Top gear article on Lambo crash at TX mile...

[RAC3ME]

I found it interesting that they heard about it across the pond...

Why do they say he clipped a wall? Last I checked there are no walls on a runway? :hmmmm2:

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/lambo-crash-2010-10-27

[rberg32]

I think we he actually went off the runway, where that brush was, maybe there is some kind of wall there that he clipped that made the car flip and roll like that.

[Vandit]

There's a vidnod the whole crash in the Tx Mile Registration thread. What he hit may not have been a wall, but it was definitely a big chunk of earth.

[RAC3ME]

There's a vidnod the whole crash in the Tx Mile Registration thread. What he hit may not have been a wall, but it was definitely a big chunk of earth.

Ya same vid is in the Top Gear link... It's not clear enough to see what he actually hits. Maybe someone who was there can chime in. :dontknow:

[trentor]

According to witnesses, there was a heavy crosswind that day. Apparently when the parachute began to deploy, it unsettled the car enough to lose control prior to the chute fully expanding. I can't confirm that, but it seems to be a common theory I've read.

[Mike CLK Black]

According to witnesses, there was a heavy crosswind that day. Apparently when the parachute began to deploy, it unsettled the car enough to lose control prior to the chute fully expanding. I can't confirm that, but it seems to be a common theory I've read.

Since you mention the wind, it's not surprising.
Notice the front end popping up early in the run under hard acceleration. Throw in extreme rear drag when the chute deploys and the outcome is fairly predictable.
I bet they change the suspension settings and add a serious front splitter in the next version.

[GTCole]

There's no wall down there. Made that turn 100 times. If anything, he hit some johnson grass. I saw the video. Didn't see a wall unless they just added it.

[Fubar]

Driver crossed the line and let off the gas. This was the first error as the correct procedure is to drive into the chute deployment and letting off the gas at those speeds has the same effect as hitting the brakes (weight shift). Then he 'pulled' the chute, and hit the brakes at almost the same time. The combination of all of this made the rear of the car very susceptible to lift. The wind pulled the chute slightly sideways at first and the rear of the car followed. The driver steered into the turn to correct the cars lateral movement (which is a natural reaction but the wrong reaction) but the chute quickly returned to a position in direct opposition to the direction the car was traveling. However, the driver had added significant steering input at this point and with the massive forward weight shift, the car simply "tripped" over its own front wheel.

I was there but this is all speculation based on the video and information given about correct chute deployment procedures. As such, I do not claim to "know" what happen but present this version of the events for your personal consideration.