broke first, or the right steering rack outer shaft separated at the tie rod end, but the car was going straight ahead, flat out, end of front straight, but NOT yet braking for turn one at Willow. What caused the failure is conjecture, we can all hypothesize a reasonable failure sequence.

FWIW, the roll bar NEVER touched the ground...NO scratches...car dropped down on its right front, spun and then tumbled/rolled several times.

5 point harness, drivers suit and a lot of pure luck...

Ironically, the car was for sale THAT weekend! Lap times were getting to the point were it seemed a car with a "full roll cage" was prudent.

OK...Engine/trans are available. The engine is a fresh build for the track, 426/351 stroker, all rollerized, forged, etc. All engine/trans/clutch info, along with a dyno sheet from the morning before the weekend is available.

Car/engine is in the Torrance, Ca. Contact info is ON THE VIDEO, or PM me...(I may not be able to respond till the end of the week).

Pete M

Wow! You are blessed to be alive
 

Wow! You are blessed to be alive. That is for sure.

OUCH!!!
That's incredible footage.
Did you buy a lotto ticket when you got back to town?

So glad Pete is alive. He could not anticipate that was going to happen. These cars can bite anyone. In my first week of owning my first SPF. I was in a parking lot with my brother showing the car off to a friend of his. I gave the engine a quick blip and dropped the clutch to just turn the tires over. Let off an hit the brakes in 2 seconds. Gravel in the parking lot I did not see caused the car to swap ends and stop just 5 feet from a poll in the ground. Taught me a major lesson. (And again not saying Pete could have done anything cause he could not have. Just pointing out the unexpected things that can happen at any time...)

Pete,

Wow & Ouch !!!

So glad you are OK ... the car, oh well ... easy enough to get another one.

- Tim

Scary indeed. Anyone who doesn't have a 5 point should watch this.

Pete
Thank God you are o.k. I do now know how you kept from getting a broken arm!! Real luck you were clear of traffic!!!

Sorry for the busted ride. a real shame. Looked like a good Snake!!!

Wow. Just glad you're still alive. That's one video you'll be keeping! Better play the lottery!!!!

Seriously, it's good you only had bruises and didn't lose a limb or life.

Holy crap! Talk about a snap roll. Thank goodness you avoided any major injuries! Fortunately you were wearing safety equipment.

just to clarify...the driver was lucky...St. Christopher QUITS...!..!
 

All,

NOT ME...! Just to clarify...I...Pete MUNROE (and my 289 ERA !) DID NOT have the accident...!

However, my track buddy for the last 7 years, PETER TRYCE DID...!

Good news a month or so later...he is OK...(oh, man, at the time, that was a surprise...you have NO idea)

He, SAYS he is great...yea..."says he"...well, except for the limping/cringing/mincing. But, when you consider the alternative...EVERYTHING is, well JUST FINE...semper fi !

Only St. Chirstopher is MIA...watch the slo-mo... and when you see a metal chain floating up...with a medallion...that is St. Christopher. Think he has decided the envelope has been way PUSHED and he is OUT OF HERE...!

Hmmm...we are guessing St. Christopher went 10 miles east to Edwards AFB for some serious test pilot work...not this silly chicken'flop maniacs in silly pretend race cars non-sense.

Not sure, short of magnafluxing this particular cars BMW front control arm castings would have prevented this accident...donor car parts have to be suspect. You do not know their history.

Nut and bolt YOUR car before each track event. That would be a good start. At the track, you have to look at everything, sounds impossible, but at least try!

Pete M

Thank you for sharing that, as it provides a very good perspective of what can happen when something goes wrong.

Two observations.

In an open cockpit car like this, the driver should wear arm restraints. Second is the amount of movement even with the 5 point harness. Most people do not realize just how much you can still move with the harness in place and tight.

Once again, thank god it was not worse.

thanks for posting the video - we are all glad he is alive and reasonably well. Insane crash to walk away from.

Full height race seats would of kept the driver in place a lot better. Anyone install arm restraints in their car? What do you anchor them to?

Arm restraints get tied into the latch on your 5 point belts. You adjust them so that your arms can only reach as far as they have too, the top of the wheel and the longest throw on the shifter.
They are required in all racing events for open top cars but they should also be required for driving schools and open track events.

Amazing - with all the other possibilities that could have caused injuries, here comes the license plate slashing across the cockpit. Then, the passenger side belts nearly clobber him in the head...

That Saint Christopher medal fulfilled its purpose.

Terry

+100
Had a buddy get his left hand smashed pretty good during a roll over with no arm restraints,he was lucky he didn't lose his arm,he never drove again without arm restraints!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glad the driver walked away, scary bad crash......this video is a good reason to have high back/side support racing seat,arm restraints, and some form of head/neck restraint,even if only a "horse collar" when tracking any open top car or most any car for that matter.......you only live once,take all precautions so that you can come back and do it again should something go wrong while on track.....

David

incredible footage....thanks!

Pete,

(emphasis added)

Uhhhh...

Guess what I'm going out to the garage to inspect before the Cobra goes anywhere....

:eek::eek::eek:

Tom

Glad he survived the crash, awesome footage, as it captured everything that happens in such an event..from the arms flailing, to the departure of the medal, to the trunk bursting open, license plate....very eye opening :eek::eek::eek: ...thanks for posting!

Holy Sheet!!!!!!!!