Originally posted by TourDeForce:
I still haven't figured out what went wrong. My first reaction was, "WTF? Did somebody start going around the track backwards?". The sheer level of participation in the carnage suggests a pile-up at the starting line.



As stated before, this is what happened... I'm not pointing fingers or anything but... Mike Donohue (Mark's son) was on pole. The field consisted of 65+ vintage Trans-Am cars. Now, pole and outside pole were told to maintain a speed of 50mph or 3000rpm in 2nd gear until green. That speed was not maintained and the field started to get strung out. Cars were still in the last 2 turns, which i believe are 13 and 14. So the front row got on it hard and then checked up because a late green was flown. That combined w/ the driver in the orange Camero (I believe)jumping the start and making contact w/ I believe the black Vette or the silver Jag. Now, as for the rest of the pack, they were just started comming up the hill expecting the green. So by the time they arrived @ the start/finish where the accident was taking place, they were approx. 125mph (remember these cars are going through the traps at 188mph) and then the damage begun. All and all I believe there were 19-21 cars involved, many w/ extensive history, some unreplaceable. Yes they can be "rebuilt" as in finding another chasis and swaping tags. The accident was a combination of many, many things going wrong. ie..late green, the front row not maintaing 3000rpm, jumping the start, the field not bunching up...etc. Truely is a sad event. Whats worse, is a lot of these drivers are either pro, ex-pro, or have been racing for 20+ years. Hopefully, lesson learned....a very, VERY expensive lesson learned.


Correction...that is a 289 Cobra. (I was a little overwhelmed when typing all this drama)

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