Official Word From GM on the First C7 Stingray Crash
by John Coyle
Corvette Forum
This sure didn’t take long. Our buddies over at CorvetteBlogger got the official word from Chevrolet’s communications manager for Corvette/Camaro, Monte Doran. Here’s the General’s official statement:
We can confirm that during routine testing, a Stingray was involved in a one-car accident. During evaluation, due to driver error the inside tire caught the edge of the pavement during a tight corner, leading to the accident. Thankfully, no one was hurt, the car received only minor damage, and no citations were issued.
He didn’t state who was behind the wheel at the time of the incident?but he did confirm it wasn’t legendary shoe Jim Mero. We imagine the investigation report sounded something like this:
We find that the C7’s flat spin was induced by the disruption of airflow into the starboard vent. This disruption stalled the engine, which produced enough yaw rate to induce a spin which was…unrecoverable.
There was no way the driver could either see or avoid the jet wash which produced the engine stall. Therefore, the board of inquiry finds that the driver was not at fault in the accident of 02 February. The driver’s record will be cleared of this incident. The driver is restored to drive status without further delay. These proceedings are closed.
That last statement is actually some edited dialog from Top Gun. Our legal counsel requires me to say that it is a work of fiction, and not based on actual events. I apologize for any confusion.
