Whose Raptor? Did you see the ZO6 crash?

[WarSurfer]

I feel for the guy but honestly, he didn't have anywhere near the prep needed for those speeds, no real modifications for downforce, etc... these things are totally different animals above 150 and will begin to lift off the ground if you don't run splitters, spoilers and have the underpan smoothed. He had a splitter but I didn't see any indication of the other two.

If you watch the hood, there was a ton of lift going on under the front end.

 

[saleen970]

I feel for the guy but honestly, he didn't have anywhere near the prep needed for those speeds, no real modifications for downforce, etc... these things are totally different animals above 150 and will begin to lift off the ground if you don't run splitters, spoilers and have the underpan smoothed. He had a splitter but I didn't see any indication of the other two.

If you watch the hood, there was a ton of lift going on under the front end.

I honestly think these cars can handle the speed, the side winds or even the head winds are the problem. I have been well over 160mph in a C6 Vette, 150mph in a 06 Saleen Mustang and a few other cars with no body modifications and no issues. Have also been over 220mph on a Hyabusa. These modern sports cars spend a lot of time in wind tunnles & can easily handle 200mph
Have been over 200 in a few door slammer drag cars, most had at least a wing but none as aero dynamic as a Z06 vette or Lamborgini. My 64 Chevelle Drag car went close to 190mph shaped like a brick with no body modifications, no wing no nothing 100s of 1/4 mile passes. Was very easy to drive except when there were side winds. The Lambo story said the side wind caught the chute, we experienced this many times with my Chevelle and its not fun.

 

[WarSurfer]

I honestly think these cars can handle the speed, the side winds or even the head winds are the problem. I have been well over 160mph in a C6 Vette, 150mph in a 06 Saleen Mustang and a few other cars with no body modifications and no issues. Have also been over 220mph on a Hyabusa. These modern sports cars spend a lot of time in wind tunnles & can easily handle 200mph
Have been over 200 in a few door slammer drag cars, most had at least a wing but none as aero dynamic as a Z06 vette or Lamborgini. My 64 Chevelle Drag car went close to 190mph shaped like a brick with no body modifications, no wing no nothing 100s of 1/4 mile passes. Was very easy to drive except when there were side winds. The Lambo story said the side wind caught the chute, we experienced this many times with my Chevelle and its not fun.

I agree to a point, my argument was simply that managing the side winds or head winds (or underbody lift) would be easier with more downforce... Just doing it and not wrecking isn't justification for the tried and true methods for maintaining control at very high speeds.

 

[A.I.I.Raciing]

Is there no regulations on cage's similar to offroad racing or drag racing at events like this?

There's no way in hell I would get in that Vette or any other car with just the b-pillar back at those speeds

 

[saleen970]

Is there no regulations on cage's similar to offroad racing or drag racing at events like this?

There's no way in hell I would get in that Vette or any other car with just the b-pillar back at those speeds

Most likely not sanctioned. Drag strips not sanctioned by the NHRA or IHRA can make their own rules as well. I agree, no way should they be hitting those speeds with no full cage.

 

[saleen970]

I agree to a point, my argument was simply that managing the side winds or head winds (or underbody lift) would be easier with more downforce... Just doing it and not wrecking isn't justification for the tried and true methods for maintaining control at very high speeds.

Very true, I agree with that. although Im not sure if it helps when the wind catches your chute & pulls the car sideways, it feels like you just got t-***** in the rear quarter panel. Some tracks have grandstands blocking the wind & you dont expect it to hit when you pass the end of the seating area. Seen many people crash like that. RT66 in Chicago is a bad one.

 

[FlounderStalker]

I WAS THERE, BUT DIDN'T ARRIVE UNTIL AFTER THE WRECK.

The owner of the black Raptor was one of the race officials. I talked to him a little. He is from Houston and that is the 2nd Raptor sold in Houston. It is a 5.4 and has absolutely no mods. He is a member of the Z, but never posts and didn't remember his avatar. He never asked me a single question, so I never told him that my truck (which was parked about 100 yards away) put his to shame. My lack of brag really ticked off my son and my wife.

Check our the Lamborghini that also crashed. That's insane... Jalopnik: Obsessed With The Cult Of Cars

The Lambo crashed in October at the same event. The vette crash was yesterday. Rumor on the track was that the Lambo had 2 chutes and only 1 deployed. Don't know if that is true. The vette driver left in a medivac helicopter and rumor on the track was that his helmet was cracked. No idea if that is true either.

I can't tel on my iPod, was the cage on the Vette just the B-pillar back?
I can't see if there is an a pillar tube there or not!

Im guessing that car was doing no where near 200 when it rolled

All cars that expect to exceed 190 mph are required to have a roll cage. If you exceed 190 without the extra safety equipment, you will be banned from all future Texas Mile races. (ESAD must have had something to do with that rule.)

I feel for the guy but honestly, he didn't have anywhere near the prep needed for those speeds, no real modifications for downforce, etc... these things are totally different animals above 150 and will begin to lift off the ground if you don't run splitters, spoilers and have the underpan smoothed. He had a splitter but I didn't see any indication of the other two.

If you watch the hood, there was a ton of lift going on under the front end.

I'm no expert at all, but i can tell you there were a dozen or more cars and a few motorcycles that exceeded 200 mph. Every time someone busted 200, the crowd would erupt in cheers. I saw a GMC Sierra single cab pickup go 199.0!!!

Is there no regulations on cage's similar to offroad racing or drag racing at events like this?

There's no way in hell I would get in that Vette or any other car with just the b-pillar back at those speeds

All cars that expect to exceed 190 mph are required to have a roll cage. If you exceed 190 without the extra safety equipment, you will be banned from all future Texas Mile races.

 

[yomudderputter]

both the vette and the lambo were insane cars. just think the amount of money that went into them. Ouch. I'll stick with my stock C5 with 385 horse power. thats enough for me.

Glad the drivers are okay.

 

[FlounderStalker]

Video of Vette crash from last weekends Texas Mile

YouTube - Corvette Crash, Texas Mile, March 25, 2011

 

[swoop1156]

Here is another video I ran across with more details about the car itself and then multiple footage of the crash:

YouTube - HINSON Motorsports World Record Corvette