Mallory Park Kumho Accident!

Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:25 pm

Not sure if anyone is aware appart from Dom obviously, but there was a serious accident in the Kumho BMWs at the last round at Mallory. Thankfully Stuart Laws is ok, but the car is a write off. The exit from Goodards is about 100mph in the 325s and one wheel on the grass had a devistating effect! The strength of the E30 was clear even though the cage well and truly did it's job!

Video here: http://www.holmesdale.net/board_files/5 ... 0Crash.wmv

Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:30 pm

that was a nasty smash dude glad driver was ok been round gerrards (as a passenger) at about 115 in a skyline gtr group n rally car anything over 80 - 90 is scarey round a 180 corner like that

Wed Jul 13, 2005 11:30 pm

That looks painful, his neck and back aren't gonna be in good shape

The car/roll cage did indeed do a good job though

Fri Jul 15, 2005 8:01 am

Sorry to see that, hope he is not too shaken

Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:23 am

Blimey, glad to hear he's ok.

Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:56 am

Thats was a nasty one!!

Hope everythings alright..

I can vouch for the strength of the e30 325i even without a cage as I did a similar thing in a country lane.
I came round a fast left just a tad over the speed limit in the rain, and there was a entrance to a field which a tractor had emptied all the mud on the bend. I had no chance I caught the slide but the rear wheel caught on a drain cover and launched the car. I barrelled rolled at about 8ft in the air 4 times, chopping 3 large trees in half and came to rest leaning against the fourth one. Apart from there being only one wheel left on, the engine fell out and the steel sunroof plus all glass popping out I got out with just bruising.

Very strong motor!!!

Regards

Mark

Fri Jul 15, 2005 1:06 pm

mark you are one lucky dude

Sat Jul 16, 2005 1:16 am

Ouch glad he's OK!

bmw02rally wrote:I can vouch for the strength of the e30 325i even without a cage as I did a similar thing in a country lane.
I came round a fast left just a tad over the speed limit in the rain

Hmm that sounds familiar I did a similar thing

bmw02rally wrote:and there was a entrance to a field which a tractor had emptied all the mud on the bend. I had no chance I caught the slide but the rear wheel caught on a drain cover and launched the car. I barrelled rolled at about 8ft in the air 4 times, chopping 3 large trees in half and came to rest leaning against the fourth one. Apart from there being only one wheel left on, the engine fell out and the steel sunroof plus all glass popping out I got out with just bruising.

Very strong motor!!!

Regards

Mark

Blimey
I spun at about 65mph just missed another car, smashed through a fence, flew down a bank and landed side on into a tree, with a branch sitcking through the rear passenger side window to the other side of the car.
Write off, I was physically fine though. Like you say strong car (well for an 80's design anyway)

Sat Jul 16, 2005 2:10 am

Glad he is ok, just goes to show how strong E30's are/ can be made

I caught some gravel in my first E30 on a long sweeping left, before I knew it I was heading for an armco barrier at just over 60 mph, hit the barrier (moved the armco at least 18" backwards and the support piller was horizontal now

)spun 180 almost on the spot and was only cut short by landing against the lamp post!

Still I walked away, vowing NEVER to mod another car again, had NO interest in cars what so ever for a day or 2, just thought sod it! I'll buy a sh*tbox and that will be it. Yeah right! four days later I had my current 325i, now have another E30 too

Its true what they say, if it doesn't kill you it makes you stronger (or at least more determined!)

Sat Jul 16, 2005 9:07 am

The video really brings it home, i saw the car come in & I felt sick & quite disturbed looking at the carnage, they had to cut the roof/cage to get him out & i feared the worst. Luckily he was just battered & bruised & minus some teeth (he swallowed them ads he hit his head on the cage!). We were the car behind Stuart & it could have quite easily been us as well

What they did say is that it was only down to the quality of the cage & the prep of the car that he survived. So, the moral of this is simple, if you're going on track make sure you buy / fit the best cage you can afford & buy a decent wrap aorund seat, & if possible a HANS device, I know Stuart has!

Sat Jul 16, 2005 2:03 pm

Those HANS devices are a great design aren't they!! Simple but effective...

Alot of racing drivers would be hear today if they had worn them. I hear they are quite restrictive. I don't know of any Rally drivers wearing them probably because you have to move you're head so much more due to opposite lock.

Regards

Mark

Sat Jul 16, 2005 9:24 pm

They are restrictive but not as much as many think & they can be adjusted & should be fine for rallying, the enquiry into the guy who died at Thruxton a few back concluded that he had somewhere in the region of 90g on his neck, a HANS probably wouldn't have saved him as the forces were just too huge, BUT, in most situations it will save your life for sure. I for one will NOT race in a car that does not have a full Multipoint weld in cage & without a full face & a HANS. I was very lucky last season, the only damage i sustained was when a certain white E30 that is known to this forum hit me going through Cascades at Oulton. Of course he'll never admit to that!

Sun Jul 17, 2005 2:34 am

bmw02rally wrote:I don't know of any Rally drivers wearing them probably because you have to move you're head so much more due to opposite lock.

I think they are compulsory in the WRC now. The drivers weren't happy with them to start with but I think they made some modifications. Also they had problems because rally drivers and co drivers sometimes have to get into and out of the car themselves with no one to help and they said getting the Hans device positioned correctly by youself was difficult.

Aston

Sun Jul 17, 2005 9:00 pm

Taffy wrote:I was very lucky last season, the only damage i sustained was when a certain white E30 that is known to this forum hit me going through Cascades at Oulton. Of course he'll never admit to that!

Geez...are you still looking for reasons why you spun almost a car length ahead of me!

There's no orange paint on that bumper of mine....well...not from that part of the track anyway!

On the subject of safety, I will hopefully have a wrap around seat in the car before next weekend and I'm having to save franticly for a hans and new helmet!

Sun Jul 17, 2005 9:11 pm

Glad Stuart is OK. That was a nasty incident - makes you think twice about going on a track witout roll cage and hans device - I've been to lots of track days and I don't have any of these safety measures in my track car yet but they are definately top of the list now.

Taylor.

Sun Jul 17, 2005 9:41 pm

Taylor325i wrote:Glad Stuart is OK. That was a nasty incident - makes you think twice about going on a track witout roll cage and hans device - I've been to lots of track days and I don't have any of these safety measures in my track car yet but they are definately top of the list now.

Taylor.

Miss a few trackdays & GET IT DONE.

Ok Paul, I give up,can't keep living in the past but twas an epic battle

Wed Jul 20, 2005 7:26 pm

Taffy wrote:
Taylor325i wrote:Glad Stuart is OK. That was a nasty incident - makes you think twice about going on a track witout roll cage and hans device - I've been to lots of track days and I don't have any of these safety measures in my track car yet but they are definately top of the list now.

Taylor.
Miss a few trackdays & GET IT DONE.

Agreed.

I reckon this 18 year old owes his life to Safety Devices.

My bro is in the white car on the right, he lifted when he saw the leaders collide, the 18 year old was alongside and didn't. He walked away with a broken wrist and a cracked vertebrae.

http://www.2plus2tv.com/crashjc.mpg

Thu Jul 21, 2005 7:53 am

M3Compact wrote: Agreed.

I reckon this 18 year old owes his life to Safety Devices.

My bro is in the white car on the right, he lifted when he saw the leaders collide, the 18 year old was alongside and didn't. He walked away with a broken wrist and a cracked vertebrae.

That has got to be over 10 times that car rolled!