Worst crash I've seen...

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

Mike Jordan (Midwest Expert #32), his dad, and myself were all at Road America this last weekend. Mike's dad was 1 of the corner workers at Turn #5 all weekend, he saw the 'no brakes' crash in Turn #5 and told us about it later that day - scary stuff! At least the free standing movable tire walls were there instead of concrete!

[dicatirider944]

At least the free standing movable tire walls were there instead of concrete!

+like 50-75

[Simon]

Quote "Friday Jul. 6 2007 during the MARRC track day......the rest...maybe someone can fill in the blank."

I was working with the MARRC Crew that day and got to you at the same time as the medics. I talked to the flagger in 8, he saw the whole thing. he said you tried to save a wicked highside and got pitched over the front. The bike slide down the track a bit then hooked its self up again and went into the woods on the inside of turn 9.
I'm glad you are getting better. You were out for quite a while.

[firefighter973]

Thanks a bunch Simon, I was hoping someone was there to witness it, and I figured a cornerworker was my only hope. I just wanted a little closure on the wreck, whether personal error was the cause or purely bad luck. Just the fact that I was out for so long kinda scared me, and I have nothing but the aftermath to judge on what happened. At any rate, I appreciate any and all medical attention you and everyone else tended to me. I never got a chance to thank the medical staff personally, I was pretty hyped up on meds when I got back to the track Saturday and just felt like sleeping. So if you know any of the staff that assisted please send them a personal thank you from me. I would do it myself, but...well I dont even know what they look like!! I am an EMT back here at home and deal with high stress incident such as these, but I've never been on the other end of it. So please let them know that I greatly appreciate all they provided me. I must say each race weekend that I attend I will now make sure the medical staff gets a handshake, its the least I can do. Oh, and tell them thanks also for taking it easy with the trauma shears on my leathers. 8) The repair man said he should be able to take care of it. All in all, yourself, the cornerworkers, medical staff, Winchester Med. Center staff, and CCS Racing have no idea how grateful I am and they should truely be proud of themselves.

[chaplain220]

Hey firefighter 973, it was good to see ya up and about at the bike shop today, and as far as the broken foot goes...that was my fault.  You were screwin up the track day so bad by sleeping on turn 8, I came over and started kickin ya!  I'll send yer leathers off tommorrow for...surgery, should have em in bout a week.  Glad someone saw what happened and filled in the pieces.

[Simon]

You are most welcome. Next time you want to see the cornerworkers or medics you can find us next to the cafe in the morning, at lunch or at the end of the day. Its a lot less painfull!
Good luck with your recovery.

[scottg22]

Road America Turn 5 250cc Crash No Brakes.

That was my friend Cory Hildebrand, He is a first year expert and 16 years old.  As one of you said..  the caliper was not wired and we suspect not tight after a tire change happened the night before.  I was comind down the hill in the braking zone and saw a rider running straight.... then I saw he was going very fast.  As I turned in... I noticed impact of the hay bales and his "Bus Kids" leathers being shot over the wall.  It took me half a lap to get him outta my head.....  it was scary to see for sure.

I talked to Cory and he broke his right hand and his right upper arm.  Hand is casted and the arm is in a sling.  Because of the break...  no surgury is necessary at this time.  6-8 Weeks and he should be ok.

He was VERY Lucky!

[tstruyk]

thanks for the update, I keep coming back here hoping someone has some info. 

very VERY lucky from the sound of it!

[George_Linhart]

Wow - I think that the 250 into the tire wall with no brakes happened as I was entering the corner.  I know somebody flew past me way on the outside of the track just after I turned in - I saw it out of the corner of my eye and thought "I know those GP bikes can carry a lot of corner speed but what the hell is that kid thinking?"

I'm glad he is relatively OK, it really could have been a very, very bad incident...

I am very glad that he had the presence of mind to take the very outside line.  If somebody had been hit on the corner entrance I am relatively certain that somebody probably would have been killed...

ALLWAYS double check all the nuts and bolts and re-wire everything afer changing tires!

George

[Cyklracer]

Road America Turn 5 250cc Crash No Brakes.

...  no surgury is necessary at this time.  6-8 Weeks and he should be ok.

He was VERY Lucky!

Very glad to hear he made it through "relatively" okay

This is why I really think CCS should adopt more stringent safety wiring rules a la CRA, WERA, others...and require caliper bolts and axle pinch bolts be safety wired.  Granted, you're not going to tech your bike after a tire change, but having to safety wire those items adds that extra safety net that's sometimes required to make sure those simple things are done. 

I'm paranoid about that stuff for my own safety and for others on the track.  Yeah, okay it's mainly for my own safety.

D

[photos4you]

this the worst

[Burt Munro]

I could have done without seeing that. 
(edit: thanks Dave!)

Might want to put a warning out there about opening the view.