WBHighwind

Driver and passenger in a Carrera GT killed at a HPDE event in Cali.

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/4562562/detail.html

I dont know what all the details are, but this is tragic.

wallyman424

articles from 05.

this has been resolved, and there was a lawsuit as a result. I believe porsche paid out a couple hundred G's.

robvuk

This happened over a year ago and all the lawsuits have already been settled in court. This was discussed quite a bit here. Do a search for all the details. Porsche paid the bulk of all the claims.

heavychevy

This is from 05, I dont think it's been posted on this forum before.

The CGT driver swerved to avoid a Ferrari that dove onto the track from pit out, lost control and crashed.

The wife of one of the men sued for a LOT of money and won. The Track, The club, Porsche and I think the Ferrari owner all had to chip in.

AU N EGL

Been posted and discussed at length.

This incident and another incident at WG last year when a Green Students was allowed to go solo and was also in a fatal crash has caused event promoters to make some changes in how HPDEs are conducted.

Lancer033

there was a thread up the day it happened and posts about the lawsuit all along the way. As tragic as it was, we all know what can happen on a race track and take that risk every time we go out. The real tragedy is the lawsuit from the family. If he wasn't willing to take the risk, he shouldn't have been there in the 1st place and lawsuits like that drive the cost of this sport up for the rest of us. Mistakes will happen and people will get hurt in this game, best thing we can do is learn from them, fix the problems and move on, not go running to the lawyers.

WBHighwind

I guess I fail at checking the date of the article... sorry for the repost...

Yeah, its a thread that got dug up on another forum but it was the first time I had seen it. I knew something wasnt right when I didnt see anything about it here.

John Shiels

I was thinking WTH again. Hopefully this is a safe year

Mikelly

This incident helped drive the changes to many regular auto policies with regards to HPDE coverage...

Porsche NA, Ferrari Club, The race track, the estate for the driver were all sued by the survivors of the passenger in the Carrera GT. What's sad is that the driver of the car was trashed on many web forums, and from what I could find out the guy was quite a driver and was not in "over his head", but was evading a car that had been waved out onto a hot track and merging without checking mirrors.

We all lost in this particular tragedy, and it's a reminder that the waiver each of us signs is worthless...

Mike:o

bb69

I thought the lawsuit was actually settled as opposed to a decision from a court. The parties involved decided it was cheaper to settle than defend themselves. Of course, it will be remembered as the wife winning, and that will encourage scumbags to keep suing. Anyway, the point is that the waiver may not be useless, because I don't think the court ever found liability.

Ken

abc 123

For those that are lazy

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1104572

There was also a thread discussing the lawsuit breakdown. If I recall correctly Porsche was named as 20% responsible.

robvuk

http://www.sportscarmarket.com/content/carrera

abc 123

Thanks.

Still think Porsche should have told them to pound sand.

robvuk

Apparently they proved that the GT as well as the 911 had a history of handling behaviors that are not conducive to safety.

AU N EGL

Court also mentioned that cars of that nature should have Active Handling and Traction control or other driver saftey aids.

Weather the courts are right or wrong it is a moot point. When the court rules that is they way it is.

Plus looking at the Insurance requirements to host an event. The insurance requirements are not difficult to understand, just do take some event planning.

With ruling like these and so many track events or HPDEs, event promoters can not plead ignorance or say 'I did not know' to event safety.

Events rules are there for participants safety. If you dont like one events rules, dont argue, again is a moot point. Go find a different event.

So for example, street tires ( not slicks) stock seat belts, leaving AH/TC ON, attending mandatory Classroom, having an instructor in your right seat, No timing, Current SA not M helmets, for the Novice, Beginner and Intermediate run groups are there for a reason, Overall Event safety.

Even race prepared cars, need to go though a sanctioning bodies technical inspection plus have that race sanctioning bodies current Log Book.

robvuk

In your events, you not only teach the importance of great safety, you also make track selection part of your criteria.

AU N EGL

Correct Rob. We look at the track design and safety of the track too.

Going to VIR and Road America are two very distinguished tracks with history and ppl want to run. YES they are expesive to rent, but that is where we want to be.

I can rent a particular track 90 min south of me for not a lot of money, $2500 - $3,000 for two days ( former NASCAR short track with infield road course ) But I dont like the track, it is not really a safe track and those 33* bankings kinda scare ppl. let alone those sharp pavement transitions from infield to oval and back again.

John Shiels

33*

AU N EGL

John you and I would Love running Lowe's Motor Speedway road course in Concord NC. I will have to get my arz up to Poccono too. ( Heck I need to get my car running properly )

But Rockingham or North Carolina Motor Speedway is not for newbies IMO.

Any one with experience* would race around a big parking lot with cones or barrels and have a blast.

* Experience being, "knows the risks and is willing to take said risks with personal responsibility of said risks."

However as an event promoter or co promoter there are many items one needs to consider too.

Mikelly

It was settled out of court, but the settlement was HUGE and changed the landscape.

What I found funny about the comments made about the Carrera GT and the 911 (and I'm admittedly biased, since Ive spent more than a year behind the wheel of a 680BHP 911) is that they're no more or less dangerous than any other car with the drivers aids turned off...

Turn a bunch of lawyers loose with any product and they'll find fault and liability, which is why I no longer manufacture control arms...

Mike