VIDEO: Scott Sharp's Acura prototype completely destroyed during Petit Le Mans practice
Scott Sharp's accident at the Petit Le Mans Thursday practice session - click above to watch the video after the jump
Earlier, we told you about the Patron Highcroft racing team's marathon 20 hour build of a brand new Acura ARX-02a the day before the Petit Le Mans. The reason the crew had to work even harder than normal on a race weekend was a crash during Thursday's afternoon practice that left many observers astonished as Scott Sharp walked away unharmed.
Sharp's LMP1 Acura was heading into turn 3 at Road Atlanta when it apparently made contact with another racer exiting the pit lane. This caused the Acura's front end to lift, and that's never a good thing in one of these high-powered prototypes. Into the air the car went. After makng 3.5 revolutions, Sharp managed to crawl out of the car's remains with just a clump of mud stuck to the top of his helmet.
"I really don't know what happened," Sharp said. "I was heading up the hill in sixth gear and felt a hit in the right rear. The wheel arches are very high with the wide front tires on the Acura - I didn't see a thing – only felt the contact. I knew it was a big one and I am just really grateful to Acura and all the boys at Patrón Highcroft Racing for building such a strong car. I'm shattered for Duncan, all the guys, Brabs and Dario (Franchitti). We went through this last year and I can't believe it's happened again. I was just thinking to myself how much I like this place when next thing I'm headed upside down with a mouth full of Georgia clay."
Heading into Atlanta, Sharp and co-driver David Brabham were tied at 142 points and leading the LMP1 drivers championship race, a position they maintained by finishing sixth in yesterday's rain-shortened Petit Le Mans. The video of the crash is available after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Ryan.
[Source: YouTube]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Joe118 7:15PM (9/27/2009)
Ouch... he walked away from that?!?!?! wow.
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David Wiles 7:46PM (9/27/2009)
Fortunately, they don't build 'em like they used to.
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Undercover Soul Brother 7:51PM (9/27/2009)
So is this him crashing again today?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq6pjIRjJ0o
The car isn't set up correctly. The tail is not stable.
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bhtooefr 8:12PM (9/27/2009)
That was last year.
Taglane 8:14PM (9/27/2009)
Damn. That's amazing he walked away from that.
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daleam 8:25PM (9/27/2009)
Must have been one of those shrapnel spewing Honda airbags.
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homunculus 9:17PM (9/27/2009)
it's a good thing that acura has that five star crash safety rating.
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larry a 12:39PM (9/28/2009)
And highest resale value out of any luxury brand
Taglane 9:32PM (9/27/2009)
Dude shut up. All your comments are so stupid.
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abperezz22 9:48PM (9/27/2009)
Do a barrel roll
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EasyThere 10:17PM (9/27/2009)
Nothing a little buffing can't fix.
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mk15 9:55AM (9/28/2009)
They managed it too, and just in time for the race.
JayP 11:04PM (9/27/2009)
Something like this 10 years ago would have been a career ender... if not worse.
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click_playaz 11:04PM (9/27/2009)
A prototype became a crap. that's amazing.
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Ryno917 11:13PM (9/27/2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXfVXKCkeYo
On board video. Apparently Sharp didn't even see the Porsche because of the high fenders of the proto.
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Rich 9:55AM (9/28/2009)
Here come the regulations about field of view.
Oh, he didn't die. No new regs then. Carry on.
cool_ozzyfromkalush 11:51PM (9/27/2009)
How light is that thing, Im 180lb and i cant jump that high...
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Harrison 11:58PM (9/27/2009)
You also have to remember that it was traveling at 140 m.p.h. at the time of impact.
JDM Life 11:57PM (9/27/2009)
Acuras are not used to goin so fast....
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Venom 1:39AM (9/28/2009)
Holy crap...
How the eff did he survive that?
Thank God he is OK.
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