Last weekend during a practice lap at Mid-Ohio Raceway the 009 Aston Martin ALMS went airborne off the track and "flew" 142 feet before landing off the track in the dirt. The track was reportedly wet and the unidentified driver lost control under braking. Fortunately his car was the only one on that part of the track at the time and it amazingly remained level during its separation with terra firma.
These pics were found on the North American Subaru Impreza Owners Club (NASIOC) forum, and those guys know a lot about flying cars from watching Subies take flight in World Rally competition. One astute forum member noted that the first record of powered flight by the Wright brothers on December 17th, 1903 lasted for 120 feet and 12 seconds. We checked it out, it's true, which means the Aston beat the Wright brothers' first flight by 22 feet.
Check out more pics after the jump including the takeoff and landing. Word is there was video shown on TV of the accident, so kudos to whoever can find it first.
Thanks Amp for the tip!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Woody @ May 23rd 2006 11:53AM
Flew? I think more like launched like a rocket.
Tim UF @ May 23rd 2006 11:57AM
what a testament to the aerodynamics that are employed on racers nowadays...
i wonder who is putting up for drycleaning on the driver's suit though...
Steve @ May 23rd 2006 12:27PM
I'll bet the fabric on his seat is pinched up into a point after that!
jmarge @ May 23rd 2006 12:28PM
i dont think this says anything in particular about this autos aerodynamics. aerodynamicists are not designing the right side as the leading edge. if anything the aero is designed to push the car down to the ground not to keep it airborn.
Tim UF @ May 23rd 2006 12:30PM
i didnt realize the car flew sideways, its still miraculous it stayed level though...
after seeing all these vids of formula cars getting a little lift that end up going end over end chasing their own engine tumbling down the track
Shawn @ May 23rd 2006 12:34PM
Of course it has to do aerodynamics. Doesn't anyone remember in the old days when cars go sideway, air gets under the car and flips it over?
oneighturbo @ May 23rd 2006 12:51PM
im so mad at myself. i had this race ov tivo and deleted it forgetting about this crash.
the track has been redone and soem of the offs have a drop as you can see in the first pic. he was coming down the stright and locked it or somehting (cant remember) spun 180 into the turn and headed backwards.. from there look at the pics.
the CBS coverage had the car coming towards you.. he starts the spin and camera doesnt follow at fist, then quickly pans left to catch it launching!!! it looked like a toy.
the amazing thing is how high and how far without flipping.
CBS actually commentated on the Wright Bros. TV coverage was delayed.
im sure it will show up on YouTube.
Jeff the Baptist @ May 23rd 2006 1:03PM
Except that wasn't flying, it was falling with style.
Asiaerotica_com @ May 23rd 2006 1:13PM
a Great example of interesting permutations in Newtonian Kinematics!
phoenix @ May 23rd 2006 1:13PM
The lift-off and miraculously-safe landing didn't occur on a practice lap -- it happened during the race itself. If memory serves, Pedro Lamy took it on the wild ride and sailed clear over most of the dirt trap, headed for the tire wall. The car looked as if it might impact the wall ass-first, but luckily landed in the dirt and didn't get too badly torn-up.
Anonymous Coward @ May 23rd 2006 1:21PM
This isn't a video of this, but of the flying Mercedes from a few years back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsi5uT_C5cs
GDUB @ May 23rd 2006 1:31PM
It was "DRIFTING" thru the air. wonder if the kiddies in the streets will try to air drift.
min @ May 23rd 2006 1:33PM
Amazing. At first I thought the 2nd and 3rd pics were Photoshops... wow.
JeffC @ May 23rd 2006 1:48PM
View pic 1. Then pic 2 and pause. Insert banjo music and Waylon Jennings saying: "Them boys had best grow some more wings". Then cut to commercial...
Dan @ May 23rd 2006 1:50PM
Some say that his feet turn all the way around and that his lunch smells of fish...
...all we know is his called The Stig
Jason @ May 23rd 2006 1:56PM
Dan,(#13) I'm laughing my ass off right now, good show son. I miss TopGear here in the US.
Jason
Finished.Law.School @ May 23rd 2006 2:02PM
"Fortunately his car was the only one on that part of the track at the time and it amazingly remained level during its separation with terra firma."
Could the keeping level thing be thanks to 50/50 weight distribution?
Matt @ May 23rd 2006 2:26PM
A 50/50 weight distribution would keep it from rotating due to gravity, but even then, the aerodynamics is what equalizes the forces of the air flow. He either got very lucky, or the flow that normally keep the car level and hugging the track was reversed enough to keep the car experiencing enough lift in the right places to keep it from flipping. I would suspect this is what happened. At 250 mph moving forward, the goal is to keep the weight 50/50 distriubted (I assume) for the best handling, equally pushing down on all wheels. I'd bet it's superiour design, why else would it cost so much?
Rick Stratton @ May 23rd 2006 2:36PM
Looks like turn 6, end of the long straight away. The hill slopes away into the dirt.
It's a scary turn to go through fast!!
Tom Jerry @ May 23rd 2006 2:38PM
Bond!, James Bond!