Scary 7 crash at Shelsley Walsh

[nigelpugh7]

Very scary crash here:

[url]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FE_N7oIPvc&fea...

Glad the driver was OK and walked away too!

[RegMolehusband]

Ow! Nasty. I know Richard very well. It sounded like a mechanical failure, as though the rear wheels locked up. Thank God for the full cage.

When I think of the number of times I competed there in my Caterham with just the standard FIA bar behind me........


Edited to say that Richard is now saying on Blatchat that it was driver error, Richard was the man on the spot I suppose.

Edited by RegMolehusband on Sunday 1st July 10:19

[mickrick]

"and he's spun it completely and came to an abrupt halt".....!
Well he didn't, and he didn't.
Bloody hell that was a good un. Forgiven for looking a bit shaky and wobbley knee'd mate!
Glad he walked away from that one (understandably with a bit of help). Quite spectacular!
Shame about the car, it did sound nice.

[MikeO996]

Priceless commentary moment - would have been a classic for Murray.

Lucky chap

[Steffan]

From looking at the video it does seem that the car was not as stable as it might have been a bit earlier on the track and then suddenly pulled to the left. Unfortunately at a particularly bad spot where it was thrown up over the banks and it launched down the hill.

From what I could see the driver really had no chance, the left pull looks to me like some form of suspension or other major parts failure. But the observers on the track must have the best view.

Great to hear the driver was OK I nearly killed myself in a Lotus Super Seven, driving too fast, in 1963 and that crash is still the worst I have ever had or want. My car was literally in three pieces. With me thrown out of the car fortunately, into a forgiving, soft ploughed very wet field. Car was total write off. First one of them too!

Says something for the cell protection in this car that the driver walked away. Good.

[pw32]

Big crash, glad he is okay.

As mentioned a carbon copy of a couple of years back. Why people would compete without a full cage is beyond me!!

[chris_speed]

There is a vicious bump at that section of the track, it could be that. The driver has posted on blatchat since the accident saying it was driver error.

I am very pleased he's okay, and hope he bears up to the aches and pains after a crash like that. Get well soon Richard, main thing is you're okay, and hope you fix the car with minimum hassle.

There are some photos on this page that took my breath away when I first saw them. My Seven is also red, and a 1600K. http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread...

[Eric Mc]

Very spectacular - and a testament to the strength of the roll cage. I remember seeing footage of a Seven doing something very similar at the same pooint on that track - although on that occasion the car just ran up the bank and down again.

Lucky chap.

[pat the plumber]

pw32 said:

Why people would compete without a full cage is beyond me!!

I agree

[fergus]

pat the plumber said:

I agree

+1

Why "FIA" bars are allowed for sprinting is also debatable. They really do not offer much protection in the event of a large off.

[Red Seven]

Steffan said:

From looking at the video it does seem that the car was not as stable as it might have been a bit earlier on the track and then suddenly pulled to the left. Unfortunately at a particularly bad spot where it was thrown up over the banks and it launched down the hill.

I was going quicker than the car had ever been at that point. My son, who shares the car with me, had just set a new Lotus 7 club class record, and at that point, I was 0.07sec quicker than him. "Crossing" has previously been "flat" for us, but maybe I took better speed around "Kennel" than either of us had done before....

Unfortunately, there is so little room for any error at that point......

[DVandrews]

Glad you are OK Richard, it looked a nasty one..

Dave

[nigelpugh7]

pat the plumber said:

I agree

And Pat of All people would know, he is bruised but still with us all thankfully! And it's all thanks to a full cage!

[dino ferrana]

Very glad to hear you are OK, that looked like a really sickening crash and I was glad I knew you were not seriously injured before watching it.

Great respect for saying it was your fault as well, that is rather rare in my experience and brave.

I hope your car can be rebuilt and that you can get back driving soon.

[nigelpugh7]

I see the story has now made the national press, albeit in the Daily Mail!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2169103/Mi...