Carnage From The Brian Redman Intl. Challenge 2005 Road America, Wi.

[TruckDriver]

I don't know if you guys ever seen these pics, but talk about some vintage cars destroyed.

First three pics are before

[TruckDriver]

The AFTER pictures

17 cars in all destroyed.

Some of the lost cars totalled.....

'64 Corvette convertible $78 - $88K
'67 Camaro   $60 - $72K
'65 Corvette $82 - $94K
'66 Corvette $84 - $91K
'69 Corvette $62 - $74K
'69 Trans Am $80 - 90K
'66 Shelby Cobra $250,000
'70 Mustang Boss 302 $74 - 89K

They estimate a total of maybe $2 million in damage.

[TruckDriver]

more....

[TruckDriver]

No serious injury's, but a lot of un-replacable cars turned into scrap

[Ghoste]

Well at least that is good news. Sucks about the cars but you never want to hear about some guy getting killed just doing something he enjoys.

[Brock Samson]

i remember that,..  one car i forget which caused it... 

[Ghoste]

I hadn't until today.  So how many of those cars were vintage race cars (or is that a series where they have to have a pedigree to play?) and how many have been since repaired?

[TruckDriver]

I hadn't until today.  So how many of those cars were vintage race cars (or is that a series where they have to have a pedigree to play?) and how many have been since repaired?

They all were vintage racers. I haven't heard on how many were repaired. There is some that most likey were by the pics.

[69bronzeT5]

Ouch! Who caused the crash? Anybody have any videos of it?

[Mike DC]

 
Yeah, I'll bet 3/4 of those cars hardly had a straight original body panel on them before the wreck.  I can't imagine that most of those cars wouldn't be repaired. 

It's kind of a shame.  Handling historic race cars like that is a toss-up . . .  let 'em drive fast & hard on the track once in a while like they were meant for, or protect them with kid gloves?  Which way really does them more justice?  I dunno. 

 

 

[hemihead]

I'm sure that they all collected big insurance checks . And you know they probably all got fixed and are still out there somewhere .

[rav440]

I'm sure that they all collected big insurance checks . And you know they probably all got fixed and are still out there somewhere .

i doubt they collected insurance . unless they paid majorly high i$$$ nsurance premimums . most collector car insurance companys will not cover the car if its involed in a reck during a race .

[BigBlockSam]

wow, what a sad site.

[Ghoste]

I'm sure that they all collected big insurance checks . And you know they probably all got fixed and are still out there somewhere .

i doubt they collected insurance . unless they paid majorly high i$$$ nsurance premimums . most collector car insurance companys will not cover the car if its involed in a reck during a race .

Are there ANY that will insure a car during competition?  In fact, I'd bet nearly all would cancel the policy completely if they found out they were being used in that fashion.

[bull]

Well, you take your chances and sometimes you get burned. Classic cars aren't any safer from life than anything else, even the pampered trailer queens can be instantly turned to junk in certain cases. Where's the picture of that nice Charger that got wiped out in an enclosed trailer? How much more of a risk are you taking when you get on a race track?

[Ghoste]

I would guess that the difference is that it is a car and is somewhat expected to be on the highway even if only being moved from show to show in a trailer.  That is the expected use and the "expected" conduct on the highway is that most will drive safely.  That's how the insurance company is able to asses "reasonable risk" and place a premium on it.  On the racetrack where everyone is fighting for the first position determining that reasonable risk flies right out the window.  Let's face it, we all know that a lot of people in the stands come hoping to see an accident.

[bull]

I would guess that the difference is that is a car and is somewhat expected to be on the highway even if only being moved from show to show in a trailer.  That is the expected use and the "expected" conduct on the highway is that most will drive safely.  That's how the insurance company is able to asses "reasonable risk" and place a premium on it.  On the racetrack where everyone is fighting for the first position determining that reasonable risk flies right out the window.  Let's face it, we all know that a lot of people in the stands come hoping to see an accident.

I wasn't addressing your post, just saying life in general is hard on things and people and you can't escape the risk of problems no matter how careful you are. But in general I think most people would agree that racing is a higher risk activity than normal highway driving.

[Mike DC]

 
Most of the classic car insurance operations that I've ever read about won't mind if you race it on a track.  Thet just won't cover racetrack-caused damage by any stretch of the imagination.

[Aero426]

Note that there is a yellow Corvette roadster UNDERNEATH the blue #6 Camaro and white Firebird.  The driver, Bill Morrison, is looking at the fuel cell of the Camaro above him.   All you can see of his car is a piece of the black roll bar. 



This was a real unfortunate perfect storm deal where everything came together for a monster wreck. 

I'd estimate that about 50 percent of those cars have been restored and are back on track.    Fritz Schiffmayer's Cobra is not one of them that has made it back.   None of those cars carry insurance while they are on the race track.

There is a video of the wreck compiled from all the in car cams, but it isn't posted online.  I've only seen it once on another guys laptop.

There were a number of factors that caused the wreck.  At Road America, the start finish line is at the top of a  L-O-N-G  hill.    Guys at the back of the pack coming up the hill cannot see the flagman.   The starter did not like the way the field looked and did not throw the green flag.    The first couple rows went for it thinking they were getting the green, then whoa'ed up starting an accordian effect behind.   The car that was largely held to blame was a little farther back, and split the gap between a couple other cars and started a chain reaction.   The track became blocked and cars immediately behind plowed into it.   

This particular race group at this particular event is known for aggressive "go for it" driving.   And there are some very good drivers in this group.   You would think the guys up front are racing for money (they aren't).     But I also think it is the main reason why we  never see the significant Trans-Am cars at Road America: cars like the "real" Bud Moore Mustangs,  the real AMC Javelins, The AAR's and T/A Challenger.    There is a fine line in vintage racing between  protecting your investment, and overaggressive driving. 

[TruckDriver]

Note that there is a yellow Corvette roadster UNDERNEATH the blue #6 Camaro and white Firebird.  The driver, Bill Morrison, is looking at the fuel cell of the Camaro above him.   All you can see of his car is a piece of the black roll bar.

I never noticed that! And I have had these pics for a while now.