http://www.big-boys.com/articles/japancrash.html

OMFG

That is a grand example of why I don't think races should be run "rain or shine"

Here's the story that goes along with that video:

Crippled car racer wins massive payout

A racing car driver whose career ended with a sickening crash five years ago
Wednesday was awarded 90 million yen compensation after the Tokyo District
Court ruled race organizers were to blame for his crippling accident.

Tetsuya Ota fell well short of getting the 300 million he had been asking
from the five organizers and the marshal of the 1998 race where he suffered
severe burns that ruined his driving career, but received the vindication he
had been looking for.

"The crash was caused when the flag car suddenly slowed down," Presiding
Judge Tsuyoshi Ono said. "Firefighting and rescue preparations were also not
up to scratch."

Ota was delighted with the court win. "I would like to thank everybody who
has supported me along the way," the 43-year-old once referred to as Japan's
best Ferrari handler said in the wake of the ruling.

Those ordered to pay Ota include Fuji Speedway in Shizuoka Prefecture, where
the horrifying crash occurred, and TV Tokyo, which broadcast the race.

None of the defendants have stated whether they will appeal against the
ruling, including TV Tokyo, which spent the entirety of the court battle
arguing that it could not be regarded as one of the race organizers.

Court records said Ota's terrifying crash occurred during a warm-up lap
before the official start of the race in May 1998. Ota's car burst into
flames after slamming into another vehicle that had already stopped because
of a different accident.

Ota was stuck in the fireball for almost 90 seconds before rescuers finally
dragged him out. He sustained burns across his body and is still unable to
move his right arm, right shoulder and fingers properly.

Judges ruled the flag car should have been traveling at about 60 kilometers
per hour instead of the 150 kilometers it was doing, and caused the accident
by slowing too quickly. Ota was forced to unexpectedly drop his pace and, as
a result, he lost control and smash into the stationary vehicle.

They also decided that Ota was left in his flaming vehicle for too long and
organizers had neglected their responsibility to get him out of the burning
car within 30 seconds of the blaze erupting.

A pre-race agreement between Ota and the organizers not to pursue legal
action in the event of an accident was also dismissed as unacceptable.

"A letter that tries to eliminate one party from taking any responsibility
for major accidents caused by gross negligence is incorrect, unfair and not
void in this court," presiding judge Ono said.

TV Tokyo's attempt to avoid being regarded as one of the race organizers was
dismissed by the court, which ruled it was involved in sufficient decisions
made about the race to be viewed as one of the organizations directly
concerned with running it.

Ota made his debut in 1982, racing in the Formula 3000 series before
switching to GT car races in which he competed in four straight Le Mans
24-hour races. (Mainichi Shimbun, Japan, Oct. 29, 2003)

Damn, my seat gets hot just watching that. But can someone please explain to me why the car burst into flames like that? The best I can come up with is that the fuel lines were fastened to the frame too tightly and when the frame twisted the lines just split open. Maybe there wasn't enough slack in the soft lines and the motor shifted, pulling the lines apart? Any word on the guy in the red car... Doh, already answered.

WOW!

Morgan (now surfing for top notch fire supression system, suit, nomex undies, etc....)

OMG!

Im glad he's going to be ok but as an NAT Emergency worker with the SCCA all i could say to my self watching the video was"get out!" and were in the hell is the fire crew!OR SOMEBODY,ANYBODY!

Jeez....gotta agree with Mitch - running in the rain just ain't worth it.

If you watch, the corner worker is standing there with a fire extinguisher WATCHING the Porsche driver struggle to get out....and no help.....

As far as the driver winning millions for getting hurt racing...I DO NOT agree with that.....that kind of crap will just raise the cost of racing even more.....its a risk....you take it when ya hit the track...

Agreed

FYI, 90 million yen is only about $880,000 as of yesterday when I checked... not worth it at all.

http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic

saw that vid on ebaums world.com wasnt that long though. so it was nice to see the driver or the second car survive and get out. i dropped my jaw the first time i saw that. couldnt believe the cars burst into flames like that.

I wonder whether that car was equipped with a factory fuel tank or a racing fuel cell?

You are correct randy,that the first car had a worker just watching the driver fall out of the car with the car burning while holding a fire bottle I was more concerned about the red car that was totally engulfed in flame's,but looking at the video again i don't see worker's on that side of the track.

The driver understands the risk's he is taking im sure,but to much rain on the track has to be delt with somehow.Either by stoping the race or using more parade laps.And if there is two or more classes than maybe a split start.

Some people just don't like running at a burning car(or anything else)becuase i watched a C5R corvette burn to the ground at LAGUNA SECA as a worker stood there with a fire bottle!MAYBE THIER THE SMART ONE'S!

I run at burning car's way to much.......................BUT I NEVER SAID I WAS THE SHARPEST TOOL IN THE SHED

I agree with ya John, I don't expect a marshal to run at an inferno and risk himself in a "low probability of success" rescue attempt....

With the Porsche though, the car was not burning so bad anymore, and the guy could have EASILY walked over 15 yards or so and either sprayed the extiguisher while the driver got out, or helped the driver.....